Doolin

Thoroughbred

Ex Racer

16.2

I was told, but didn’t listen, that Thoroughbred’s aren’t ideal for a first horse. Doolin (or Doobie as we changed it to) was sold to us as a perfect Novice Mother Daughter Share as we were searching for at the time.

I went up to Doncaster, to meet and ride him and we went both in the school and out on a hack and he was foot perfect, although a little underweight and unkempt so I did feel a little sorry for him. However, as soon as we got him home, he appeared very stressed. The first time I got on him he bucked and bucked again.  I contacted the lady I got him off who said he had never bucked before. I then gave him longer to settle and my older daughter went to ride him, he bucked her off straight away.

We got the saddle fitter and physio out to check him over, along with the dentist and vet, who could find nothing wrong. We decided to try hacking him instead of riding in the school and it went ok.

A more experienced rider rode him and it was ok in the school, we had a few lessons on him, and he bucked again.

On the ground he was very strong and bolshy too and we got to the point we were scared to handle him let alone ride, so we contacted the seller and asked if she would take him back as he clearly was not a novice mother daughter share. She wouldn’t and eventually blocked me. We later found out that 2 ladies in Doncaster were selling thoroughbreds as if they were private sellers, but it was in fact for a dealer.

While with us he did look in better condition and had put on weight and had the farrier to him so I felt we had done good by him.

I wrote an honest advert stating his bucking and issues on the ground and said we were too inexperienced to work with him, he went to a home where the lady was very experienced and did endurance, she didn’t like schooling and I don’t think he did, so at a loss I sold him. We then got Finn.