Different Strokes for different folks.... What do you look for???

BunnyDog

BunnyDog

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A couple times I have started threads like this, but I am curious from the side of the pond that you all are on, when you go to look at a horse for yourself, what do you prioritize and what do you not worry about as much?

I know that riding, training, daily things and trends vary between the countries but I am genuinely wondering what things matter to you?

As an aside, I'm always surprised that people use pics of horses intended for jump careers with the horse in poor form over a jump, as an advert pic. Some are bad enough that while I might have been interested to that point I would dismiss the horse if it's shown to jump over it's shoulder frequently. Maybe I am the only person who thinks this way, but maybe not. Especially with event horses or prospects, this is a bigger deal. Not every fence has a frangible (yet) to save you.

But overall what are the things that make or break a sale for you?

Emily

Adding the pic that made me track down Cudo's owner all over the internet to find him. LOL Only took 2 weeks to reach her.
 

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My first go to apart from conformation is to see a good walk in hand with decent overtracking. I'm also a sucker for good looks.

No-no for me are coloured horses and even if it was going to be a 5* winner I still wouldn't buy.

Would also avoid any advert that listed stable vices such as weaving/cribbing having had a cribber (but that was before the days of ulcer treatment).

Overall I like to see, especially jumping, a horse that appears to enjoy his/her job. I don't like to see a horse being sold as a novice, happy hacker horse, being advertised over huge fences, unless it is plainly stated that the horse needs downgrading to a quieter life after a competition career. I hate to see horses 'forced'.
 
I have to like the look of the horse as I would be the one looking after it for the rest of its life and it would have to move well as I was more interested in dressage when I was looking. Agree about ads , whe I was looking I couldn’t understand an ad saying dressage horse then the only pic showing it jumping… very odd..
 
My current one was a phone call from a ‘connection’ saying they knew of a racehorse coming out of training wanting a nice non jumping home. Just seeing his head over the stable door was enough. I did think very shallow-y the other day I couldn’t have a horse with the mane on the left 😀. Previous one i viewed before the photo went on the advert. A badly taken standing photo wouldn’t put me off.
 
Along the same lines as Gloi - I wanted a weanling from the same stud as my old boy Indio and really fancied a bright bay.

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Unfortunately he's darkened with age (see avatar) but he's still awesome.

If I was looking, I'd look at hooves, straight movement and basic conformation but above all temperament - as a one-horse amateur I value my safety and enjoyment over competitive success (although the latter would be nice).
 
IrishMilo said:
I would have too, he is my type to a T.

I look at feet, pasterns, fetlocks and length of back.

I immediately discount anything with stable vices (cribbing, weaving).
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well it is funny, because stood up, he has unmatching front feet and an incredibly long back and is croup high - and the reality is that he has no real trot, but is a proper jumper. So If I had looked more closely and was being sensible I might not have bought him. But he was just the right type for me (and my budget was miniscule)
 
Straightness in the limbs and a well shaped back .
I don’t mind extremely weak poorly muscled horses if I know why they are like that .
I like a horse who when it jumps you think wow I like horse who has natural focus on a fence .
I like quick thinking physically sharp horses and have a history of inadvertently choosing one person horses , I think this is because when trying I like a challenge a horse to change something in its way of going and gravitate towards the ones that think that’s interesting what is she on about .
As someone who has three large geldings my ideal is a 16.1 mare .
Actually loads of things going through my head as I look at horses .
 
i have to like the head or face really, when i look into those eyes i want to see a superstar


good confo, nicely let down,.and no faults that cannot be improved

i can deal with vices, they are mainly down to management

good breeding is one of my main needs,

when i sit on it i want to feel queen of the world, and secure and comfortable, i like a horse whose confo is such i could ride it all day

movement must be effortless, i look for horses that might be an eventer, blood horses, as they can do many different things

horses who know where their feet are, like spanish horses and their crosses

willingness to work, capable of sparkle yet can be on a long rein
 
I breed my own so get whatever nature intends I guess! When I do occasionally buy an equine I don’t spend much money so there have to be compromises. My last (and most expensive ever) equine purchase was advertised with the photo below 🫣
Luckily my homebred is exactly what I would go out to buy (the genetic lottery worked out this time) His picture is the bottom one- I'd buy him off that photo, if I could afford him.

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TheMule said:
I breed my own so get whatever nature intends I guess! When I do occasionally buy an equine I don’t spend much money so there have to be compromises. My last (and most expensive ever) equine purchase was advertised with the photo below 🫣
Luckily my homebred is exactly what I would go out to buy (the genetic lottery worked out this time) His picture is the bottom one- I'd buy him off that photo, if I could afford him.

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I'd buy for those ears!!
 
This is the photo that caught my eye when I was scrolling through Facebook, definitely not intending to buy a horse:
Calm, kind eye, large inquisitve ears, bit of a common shape to the head/nose and a nice structure to the neck/shoulders with little tension or over/under development.
I then wanted short coupled, good feet (his looked awful in the photo) and good legs which thankfully he had.

