Faults in horses - blinded by love?

sedonasilver · Advanced

Faults in horses - blinded by love?

MagsNMe · Advanced

My mare turns in on both front, slight paddle, a bit straight behind, skinny on the legs (if you ask me). And stubborn like nothing, learned young she could dump and scare people. Bucks, kicks out, scuttles backwards, throws her head and neck around...

Now why in hell do I love her?!?! Oh yeah, she's adorable and moves like a little angel. She'll snuggle you all day.

Just remember Lauren, opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one. And not everyone is right for every horse. Maggie is a case in point, but my little guy's buddy, to me, is ugly as sin, put together all wrong, and needs a cattle prod to get her moving. Her owner LOVES her. She's perfect for her, it's all good.

Lorenzo will find his next person who will love him like you do.

Barbara F · Grand Prix

How rude of these people! If the horse is not for them they can just thank you very much and tell you he's not quite a match for their needs.

I was horse hunting several months ago, as I always made a point of telling the owner how lovely the horse was, even though it wasn't the perfect match for me. It isn't that hard to say a good word or two.

I've learned through the years, it's not the separate parts, but the sum of the parts that really make the horse. Unfortunately, when your horse is for sale, you are stuck with the possibility that some unthinking buyers will criticize your beloved guy.

I'm sorry you have to go through this, but I just know your boy will find a perfect home.

dbliron · Advanced

Hi, Lauren:

You are having to deal with bad mannered and uneducated possible purchasers. There's no other excuse for saying such things to a vendor. Even if the horse turns out to be something other than what I'm looking for, I try to find something nice to say (it might be "Wow, what a gorgeous tail!). When I'm looking for a horse for a client, we discuss the horse out of range of the vendor's hearing, usually once we're off the property. There will always be things which we might like to be different, and there are lots of "faults" which, in my book are quite acceptable, "cow hocks" being one of them!

My young Trakehner mare is beautiful, and extremely gifted in terms of her balance and gaits. People invariably exclaim about her looks and movement, while completely missing the things that are wrong with her. Most glaring among those now are her clubbed right forefoot, and the fact that, linked to that, her neck is on the short side for her height - not her length, but her height. What they don't know is that she was born with severe angular limb deformities, first and foremost being "windswept foal syndrome", so for a quite a long time I wasn't sure she was going to even live, let alone become a performance horse.

I agree with Barbara - the sum of the parts is more important that the parts themselves, and the fit between horse and rider can make or break your success. A horse with great trainability and rideability will often out-performs something which is conformationally superior, but not so workable. I've had both extremes, and I will take trainability and a great work ethic over stunning conformation every time!

justice · Grand Prix

Just like with mates, pick the set of faults you can live with 'cos we all got 'em, no one is exempt : )

kschmittendorf · Well Schooled

I do agree that it is hard to hear comments about your horse and being fairly new to this "industry" I am constantly annoyed by the unwanted and unasked for opinions that really seem to have no basis other than to attempt to put down others. I have one person at my barn that always makes snide remarks about my horse. I don't know why, other than I have the means to take care of him on a level that she does not with hers. I thought that the horse community would be more of a friendlier "womanhood" (there do seem to be more women than men in this) but I have learned quickly it is not. I agree with everyone else that I would take a great mind over a great body any day. A horse can have stunning confirmation but if no one can get on it..what's the point?

Geoffrey Pannell · Well Schooled

Hi Lauren, Selling horses is the worst thing isn't it! Just remember, he's YOUR horse still, don't put up with tyre kickers, just show them the gate. We get these so called experts all the time, they are a bloody nusiance!!! Half the time they don't know their arse from their elbow,lol.
People thet pick faults like that are just trying to get the price down, so don't take it to heart. If you weren't on the other side of the country I'd come and have a look. Cheers Geoffrey

Emiry · Advanced

Don't listen to all those people. Every horse as faults, and eventually someone will want your horse for who he is, faults and all.

sedonasilver · Advanced

Thanks for your kind words of support. Argh! This business really is doing my head in.

I have had 5 people visit us, with 2 making ridiculously low offers (I'm talking just over HALF my asking price - and I'm really not asking all that much for a good quality warmblood - their reasons being he is not educated enough...pffft. You'd pay more than my asking price for an unbroken warmblood now days!)

The other 3 LOVED him on their first ride - then organised a second look with a 'professional' opinion (coach etc). One decided she would give him a clout on the bum with a whip so he almost bucked her off then claimed I lied about how quiet he was. I'm sorry, but I think I would have done the same thing if I were Lorenzo. Hitting a horse on the rump is the fastest way to teach a horse to buck - Lorenzo knows behind the leg and on the shoulder mean 'more forward please'...

The other drove him so much onto the bit with a tight rein that he was grinding like a mad thing so she said he didnt have a good mouth - it was her terrible riding!

And the other was quite sweet and really liked Lorenzo, but her coach was so suspicious about us, and had another agenda - she had been trying to sell her student one of HER horses and said to her right in front of us "See, this is why I think you should just pay the extra and buy Toby from me."

*head to wall*

Nikki Salo · Grand Prix

Hi Lauren, don't fret -- selling a horse is a nightmare at times!

While all horses (and humans more so) have faults, the proper thing to do would be for these people to discuss the horse in private, and thank you for your time (and trouble) to show your horse to them and go on their way if he isn't for them. Unfortunately, this is the horse industry and no matter where you go, you'll hear somebody commenting about your horse or the horse you are riding (often times to your face, without being asked). It is something that you learn to grit your teeth and smile (from experience as a stable manager and horse trainer -- I've done this a lot!).

Somebody will come along and be in love with your boy, just as you are :)

PS. I leased a reiner with a Grade 1 club, and she was never lame or sore from it (had a great farrier working with me), but the comments never ended!