When you bought your horse, how much was based on his/her appearance?

Enfys your horse is stunning :)
I do think part of looking for a horse is presence, which is to do with looks. Looks definatley played a part in buying my gelding. Not so much my mare.
 
Nothing.Temperament, manners and ability.Any looks would have been icing on the cake.To me he is stunning because I love him.He brings me so much pleasure.I used to ride a common little cob, even his own mother would have said he was common but to ME he was beautiful because I loved riding him so much.
 
Don't know how true this is, but its sound practice anyway; Farrier once told me that Arab custom when buying a serious horse was to view it behind screens where only its legs and feet were visible. To look at the eye first was foolish. Makes sense to me, as once I see the horses' eye, I get suckered in and have to force myself back to logic. A beautiful unsound horse is just a pretty field ornament.
Mind you, I wouldn't be buying a horse with good feet and a mean eye either.
My weakness is for coloureds, I love them, although my last horse is a stunning black mare. So easy to keep clean.
 
my last 6 horses/ponies i've bought have all been bought on looks. my big lad i was 80% sure i wanted him just from the photo, something about him just screamed at me to have him, i went to view him (couldn't ride) and paid a deposit there and then.

my little mare i viewed and knew she was a lovely little thing who needed alot of TLC. i've had her nearly 5yrs and she's not let me down.

my previous mare i saw her over a dry stone wall in torch light, she moved so elegantly and beautiful i just knew i had to have her. i bought her and took her home, that was the first time i rode her, when we moved her!

my ponies were unhandled so i had go by their conformation more than anything, the one i fell in love with before i stepped in the pen, the other definately had something about him and i knew he would be a cracker.

everyone who has seen all my horses have all said they've got lovely conformation, well put together and the more common one is "a leg in each corner"!!! lol
 
The love of my life, my mare, was a strange choice. I did not want a mare and I did not want boring bay. She is both! I also wanted something over 16hh and she is 15.3hh. I don't know what made me travel 2 hours to see her, but I'm glad I did. She is stunning, but that wasn't what won me over. It was hr cheeky character and affectionate temperament. She is my forever horse even though, sadly, she had to retire age 16 when she broke her shoulder in the field. I now have another (boring bay) gelding. He is quite good looking but I love how forward he is to ride and how light he is in front. So I guess I chose him on how he felt to ride, not looks or movement. I would love a really big moving horse though!
 
When I bought Boo Bear I was meant to be looking for a safe happy hacker and do to a few local shows and get my confidence back. His owner called me and said I have this brown 4 year old pony who hadnt been ridden since oct (it was feb) do you want to come and see him. Decided I would and the only way to describe him was a yak!! lol Long shaggy coat and he broke away from being tied up, came through the stable door a hundred miles an hour, screaming to his herd mates out on the mountain. When I rode him (up and down this tiny little track) I just walked and had a couple of steps of trot but something just clicked, was only on him 10 minutes max. I love him to bits now and as you can see from my siggie he no longer resembles a yak :)

ETA - I cant really take him to local shows mind, he's a loony!! so thats the plan this year to get him used to going to shows as I want to do some showjumping with him
 
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When we were first looking for a horse, we were mainly looking for a good first horse that was suitable for all of us. we saw dancer and fell in love, mainly with her looks, even though she probably wasnt the most suitable first horse for us, we still have her 6 years later.
When I got Row, I admit it was his looks which caught my attention, however i wouldnt have bought him if his temperment wasnt really quiet and suitable for what I wanted to do with him.
WHen I was looking for a new project, I know a lot of people do go on looks so if your going to sell something on, it would be easier to sell a better looking horse. However, this is not the reason I got Lola. It was because she is well bred, good temperment and generally a good stamp for an exmoor.
 
TBH I like a pretty horse and have never owned an ugly one (in my eyes) . My latest chappy was bought to show so had to look the part BUT they've got to have the temperament to otherwise it's a none starter.

For me, these days they've got to have everything otherwise I walk away. I've learnt over the years that buying the horse is the cheap bit and if you can't afford what you want first off wait a couple of months and put away what you would have paid in livery, shoes etc and bobs your auntie you can afford what you want (and if you can't then you cant afford to keep one anyway)

BnB
 
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