Gut feeling when buying a horse?

[SmallPony]

I've been looking out for a while, went to see one last week, liked it, perfect on paper, and then saw a little face pop out from the neighbouring stable and just felt an instant "that's the one"! An unbacked 3y/o is not what I'd had in mind, but here we are!

Do you include your gut feeling when buying a horse? Or do you stick to your list of what you want on paper?

 

[Spotherisk]

I’ve bought two on gut feeling, and I have no regrets on my choices.

 

[catembi]

When I was last looking a year ago, a local dealer had one that ticked no boxes except for being a gelding. 17hh, nope, I'm 5 ft 1 & very slight, 9, nope, I prefer to buy 3 to 4 yos, TB, nope, had enough of those, ex-racer, nope, got one of those as well... I thought I'd go & see him anyway in case she had anything else & as soon as I got on him, I just thought, 'you're my horse' and that was that. It was a very fundamental click, even stronger than I had with the late Catembi. Cat was also a lot of no's on paper - 17hh, way over budget...but as soon as I sat on him, I knew.

 

[nagblagger]

Err , haven't you forgotten something - like photos?

Always go by gut, bought my last one sight unseen, but there was something about her, i wasn't even looking officially, kept going back to her advert hoping she was sold so decision would have been made, then i said to myself if she hadn't been sold by 'x' date i would enquire for video etc. She arrived the following week during lockdown!

 

[gallopingby]

I think sometimes you just know. We bought unseen last year, the photos were ok but not brilliant but we found some comments from a friend of a previous owner saying how nice he’d been to look after. Five stage vetting later he arrived and is so polite and well mannered, he won’t ever be going anywhere. Apart from being a bit bossy in the field he’s amazing and has quite a large fan club

 

[Barton Bounty]

Gut feeling, i bought from a picture and look what I have

 

[nagblagger]

Gut feeling, i bought from a picture and look what I have

I can beat you..I got a bogof.!..

 

[Barton Bounty]

I can beat you..I got a bogof.!..

Ohhhhh… Lucky lucky

 

[smiggy]

Am looking at moment, saw one at weekend that looked lovely in pictures but knew the first moment I saw him in stable in the flesh that he wasn’t right. Saw one today and just knew looking at his little face .

 

[wills_91]

I bought one that when I viewed my gut was telling me to walk, I didn't , my guy was right but I loved her anyway. When the time comes again I will definitely be listening. Good luck with your new purchase!

 

[Red-1]

Yes, gut feeling is all important.

It is highly embarrassing though, when you try one that behaves and is as described, yet your gut says no.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Yes, gut feeling is all important.

It is highly embarrassing though, when you try one that behaves and is as described, yet your gut says no.

I have done that before, he was perfect in every way…. I said no, the lady was dumbfounded… i need a bit of sass

 

[gallopingby]

It’s really difficult when you don’t like the otherwise perfect horse but if you don’t then sadly you don’t!

 

[Patterdale]

Absolutely. I saw the first 5 seconds of video of my horse and knew instantly. No regrets!

 

[Snow Falcon]

I just saw a picture and wanted my son's first pony. I spoke to Heidi's owner and knew I was going to buy her even before viewing.

 

[humblepie]

Saw mine looking over stable door and that was enough. That said someone else had seen him and told me about him and I’d trust their opinion any day.

 

[poiuytrewq]

The little horse that we had to pts recently.
He was still in the field when we went to see him and came wandering round the corner and I knew instantly he was coming home with us.

 

[estela]

Another yes to gut feeling, mine wasn't what I was looking for exactly but so pleased with him!

 

[Quigleyandme]

Always listen to your gut feelings and not only when buying. Listen when you think something is off with your horse although others think you are imagining it or there is a different cause altogether.

 

[Widgeon]

My guts are highly unreliable. I was going to walk away from my current horse because I just didn't get any sort of feeling for him, but our YO persuaded me to buy him. He ticked all the boxes, we just didn't "click" particularly. She was right, I was wrong. He just needed some attention (he belonged to a teenager who'd lost interest) and a personality appeared very quickly.

I would never buy a horse I actively disliked, or if I had any niggly concerns about soundness, conformation etc, but I would now consider buying one that I didn't click with instantly.

 

[honetpot]

It is a bit like a boyfriend, if it makes you smile, when it's all going a bit t*ts up, you can be a bit more forgiving, if you never really liked it, you just think, why did I...

 

[lynz88]

Always go by gut. Didn't like mine at first but when he put his head on my hip, I suddenly changed my mind - everything said "he's got problem areas but this is the one" and haven't looked back.

 

[Honey08]

It’s really difficult when you don’t like the otherwise perfect horse but if you don’t then sadly you don’t!

I went to see a lovely horse. Within two minutes of sitting on her I knew she wasn’t for me. I’d only trotted round the school once. So I jumped off and said I’m sorry but she’s just not for me, even though she’s lovely. I think the owner was a little affronted, but I didn’t even feel like I wanted to finish the trial.
Whereas the horse I bought, I felt completely at home on immediately, even though I struggled to slow her after a fence. I had her for seventeen years and she was like a part of me from the get go.

 

[ester]

The previous owner hacked frank past my house and I loved him. So when he was for sale 2 months later…..

 

[eggs]

I once went to try a horse that ticked all my boxes - 6 year old TB gelding who had seen a bit of the world. Turned up at the yard saw him in his stable and knew he wasn't for me so politely told the owner not to waste their time tacking him up. It was pouring with rain and whilst sheltering from it was chatting to the owner who had another horse that she was about to work as she would be out jumping at Windsor the next day. Not what I was looking for - a 5 year old warmblood mare - but as soon as I sat on her I felt safe and knew she was the one for me. She turned out to be my horse of a lifetime.

 

[MagicMelon]

I always go by my gut. Only one I sort of regret buying and he was when I was still young and didnt trust my gut. Since then Ive always gone with how I feel, I dont have loads on paper, I have a general idea of what I want which makes it easier.

 

[Boughtabay]

my boy I have now was a gut purchase. On paper he sounded more “fancy” than what I was looking for, big and above my price range. I only viewed him because it turned out the owner was my close friends next door neighbour. we went to have a nosey knowing full well the price was too high. Once I met him I wouldn’t have let anyone else have him he’s probably nearly 2 hands bigger than what I wanted to be breaking in myself but I think he’s marvellous and only going to get better

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Yes, gut feeling is all important.

It is highly embarrassing though, when you try one that behaves and is as described, yet your gut says no.

This! So embarrassing in fact that I bought the pony. I basically just couldn’t think of a reason not to. He was perfect but I just didn’t really like him. I saw sense fairly quickly and sold him on to s home where he was properly appreciated!

 

[Auslander]

Totally! I was looking - specifically for an older advanced dressage horse needing a quieter life, and one of the responses was from a woman in Kent. I had to go that way for a work meeting, and realised that she was about 10 minutes from the company I was going to see. I took one look at him, and I knew.
We've been together 11 years this year.
This was the day I met him. I don't think he's been that clean since.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Well........ my last equine purchase was 6 years ago, and yes I'd set out with the "head list" of everything I'd said I wanted.

Came home with something that was everything, but everything, I'd said I DIDN'T want!! i.e. youngster, mare, pony, coloured, hairy beastie with lots of feather. You name it.

Had actually gone to view another horse - but this sweet friendly little just-backed 4yo had sidled up to me in the field and blown her nostrils through my hair. Ended up bringing the beastie home. Just somehow "knew" everything would be OK. It was.