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I like blood, good conformation, good jump but not wow as they are eventers, need to cover the ground lightly, uphill, good movers but not exceptional, big wither, good breeding, grey, bay or chestnut, nice head, great feet, nice person, 16.2-17.1. Mine are all 6’9 as well.
 
Temperament is key for me, and I’m a sucker for a pretty head and kind eye.
No greys or coloured with lots of white (I just can’t do the cleaning).
I like them to be enjoying doing the job that I’ll want them to do (dressage, hacking).
When I try them I want to feel safe, but also that they want to go.
A unicorn basically!
 
Nowadays I prioritise feeling safe, whereas years ago I liked something sharp.
I still like something quick off the leg, but safety goes above all for me now so I’ll settle for a little more ‘leg on’ that I can train to how I like, than something that’s going to be unpredictable or come out stupidly sharp after a couple of days off (whereas in my youth they were my preference)

I also prefer small 15hh types. I’m small and slight and don’t need anything much bigger.

A decent walk that tracks up and a canter that has a noticeable 3-beat rhythm, even if it’s nowhere near established or is rushed or flat or whatever. It gives me the confidence that there’s a decent enough canter in there. Unconcerned by trot as I find that pace the easiest to ‘make’.
I am rarely impressed by free school elevated trotting videos. Most bog standard horses can do an insanely nice trot-verging-on-passage in the field when playing or their blood is up.
 
I’ve never really looked! Mine was recommended by a friend who knew her.

Daughter’s pony was cheap, local and the video was of her calmly jumping a small jump with a novice child in the dark in the wettest school you’ve ever seen!
 
I'm not much use on this as I had a set criteria in my mind of what I wanted for my first pony (15.1 - 16hh cobby type, nice big build, mainly for hacking but also for a bit of schooling and something well established) and I completely went in the opposite direction and brought a 14.1 sports - type pony, who is slim built (but carries me fine and I always weigh myself and tack regularly to be sure!), was absolutely crap out hacking till about 2 years ago, absolutely no schooling experience and not in the slightest bit established.....but in hindsight I'm bloody lucky it worked out as I know things can go pear shaped very fast with horses! It's been a long slog and at times I've almost posted the for sale advert thinking I'm out of my depth, but after nearly 10 years of owning my pony I've come to realise that he's progressed my riding immensly, given me the confidence to buy a yearling and most of all has made me realise just how amazing things are when they start to click.

My criteria for my yearling was something to make over 15 hands, nice personality, good to handle, potential to be a dressage prospect/ all rounder and a gelding ideally but not opposed to a filly (I can be stubborn at times and I know that mares don't appreciate that in a rider!), but main thing was conformation and genetic testing for me - my current pony has a miriad of health issues due to not so good breeding, and I've spent far too much time at the vets, so I wanted something that was as straightforward and least likely to have me on first name terms with the on call vet! I'm aware things can change mega fast with horses though so not completely resting on my laurels just yet.....
 
I show so my main consideration is how the horse is put together and how it moves.
Then because ive done my time on lunatics i’ll look for nice temperament.
About 14hh native.

When buying for Ellie ive gone for temperament over everything
 
I'm not much use as I only bought my first pony last summer at the ripe age of 44 and my only requirements were:
1) wanted one ASAP for the summer!! 2) carried me 3) hacked out 4) within my very meagre budget!

I ended up with a 14.1 middle aged coblet who I adore but hasn't been without issues including a bucking habit far worst than declared, bad ground manners, putting his tongue over every bit we've tried, so we're now trying bitless and he's got increasing grumpy culminating in a lameness work-up which he's going into the vets next week for.
We did have a lovely summer of hacking out with my daughter and started having a few lessons, but its all been a bit stop-start and we haven't made as much progress as I'd have liked.
He's not going anywhere but if buying again I'd be a lot more picky and look for something a bit younger with better conformation that also had a better work ethic! But I'd need a much bigger budget too!
 
I don't like spending money (Scot, married to a Yorkshireman), and expensive horses cost as much as cheap horses. My latest horse was a gift. Phone call from trainer: 'X horse is retiring, would you like him?'. Me: 'is he quiet-ish?' Trainer: 'yes'. Me: 'cool, put him on the ferry please'. Deal done. I had met the horse in question before a couple of years previously, but had to google him after the phone call as I wasn't even sure what colour he was!
 
Temperament- I'm looking for a horse that engages with the world around them, I also need to be able to get inside their head, hence no TBs, as I've never met one I can read.
I like hot, sharp and opinionated, but also something intelligent and bold- hot & thinking is great fun, hot and fearful is dangerous.
Build-wise, solid conformation, but doesn't need to be pretty, I like an improved native (particularly welsh!), also quite like Arabs, something that is tough yet also athletic.
I'm not in the right tax bracket to buy a made horse, but tbh given how many sale adverts I see of obviously rushed/over produced horses I'm not sure I'd buy something backed anyway.
 
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