Eventing is a sport where most riders enjoy cultivating a relationship with their mounts; it is, in part, this level of mutual understanding that makes it possible for horses and riders to complete some of the most difficult of cross-country tests. However, finding and choosing the right mount is not an easy process, and even a very talented horse may not be the best fit for all riders.

Starting from scratch to find the best partner for an event rider is a familiar situation for our experts this month, U.S. Eventing Association certified instructors (and upper level rider/trainers) Richard Wood and Nancy Guyotte. Here are some of their thoughts about shopping for an eventing prospect.

Starting the Search

Guyotte says that to be successful in locating a new mount, you must be prepared to cast a big net. “You never know where a lead might come from,” says Guyotte. “I try to ask my clients do a lot of the groundwork. I have them read every horse ad they can find, whether in print or online.”

Guyotte says that she is constantly reading ads herself to stay informed about the types of horses available for sale. “I have the best success with finding classifieds on the Internet, followed by ads in print or fliers at shows,” says Guyotte. “If a website has a horse you like, call and ask what other horses they might have for sale.”

“The Internet is very helpful and has made the world a lot smaller,” says Wood. He recommends visiting the U.S. Eventing Association Area sites for horses in your region. “Equinesite.com, equine.com and dreamhorse.com are a few sites to look at,” says Wood. “There are many more. Video can help you qualify horses before you decide to go take a look.”

Guyotte also recommends looking at the CANTER website, where retiring racehorses from various tracks are posted to assist in finding new homes. “This can be a great place for a good rider to look who maybe doesn’t have a lot of money and can take a chance,” says Guyotte.

“Word of mouth is another important method of searching,” says Guyotte. “I also talk to my own friends who buy and sell horses.”

Wood says that word of mouth has worked best for him when it comes to locating suitable horses. “Eventers socialize more than any other discipline,” says Wood. “Through this network of friends and riders, someone knows of or has what you are looking for.”

A First Event Horse

Riders who are looking for their first horse are not necessarily rank beginners. However, usually someone purchasing for the first time is going to require particular qualities in their mount.

“A first horse must be safe,” says Guyotte. “They have to forgive mistakes and they can’t panic if the rider doesn’t always know what he or she is doing.”

Wood agrees. “For a first horse, I prefer an older, more experienced, forgiving horse that can pack around the rider to build the rider’s confidence,” says Wood. “First event horses need to be sound and sane. It is hard to say which one is more important. It is hard to have your best friend grounded due to chronic lameness or to have a sound adversary you don’t get along with.”

Wood says that ideally, novice event riders should start with schooling events, whose relaxed atmosphere provides a positive experience; your first horse should be one on which you would feel comfortable doing these activities.

“An experienced partner is worth the extra expense,” says Wood. “There is no need to buy a potential Badminton winner for your first horse. However, a horse that has had a good upper level experience could be a valuable teacher to a new rider, provided there is manageable soundness and a compatible personality match.”

Finding these reliable campaigners requires patience and usually good word-of-mouth connections. “I think these types of horses just get passed along, and they are hard to find because so many people need what these horses have to offer,” says Guyotte.

It is important to keep an open mind when looking for a first horse. “Suitability is so important,” says Guyotte. “Don’t think you have to pass up a 14.2-hand horse with a good mind because all of your friends are riding big 17-hand horses with huge trots. Athleticism comes in all packages. Seventeen hands may make the jumps look smaller, but these horses are often not as adjustable. You have to consider the size of the rider and the size of the horse.”

Guyotte says that the breed of the horse doesn’t matter as long as they have a good mind and disposition. “A Thoroughbred with a quiet mind is often more reliable than many other breeds,” says Guyotte. “Morgans can have busy minds, but they are usually people friendly and generous. What is most important is to find a horse that has a good character and is honest.”

Wood says that the disposition of the horse should be suited to that of the rider. For a first event horse, he prioritizes the disposition and match with the rider as the most important variables. Next on the list comes soundness, and finally, qualities of the horse, such as having three good gaits and a clear desire to jump.

A Prospect for the Talented Rider

“Finding a prospect may be the way you need to go if you can’t afford to go out and buy what you really want,” says Guyotte. This approach is most appropriate for talented riders who have paid their dues by riding many different types of horses.

Wood also refers to this horse as the “next” event horse, meaning the one you move up to after you have learned the ropes from your first horse.

“For your first horse, I would be wary of buying one that has been brought along fast by an Olympic-caliber rider,” says Wood. Wood is specifically referring to young, talented horses that complete a handful of training level events and perhaps a preliminary event prior to being sold. However, these animals might be a perfect next-event horse for a rider with some experience.

Both Wood and Guyotte say that disposition and soundness are still important priorities for riders looking for a prospect or a move-up horse. However, now you may also emphasize qualities such as flashier basic gaits or jumping ability and scope.

“I will always say that if a horse is a good, safe jumper, that this is the best,” says Guyotte. “You don’t need a flashy mover for the dressage as much as you need good riding. An accurate, well-presented, correct test will still score well.”

“For the ‘next’ horse, if the rider can bring along a greener, more talented horse, it is a great experience to develop a horse and hopefully move up to the next level,” says Wood. “I am not breed specific. I look for a good, affectionate worker-type temperament.”

Guyotte says that the process of bringing a horse along is an amazing experience for the right rider.

