How much does the presentation of a horse affect your opinion when viewing?

imafluffybunny

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If I am selling a youngster i take people to the field, i dont try to dress them up. If I am selling a dressage horse in work it is stood (clean) in the stable where they can see them being tacked up etc before riding them.
I have lost out on a few sales by being too honest, prob making things sound worse than they are but I want to know my horses are going to the perfect homes.
 

stephaniekate

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when i go to view a horse, i would rather it was out in the field..so i could catch it,groom it and tack it up!!....ten years ago i went to look at a horse, when i got there she was in the stable, she looked gorgeous, she was grey(white)..i jumped her and tok her out for a hack,,she seemed great. so i bought her.when i got her home , i gave .her a few days to get used to the place ..then went for a hack..she reared up and fell on top of me..i tried again and she reared again.....anyway, turnes out this what what she did all the time and the previuos owners had lunged her like mad and fed her calmers before i went to see her...i found this out through a friend of mine..
 

depurple1

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Having had a horse in the past who was a mudmonster and a bit of a git to groom, I would always want to see a horse brought in, groomed and tacked up. I would prefer to see this on the first visit because if the horse was badly behaved I wouldn't want to waste time on a second visit.
 

Lyle

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If it's a competition horse I always clean them up, shiny feet, bandages, white saddle blanket and nice bridle. I want to make my horse look like a competition mount if that's what they are being sold as. Experienced people aren't going to be swayed by glitz, but the horse is a reflection on myself so I want it to reflect how seriously I take my riding :)

I would expect serious people to come back for a second ride, and that's when I let them catch/groom/saddle up on thier own, and they also ride without me warming him up. The horse would have still been washed and trimmed the day before though :) So should just need a quick grooming to look nice!
 

tinap

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I would rather see them acked up to the eyeballs & in the field than waiting in the stable looking gleaming - makes me a bit suspicious that they are a bugger to catch!!
 

PolarSkye

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I do like to see that the horse is reasonably clean as that indicates it is also reasonably well-cared for, but it doesn't need to be sparkling and I would definitely prefer it not be already tacked up and blinged out.

Kali was clean - as in had been brushed, had obviously been clipped (we went to view him in late November) but mane and tail were unpulled and orange from the Hereford mud. I was much more interested in how he moved, how he felt to ride and what his temperament was like on the ground.

One horse we went to view was beautifully turned out - shone like a conker, hooves oiled, mane and tail beautifully pulled. Turned itself inside out when the owner rode it in the school . . . big fat no thank you. Another was so poor - skinny, ungroomed, dirty - that I didn't dare put a saddle on it, much less get on. Sigh.

P

P.S. I didn't pay the full asking price for Kali . . . but that was because I knew his owner was in a hurry to sell (she was going to Australia for a year), nothing to do with how shiny (or not) he was :)
 

LauraWheeler

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When I went to view Herbie I'm prity shore he had been doped and I still bought him! I don't think presentation worries me at all ;) :p :D

As others have said I want to see what the horse is like in real life. I often ask for the horse to be left out so I can catch it in, Then I can see what it's like to be groomed ect...
If i'm selling I ask the byer if they would like the horse in or out when they arrive. If they say in I have the horse gleaming. If they say out I tidy the horse up (mane pulled, tail trimmed ect)

Good luck selling yours OP. :)
 

PolarSkye

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Oh - and if I were selling Kal (which I am not), prospective buyers would see a clean, trimmed, well turned-out horse . . . because that's how I keep him . . . he's grey and I like him to be clean and smart - so he is. His mane and tail are pulled regularly, I keep his tail washed and brushed (weather permitting) and remove stable stains every day. That said, if buyer wanted to catch him in from field, that would be fine with me . . . mud brushes off ;).

P
 

Luci07

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When I went to view Herbie I'm prity shore he had been doped and I still bought him! I don't think presentation worries me at all ;) :p :D

As others have said I want to see what the horse is like in real life. I often ask for the horse to be left out so I can catch it in, Then I can see what it's like to be groomed ect...
If i'm selling I ask the byer if they would like the horse in or out when they arrive. If they say in I have the horse gleaming. If they say out I tidy the horse up (mane pulled, tail trimmed ect)

Good luck selling yours OP. :)
Maybe the answer lies in what you are paying...I have bought competiton horses and am spending a fair bit of money, so I would not be impressed with a poorly presented animal. I can't actually think when someone had the horse tacked up on arrival and if that was the case, I would simply ask the to remove it and see how the horse is in its stable. Loose and no hay. The only exception would be at Irish exports but you are paying lower money and seeing a lot of horses that are really green and just over from Ireland. Then I don't expect them to be smartly turned out.
 

be positive

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If selling or buying a riding horse, as opposed to a youngster, I would present and expect one presented to me in a clean stable, well groomed, I will go in and have a look, see it trot up, then get on with seeing it ridden. I do not expect to have to catch and groom any more than I would expect any one coming to try one to do this.
I want to arrive and be able to assess the horse fairly quickly to see if it is worth trying, an hour faffing about grooming a muddy, wet horse is not my idea of time well spent. If I travelled a fair way to see a horse and it was out in the field covered in mud, unless buying a cheap project I would be well p****d off.

