What made you choose your horse?

I've currently got two yearlings, one I bred and one I bought last November just to keep her company. He was then a 6 month old foal who came straight off the (New) Forest with his mum. I saw him the day he was caught, decided he would "do" especially as he was very cheap. He's now turning into a really cracking pony (but he has got some nice breeding behind him) . . . . he might end up being the bargain of a lifetime!!!
 
because he was green but honest and you get really good feedback down the reins from him.


Useless at explaining what I mean but basically all the while I can tell roughly what he's thinking/feeling. Don't find I get that with all horses lots are zonned out to their rider half the time.
 
I went out looking for a 14.2 heavy weight coloured cob about 5-10 years old

but fell in love with a scruffy fat spotty appy x welsh cob about 13.2/13.3 and 3 years old

best decision i ever made! she is completely safe and anyone can handle and ride her which was important if i couldnt get up so my non horsey mum could see to her. She taught my mum and brother to ride as well as brothers friends and other kids she also is great when i have youngsters to break in. And my mum trusts her with me 100% so she doesnt have to worry when we go out riding
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I just knew as soon as I walked on to the yard and saw Gertie from a distance I wanted her, something just clicked
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we've been through a lot now and she is just amazing, very quirky but safe and the biggest sweetheart you'd ever meet.
 
I was looking for a horse suitable for a novice/beginner/nervous nelly so I went to see loads and loads of different horses. It had to be a gelding as YO didn't want another mare. Some horses I couldn't bring my self to try, some I got on and had to get straight off, some I rode in a confined arena. I can't tell you exactly why these horses weren't what wanted but they just didn't feel right to me.

When I went to see Pete I had seen him on a web site at a yard I'd been to previously and it seemed like Karma as my husband is called Pete and the pony was described as bombproof. I shook like a jelly when I rode him but the seller said she wouldn't consider selling him to me until she had seen me ride him. I was taken up to some gallops accompanied by another horse that was a bit spooky. We started a canter up the gallops, the horse in front spooked shot sideways and took off. Pete slowed to a trot, then a walk then stood still waiting for the other horse to come back - that's when I knew he was for me
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Cat was an ISH & bought because I fell head over heels for him the first time I sat on him. Over height & budget, but I loved him. When I lost him, I bought a v similar horse hoping for a similar relationship & performance & so far the tactic has more or less paid off.

I like the ISH because they're (touchwood) tough & sensible & you get the performance without the prima donna attitude.
 
I wasn't looking for a 17hh warmblood, didn't even want to try him out but as soon as I sat on him he felt right. I felt as safe as houses and he had a lovely temperament. He was (and still is) as green as grass and I wanted something I could start competing on straight away but I hadn't felt as good since I first sat on my other horse 6 years previously so I knew I had to get him.
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My clever instructor (who also buys and sells) gave me a lesson on Josh
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- I went into the school, Josh dropped into a lovely outline immediately, I was sold
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I had hacked him a few times before so I knew he was lovely to ride, but he was just amazing in the school and the MOST perfect horse I could ever imagine when going XC

All I want to do now is win the lottery and buy him back, I miss him loads
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I had outgrown my old TB and had lost all my nerve jumping, I was fed up of TB feet (old horse was constantly lame) and wanted something purely to hack.
When I was little I loved Heavy Horses and loved coloureds, so when my parents saw Hen advertised they knew Id love him.
We went to see him and he was flithy and fat, but I loved him. He dumped me in a major way, bolted and after I got back on continued to try chucking me off! My mum said she would never feel safe if I had him, but I wanted him!! Went back and he was as good as gold in very heavy traffic, and didnt throw me off! His owners were lovely and let me try him for a month at their yard. My dad refused to let me have him until we had an experianced friend check him over, didnt have him vetted as I only had him on loan at first.
Wasnt until after wed picked him up we found out everyone that went to try him had fallen off, I was the only one that had come back to see him! Still wouldnt of put me off him though!
He has surpassed my expectations in everyway and given me my confidence back completely! If you'd told me then that we would be doing our first BE this year I would have died laughing!!
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Plus his feet are fantastic!!!
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I knew I wanted a middleweight ID type and I knew I needed something sane. All I could see of Maiden when I met her was what was not covered up by her rug and a thick layer of mud, but I knew within 30 seconds that she was "The One"! I rode her and everything was confirmed, she was (and is) SO generous and kind and sweet and such a confidence giver, I didn't want to get off her the first time I rode her. So yes I did go out with a set of criteria, and I had liked horses before Maiden that also met the criteria, but my YO kept telling me to wait until I got "the feeling" (which I nver thought I'd get). I had no idea what feeling I was waiting for until I met Maiden, then I knew exactly. It sounds silly and soppy but she really was my dream horse
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Shame I broke the damned thing
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I've owned 5 horses, and have only actively looked for one of those. The other 4 have either been on a farm I've already been at or the farm next door and I've known the horse and one or both of it's parents!

