The joys (or otherwise) of horse-hunting

Can I point out now that I hate horse-hunting.  I'm sure that the only thing worse than trying to sell a horse is trying to buy one.  I've been tempted to give up the search several times, but I know it will be worth it in the end, especially as even my consultants are urging me to get back in the saddle.  It’s nearly 2½ months since I started looking, albeit at a slow pace due to my energy levels, but I don't feel like I've made much progress.

I've sat on a few, spoken to owners of a few more, and rejected loads from adverts.  So far there has been one failed vetting, a passport that didn't match the horse being sold, mis-truths about affiliated competition records, and several with miscellaneous lumps, bumps and sarcoids.  (Having had several horses with them in the past, this is unfortunately a deal-breaker for me.)  I have also seen several lovely horses, that for one reason and another aren't the one for me at the moment.  I keep telling myself that it is all useful experience, and will assist in knowing when I have found 'the one', but it is frustrating. 

I hate the emotional roller-coaster.  There's the excitement of spotting something that, on paper at least, ticks all the boxes, only to find that the owner doesn't call back.  Or when you do manage to speak to them, the alarm bells start ringing: "His/her only slight quirk is [fill in the gap]".  What is a minor annoyance to some is a no-no for others, and how do you work that out speaking on the phone to someone you've never met?  What exactly is their definition of 'fidgety'?  Or 'not a plod'?  And is that the same as mine?

Then you make the journey there to find that the horse isn't as described, or they've neglected to tell you about something that, in my eyes, means it's a no.  If there are no ifs and buts at this stage, you then have a few minutes to ride the owner's pride and joy in front of them. 

At full fitness, I hate riding my own horse in front of other people.  Let alone someone else's.  Which I've never sat on.  Whilst they're watching.  When I'm still really weak. And have barely ridden for two years.  It doesn't make for the most relaxing of situations.  There was one that I nearly crashed into the wall of the indoor school several times.  More than a little embarrassing for someone who has been riding for the best part of thirty years.

So now I've ridden it.  If I'm still interested, I go back to try it again, and go through the same pain of being watched all over again, only this time it hopefully goes a little better having learnt from the mistakes I made last time. 

Now I need to work out how the horse will be away from familiar surroundings, with different food/grass/exercise regime/routine etc.  This is almost totally guess work.  It's also true to say that there's no such thing as a perfect horse.  But which compromises are the right ones to make?  Is everything I'm being told about its history etc entirely true?  Does it stack up?  Having been burnt once or twice in the past, I'm probably slightly paranoid about these things. 

The longer I think about it, the more that it seems an impossible task!  It also makes me determined to find the right one so that I never have to go through this process again!!  There must be one out there somewhere, isn't there?