Horses for Courses

Over the last few weeks I have been doing quite a lot of vettings. It would seem to be the time of year when people are looking for their equine proteges for the 2015 season. Four year olds have been started and backed and lightly exposed to competition. They haven't had a chance yet to have proved themselves, or to have tried and failed, therefore every young horse is 16 hands of pure untapped potential. Price is usually decided on the basis of breeding and the success of older siblings. A lot of these horses are very impressive in the flesh too and the temptation is there - buy this horse and you are buying your ticket to top placings in eventing, show-jumping or dressage. With an immaculately-bred horse with good conformation who has been started by a professional how could you possibly fail to climb your way to the top of the competition ladder? For those with deep enough pockets, now is the time to buy your way into the dream.

However I am increasingly seeing these horses bought by, put politely, riders whose aspirations don't necessarily match their abilities. It puts me in a very difficult situation as I am not required to give my professional view on whether the purchaser is likely to be capable of handling and riding such a highly strung horse. I might make a few comments about progeny from a particular line being known to be 'hot', but if the purchaser wants to buy a particular horse then that is their choice and they are fully entitled to make it. I do see that fewer of them seem to be involving an experienced advisor in the transaction and this is not a trend that I welcome.

A few weeks ago I vetted a horse for someone who hadn't ridden for over a year and who wanted a youngster to bring on and do a bit of riding club and lower level eventing. Their budget was clearly not insubstantial judging by the value of the horse they had asked me to vet. The horse in question was a four year old with world class breeding on both sides. However both lines were known for their sharpness and 'suitability for professional riders'. The horse was not long imported and newly broken in. It was still weak and undermuscled yet hugely impressive under saddle with enormous paces - a good walk, flashy trot and very balanced, correct canter. It was also sharp as a tack. The professional producer riding it for the vetting had a few 'nearly' moments. Yet the purchaser still wanted it. They were besotted. What could I do? I spoke to the vendor a week or two later and mentioned the unsuitability of the match. He agreed and said he'd tried to get them to buy any other horse on the yard except this one, but they were determind to have it and willing to pay full price.

I'd like to think that this horse will be the perfect horse for the purchaser. That they keep it on a yard with expert help, advice and guidance. That when it is better fed and muscled up it won't be even more tricky to handle and ride. That matching a young, talented and athletic horse with a novice rider with no experience of youngsters will turn out just fine. But I doubt it. I can almost hear the train crash from here.

My job is purely to assess the soundness of the horse for the activities intended, not to cast doubt on the riding abilities of the purchaser. It passed the vetting with flying colours. I said nothing. Was I wrong?