I met my current mare when I moved to the farm she was bred on with the 2 I owned at the time. She was 3 when I first saw her, and I rode her quite a lot over the next couple of years. Then sold my riding mare (my other horse at the time was a retired gelding) as I needed some money. Mol's owner then said she was going to sell her as she wasn't being used, and I couldn't let her go to someone else, so borrowed the money and bought her!
 
My boy was advertised as free to an approved home... I went, I saw, I was vetted, he came home. Never went to look at anyother horses as when I saw him and met him I fell in love...... soppy I know..... he has put me through hell and back and cost a fortune but for better or worse we are a partnership

My girly was found for someone else.. she was duely bought by them and from what I saw and then surmised they clashed and when I was told she was forsale I offered the owner what they paid for her. She was a difficult little girly (at 16hh) and for the first year we didn't click but our relationship is growning and our bond is getting stronger.

The final installment is a section a ( aka small white article (SMA)) and I was given him. The original plan was that he would be a companion for my horses and my YM would have him on loan for her granddaughter and together we would teach him to drive. well the second idea has gone straight out of the window and assuming I can recatch it the SMA is going to be broken to drive!..... as of yet we have no relationship and he is terrified of humans.

so really out of 3 equines I have only really bought one horse and that was because I felt responsible for her and couldn't bear the thought of her falling into the wrong hands....... not the best reason really
 
My boy was only 3 when I got him 2 years ago, he had such a quiet nature and a lovely kind eye, also he was a good price £1200!
I had him for about 5 weeks before I started breaking him in, then 4 weeks later I was quietly hacking him out!
Nearly 2 years later I love him even more everyday, and he tries to please me with what ever we do. He was absolutely brilliant his 1st time in the show ring in-hand and under saddle, 1st time XC, 1st time SJ and hunting!
I really couldnt wish for a better horse.
All I had ever done before was hacking and in-hand showing with my little welshy, so we have learnt together.
I love him lots!!!!!
 
Temperament has always been the basis for me buying a horse. I think Ive had 11 horses/ponies to now and only 1 do I feel I shouldn't have bought - he was the nicest horse in the world however didnt have the heart for what I wanted to do
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BUT he probably taught me the most! Otherwise Ive been very happy with all other purchases
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I was looking for my 'ideal' Arab colt - had to be typey and beautiful enough to win at top international level in hand, but also have excellent conformation and fabulous athletic movement. Oh - and impeccable pedigree as well. A colt to make a great breeding stallion...

So - a pretty tall order! I searched for ages, both in the UK and in Europe...and eventually went to see a 2yo international champion colt who was very emphatically Not For Sale. But I fell in love at first sight! Tobago was so beautiful he literally took my breath away - and even when I got my breath back and considered him objectively, he ticked all the boxes. So I begged and pleaded and eventually persuaded his owners to let me buy him.

I still can't believe that this fantastic horse is really mine!
 
To sound a bit sad - I just knew! After I had sat on him for 5 mins (I was a bit horse-weary by the time I got to see him) It just felt right. A dealer I had already been to see called me and told me she had the perfect horse for me. She wasn't wrong!

Every time I get on him, I cannot believe how lucky I am!

(He is the gorgeous boy in my siggie!)
 
Well as you know, I have an awful lot of horses, however each and every one of my western Quarter Horses were bought for the same reasons.

Firstly, bloodlines are incredibly important to me. Every horse I own is related because I adore one particular Quarter Horse bloodline. I won't even take the time to look at a horse which doesn't have these bloodlines.

The next most important thing to me is that they have the "fantastic" temperament that this bloodline is renowned for.

