What are your absolute "No" points, when buying a horse?

I tend to think the other way round and make sure my must haves are covered,

No would be melanomas and as Enfys said herd bound behaviour.

My must haves are good temperament, attitude.
Correct conformation especially feet.
Ability to be independent.

If they have my musts they tend to not be rearers, something I will not tolerate.

A good natured horse is usually easy to deal with, catch etc, I find the two tend to go together, although there are always exceptions.
 
I don't mind non catchers as usually there is a way just takes time as with the loading (although my boys challenges this!) hate rearers.

And I realise this is shallow but blue/wall eyes freak me right out :eek:
 
No laminitis
No "hacks in company", my horse needs to go out alone
No bolters, buckers or rearers
Nothing selfish or unwilling to work
No sweetitch
No greys!
 
No to:
Laminitus
Sweetitch
Cribbing
Field pacing
Cannot be left alone in stable or paddock without causing danger to property or equine

Otherwise can accom most other quirks or habits picked up; weaving, burping, and all other re-hab ridden or ground work (like for loading, barging, bucking, tack, traffic, napping etc as education can be re-started)

Pref usually unbacked tho, however Big Fuzzy is my very 1st 'ridden by others' horse I have ever had :confused: :o :D:D and boy have we had some re-learning techniques applied!!)
 
I wouldn't take on something which is always bad to catch.
Nothing that rears in a dangerous manner, although I don't mind half hearted rears.

I HATE spooky horses, so nothing which likes spinning and bogging off at things, I don't mind horses jumping, they all do, but I get tense if im worried what the horse is next going to find to run away from!

I wouldnt take anything on with medical problems eg tendon/bone/lameness issues, and I would much rather have a horse which pulls like a tank, I cant stand kicking a horse along!

Think I am a bit fussy!! :o
 
i have a huge list!

nipping
even entertaining lifting its leg to kick
rearing
dominant
throwing its weight around
not able to catch easily
not willing to pick feet up
sweetitch
laminitis
arthritis
head shaking
wind sucking
weaving
box walking (messy beds!)
crib biting
unbalanced (youngsters acceptable older horses makes me wonder)
horses that battle for contact
lack of breaks
not wanting to turn
separation anxiety
stressy horses that cant deal with new situations
wont hack alone!

i have a few more but that will do :)
 
My "no" list contains most of the things my current nightmare semi-retired horse is : :confused:

- NO health issues! (I have never before met a horse needing such ridiculous amounts of constant veterinary attention before my current boy and could not do it / afford it all over again with new horse! The vets know us far too well) :rolleyes:

- No leaping in front of random on-coming cars with no warning

- Not something that will have a complete breakdown if asked to hack alone, though wouldn't mind building its confidence up as long as it wasn't dangerous or completely stupid while doing so!

- Cannot be grumpy or stubborn! Next neddy needs to be happy and willing to please and preferably look forward to work rather than running in the other direction when it sees me coming

- Nothing that refuses to load or travels badly, we have one of those in stock already and although I realise it can be worked through, it's something that would really put me off a horse.

- Nothing that is difficult to handle from the ground or that will use its size against me. Especially in new places such as a show or event.

- Nothing that will leap over the hedge on its own accord and pop off down the road to go adventuring!

- Nothing that suffers from severe separation anxiety & will destroy everything in its path to get back to its buddies.

- Nothing that cribs/windsucks - have had to replace most of our fencing due to the last horse munching through them, so although certain vices wouldn't put me off if the rest of the horse was perfect, I couldn't have another cribber!

- Nothing that plods or does the absolute minimum, want something keen to go out and have fun!

- Nothing that is going to throw in really nasty stops at jumps for no reason, my confidence has been knocked enough! Don't mind genuine refusals but would prefer a horse that intended to go over an obstacle.

- Nothing mean / aggressive.

- No vertical rearers / "real" bolters. Don't mind mini rears, don't mind bucking, don't particularly like being run off with but it doesn't frighten me - but wouldn't want a REAL bolter.
 
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For me it would be no:
horses that don't pass a vetting
cobs
mares
rearers
bad to catch
bad to load (I often have to manage on my own so I can live without the stress)
horses that don't hack out on their own.
Lazy horses - I like a horse with a bit of enthusiasm for their job.
 
This has been interesting, I've added a few more things to my horse shopping checklist, thanks peeps :)

Temperament, soundness and ability/brain are on the top of my wish list at the moment!
 
