What was it that drew you to buy your horse ?

[Twinkle Twinkle]

Mine was l liked her colour because l love coloureds. And then when l went to see her l walked over to her in her stable and she blew down my face and it was love at first sight. I knew l wanted her even though l was not looking for such a young horse l would not swap her for anything.

 

[SpruceRI]

I only had £500 to spend!! Wanted a Welsh Cob and an unspoilt youngster.

16yrs later.... I can state that that was the best thing I ever did!! )

 

[tinap]

I didn't like him!! Thought he had a huge head, & I didn't want a coloured!! But the daughter loved him straight away, & could see he had potential. As he would be for her, not me I had to trust her judgement & bought him. I love him to bits now!! He's my little baby, that has over exceeded expectations!! Still think his head is too big though!!!

 

[monkeybum13]

The fact that as a 4yo she was so sensible. I had a very forward canter up a big field in the pouring rain, she pulled up very easily and then plodded back down the field on a long rein.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I don't buy them - I adopt them to ride out every day at work and then somehow find space for them at home when they finish racing But what got me into riding them in work in the first place was their character. They have to be cheeky but fun! Sometimes they don't always come to me witht he greatest of attitudes so I bomb them around the place like I do my natives and they soon want to work and race again. All of them are well built and have nice heads. I don't see the point in having a horse that doesn't have a nice head as you will be looking at it over the stable door everyday!

As for my natives - again, every single one of them has a really pretty little head - yes, even the shetlands! And they also all have the bloodlines I am after.

 

[dressagelove]

I felt sorry for him! He had come over on the transporter from Ireland and had been bought by my then boss as one of a group.

I was leaving soon and wanted a bit of a project to take with me, my little guy was skinny and scabby and looked SO unbelievably sad. I rode him and he was actually a cracking little mover so I went with my instinct, and I must say after a lot of work and time, he is one of the best horses I've ever had, he's a true star and so genuine x

 

[Javabb94]

the fact that when i rode him i didnt want to get off!

i always tell sellers that i come across as very nervous when on horses i dont know after an experience at a dealers :/

im not nervous normally just on horses i dont know


when i rode java i didnt feel nervous at all and i knew he was the one,

most others i couldnt wait to get off but with java i didnt

plus he looked stunning

when i first saw him in the stable i couldnt believe how nice he looked and i honestly thought he would be super fast ect but he wasnt

he is not a plod by any means but for some reason i feel safe on him

 

[LeneHorse]

She was everything I didn't want - grey, mare and 4 year old - but I was bowled over by her paces and she felt lovely to ride. She didn't put a foot wrong in the school or when I hacked her out. Needless to say when I got her home she tried it on a bit but on the whole the good bits have outweighed the bad. I didn't think she had much personality when I tried her but it soon emerged when she settled down in her new home!

 

[Silmarillion]

Firstly - I just knew within 30 seconds of seeing her come over the hill wigth her old owner in the field, despite being rugged up, that she was The One. Secondly, that my very nervous mum happily sat on her

 

[Meowy Catkin]

With my chestnut, I had liked her from the moment I saw her teeny head over the stable door. I helped with her re-backing and I always got on with her because she liked me too. So about a month later I bought her.

My filly was another instant 'like' from both directions. She's such a lovely tempered animal that I knew that she was the right one for me.

 

[AFlapjack]

As for my natives - again, every single one of them has a really pretty little head - yes, even the shetlands! And they also all have the bloodlines I am after.

Of course Shetlands have pretty heads! How could anyone question that?

I was looking for a Connemara. Had found one and arranged a day to collect him but nastily he was sold behind my back

Luckily the rider of the pony-sold, pointed me in the direction of Jack and we bought him instead - very happy we didn't buy the first one!

 

[Kokopelli]

I was so desperate after Koko died I would have bought one with 3 legs. Also the fact that I have known him for a long time and we are friends with his old owners.

For Koko it was his attitude to his work and he had the most amazing jump. Plus he was very pretty.

 

[ladyt25]

For mine I knew the minute I saw him even though he was still bum high and had a puny chest (he was 4). He was such an unusual colour, had a lovely face and when I got on he was so smooth to ride and just jumped as a normal horse should. Such a chance from my neurotic 14.2hh pony!!!

 

[Paint Me Proud]

i bought Chico because i discovered that the mare i owned was his dam! Found him after i researched my mares history and coincidence he was for sale.

I went to see him with no intention of buying but fell head over heals for him and HAD to have him.

Best decision i ever made.

 

[Flame_]

I wanted a young arab. When I went to see my boy I'd viewed quite a few other before, and he was one of three to view on the same day.

Chose him because

- He was well bred
- He had good legs and feet
- He had a super temperament
- He didn't mind his mate leaving him
- He had a very good upbringing and backing and was totally unspoiled
- As soon as i trotted on him he made me smile
- He felt safe and genuine
- He was chestnut, not grey

I think its a massive gamble buying a horse and you need a lot of luck. I was very lucky to find him.

 

[Firewell]

I fell in love with my boys cheeky pretty face the moment I saw it and having just lost my mare I was desperate to get another.

I had him loan first and I decided to actually buy him because of his lovely attitude to work and he was a good, honest horse. Secondly he is really stress free to handle as he is not clingy or panicky and that was a big thing for me. My mare was a nightmare to handle and manage at times and could be very stressy and I did not want that again.

