What's most important in a competition horse...

[Nando]

Honesty and desire to do the job with you - if you don't have an honest horse it makes your job as a competition rider incredibly difficult if not impossible.

Obviously they need a degree of natural ability to do the job in question, whichever discipline - otherwise it's the square peg/round hole scenario!

 

[TarrSteps]

I heard an interview with a tennis coach recently and he used the great quote "There are lots of ways to win." (He also had a great one re Roger Federer, "It's not that he's so much better, he can just be better for longer.")

I think there are many top horses that "make up" for being less than ideal in one area by being super in another - for instance a horse that's a little upright will likely last longer if it's a good mover otherwise and easy to train, as it will need to do less to get more. As TD said, there are a few conformation faults that are absolute deal breakers but otherwise conformation has to be seen as a system, a sum of parts, rather than absolutes. I have to say bilateral weaknesses bother me less than unilateral ones as it's been my experience when a horse has one leg weaker than the rest it won't stand up to the game but if it's got a workable "system", even if it doesn't look perfect, the stress is still spread out equally. There is a very interesting online book called "Functional Conformation" by Judy Wardrope that talks about which faults really affect performance and soundness for the various disciplines.

As with temperament - one man's meat and all that. A big plus is knowing, as a rider, what you can and can't deal with. I'd rather kick than pull and don't particularly like fizzy horses - I've learned to ride them but I wouldn't want one for my own. On the other hand I get along well with horses that are "a little bit bad", as a vet once put it, and find the tough ones end up being "good tough" if you can get a handle on them.

I would, at this point in my life, only buy a horse with a good canter. I know you can fix a mediocre one but it's very hard to do and not reliable. Having a naturally good canter makes all the difference for jumping and even dressage to a large extent. I also find horses with good canters tend to have a more relaxed attitude to jumping work and so are easier on themselves generally. Gallops I'm less concerned about.

I'm also a stickler for a good forearm and preferably also good hind end technique. I know lots of good showjumpers jump over their shoulders a bit but I was raised to love a good front end.

I see lots of pics of young horses that have got in close or swung their cannon bones around a bit and people are saying "he's not so talented" but if the horse is doing the right things with its body and wants to jump clean and get to the other side then it's actually showing me it wants to jump well, even under duress.

I think a horse does have to want to do the job. Singing pigs and all that.

But I think circumstances can take that away from a horse, at least apparently, and it can be put back in with the right work. Again, though, depends how much time and effort you have to spend. Personally I would not want an event horse that didn't have a natural enthusiasm for the job as the risks are so high but I do recognise that people have to work with what they've got.

I think it's possible to tell quite a bit about a young horse if you know what to look for but things don't always look on the surface as they are underneath. I want to see a horse is a quick learner and doesn't make the same mistake over and over or, worse, get bullish about making a change. If I send one down a grid I'm fine with it making a mistake but then I want to see it fix it the next time, even if it means it makes another and then fixes that one the third time. In fact, I'd almost rather see that than one that goes down so easily it never seems to think. Such a horse might be extremely talented but I also want a horse that won't go to pieces if it makes a mistake.

As everyone has said, though, it's pretty personal. And I have to say, in my experience, people often don't buy what they say they want, they buy the horse they like.

I do think, though, if you have competitive goals it's only fair to choose a horse that will find the job relatively easy, rather than buying a horse for some other reason and then feeling personally let down when it doesn't make the grade.

 

[Flame_]

Soundness. It doesn't matter how much scope it could have or how much it would really like to be out doing the job if its always lame.

 

[Iestyn]

At the top of my list would be the right attitude. It would probably then be willingness to do the required job and a trier. Scope and paces, followed by conformation. There would be a lot of other things but I would say they would be my priorities. Good looking is a bonus but that may go hand in hand with conformation. I have a little TB that has a heart of gold - a trier but not mega talented just a nice sort. He can be grumpy and difficult to handle at times when he gets his knickers in a twist but it's part of his character and I would never say dangerous. His conformation isn't the best - he's downhill and finds it hard to sit back and engage. However he has the right attitude. He'll jump anything you put him at, he has 3 nice paces and is willing and obedient in the dressage arena - which is where he picks a lot of his marks up. I've done all sorts with him and continue to have fun. I had a WB a couple of years ago - lovely looking horse, lovely to handle on the ground, mega paces and huge scopey jump with a correct technique - but could I ride him? Like hell I could - he didn't want to know. However, with his new owner he's doing really well but still has that streak in him.

 

[JosieToby]

Willingness and conformation.

If the horse is willing for you he shoud jump what you ask and have the right mind to be trained for dressage. My horse Toby has been dubbed down so much through nervous riders I am taking him and galloping him atleast 3 times a week to get him thinking forwards, first he was like "woah!" and now hes like "wahoooo" His dressage has improved so much as his paces have opened right out!

Also if your horse has correct conformation doesnt matter what its doing, it will make it easier for the horse. Thats my idea anyway!

 

[MandyMoo]

i think honesty/talent/trainability are most important. then conformation...i don't really care too much about character, as monty (classic magna in my sig) is the grumpiuest horse ever...but he gets the job done and is fab top ride so

xxx

 

[cheekycharley]

Well i bought my horse because she was friendly....!!!! Im not sure, I have one pony although who is taleneted and very clever her brains dont work properly.

I would prob say a good attitude/friendly - i know that sounds silly but i feel my horse is as nice as she is becuase she wants to go nicely for me if that makes sense. Good confro would be high up the list to try and avoid problems in the future.

For me it would have to be grey - dont know just found all the nice horses are grey!!!

 

[punk]

Felicity/Cullohill/Tabledancer and all those who said that WILLINGNESS AND ENJOYMENT were the main thing, I agree - you can lead a horse to water, but..... you can't make it 'do it if it doesn't WANT to'!!

It is SO sad when you see a young, talented horse being forced round a course which is beyond its education - because it is going to say - I don't enjoy this!!! ERGO I will not do it next time!!

What I look for -

Braveness
Breeding
Brainyness
Broken well
Brought on well
Broad shoulders
Brakes!!!
Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brimming with enthusiasm
British!

(My Surname begins with BR !!!

)

 

[LizFoot]

You're so right about not bying what you want. I wanted a 15.2 TBxWelsh gelding, I bought a 16.1 TBxWB mare. I've had her 10 years and never regretted it for a moment.

I think the most important thing (for me, as a part-time rider) is attitude. She likes to work, tries hard, learns quickly. If my paid work means that I can't ride for a week she's sane and sensible when I can get on her again and yet she's never boring. She has nice paces, nice confirmation but will never be the flashiest horse in the arena but that's the cost I accept for having a horse who's that easy to get on with - the ones that are special to look at are usually "special" to work with and need more time than I am able to put in.

 

[MagicMelon]

Attitude - definately. I couldnt care less about conformation or breeding etc., a horse can be the best looking, best bred horse in the world but his attitude might suck in which case those things mean nothing! A horse who tries his heart out for you is definately worth his weight in gold.