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Breeders, importers and producers

of top quality Hanoverian

dressage horses

Buying from Elite Dressage Horses

Introduction

We produce talented, gifted, bred for the discipline, dressage horses. We never know who will contact us: a novice rider wishing to climb the ladder; or a rider wanting a more athletic, professional's youngster. To that end we have a range of horses in work at any one time, with a range of prices from £15k to £40k.

Buying a young horse is a joy in so many ways: the partnership that can be built up; the confidence that each can grow together; the rewards from seeing the progression in the schooling. All these and much more are very gratifying, but they carry a responsibility to the horse, and we hope that all potential purchasers will spare five minutes to read the following comments, designed to offer your young horse the opportunity of a happy, healthy and sound future!

Schooling

We try very hard to offer you a youngster that is working confidently within his/her capabilities. This takes account of his/her age and growth levels, i.e. changing shape, especially if it's croup-high. We would not force a horse through this phase, but back off and teach basic walk exercises for instance, learning new lateral movements to help with balance and strengthening, etc. All these have to be sympathetically taken on board and not hurried. Warmbloods grow and develop until they are at least seven years of age and even then they are individuals, needing specific areas of their training programme reinforcing. Big horses especially find balance very difficult and require much longer to feel confident, to sit/engage, carry the weight behind, maintain a rhythm and work through over the back to a sympathetic, but true, contact. Your trainer is your best friend with a young horse - they are on the ground, they can advise when reward for good work offered is enough for the baby that day.

Competing

Competing your youngster is the dream, but our advice would be not to hurry headlong into competing until the true basics are in place. Going out week after week is stressful, with all it entails - bathing, plaiting, loading, travelling, working in, the test, standing on the box for ages, travelling home, etc, all takes forever and, even if it all goes perfectly well and he/she doesn't look too worried, it does take it out of them. A baby has a whole lifetime ahead of it and our job, as we see it, is to present you with the first stage in place and secure.

We want you to have the success the horse deserves. Nothing gives us greater pleasure than to receive photos and news of those wins. Time is on their side and, given now, it will pay great benefits for your horse's long-term future. Of course it's not our job to preach, but we feel we should point out the pitfalls when a lovely horse with three fabulous paces can be over-faced, precisely for being that talented.

Purchasing your Horse

Having said the foregoing, we believe that, when we put a youngster forward for sale, we have ridden them sympathetically and correctly. They have accepted, and adapted to, a routine of training and stable/field management with which they're comfortable and confident. We tell you everything about the horse - its individual likes and dislikes, and quirks if there are any! You can see them ridden, or ride yourself with instruction from us if you so wish, to help you gel better with specific aids with which the horse is comfortable.

If and when you decide to purchase the horse, a deposit is required to take the horse off the market.

Any vet of your choice is welcome. If you live a very long way from us, we understand that some vets prefer not to travel long distances and, to that end, independent veterinary surgeries within a 25-mile radius can be sourced for you. It is then left with you to arrange with the vet the type of vetting you want, e.g. 5-stage, 5-stage with X-rays, etc - whatever suits your needs. We are at the vet's disposal for the whole vetting, to ask of the horse anything the vet needs to examine. Subject to the horse fully passing your brief, it is deemed to be sold and the balance of the purchase price is due immediately. You will receive a stable management portfolio containing all the horse's data relating to feed, farriery dates, dentistry, physiotherapy, vaccination due dates, worming, etc.

When you collect the horse, he/she leaves us having fulfilled the contract requirements of sale. If you are unable to collect the horse for whatever reason when he/she has passed her vetting, we are happy to continue the work, on full training livery, until you are ready.

The Life Ahead!

We don't run away - we are here to help you in any way possible! It takes a minimum of six - eight weeks for the average horse to settle into a new home environment. It is exceedingly stressful changing homes and every opportunity must be given to help the horse through this initial upset. We recommend that, if possible, as near to normal routine as practicable is maintained.

We are always at the end of the 'phone or computer to help with any problem, or listen to any and every aspect of the relationship as it unites to a partnership for life! We enjoy producing the horses and want them to go to lovely homes where the priority is their welfare, coupled with your dreams being realised in that you have the horse that can take you as far as your dedication and training takes you.