Thank you!! I look forward to trying that next time I see him. It makes sense to me that my guy is after engagement, based on what WS said in these videos.
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I’ve been out of the saddle for “only” 6 weeks. Got on again last week and it felt like riding was an alien concept and I’d never sat on this horse before. By ride 2, we are starting to get it back together again, so don’t worry! KBC is entirely correct! (And don’t forget he’s probably been sitting since you tried him, vs. being schooled and ridden intensively prior.)
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You both look amazing, and so does the tack! And he’s so clean!
You both have a “I found it!” smile! 
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– it was the seller’s tack, this was our test ride about 3 weeks ago (I wish my tack looked that good!!). The camera angle was good for not showing how dusty he was then! That said, he’s been really clean here – arrived with a blanket on and no winter hair growth. His feathers were muddy today, so I scissored them off. He still looks pretty shiny!
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I got one that was so mouthy at 8 years old. No one had ever told him ‘no’ i a way he understood. He thought he was so funny getting a big reaction out of humans. As your BO said, as far as he was concerned that was the attention he enjoyed the most. I could see him picking at people, laughing and tossing his head while the human waved their arms and shouted recriminations at him. His best entertainment of the day.
This is normal behavior in young horses – they are like young human children who can’t resist first trying and then escalating. Based on my horse’s history and overall behavior, I am certain that that horse was never properly schooled in manners when he was young, and just carried it on from there.
I was able to re-school that fairly quickly – I did have to hurt his feelings a little bit, he was shocked that I didn’t think he was as funny as he thought he was.
But I also had to tell everyone else in his world that they had to do the same. Horses can absolutely learn that they can get away with behavior with some people but not others. Long after he was ‘mine’ and re-schooled for me he continued to grab the sleeve of his old BO when she was walking him to/from turnout. She would not do as I suggested to stop this and his behavior toward her didn’t change. Her shouting & arm-waving didn’t change, either.
For family change reasons there were a few changes of barns over a few years, and I cautioned each new BO & staff to put a stop to any nonsense from the beginning, and told them how, as he would try his funny mouthy jokes on new people. At last the new BO/staff was reporting that he never even tried.
No training tips to share that matter, I think the pro referenced in a post above is a good start. 
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Great perspective – thank you! He actually has been ridden since I tried him, I asked the seller to keep working with him. But yeah, when I got on him yesterday, I felt like I hadn’t ridden in 6 months, not just 3 weeks!
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A few days ago my current horse was being a bit more pushy in the barn aisle than he should and I was saying “a-a-a” at him because that noise is something he responds to and it is low-key and all he needed to ease off. (long ‘a’ sound as in ‘mate’)
The BO-husband was cleaning a stall nearby and started saying ‘b-b-b’. I thought he was saying something to me that I didn’t understand and asked ‘pardon?’ He grinned and said ‘b comes after a’.
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Just wanted to add - don’t be shocked or dismayed if he becomes less “angelic” with time. I have found that 4 yr olds are still in their sweet baby phase & then at 5 & sometimes 6 enter more of a “bratty teenage boy” phase. They grow out of it but it can dismay people who haven’t experienced that before. It’s pretty normal development & of course, there’s always individual variation. The “honeymoon period” is a phrase for a reason, lol.
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agreed! 5 is the ‘terrible twos’!
Seven seems to be fully-baked and then you finally have your true horse.
I have one bratty buckskin that just came out of his bad phase. He was really too big for his britches from 5 til 7. More to his herdmates than to me, but still a PIA. Now=Mr. Sweetiepants
just when my 4 turning 5yo is beginning to think he can run the show out there 
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Yay, he’s home!
You might find that your Niedersuess isn’t quite what you need for this guy - not saying you need huge thigh blocks, but on a greenie, especially one with big movement, I find that a deep-seated saddle with decent thigh blocks helps me maintain my balance, so I can help them maintain theirs. Older saddles also tend to have those ‘banana’ panels, whereas most modern saddles have gusseted panels, which seem to add some stability.
And as he gets more into work, his back will change considerably. A lot of older saddles are more narrow than we think they are! I have an old Kieffer (OMG, that thing is 50 years old now . . .) that is marked Medium, but is by today’s standards a Narrow.