For second viewings I usually let them catch and groom it, spend as long as required to make the final decision but rarely get asked to leave them out, often we turn out and they can catch them again and really see how good they are.

I am surprised how many people feel they need to see a horse caught, I would rather see them relaxed in a stable and walk out showing no stiffness, which may go unnoticed if they are turned out.
 

Luci07

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If selling or buying a riding horse, as opposed to a youngster, I would present and expect one presented to me in a clean stable, well groomed, I will go in and have a look, see it trot up, then get on with seeing it ridden. I do not expect to have to catch and groom any more than I would expect any one coming to try one to do this.
I want to arrive and be able to assess the horse fairly quickly to see if it is worth trying, an hour faffing about grooming a muddy, wet horse is not my idea of time well spent. If I travelled a fair way to see a horse and it was out in the field covered in mud, unless buying a cheap project I would be well p****d off.

For second viewings I usually let them catch and groom it, spend as long as required to make the final decision but rarely get asked to leave them out, often we turn out and they can catch them again and really see how good they are.

I am surprised how many people feel they need to see a horse caught, I would rather see them relaxed in a stable and walk out showing no stiffness, which may go unnoticed if they are turned out.
Or another bug of mine... See I would be suspicious of a weaver, cribbers if horse was out when I arrived!
 

debsg

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When I was 12 (I'm 53 now) my mum and I went to look at a potential jumping pony. He was half hackney, skinny, dirty, mane past his shoulders, tail trailing on the ground and feathers. Owner took me on a mad hack, careering around the local countryside, then she balanced a skinny pole on top of two oil drums. The pony did everything I asked, despite me being very nervous.
We bought him for £250, with tack and rugs (!!!), picked him up on a Weds, mum bathed him, pulled his mane and tail, trimmed him up and on Sun we took him to a little local show. He won two jumping classes.
I had him for four years, until I totally outgrew him, then passed him on to a tiny 13yr old at our yard. He won or was placed in everything I entered him and got me to the Junior Foxhunter finals. As well as that, he was just a super fun kids pony, great in traffic and very kind.
So I'm not bothered what they look like, as long as the temperament is good and they are capable of doing what I want them to do.
 

AdorableAlice

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Maybe the answer lies in what you are paying...I have bought competiton horses and am spending a fair bit of money, so I would not be impressed with a poorly presented animal. I can't actually think when someone had the horse tacked up on arrival and if that was the case, I would simply ask the to remove it and see how the horse is in its stable. Loose and no hay. The only exception would be at Irish exports but you are paying lower money and seeing a lot of horses that are really green and just over from Ireland. Then I don't expect them to be smartly turned out.

I do a lot of viewing for people and often go alone before taking the would be purchaser along as I find it easier not having novice purchasers jumping up and down wanting a unsuitable horse on a first viewing.

An exception to this happened a few years ago when a family with 3 children asked me to see a 14.2 jumping pony for them, it was a private sale and the lovely pony was tacked and ready when we arrived, we were early of course.

The pony was ridden by the vendor and then all 3 children had a go and wealthy father had the cheque book out, despite having been very clearly told the night before the format I use when buying horses, and that certainly does not involve buying unvetted unless under £1500. This pony was 6k.

The yard consisted of 6 boxes in 2 blocks and the vendor led the pony back to what was said to be his box and I insisted the children untacked groomed etc. This pony was clipped but there was no rug in the box, however a rug was hanging on the door of another box. I had a quick look and found a paper bed, the other ponies were on straw.

I advised my family not to buy but agreed the pony could go to vet but I was fairly confident we would get a failure. The children cried, the wealthy father told me I was wrong and his children would be upset to lose this pony as we had been looking for nearly a year and they were fed up with me always saying no.

The family paid me my costs and politely told me they did not require me anymore. They bought that lovely talented pony and yes, 6 weeks into his new home he couldn't raise enough breath to trot.
 

appylass

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The only reason presentation would bother me, would be if I felt it reflected the way the horse had been cared for generally. A couple of days worth of mud and scruffiness wouldn't be an issue. A very matted mane/tail, dull coat and poorly kept hooves, for example, would raise alarm bells over general standards of care which in turn 'might' indicate a lack of worming, dental care etc. and would make me wary.
 

wildcard

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when i went to go see my girl at 3 she was straight from field, awful straggly mane and tail and was in not great condition, aswell as been muddied up to the eyeballs, but something about her caught my attention she oozed presence and i looked past the awfulness which was infront of me and a year later mane pulled good bath, and some beef on is a different horse and my horse of a life time..