 

[StormyMoments]

we went to a dealers yard to look for a nice 10 year old 15hh that had done some showjumping etc nice temperment blahh blahh blahhh... came out with a 2 year old, because he didnt have a snotty nose haha and they put him in the school stuck up a 5ft parallel walked out of the school and he flew it... we came back an hour later and bought him not exactly what we were looking for... hes now 17.2hh and we have owned him for 7 years and never regretted it all because he was the only horse that didnt have a snotty nose

 

[Megibo]

the way i was an 11 year old cripplingly nervous nellie and she plodded about and i loved her!
although we had a rough time, long story short 2 weeks later she realised she was free from the riding school (she was 6) and went fizzy, then settled but quirky etc 2 years of love-hate relationship and then had 5 lessons with an amazing instructor and never looked back! 6 years on i love her to pieces and wouldnt swap her for anything
also how she turned out to be an absolute diamond-100 percent temperament, adapts to her rider and does a bit of everything. loves her jumping VERY much!!

 

[doratheexplorer]

I fell for B's droopy bottom lip and the way his top lip nuzzles and puckers, and the way his ears flop when he is walking, very cute!!

 

[LaurenM]

Both mine were polar opposites to what I thought I wanted except the mare is so safe on the roads which was a must. I base my decision on their character. My gelding has the sweetest face and my mare is so respectful of your space. Love them to bits

 

[Batgirl]

My first horse was bought after going to see tonnes of fake 'novice' horses, my experienced friend wouldn't let me on most of them. She smiled after riding him for a bit and asked if I wanted to try him, I knew from her face he was going to be good. He felt perfect for me, he gave me confidence and was gorgeous looking.

They offered to take me out on a hack on him then an there and my mate gave me an encouraging nod, he didn't put a foot wrong, then a motorbike wheelied past us...... and he still didn't put a foot wrong. He passed his 2* with flying colours (vet very impressed at my prospective 16yo). I had him, he was ace.

no I have a loaner who is just a character, I was working for a friend brining him back to work after some time of with injury and fell in love.

 

[MaisieMooandCometToo]

My first and current pony, Comet, was the first I'd gone to see after breaking my arm falling off a 'confidence giver'. I'd placed his advert at the bottom of the pile because he was slightly on the small side (13.3hh) and a boring bay!! We drove 3 hours to view him (twice!) and the first thing he did when I went into the stable was kiss me (he's never done it again!) He was beautifully mannered. flew over a water trough jump and didn't scare me (despite the 'D' paces!). He'd been up for sale for over 6 months when we bought him so we always say he chose me!
We'd known my Dad's horse for about 3 years and the lady selling her for 8 years when talk started about her being sold, we'd been with her for a year when she had a leg injury that nearly killed her and knew that she was the sweetest most genuine mare even if she was a useless jumper so we went to ride her out a few times and bought her on our return from holidays!!
Wouldn't change either of them!!

 

[milesjess]

The heart on his head!

 

[mytwofriends]

First and foremost, his face and specifically his eyes. Love at first sight!

 

[ElleSkywalker]

First horse was because she was the right age, right sex and right height and most importanly went for the 300 guineas that I had on me at the sale!

Second horse because she was the tallest with the longest tail - she was a foal so thought that the odds were that she would make over 13.2hh she did, she is 14hh now at 8 yrs

Third I had on loan from a friend to keep horse 1 company when horse 2 being ridden and vice versa, time came to give her back and could part with the cute little monster.

Fourth is foal of horse 1, so kinda got what popped out - she is ace tho

 

[Hen]

With Aviv: I knew she'd tick all my competitive 'boxes' before I tried her as my trainer had seen her; I flew out to Stuttgart to try her and flew back to Heathrow with the biggest grin; but her personality is what puts the biggest grin on my face these days - she's a lovely competition horse, but also just the nicest of nice horses, just loves chilling out with you, hacking out, going to shows, getting tickles... awesome.

With Ebby: I have admired this horse from afar for 3+ years. As a reiner he is an awesome talent, but has the sort of mind that an amateur can cope with and is extremely forgiving of non-pro 'bloopers'. He is just amazing. And really very sweet as a character, too

 

[MrsHutt]

His face peeping over the stable door as I went to view him!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1817755497762&set=a.1605119381992.80108.1656367664&type=1


And then the big kiss he gave me!

(tried to add a picture, but it would only let me add the link - sorry!)

 

[spotty_pony]

I started riding him at my yard and fell in love with him as soon as I sat on him!

 

[Tnavas]

I'd always wanted a Clydesdale and one was advertised in the $1000 and under section of NZ Horse & Pony mag. I was having tea with a friend and remarked that there was a Clydie filly for sale and she asked if I wanted to go and see her. I said yes - she said she'd come too and I phoned and made an appointment.

Hours later and after driving about 50km on a gravel road around the mountains we finally found the farm. Next trip was on the back of a farm bike over to the wool shed - across marshes and hills.

When I saw her it was love at first sight - she had so much presence and a lovely trot - she was out in a big yard playing with another weanling. We were introduced - I looked her over and said I'd buy her. I've never made such a quick decision. I even wrote the cheque - after we had been X country again on the farm bike. By the time we had got part way back down the gravel road I'd chosen Sarah as her paddock name and Serenity as her show name.

My baby arrived a week later, she had walked straight on to the float and travelled well. I wormed her in the float and then led her to a big yard where she would be spending the next few days. She had never eaten hard feed or hay and was very shy.

Now she is 7½ and has stolen my heart she also has a heart on her near fore knee, she will be with me for life.

 

[Andalusianlover]

My horse has the most amazing "eye". I knew he was a "good-un" straight away. He has a cheeky look about him, lots of mane and forelock being a gorgeous bay Spaniard. Couldnt resist him. Could have shot him yesterday though as he was a t**t in the dressage, redeemed himself SJ and X-country tho!