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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
 
| Certainly some of you are trainers or seasoned pros when it comes to buying, patterning and seasoning horses. Any advice for those of us who buy only occassionally and end up shopping in the prospect pool?
What types of things make you real comfortable moving forward with a prospect? I know you can never now how they will turn out but any big Positives / Negatives you all look for?? Something more than just papers, please. 
Thanks!! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| I'm in no way a seasoned pro, but I think it depends what age/level the prospects are that you're looking at.
Un-started I think is mostly conformation & temperament. Most of us know what kinds of horses we like and dislike to be around. Good bone & feet for sure. Sound.
As far as started horses, in addition to conformation, temperament, and manners, I look for something that's broke enough for me to feel comfortable. Something that feels like it wants to listen, and seems like it wants to work at a job. I tried 2 last week, and although I thought going into it I would like the colored horse, she just didn't feel like she had a ton of drive. The motor was there, and she would do it if you asked her to, but she didn't seem like she had as much work ethic as the plain red filly. Both had proven pedigrees, in a good program, both at about the same level training wise, but I went with the mare who seemed like she had more heart. Just my two cents! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| thank you, I appreciate the input!
I'm specifically talking 3-4 yo, riding around types. :) |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
  
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 690
Location: Georgia | I dont regret one bit buying from a well known futurity trainer. I bought a horse that wasnt ready to be pushed or campaigned so one of their "culls" but I got a well trained horse that just needed a little more time. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I bought a prospect without physically seeing her from Merrill Ranch in SD. I had plenty of pics and videos. She was a long yearling when I bought her last fall.
I went off her breeding and conformation. She is bred and built similar to a gelding I currently have. They are so similar it isn't funny. The conformation on this one is what did it for me. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | things that make me real comfortable moving forward: conformation, attitude, pedigree, and their eye.
If they are built how I like and bred how I like, then I usually feel good enough to move on. If they're beyond track broke and I can ride them, that helps too, because I can feel a good one when I ride it and have a gut feeling whether its a go or not.
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