A client of mine this year had to make the hard decision to sell her horse. It was a tough decision for her, but he just wasn’t the right horse at the time. Seeing how hard the situation was for her made me remember that for many adults who invest in a horse to show themselves, these animals become close companions to them. Even though they realize that horses are to be treated as large animals, that mental connection of a friend and partner is still strong and hard to break. Therefore, when she decided she was ready for another horse, I knew I had a huge responsibility in picking out the perfect one for her.
First, you want to make sure that the person who is selling the horse has a great reputation. Both in the horses they produce and just in their overall personality. Second, as I mentioned in my training series post, I want to make sure these horses can tolerate a rider at a more novice level than my client. And third, I try to make sure the horse has had some outside the arena experiences. Trail riding is a big plus for me! Once I was satisfied we had found some horses with these qualities, as well as other physical requirements needed, we went to look at them!
When I try out a horse for the first time, I go with my gut on what it feels like. I ride the horse like my client would ride and get an honest feel for how they react on their own. Just like being around people, you either get a good feeling from them or a bad feeling. I actually felt great on both horses we tried, so I gave this advice to my client. She rode them both as well and she was undecided so I told her to think about it. It can be stressful when trying to find someone else’s perfect partner. As long as you’re smart in making sure the horse meets all of your requirements, go with your instinct and what horse just feels right!