CHOOSING YOUR HORSE part 1

Selecting a young horse can be tricky so you need to do your homework. First grab a notebook and layout what you want in an adult, trained horse. What are your goals? (dressage? eventer? hunter? working equitation? family friend?) What are the important qualities for a horse to achieve those goals? (conformation? movement? speed? bravery?) Next what characteristics would you like? (size? sex? temperament? speciality color? breed? bloodlines?) And then for the hardest part - what is your budget? Establishing a budget can be difficult if you aren’t sure of what you are buying or whom your buying from. Here is a breakdown of what to expect:

• $10,000 to $17,000 - Well known breeder with young horses that have proven bloodlines; exceptional stallion prospects may be priced well beyond $20,000
• $5,000 to $10,000 - Smaller breeder with young horses that have comparable, if not exact, bloodlines to the larger breeder
• $1,000 to $5,000 - Backyard breeder with young horses that have less established bloodlines
• $0 to $1,000 - Equine rescues or private seller

Don’t be discouraged if your budget is on the low side. With careful planning and patience quality horses can be found at every price point.
Once you have an idea of what you want in a young horse start exploring. Join facebook groups, check out breeder and horse sale websites. Visit the results page from shows. Examine horses that are successful in what you want to do. All of this should give you a place to start shopping. Just follow three simple rules...

1. Take your time
2. Don’t fall for a pretty face; stick to your game plan
3. If you find something questionable move on; there will be another perfect choice just around the corner

Here was my plan: as a dressage rider/trainer I needed upper level dressage prospect to eventually replace my schoolmaster in a few years. This horse should be 1yr-2yr, warmblood, gelding/colt, Rosenkavalier bloodlines with both parents proven dressage horses, jumper bloodlines in the background a plus, must have great walk & canter and be friendly. I knew I wouldn’t be buying until the end of 2019 but I began shopping online in the spring of 2018. By the time I was ready to purchase I had compiled a list of about a nine young horses to go look at. Each one fit my criteria perfectly. But then unwritten rule #4 came up...
(to be continued)