When you bought your horse

[quietann]

Note: not the OP’s target maket. I ended up not ever eventing on her, but I got Feronia because she was already doing what I wanted to do (BN level eventing), our trial ride went well, and she was sound (enough to be a low level eventer anyway.) I think the love was one-sided (coming from me) from the beginning, but she came around eventually. She is very beautiful, but I don’t think her beauty was a main reason for buying her.

Of course, things turned out much differently than I’d hoped. First I got badly hurt in a fall off another horse, and then she had suspensory surgery, so I gave up eventing. She was way more green and sensitive than I expected, had a spook, and could be quirky. Once I figured out that in spite of all this, she was basically safe, and did a bunch of training and lessons on her, things went much better. I’ve had her for 15 years and she was retired last year at age 24.

[gardenie]

I know that one!

[frugalannie]

While my body has aged out of eventing and I’m just doing dressage now, I still look for the same things in a horse. My most recent OTTB was purchased last Sept, FWIW.

I came to eventing mainly knowing polo where I had taken care of and schooled horses for several years. 45 years ago I bought an OTTB stallion ($500) that at 16.3 was too big to play polo but someone I met through work had ridden on the team with Jack LeGoff and suggested eventing. The rest is history.

Most of my purchases have been OTTBs, with two exceptions. Several were homebreds. I look for a well-conformed horse, a decent walk, good push from behind, that wonderful look in the eye, and a willingness to engage with me. Then it has to be acceptably good at the vetting. I’ll work with that. Furthest I’ve gotten was about to compete I when that horse died. Got several to Prelim: most would have gone further with someone else on them.

Oh and they must have cute ears. That’s really all I see when I’m riding, should I look down.

[quietann]

@frugalannie

Oh and they must have cute ears. That’s really all I see when I’m riding, should I look down.

Cute ears are very important!

Feronia did not get the little tippy Morgan ears, but still gave me the best views ever. I have to admit, though, that if I buy another Morgan, I’ll be thrilled if it has typical Morgan ears.

[frugalannie]

Two thumbs up for Morgan ears!

[Highflyer1]

I got mine as an UL prospect, but also an unstarted (basically unhandled) 6 year old. I needed something that could be turned out with my Prelim horse, who was rehabbing from colic surgery and had just lost his buddy. My budget was a cool $800 that I had been saving to buy a dressage saddle with. He was not a fancy mover but he was very much the type I like, small and chunky with a huge shoulder, excellent butt, kind eye etc. Plus he was used to living out, an easy keeper, and didn’t seem like he would pick on my other horse. And his sire was Yarrow Brae, who had sired Twill Do, one of my all time favorite timber horses, who had just won the MD Hunt Cup, and he was out of a mare by a stallion my grandparents had stood.

He is very sound still in his late teens, has a really nice gallop, good form over fences, can live out with anyone and costs nothing to feed. Unfortunately he does not like to jump and has never 100 percent gotten over his early lack of handling or developed that TB bravery or work ethic and since he’s a small, plain, spooky TB I’m sure I will be stuck with him forever and he will probably live to be 40.

But he was really close to being the bargain of the century!

[Mango20]

I think most people get into eventing by trying it out on whatever horse they already have, at whatever level they can survive. I was no different, but that was in 1981, when the lowest level was pre-training.
I got all of my horses young and green.

My current horse checked a few boxes. The biggest need was something my kid could move up to from his small pony, who he did everything with in Pony Club and evented through BN. He had another year or so to go, so I could stick with buying young and green and spend most of that year working on the horse myself.

I wanted a small horse because that’s what I like best, and it would be an easier move up from a small pony. My thoughts were that I wanted something that I would like to ride, in the event my kid loses interest or outgrows the horse in size or ability. I got a mare as a lightly started 5 year old. I liked her attitude of “I have no idea what I’m doing but I’ll give it a try”. She is a good mover and has decent conformation. She is an opinionated, fiesty mare.

My son has done everything in Pony Club on her except polocrosse - dressage, show jumping, tetrathlon, games, the C-3 rating, and eventing through Training. He’s in college and I ride her the most now (I continued to ride her all 9 years of owning her, but he got to do most of the competing).

[beowulf]

Did you tell him with a pedigree like that, it’s literally unacceptable he doesn’t like to jump?!

