[MissCriss]

To be honest, there really is NO way to tell for SURE. Buying young horses is a gamble.

Story time!

I know someone who bought a gorgeous, gorgeous Dutch Warmblood years ago. He was immaculate as far as conformation, movement, and breeding. European imported. Just a dazzling horse with spectacular ground manners and was excellent on the lunge line. No vices whatsoever.

However...even though he had the talent, he did not have the heart or the drive to excel up into the higher levels.

She took him up to FEI, but he never made it to Grand Prix because he just would NOT do the movements. He just didn't have the heart to really try. She spent years training him in the hopes that he'd make a great GP horse, and up until FEI, she thought he had him.

So, it just goes to show, that it can sometimes take YEARS to be able to tell if that horse will really give you all he's got. That's really the only way to tell for sure.

There are HINTS you can look for to tell if a horse has got it in him, but really, you need to spend time with him. You need to figure out if you've got a competitor on your hands--one who wants to be on top and who wants to try for you.

Conversley, here's another story:

My instructor had a Paint/Irish Draught that was put in training with her years ago. The horse looked like a mule and he had quite the attitude. She trained him up to GP, spent a summer struggling with him when it came to improving his unimpressive canter, but there was just a moment where something clicked in his head and he realized he was hot stuff. He eventually became the best GP horse she's ever had, coming in second or third in a competition with Brentina in I believe California.

So, it just goes to show, sometimes it just takes a moment and a little convince work to really tap something out of a horse. You just gotta look for the horse with the right personality--a confident horse--and the only way to do that is to spend time with them when they're just being a horse.

What I mean by that, is watch them in their most relaxed, natural state of mind. Watch how they are with other horses. Is it the horse that will back down? Or is he the one in charge of his herd? Try some join up with them. How long does it take for the horse to realize that by listening to you, they will be allowed to come in? Take them out on a hack. How do they react to the open environment? Are they scared and spooky or ready to go? Do their ears flicker back to you? Do they have a proud self carriage? Do they come running up to you when you greet them at the fence?

I will tell you, though, that horses that tend to be more on the hot side generally are easier to train and have better work ethics. Sensitive horses are the ones that will not only be sensitive to your aids when you ride them, but your emotions too, and can therefore, be easier to bond with. Every horse is an individual, though.

[mpprincess]

Originally Posted by MissCriss

To be honest, there really is NO way to tell for SURE. Buying young horses is a gamble.

Story time!

I know someone who bought a gorgeous, gorgeous Dutch Warmblood years ago. He was immaculate as far as conformation, movement, and breeding. European imported. Just a dazzling horse with spectacular ground manners and was excellent on the lunge line. No vices whatsoever.

However...even though he had the talent, he did not have the heart or the drive to excel up into the higher levels.

She took him up to FEI, but he never made it to Grand Prix because he just would NOT do the movements. He just didn't have the heart to really try. She spent years training him in the hopes that he'd make a great GP horse, and up until FEI, she thought he had him.

So, it just goes to show, that it can sometimes take YEARS to be able to tell if that horse will really give you all he's got. That's really the only way to tell for sure.

There are HINTS you can look for to tell if a horse has got it in him, but really, you need to spend time with him. You need to figure out if you've got a competitor on your hands--one who wants to be on top and who wants to try for you.

Conversley, here's another story:

My instructor had a Paint/Irish Draught that was put in training with her years ago. The horse looked like a mule and he had quite the attitude. She trained him up to GP, spent a summer struggling with him when it came to improving his unimpressive canter, but there was just a moment where something clicked in his head and he realized he was hot stuff. He eventually became the best GP horse she's ever had, coming in second or third in a competition with Brentina in I believe California.

So, it just goes to show, sometimes it just takes a moment and a little convince work to really tap something out of a horse. You just gotta look for the horse with the right personality--a confident horse--and the only way to do that is to spend time with them when they're just being a horse.

What I mean by that, is watch them in their most relaxed, natural state of mind. Watch how they are with other horses. Is it the horse that will back down? Or is he the one in charge of his herd? Try some join up with them. How long does it take for the horse to realize that by listening to you, they will be allowed to come in? Take them out on a hack. How do they react to the open environment? Are they scared and spooky or ready to go? Do their ears flicker back to you? Do they have a proud self carriage? Do they come running up to you when you greet them at the fence?

I will tell you, though, that horses that tend to be more on the hot side generally are easier to train and have better work ethics. Sensitive horses are the ones that will not only be sensitive to your aids when you ride them, but your emotions too, and can therefore, be easier to bond with. Every horse is an individual, though.