That said i do think first impressions means everything, i dont think id be too happy if id seen an advert for a competition horse and arrived to find a hairy beast who looks like its had no attention.. i do often think how an owner is can sometimes influence what you think of a horse aswell.. although it definately shouldnt.
 

Spit That Out

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Depends on what i was going to use the horse for, it's age etc

A Youngster could be covered in mud, scruffy and just come in from the field. I would rather see it being handled than worry about a bit of dirt.

If i was buying an established horse and wanted to ride then i don't want to spend half an hour waiting for mud to dry and brush off before i could put a saddle on.
As long as it's body was clean then muddy feathers or stable stains wouldn't bother me.

It's not just the horse though, If the yard is a tip, rundown and the sellers were idiots i would walk away
 

LeannePip

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If they look well looked after but have mud on them & need mane & tail tidying it wouldn't bother me.

^^this - although if i were selling a horse i would have it cleaned up neat and tidy i think it gives a good first impression of the horse and probably of me as an owner.

or to save any confusion when someone asked to come and see the horse i would ask how they would like to view it - do they want it clean and tacked up when they get here or would they like to catch it from the field them selves - mud and all :D
 

tinap

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That's just what I asked a recent viewer to mine. He is in a muddy paddock so I let them decide - do I leave him out for you to catch but he will be muddy, or bring in & get him clean for you? They chose the mud! :D
 

charlie76

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I always present my horses for sale trimmed, groomed, hoof oiled. They have a best rug on and a tail bandage and a leather headcollar. The tack is clean and they have on white saddle cloths and white boots.
However, I have bought a number of horses that are not presented in this way. One was still out in the field covered in mud!
 

Countrychic

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I can see past mud and dirt but I don't sell my horses that way. I have pride in my horses and my yard and would be embarrassed if people came and my horses looked messy. When a buyer walks onto my yard I want them to think wow. If they ask they can catch them or rebrush them but their first impression should be good. I've bought plenty scruffy ponies and horses but always thinking there is money to be made when they're tidy.
 

Ibblebibble

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or to save any confusion when someone asked to come and see the horse i would ask how they would like to view it - do they want it clean and tacked up when they get here or would they like to catch it from the field them selves - mud and all :D

done that when we were selling pony, they chose to have him in and smart so that was what they got:) seems perfectly sensible to ask how they would like the horse presented seeing as different people expect different things.;)

As a buyer if i was spending lots of money then i would expect the horse to be tarted up for the first viewing. As i don't usually spend a lot i'm prepared to see the horse in the rough, in fact for a cheap horse i'd be wondering if they were trying to blind me to some awful fault if i arrived and it was tarted right up!
 

ihatework

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All my working horses are kept clipped, trimmed and generally tidy and presentable, irrespective of whether I'm selling or not, so for me selling, that side of it would never be an issue.

When I have sold a horse I would quite often ask the viewers if they would like to see the horse caught from the field (and therefore be a bit muddy) or if they would like the horse in and clean waiting for them. I tend to get a 50/50 response on that.

If purchasing - if it is a cheap project or a baby - I'd perfer is scruffy personally. But if it's neat and tidy that is no bother either.

If I'm buying a more expensive animal then I would be pretty shocked to turn up and view something that wasn't clean, neat and tidy. It would raise suspicions of how the horse had been kept and other shortcuts that had been made in it's education.
 

Enfys

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about white bandages

OK, so I get why dressage horses wear them in competitions, and for XC etc, but to me, bandages mean something is not quite right.

Why bandage a perfectly sound, straight moving horse? Why does everyone bandage/boot at the drop of a hat nowadays? If I was viewing a horse and the whole kit and kaboodle came out when it was tacked up I would be mighty suspicious.
 

Enfys

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It's not just the horse though, If the yard is a tip, rundown and the sellers were idiots i would walk away

"It isn't the wagon the horse comes out of, but the horse that comes out of the wagon" ... and that is from the mouth of a top class showing producer back in the days when he used to take his horses to shows in a cattle wagon!

What a yard looks like, what the sellers do, think, or say should have no bearing on a sale (apart from the possible bargaining factor;)) I bet many a diamond in the rough has been passed over because people can't, or won't, see past the flotsam. :)
 

Capriole

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I like to see a smart well presented horse, but I can see through a bit of hair and dirt if not.
Went to see a nice 3 yr old the other week, had spent the winter up on the hills and was only brought down for us to see, so hairy and scruffy looking. Didnt really bother me either way tbh.
I see the vendors and their horses at shows and gradings and am happy with the way they run things, so dont look poorly on them showing us a horse in the rough.


Just to mention that the horse I went to look at in this post ^ wasnt a cheapy, if we'd bought her it would have been the most we'd ever spent on a horse, so not really agreeing that its only the low end of the market that can get away with showing a roughed off horse as a couple of posts seem to imply. I actually would rather see a youngster in the rough.
 
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