I’ve been looking for a nice young horse to bring along. I’ve found one that looks as if he checks all the boxes and is (just) within my budget. However, my schedule for the next several weeks is so tight I will most likely not be able to take time to go and see him in person. He’s two and has only had a couple of rides.
I did and he is fabulous. Purchased him off 2 riding videos and one ground video. But I knew who I was buying him from reputation so had a bit more trust.
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I have more than once. Most of the time it’s worked out especially when it was from a breeder I personally knew and trusted because we were on the same page all of the time. I have had two times where it did not work out. One was four and had been under saddle. The seller, also a breeder was open about her difficulties with the horse; so I didn’t go in blind. There were also a few mitigating factors including the haul from the seller to me which was over a few states and took far too long (and ended up with the horse being very mistreated). Just sent a horse with pre-existing issues over the edge. I owned him for several years before a friend asked to have him (so he got the perfect home). The other was a weanling who I did have high hopes for but his temperament turned out to be more like his dam’s and not the sire’s. He was to be my herd sire; but, I decided that I did not want to pass on his temperament. He was gelded (had been backed and started under saddle) and sold to a friend who adored him right to the end (he passed away due to colic at age 18). Just depends on your tolerance for risk.
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I have a few times, but I had connections who knew the horses and could vouche for them. Still have them all and love them to bits.
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yes we have bought from only a video, but like others we knew the breeder and the bloodlines
horse was a weanling
and we bought his half brother also as a weanling four years later
Yes, I have. But, the horse was very inexpensive so it didn’t feel like much of a risk. He was pretty much exactly as advertised and as he appeared in the video. Ultimately, he didn’t work out for the long term, but it was for reasons that would not have been apparent even if I had tried him in person.
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I have, from people I knew or friends could vouch for. Two were home runs. One was a good bit greener than the excellent rider on the video made him look but he is quite a nice horse. I think with a schoolmaster type horse you need to ride it and make sure you both speak the same language. Other than that, I’m not sure the average test ride tells you that much. The buyer has traveled, is in a strange place, maybe in strange tack, in front of strangers, on a strange horse. The horse is out of routine, subject to multiple riders, and sometimes asked to do things he’s never done. Particularly for a two year old, there is not much you will see in person that can’t be seen on the video. Have your trainer or knowledgeable friend and your vet look at the video. Request additional video if there is something else you want to see. Get it vetted and have them video the exam. Google both the horse’s registered name and the owner/farm. Best of luck!
I was hesitant to buy a young horse off a video, because I have seen it go wrong numerous times.
Okay, not entirely “wrong” but it seemed like so many horses arrived at the barn, purchased off videos, and each one had some sort of surprise that had not been anticipated: a crooked leg, a tendency to rear (!), studly behavior in a gelding, a tendency to kick other horses, extreme anxiety over flying changes, etc. All of these horses had extensive PPEs and show records, and none were what I consider inexpensive. But in retrospect, the videos were often highly edited and not current.
I passed on a couple of horses that, when I questioned certain things I saw in the video-- or asked specific questions of the trainer— I got a gut feeling that nope, this is not the horse for me. Like red flags. Ironically, one of the horses I passed on was purchased by someone else in the barn, and that horse has proven to have the exact issues I expected.
The young horse I did end up buying has turned out to be an absolute dream. I had excellent communication with the breeder/trainer/seller, who also is a well-known AQHA and APHA judge, so I figured he had a bit of a reputation to uphold. I also got several references concerning other horses he had bred and sold. He made frequent videos of training sessions and the horse’s behavior in the cross ties. I asked for close ups of feet and legs and got them. My PPE was done by a non-local vet, which cost me more, but gave me more confidence.
The whole process was a little nerve wracking, and I approached it with great trepidation. Yet ultimately it turned out to be worth every angst ridden moment. I think you just have to do your research, ask pertinent questions and listen to your gut instincts.
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A crooked leg would be seen in the most basic of vet checks.
Everything else is trainable and can be seen on video if asked. Ask video of being led to and from pasture, ridden with other horses, etc.
The rearing thing is nothing more than a lack of forward and sucking back which can also be seen on video.
I bought based on a photo. The seller did send me a couple clips but I had already mentally written the check.
Saw the video. Flew to Kerrville, TX to ride. Bought. Shipped. What arrived was an almost totally unrideable horse. Sent to two different trainers. Gave horse away.
So no, I wouldn’t unless you had good references.
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i’ve done it …15 times! Only one regret.
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If the seller was reputable, and the video produced to show off the horse properly, yes. If it was some dark, fuzzy video of a horse endlessly doing plenty of nothing, no
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Done it but before there were videos, bought over the land line phone but had worked with the horse, paid my former trainer check it out plus had a friend do a couple of drive bys. Turned out one of my best and biggest winners in the APHA circuit.
Bought one sight unseen from a seller I had also known for years based on breeding and a couple of still pictures. That one, another APHA, not so good but nothing that could have been forseen by anybody.
After switching to H/J, used an agent, wrote check directly to seller and you bet I googled them and their trainer/agent after that became available. Game changer.
VET THE SELLER before even looking at the videos. Fact, IMO, thats more important then vetting the horse, especially if its going sound in the job you are buying it to do.
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My last horse was purchased from a reputable sales barn and there were some surprises. I paid a fortune for a basic pre-purchase and the vet never mentioned a huge, bony lump and scar on one fetlock. It was never shown in photos, either. It doesn’t bother him, but it should have been noted. The horse was also greener than advertised. He was ridden by a good pro who made him look ready for first level, but he had some holes in his training. He is a great horse, though, so I’m happy with him.
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I did once. Turned out he was NOT as presented and in fact probably not even the horse presented. It was a few years ago, involved a freisian sport horse, it was the middle of winter and the horse was in upstate michigan. I posted about it here… apparently seller had a reputation I did not know about.
He was a cutie, just not what I wanted.
I wont do it again unless I personally know the seller.
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Yes, I can read a horse on video or when someone else rides it in front of me.
Somehow I have also taught this to hubby.
The horse we bought off video was exactly what we expected and he was the one who found the video.
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It really depends on your risk tolerance. I’ve done it twice, both horses were sale prospects, worked out fine both times. One we didn’t even PPE (not recommended) and he showed up half-feral, but had lovely breeding and a great brain and was a delightful guy after a slightly hairy first week or so. The other one showed up and was way nicer than I expected, even with lots of video and a great PPE.
To be clear, I agree that many or all of these issues could’ve been noticed with more candid photos and videos, and more in-depth questioning of the sellers. For instance, the behavior issues were not seen on the videos because, for the most part, they were videos of the horses in competition. Or short, edited videos of the horse in a training session. It’s hard to tell sometimes what has gone on before the recording began, or what took place in the warmup ring before the horse went in to show.
The crooked leg elicited this remark during the PPE: “Slight deviation on right front.” A huge understatement. With her next horse, the buyer was in constant contact with the vet during the PPE and got real time pics of the horse’s legs and feet.
I’d never purchased a horse off a video before I found my guy, and I feel sort of guilty over the fact that I learned from other people’s mistakes.
(For reference, these were AQHA and APHA horses purchased in the $25,000 to $50,000 range).
