Whether you are choosing a mount for a major competition, such as the American Horse Woman’s Challenge, or looking for the trail companion of your dreams, there are many considerations to take into account before buying or leasing your next horse. Marcia used MM Training and Consulting’s Horse Shopping Guide when selecting Black Stretch Limo, her horse for the AHWC. Following are some excerpts from the guide and four considerations when selecting the perfect partner for your horse adventures.
1. Know Yourself. A little introspection before beginning your search will save you time, money, and possible disappointment. Knowing your own strengths and weaknesses enables you to choose a horse that will help balance your needs. MM Training and Consulting has developed a personality indicator that we titled, “What Color is Your Horse…Really?” In it, we delve into the different personalities of horses and riders to help people select a mount that will be a good match for their strengths and weaknesses, skill level, and available time to ride. Here is a short excerpt of the information from “What Color is Your Horse….Really?”
(The colors refer to the personality of the horse; the “inside” color of the horse, not the color of the horse’s coat.)
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Red Sorrel: Motivated by power. These horses are physically, mentally and emotionally tough. Blue Roan: Motivated by intimacy. These horses are mentally very smart but emotionally tend to be Dapple Grey: Motivated by peace. These horses are physically lazy and mentally and emotionally stable.
Yellow Palomino: Motivated by fun! These horses are happy but lack mental focus. |
Interested in additional information? Check out our web site at www.mm-horsetraining.com or attend one of our workshops or clinics.
We have found that people and horses both fall into one dominant color and sometimes another secondary color. Your personality is going to naturally mesh better with certain horse personalities. For example, Dapple Grey horses are forgiving and tend to be good choices for amateur riders who don’t have a high skill level or don’t have a lot of time to ride. Blue Roan horses are sensitive and love to connect with their person. They are great choices for confident, consistent riders with a solid skill set. Before choosing a horse, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I want a horse that will build my confidence or a horse to challenge me to increase my skill level?
- What is my skill level? (Working with a competent coach can help you answer this question)
- Am I willing to experience the emotional discomfort of adjusting my personality to meet my horse’s needs or should I choose a horse whose personality will blend easily with my own?
- How much time do I have to invest in riding and working with my horse?
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2. Know What You Want. Create two lists; things that you need in a horse and things you want in a horse. Include breed, sex, age, type, size, disposition, experience, conformation, soundness, movement, training, and color on your list. Once you’ve established the “need to have” criteria, we recommend that you do not look at, read about, or talk to anyone about a horse that does not match the priorities on your “need to have” list. When looking at a horse, only consider your “want to have” list after your “need to have” list is met.
3. Shop, shop, shop. In today’s world there are many ways to find horses that are for sale and you can begin shopping sitting at your computer or on your sofa at home. Check web sites, breed publications, and sometimes the best is to start asking around. Contact your local trainer, breeder or horse boarding facility and tell them what you are looking for. When you hear about or see an ad that seems promising, write the details about the horse down (for an easy to use worksheet, see MM Training and Consulting’s Horse Shopping Guide). Use your priorities list to determine if the promising horse fits your criterion before you go and look at horses. Once you have some information about the horses that meet your criterion, you can now determine which horses are worth making a trip to look at. Make a list of pros and cons for each horse and compare them to help you determine which horses you will invest the time and money to go see. Then it will be time to take a trip!
4. Evaluate. Once you have a list of horses you are ready to look at in-person, go with some knowledgeable friends and have fun! Once you get there, use a safe approach and do not handle the horse until the owner has worked and ridden it for you. Remember first impressions count – write them down! Put the horse through soundness, conformation, disposition, movement and training tests (for detailed lists of tests please refer to the Shopping Guide). Look at the horse with a critical eye. Find the red flags and write them down. Don’t be persuaded or pressured to buy! Remember that you have the power; you are the customer, so be willing to walk away. Take time to consider the pros and cons of every horse. Remove temptation to rush your decision by leaving your trailer at home. It’s always a good idea to spend time evaluating a horse and then visit the horses you are seriously considering a second time.
We hope this information will be of help to you when it’s time for you to choose your next mount. Whether your horse is for a competition like the Challenge or for simple pleasure riding our wish is that you find the perfect partner to enjoy. Marcia is thrilled with the results of her shopping experience using our guide and we are excited to present Black Stretch Limo to everyone in person at the AHWC in October!