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On the topic of variable behavior in seemingly angelic horses:
In my limited experience, newly acquired horses usually are on their best behavior for 2 to 4 weeks after you get them and bring them to your barn. Then, they decide it’s time to test the limits a bit. The “tests” can be pretty small: barging through the stall door or gate immediately after you open it, not waiting for the halter to go on; bulging sideways into as you’re leading the horse; or sauntering away from you as you enter the field to catch them.
Or, the tests can be bigger ones too.
One thing to be certain about, though, is the fit of your saddle. A saddle that is, for example, a little too narrow may not bother him all that much at first, but after a few rides it may suddenly make him sore or bother him enough to object to being mounted and/or being ridden. You also want to re-check saddle fit every couple of months because he’s young (and may grow a bit more) and will put on muscle as he’s worked, both of which can dramatically alter the fit of the saddle.
But, he’s a beautiful horse and you should have fun!
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Vanity sizing in saddles? 
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An andalusian or a Friesian?
andalusian for me!!
The collection of a andalusian is 100% better then the friesian horses.
Friesians are not suitable for dressage 3/4th lever or higher, they are not suitable for colletion cause of the way they are build/conformation. The are carrying their weight on front, also their ribcage is the way, and it gives them not much air to breath, so lots of time are 15 minutes riding they are getting very lazy!!
They have short and bended hindquatres, and lots of times the back is bend to much… it is to hollow.
also they a standing behind the mass, and moving after the mass.
Friesians are Pushing movers. going forward on the forehand… also a pushing moving hind leg is stiff… a collecting carrying hind leg is very bendable.
If you want them to collect in the right way, they are gonna have pain/ problems.
I am from the netherlands, provence Friesland, the place were the friesian horses come from.
Also i know that 1 out of 10 frisian horses are 100% good on xrays, they have a lot of OCD and also lots of artose in the hoof, crown joint.
Andalusians are know for the way they are build, can collect, and are carrying/collecting!!
so for me not a friesian horse…
Only the older types friesians, who are not a lot around anymore, of 1000 friesians, maybe 2 or 5 have the old type, wich the KFPS is not fond of and trying to loose the last 30 40 yrs!
So think what you want to do with the friesian horse you want to buy??
Do you want to ride it basic dressage, so the basic of collection dressage 1st 2nd level…
Know a friesian cant do that very easy… and 3/4th level you cant ride the dressage way, but ride with trics so it looks like it is doing dressage but a good horserider or trainer sees the the horse cant do it the way it should be ridden.
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@sigrid.sijtsma, to late, the Friesian is already purchased, so time to get behind the buyer with enthusiasm and tales of success.
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Just to chime in on the KN saddle. I had an original Symphonie for ages and only moved to a new saddle because I had worn out the flaps. That saddle fit quite a few different horses - i think it had to do with how the tree was made. So if it fits your boy now you might want to stick with it. Because I suspect that in a year or two his body will have changed and you sure don’t want to have to replace a saddle that’s only a couple of years old!
A friend of mine borrowed it while her saddle was getting repaired and her only complaint was that the seat was harder than she was used to!
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This is an inappropriate post and I hope you delete it. This horse has been purchased already, and the owner is excited, and I’m sure has a little Anxiety about taking on a new and young horse. Bashing her new horse is poor form, and just mean.
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I love that, lol, “fully baked.” That said, I have an 8 yr old I just got in July who sometimes feels like he’s still only about 3/4 baked, but it’s a work in progress. XD
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Hoo boy. I hope I’m up to this 
– esp since all my prior experience has been with the fully baked variety. At least y’all are helping me with good pointers (like the WS videos on mouthy horses – thanks to the group!).
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I’ve been wondering this. The seller had nice thigh blocks on her saddle and I felt very secure even with his big movement, with which I’ve had no prior experience. The thigh blocks on my saddle are underneath the top flap, so nowhere near the security. But of course the initial outlay on him, and every other little thing I needed, means no $$$$ left for a new(er) saddle. Cross fingers for some good art sales so I can think about one!
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I had a haflinger that was wide, flat back. I got a Duett Fidelio for him. We both liked it and it didn’t break the bank. Although they’ve gone up a ton. I think I paid $1700
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