- Irish Draught
- Grey
- Gelding
- 14 years
- 17hh / 173cm
- Stunning 17hh pure Irish Draught with the kindest nature
- Hacks happily alone or in company, is brilliant at the beach
Rufus – 17hh Pure Irish Draught Gelding
This is, without doubt, the hardest advert I have ever had to write.
I have owned Rufus for the past eight years and the only reason he is looking for a new home is that, after 48 years of owning horses, I have made the heartbreaking decision to give up due to the demands of my new job.
Rufus is a stunning 17hh pure Irish Draught with the kindest nature. He is an absolute pleasure to hack and has taken me on countless adventures over the years. He hacks happily alone or in company, is brilliant at the beach, and will lead or happily sit at the back. He loads and travels beautifully in a lorry, is easy to handle, and is incredibly low maintenance. He lives on chaff with a small amount of mix, is a good doer and is generally an uncomplicated horse to have around.
Under saddle, he is safe as houses. He is a big, powerful horse and can take a hold in canter, so he needs a confident, balanced rider who enjoys riding a substantial horse rather than someone looking for a kick-along. He hasn't been in a school for years as i don't have facilities, but he loves jumping, so sponsored rides are great fun.
Because I want to find him the right home, I also want to be completely honest. Something happened to Rufus before I owned him which, sadly, left him with some psychological baggage. I don't know what it was, but it has affected him. As part of our routine, I always give him a small scoop of feed when getting on, which settles him. Around seven years ago he bolted with me on two occasions. He has never done it since. He can still occasionally feel a little tense when you first get on, but this quickly disappears as he relaxes, and the more consistently he is ridden, the less noticeable it becomes. Nowadays he rarely does it at all, but it would be unfair of me not to mention it.
I am not looking for a quick sale. Rufus deserves a knowledgeable, kind and understanding home where someone will enjoy everything he has to offer and appreciate him for the wonderful horse he is. He owes me nothing, and I owe it to him to make sure this is his forever home.
This is a genuinely heartbreaking sale, so please, no time wasters or dealers. If you think you could offer Rufus the loving, permanent home he deserves, I would be delighted to answer any questions and tell you more about him.