Very well put. I hate to say you can look at a horse and "see that something". It is has been my expierence that my gut has been right. I didn't base it completely on instinct but after seeing them I get a "feeling".
I didn't want to just throw that out there initially for fear of sounded slightly "touched".
It is especially hard when you are looking at horses from a long distance and don't get a chance to put your hands on them. There still seems to be a little "something" that shines through on some even in a video.

Does anyone feel that way when looking at a prospect.

[jedy]

I surely get that feeling, but I didn't get to buy them and see if I was right! For all I know I could well be

[Circle C]

Well, IMO you can tell. I have never had a colt (of my own) that was hard to break, and I have had a bunch! All my colts that I purchased for myself were easy going, willing, quiet and never needed mroe than a week or two of work before I got on them. I study pedigree, parentage, conformation, attitude, willingness, etc. All of what I said in my earlier post.

I don't think I got "lucky" THAT many times. I have an eye and I know what I'm looking for.

[mpprincess]

Originally Posted by Circle C

Well, IMO you can tell. I have never had a colt (of my own) that was hard to break, and I have had a bunch! All my colts that I purchased for myself were easy going, willing, quiet and never needed mroe than a week or two of work before I got on them. I study pedigree, parentage, conformation, attitude, willingness, etc. All of what I said in my earlier post.

I don't think I got "lucky" THAT many times. I have an eye and I know what I'm looking for.

Do bloodlines REALLY have that much effect? I've heard that but kinda thought it was a bit hokey.

[Circle C]

Originally Posted by mpprincess

Do bloodlines REALLY have that much effect? I've heard that but kinda thought it was a bit hokey.

Yes and no.

I'm sure you have heard the "rumors" about different bloodlines.

Peppy San Badgers buck.
Beduino's are hot, flighty and can't turn.
Bully Bullion's are hard headed.
Two Eyed Jack's are cold backed.
Impressive's are mentally unstable and blow up.
and so on and so on.....

Sure, I have a Beduino bred gelding that is lazy, doesn't spook, and is so quiet a kid can ride or run him on barrels.

No way are ALL of them going to be like their "rumors," but I go into it being AWARE of the rumors. Then, I can adjust what I may or may not need to do with that colt to base my own decisions and opinions.

Also, bloodlines do include the sire and dam. Look at them. How do they act? Ask how they were to break out as colts.

Make sense?

[MissCriss]

I agree with Circle C.

For example, Weltmeyer threw large, bright chestnuts who were good movers. Donnerhall threw the same except black and dark bay, a lot of them with facial markings.

Alaczar throws large, big boned, even tempered babies, usually chestnuts and fairly good movers. But, my instructor has had two of his get in training that were quite rueful and not all that willing to work. The majority of them, however, have been very pleasant to work with.

Another example: Seabiscuit. His sire, Hard Tack, was quite unruly, as was the grandsire (of Seabiscuit), Man O'War. Seabiscuit was born as a very mellow and sweet horse until he was pretty much abused and overworked--that's when he started becoming a rebel, understandably. Bloodlines are important, but more important is the handling and raising of the horse.

Secretariat was an INCREDIBLE horse, but as far as a sire goes, he was not that impressive as say, Man O' War, whose contribution to the TB gene pool was quite impactful and beneficial.

[mpprincess]

Thanks. Yes, I get what you mean Circle C. I have yet to own a horse that falls into the sterotyped rumor with the exception of my last TB mare who was a sweet as pie and that's what her line is said to be.

It is unfortunate I don't have the opprotunity to see most of the parentage of the younger horses I've been looking at. I am sure I could get an idea though esp if the sire is well known.

[cutter123]

Yes, mpprincess, I know about that "feeling" you mean, about being able to tell not only a good one, but a great one, a future champion. It can't always be done, but sometimes you just know.

There was a horse a while back that came here to be started and trained and I KNEW about her. She was small and ugly and underdeveloped and behind in her training but I just knew she was a superstar in the making. We rode her for 5 months and then the owner sold her for 5K. The new owner rode her for a year and then sold her for 55K. She went on to win 3 futurities and make the finals at 2 others and won 119K in her futurity year. She was certainly the super star that I felt she would be.

We got another one this year, same deal. You look at her and you just know. I am betting she is going to be a "sunday horse" for my trainer for sure.

As for being able to tell what a colt is going to be like, sure you can. Watch them and figure out their personality and you can tell where they're going to fit. Are they going to be fractious energetic expert mounts? Easy to get along with sensible amateur mounts? Lazy? Hot? I can usually tell after watching them loose in a field and then working with them in the round pen one time. You can tell by how the give to pressure, how they react to different things you do, and how they move, etc. You can't always tell just how good they'll be in further training. Once you get to that level, it's hard to tell.