Wow, according to this I have two completely unsellable horses! I never knew other people had so many 'nos' on their lists. I'd better get used to having my two around I reckon!
 
jesstickle said:
Wow, according to this I have two completely unsellable horses! I never knew other people had so many 'nos' on their lists. I'd better get used to having my two around I reckon!
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I would buy your horses I think they're lovely. :D

Although I've always known my little horror is pretty much unsellable, I could probably pay someone to take him away from me though. :p
 
It's horses for courses really I suppose. I wouldn't care if an eventer for me was a bit of a grump to handle but wouldn't have one with a history of health problems. But it would be the opposite way round if I was pony shopping for daughter. I suppose its really being fit for purpose that's the point.
 
Many no's to rearers & bolters, I must just be mental then as my hafligner is exactly this :eek: (although has got loads better & very rarely does it now) This is what I had to deal with for the 1st 2/3yrs with him... Oh & I no I have trainers on, but I don't ride in trainers anymore & do often wonder how i did back then :o

NaughtyChuckie.jpg


I can't stand something that can't be caught or load. Also wouldn't want something that has had lami as had one of them before, don't like weaving, crib, wind sucking etc, but to me it all depends on the horse itself if it ticked every box, but had one little issue that I don't like then I may consider (apart from not being caught)
 
Can't be doing with ill mannered horses on the ground, drives me mental. I know you can teach a horse manners, but horses are an enjoyable hobby for me so I don't want to have to bother teaching a horse not to barge, snap or kick. I know many horses will test a little to begin with and that's fine, but certainly wouldn't want a proper grumpy horse!

Wouldn't have a horse that rears.

Must be sensible to hack alone. Not too bothered if it isn't good in traffic as long as it doesn't go mental at the sight of a distant vehicle as I don't have to ride on roads.

I used to say I'd never have a bay as they are too dull, or a TB as they are too much trouble. Guess what I bought?! A handsome sweetie pie bay TB :D
 
Nothing that has any extreme vices ridden or in hand. I haven't got the time to deal with anything like that and here alone a lot of the time with no help.

Can't have something that doesn't load/travel well. I go out a lot to compete/lessons/for fun things.

Must be reasonable hack alone and in company*


*this is the only thing current horse can be a little iffy about (he can be spooky alone and strong if not managed properly in company) but it's not extreme so I can live with it.

Funnily.. it depends why the horse won't pass as to whether the vetting makes a difference to me. I wouldn't abandon the thought of buying a good horse because it failed the vet on a small issue that would not be of consequence to it's working life.
 
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bolters - the big girl [RIP] bolted with me 3 times in our years together & quite frankly it has ruined open spaces & speed for me - so anything with a history of bogging off is a no-no
 
in future i dont want a gray or a coloured or a horse with white legs and i dont want a mare and i dont want a stroppy horse.

ive had a bad day
 
No Geldings!!! ;);)

Seriously, no nappers/rearers/bolters.

Have to have manners on the ground.

I could live with sarcoids or other minor manageable ailments, although being in Northumberland and being surrounded by midges for most of the year, I think sweet itch would have to be a no-no!
 
jesstickle said:
Wow, according to this I have two completely unsellable horses! I never knew other people had so many 'nos' on their lists. I'd better get used to having my two around I reckon!
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I'm wondering where people find all of these perfect horses? :cool:

And why, when everyone else is so picky, there are so many badly mannered animals around...
 
Perfectly happy to instill manners but will never again buy anything neurotic/skatty/spooky

Must be good in traffic

Won't have laminitis or sweet itch but happy with shivers or string halt.

No her bound or flighty and separation anxiety issues ever again. The bloody thing is wound like a top, you can't change it's routine. It careers round the fields, spins in its box and tries to come over the door. I will never have another horse like this. My nerves can't take it. It's not that I'm nervous but I have aspergers and the extremes in behaviour seems to upset me.
 
Wow, some peoples lists are pretty long! Guess I'm forever stuck with Ruby then ;)

My biggest no no's are

-No major health problems/injuries
-No bolters
-Horse cannot be strong, don't care if it's spooky, exciteable, bucks or rears, as long as it's not strong whilst its doing the above behaviours.

Everything else I'm happy to work on, espeically if it's ont he ground (loading, clipping etc)
 
Can't be a bolter or one that regularly tanks off. Nor could I go for a rearer that has gone over before.
Another thing that would put me off is recurrent health problems and wind suckers, got one at the yard that makes an awful noise when they do it!

Anything else I'm willing to work with.
 
Sweet itch:eek:. I've never lived anywhere with so many midges. Youngster rub himself raw last year.He's had the rug on since Feb and we're potion making at the mo, hoping to beat the itch this year.
 
Another here that wouldnt have a rearer. I wouldnt have anything that wont be caught either. Their the two main definites, but I Personally wouldnt buy anything "quirky" or "sharp" No Welsh D's (nothing against them I just dont get on with the ones Ive ridden)
No serious bucking or bolting.
Basically I like a horse with a kind eye, easy to handle and genuine nice horse
 
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