Conformation is not normally an issue with this line of horse; I have never seen a dreadfully put together horse from this lineage, although granted there must be some out there, I just haven't met them. Obviously some of mine have better conformation than others, but all of my QH's are pleasing to me and are correct for the type of job they are bred for.

I am super-picky about which horses I will go and view and if they don't have the first pointer, then I generally won't even bother to go look.

The handful of English horses I have, have a different criteria - I buy them to do the job in hand and not for their bloodlines. So the English horses have to be pleasing to the eye, have to have potential, have to be nice natured and capable. I don't mind if they have bad manners when I view, or if they fuff around, because I know fine well that within a couple of weeks of them being back here that they will turn around and be well behaved and charming horses.

There never seems to be the issue with trailering or bathing or riding out in traffic with horses over here; they all seem to be perfectly happy in any situation, so this is not really something I have to consider; even if it was, I don't ever have to ride on roads if I don't want to, so wouldn't be a problem for me.

All horses I buy, unless I specifically want them for myself, have to have colour because this is what the buying market around me want. Colour makes them desirable and sells. My own personal horses happen to be brown and the other is palomino (not by choice though). I might keep the daddy of my foals as a personal horse but haven't really decided yet. I'm still not sure of what he will or won't be able to do (due to his neck being broken a few years ago) so will wait and see, oh and he is tri-coloured.
 
Saw a picture of the mare, went to visit the dealer & "met" a few horses in their boxes, tried a couple but came back with her.

She was a super responsive ride & definately not a plod but she really listened & had a good heart on her...

I think we chose her because she was bright as a button & very intellegent, if not the sensible plod we wanted.
 
Pip was part of the only pair we would find for sale, as was Ginga
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And the team have been the only one for sale for about years, but they also have an impressive international record and sweet temperaments!

Both Ajay and Teddy were bought for there showing potential, but both have good temperaments to, fortunately!
 
Welsh D - now aged 15yrs:
I wanted an unbroken youngster
I didn't have much money
The breeder said she'd got nice strong legs!

Welsh D - now aged 3yrs and bought last year
I wanted a foal
But I saw her
She was a reasonable price
I liked the stud ethos

Shetland - now 18yrs old
I needed a cheap companion
He was local
I loved the stud he came from

And I'm really pleased with them all
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I think it is fair to say that Mollie and her owner chose me rather than I chose Mollie! But I'd never have it any other way, despite all her faults, she is super and I love her to bits...

What made me chose Chester... he was the ultimate loving giant.... standing at 17hh he is not the smallest horse on the planet. To sit on him... despite a brief first attempt... (phone went off and I bailed out from the bronc accross the school!) to sit on him is just an amazing feeling he just oozes power... he is truely amazing and I really hope we can build on that...
 
I've never actually 'owned' one of my own (ie for me to ride). But we've had two for our children. First was for my son. We went and tried a pony being sold by a local dealer, and it resulted in my son coming out of the front door, ruining his confidence.

When we viewed the pony we eventually bought my son had watched his (6yo) rider riding him and decided he might like a 'go'. Prior to this he had stated he never wanted to sit on a pony again. he sat on said pony, walked, trotted, hacked, and declared that he didnt want to get off! Pony was overweight (obese) and bit (alot!) but I bought him. He did wonders for son's confidence.

second pony came via word of mouth and recommendation from my YO's farrier. When looking for the first pony we had actually spotted this one in a field miles away and stopped and asked if he was for sale. He wasnt, so when i heard where the yard was, and which pony, I HAD to go and see him. I just had a 'feeling' (sounds corny, but it's true
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). daughter took him out for a short ride and that was that. I bought him.
 
This sounds terribly naeve but when I bought Alee all I knew was that I wanted something to compete at affilliated dressage on, over 4under 16.2hh and not a mare.
I had been looking a while and realised that for my money I wouldn't get the horse I wanted so I went to some dealers to have a look at their unbacked youngsters hoping to get one rising 4. I looked at quite a few and ended up narrowing down to 2 on the same yard. One a 2 year old mare that I picked out of the field because she was pretty and the biggest there and the other a git of a gelding that wouldn't be caught but for some reason I just liked him (oh he just 3 and already 17hh).
I eventually chose the pretty mare who has turned into a dream and is now 4 and 16.3!!!
 
I shared Sparks then when the owner decided to sell as in their words she was 'a bully and a thug'!!!! I just knew she was the horse for me, so brought her off them.
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