# Berry - A QH in Ireland



## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

Photo taken Thurs 19th Feb - with her head buried in her feed pot :lol:


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

She's a cute horse. When you said, "Rough condition", I was expecting a skeleton. Not too bad, she'll shape up very nicely.


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## Mulefeather (Feb 22, 2014)

Subbing! I love that chunky QH look she's got. My first horse was a QH and I have had a soft spot for them ever since. Can't wait to see what she looks like all slicked up for summer


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Will be fun to watch her progress.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

a western riding facility in Ireland? never thought they'd have that.


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

Friday: today's ride left me annoyed. She would not settle. Brought her and dd's pony down, got dd sorted and let them into the arena. Up I got and she spent the entire ride doing her darndest not to go down to the far end of the arena. I rode her out, trying to get her too focus on me every time there was a distraction. After 30 min and fighting to calm her at the end of the arena I hopped off and lunged her at the far end. Each way for 10 min. Brought her over to the particular problem spots to have a look and then mounted again. I rode her until I had her reasonably settled - not the pent up anxiety that she was earlier. 

While I understand she is new to the yard, I'm somewhat perplexed as she had spent her first 24 hours in said arena and should be reasonably comfortable in it. I'm giving her benefit of the doubt for the rest of the weekend.

My frustration lies in two areas - 1) I specifically told the seller that I wanted a weekend horse. I don't have time to school a horse between my two jobs and two kids. He had told me she was in parades, yet she **** near jumped over me to get away from my running car after the ride. 2) he lied to me about her age. I have now received her papers and she is nearly 17 not 12 like he had told me.


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

tinyliny said:


> a western riding facility in Ireland? never thought they'd have that.


I know eh! There are a few of them and they have an irish youth team as well.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

From experience horses like her can take a while to settle down but given time and patience they usually do
What about the age though? Is that putting you off?


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

The age is putting me off - when I went to try her out I rejected a lovely paint mare for being 19, and the gelding I have just put down was 19 as well. I understand that different horses wear age differently - dd's pony is 25 (bought her knowingly at 23) but the dishonesty is an issue. 

I'm not throwing in the towel just yet, but part of me feels I should touch base with him now so that he is aware I have concerns.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I knew Looby was older than they said she was when I decided to keep her - but she passed the vet check with flying colours and seems to have very low mileage so less wear and tear than many a younger horse might have
It's something you have to think about fairly quickly though if you do want to end her back
I've known loads of older horses and ponies stay healthy and competitive for years
Just a thought re. her attitude - she's in slightly poor condition so maybe uncomfortable with ulcers or encysted redworm?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

12 is not old. 12 is matured, in the prime of life.

sorry, just saw she is 17. oh, . .. that's a bit different. that's entering old age, but not OLD.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The horse has turned out to be 17 not 12


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

Saturday: Again left frustrated. It was a fine day - cold but perfect for riding. To even bring her in from the field is leading a spooky mess. I decided to bring her for a walk inhand down the far side/outside of the arena to let her get familiar with it - she reared, she attempted to bolt, she was having none of it. I persisted until she settled. Brought her down to the yard, DD went up to ride pony in another arena - Berry lost her mind when left without her pal. 

I can understand taking a while to settle in but she isn't getting better - I'm being as calm and patient as I can, while being firm and letting her know that I'm in charge. 

A big issue is this horse was bought for myself and the kids. This was to be DD's horse when she grows out of her pony. As it stands, I wouldn't allow the kids to lead her as she lacks respect for personal space and will spook on top of you if your not careful. 

Sunday - Worked on ground work and manner. I have called the seller to let them know I am not happy with her. I'm finding his story about her keeps changing - her age, how long he's had her, what shes done. I've let him know if she doesn't improve this week she'll be delivered back on Saturday and I want my money back. He asked if I wanted to try other horses, but with the dishonesty with this one I'm hesitant. He has also told me that I will have to give him a chance to get the money together to give back to me.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Maple said:


> Saturday: Again left frustrated. It was a fine day - cold but perfect for riding. To even bring her in from the field is leading a spooky mess. I decided to bring her for a walk inhand down the far side/outside of the arena to let her get familiar with it - she reared, she attempted to bolt, she was having none of it. I persisted until she settled. Brought her down to the yard, DD went up to ride pony in another arena - Berry lost her mind when left without her pal.
> 
> I can understand taking a while to settle in but she isn't getting better - I'm being as calm and patient as I can, while being firm and letting her know that I'm in charge.
> 
> ...


This is truly a shame. It sounds like you would have offered her a wonderful home. But also sounds like you need to tell this gentleman to start getting the money together to return to you. I agree that if he's been dishonest about this one, he probably won't be very forthcoming about any others he has. Too bad. She looked like she would have shaped up nicely.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Given her age I'm inclined to suggest you take the horse back now and not wait any longer. I'd think they were probably doping it and likely hadn't had her long
What does her passport say re- ownership?
When you buy a sensible family horse you expect it to be one. If he's a dealer he's likely going to fall foul of the Trade Descriptions Act by lying about the age when he knew the truth


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

Her papers were never transferred to the man I bought her from. I'm wondering myself re:doping as she was SO relaxed when she arrived and has gotten worse instead of better. She is going back sat as that is the earliest I can get her dropped back. I was super excited about her, back to the drawing board we go


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I understand that you're disappointed but I think its best to walk away from this horse and look for something genuine that's worth putting time and money into
I've bought young green horses from sales that had been well handled and trained and they didn't behave like that - maybe a little apprehensive but not difficult like she sounds.
He was breaking the law if he bought her or sold her without a passport


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

Did you have a five stage vetting and bloods taken?


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I am happy that you aren't keeping her. She has VERY straight back legs = choppy trot, and a weak back, which could be the source of her pain, unless it's leg pain.
Start studying up. Many QH's have excellent conformation. Good luck in your hunt. =D


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

And now it's turned messy, and I now have to enlist the help of a solicitor so won't be able to comment anymore on here about her. All I will say is thankfully I listened to advice and put a call recorder on my phone from when I called to tell him he mislead me about her age.


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Please let us know when you can. Good luck.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Sorry to hear that. 
I hope you can sort this out


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

Hi All, 


Thought I'd give you a quick update. 


This unfortunately had to go the whole way through the courts. I have won the case by default, the seller didn't respond to any of the courts correspondence. 


Anyway, the sheriff has since gone out to the property and come back to say that there is nothing there of value. The seller's business facebook page is not being updated at the moment, but his wife not being too clever has no privacy settings on hers - I've been able to take screen shots of the birth of two foals, trail rides (surely if there are trail rides there are horses and tack?), a new driveway has been put in, their son has headed off to Texas on an internship and they are hosting events. I have forwarded this information onto my solicitor. He has told me that what the sheriff says is final, to argue it in the court would open a new can of worms The seller is claiming to have no money to pay me back, I have since instructed the sheriff to go in and seize the two mares and foals at the least - I have no use for mares and foals but I can at least sell them on to hopefully recoup some of my loss. 


The horse the case is around is unfortunately deceased - she mysteriously ended up with a severe injury to the front of her face... which some oddly clean straight edges... not saying anybody would deliberately injure an animal but it is a bit suss when no other animal in the pen had as much as a mark nor seemed upset.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

That's not great news and very suspicious injury to the mare - given what's happening over there by way of horse abuse I'd have no trouble thinking that it wouldn't be hard to find someone to do that sort of thing to a horse


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

*This journal has been closed due to prolonged lack of participation by the author. Journals that have no active participation by the author for a period of time greater than 18 months will be considered abandoned and will be closed until the author asks for them to be reopened.*


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