[EventerAJ]

When I’m shopping, I’m looking for an athlete with balance and a good brain (TB, of course). It will probably have an attractive pedigree with sirelines I trust to have brains, jump, movement, and uphill type. I’m seeking upper level talent, with rideability and a pleasant temperament. If it doesn’t want to do upper levels, that’s ok it will make a nice partner for something else.

These are my considerations whether I’m looking at 3-5yo TB geldings, yearlings, broodmares, or prospective stallions.

[BayBondGirl]

@Mango20

I liked her attitude of “I have no idea what I’m doing but I’ll give it a try”.

This to me is worth more than pretty much anything else

[LadyB]

I was 18, it would be my first horse. He was cute, off the track, sister bought him to resell (flip) and I liked his name, so I bought him. LOL. Worst reason to buy a horse I’m sure, but here we are 17 years later, and he’s the bested boy and hardest tryer.

[pony_grandma]

I went to go look at a smallish chestnut Quarter mare. A dealer/flipper had her. My daughters were 9 and 11 back then. The one had just started 4-H and I needed an all around starter horse. Good reason to look at a red mare right? I rode her she was quiet and easy. I saw some concrete blocks and some wood on the property and asked to set up a small jump. She went forward and easy over it. Darn shame the dealer had already told me the price… wink.

The mare had solid ‘using’ Foundation breeding (straight outtaTexas by Truck!). The ‘western’ parents at the club asked me why would you ‘English’ person go buy a western horse? My reply to let my kids learn all disciplines. There is some element of correctness in everything for their own useful reasons. The following summer she cleaned up in all disciplines at the county level and won the huge trail class entry at State (against many Congress level horses). I paid $1,100 for her. Both daughters learned from her. She was very biddable and correct in everything she did. #1 she had the ability to wait for instruction = huge factor in trail class that we used to show off. Plus plus plus on those judging cards.

The next year the kids in 4-H walked right past those parents and asked how we did things.

[Highflyer1]

Oh, he’s heard it a time or two! He is a perfect example of a horse that would have benefitted tremendously from being gelded and broken as a yearling and going to the track as a two year old, and having it established from the very beginning that he needed to get up every morning and do his job even if things were scary or mildly unpleasant. All that being catty and clever and thinking for themselves is great until they use it against you.

[Gardenhorse]

The short answer is that I bought my horse because @bornfreenowexpensive (who I don’t think is on the board anymore) told me to buy the horse that put a smile on my face. And when I tried her, I enjoyed every second of my ride so decided she was the one.

The longer answer is that I evented at low levels as a kid, then was out of riding for almost 15 years. I got back into riding with lessons and then half-leasing for a while. When I decided I was ready to buy I wanted a horse that had gone at least Novice with an amateur. My horse had gone through Training with a young pro, but said no when they tried to move her up to Prelim. Was then sold to an amateur who showed her N and a few T. Not a perfect record with the amateur, but no major issues.

After I bought her, we were quite successful at BN and N and were starting to think about a T move-up. But then she developed some hind end lameness issues coupled with ulcers that took a while to diagnose and sort out. Through that process we both developed some jumping confidence issues so last year we focused on dressage and went to Regionals at first level. This year I’m hoping we can get our jumping groove back, but if not, we’ll work on 2nd level dressage.

[Ceffyl_Dwr]

Zero shenanigans walking on and off a trailer.

[Jealoushe]

Penny - bought ten years ago. Bought her because she was forward to jumps and had already evented and I had just retired my old horse and didn’t want to start over. She was cheap and local.

Valley & Veronica - A friend connection who recommended them to me and they were free/cheap off the track.

Emmy - saw her on a video getting fit for racing and my friend was her exercise rider. Followed her for two years racing and she retired right when my gelding had to be put to sleep. Timing was perfect. Also on the cheap scale compared to now. Originally liked her because she was small and under 15h. Bought unseen in person and now grown to 16.1 lol.

For me the biggest thing was the recommendation of the horses from my friends who I trust entirely.

[Jealoushe]

Y’all are the bestest pair ever too. 17 years? You’re my idol.

[Live_Wire]

This is great advice I wish I would have considered

[LadyB]

That makes my heart so happy! <3 Hopefully many more years ahead. At least to go out and have some more fun a couple more times. He turns 20 this year!