“People need to take the time to have a relationship with their horse,” says Guyotte. “Sometimes people buy horses who are too tall, too wide, or they can’t sit the fancy trot. Don’t buy a horse that isn’t comfortable, and don’t buy a horse you don’t like just because you think you should.”

Along these lines, if you are considering a project horse, it is important to decide if you truly will enjoy the process of working with a quirky, difficult, or untrained animal, or if you will better enjoy working with a horse that has already been trained. Projects may cost less money up front, but generally represent a large investment of time, energy, and effort in the future.

“I have a couple of students who are capable of bringing along a project and enjoy the challenge,” says Wood. “But most are not capable, interested, or would not find it enjoyable. I personally have worked with projects. I used to enjoy the challenge, but now I find it much more enjoyable to deal with a horse that wants to please.”

Visiting a Potential Horse

Both of our experts like their clients to be involved in the search process from the very beginning. In fact, they encourage clients to request and review videos, and even sometimes make an initial visit to see the horse before they ask the trainer to become involved. If a horse seems promising to the client, based on video and/or a phone call to the seller, then it is time for the trainer to take a more active role.

“You can learn a lot by watching and asking questions,” says Wood. “Try to qualify whether you should go look at the horse first, before you waste a lot of time and miles.”

Wood says it is important to ask questions, such as why the horse is for sale and if the horse has soundness problems or personality issues. “I will leave without riding if I feel the horse has been misrepresented,” says Wood. “There is no reason to waste the seller’s or my time if you know it just isn’t going to work.”

Horses who have been actively eventing should have show records that can be accessed through the U.S. Eventing Association website. “Before visiting the horse, look up the horse’s record, and find out if they have any history of stops,” says Guyotte. “Find out what caused them. You should do some digging if the horse has experience.”

While it may be tempting to purchase a horse you like simply based on their video, Guyotte strongly advises going to look at (and sit on) any potential mount. “It is important to get on and feel the horse,” says Guyotte. “Horses don’t always go like you think they do.”

Both experts recommend having someone who is familiar with the horse ride it before you get on board. “Watch the current owner or trainer jump the horse to see the horse’s technique and disposition,” says Wood. “Is the horse happy?”

That said, during the second visit, it can be wise for the buyer to get on the horse first, before its usual rider has warmed it up. This can be revealing, as it gives the buyer a better idea of what they will experience with that horse on a daily basis.

Guyotte recommends bringing along a video camera when you meet a prospective horse. “Video the horse standing still from all sides, while jogging in hand, with the trainer on board, and then, if you like the horse, with you on board,” says Guyotte.

This video can be a helpful reference, especially if your trainer cannot accompany you on an initial visit. Photos of experienced horses jumping cross-country fences like water, banks, drops or ditches are also valuable, especially if you are not able to try the horse out on cross-country yourself.

During a visit, certain undesirable qualities may cause you to rule out the mount. “Rule-outs for me include rearing, bolting and horses that have a dirty stop,” says Guyotte. “Horses who stop because of confusion due to rider error may be forgiven.”

Be sure to observe the horse on the ground and in the stable as well as under saddle. “Horses who have no regard for you, who push you over, or bite or kick, are not worth it,” says Guyotte. “I also dislike stable vices, as these are signs of an issue that will need to be sorted through.”

Wood pays close attention to the attitude of the horse when considering them as a partner. “I will rule out horses that move into pressure, are overly nervous, grumpy, unwilling, stuck, or who have attitudes,” says Wood. “Whenever I think to myself ‘I could fix this horse’s issues,’ I now tend to walk away. There are many really good horses available now; why deal with a real project?”

Common protocol when selling a horse dictates that a buyer may expect to visit at least twice before making an offer; however, returning more than this is considered unacceptable.

“I try to get my students to go look at the horse before I go,” says Wood. “Sellers should expect to ‘show’ the horse twice. Many ‘experts’ suggest showing up unannounced. I find this quite rude, as you cannot expect the seller to drop everything to show you the horse on the spur of the moment. If you are not invited to a private farm, you are not welcome.”

Sealing the Deal

Once you have found that amazing horse, the next step is to make an offer. In spite of the current economy, our experts say that sound, experienced horses are still holding their value.

“The good horses that are easy, that anyone can get on and ride, that don’t need to be longed, that are forward thinking and honest, are holding their value,” says Guyotte.

Wood divides sales horses into four categories: produced, potential, schoolmasters, and projects. Depending on the category, buyers can expect varied amounts of flexibility in price from the seller.

“Produced [horses] can be six to twelve years old and have a current, consistent competition record,” says Wood. “Potential horses, to me, tend to be younger than seven, are either not or [are only] green broke and have no known soundness or personality issues. They have not been competed and have no formal record. A schoolmaster is a horse who has seen and done it all. They may be going through a career change, now helping new riders learn the ropes.”

Wood says that the economy has had no effect on the asking price of potential or produced horses. “A good horse is a good horse and worth the investment,” says Wood. “The biggest issue is that there used to be four to five to choose from, and now there could be six to twelve. The biggest challenge now is deciding on which one, and I think that is slowing down the sales process.”

Though no one wants to benefit from someone else’s misfortune, bargains for these types of horses might be found if there is some drama in the life of a seller, such as divorce, job loss, or illness. Occasionally, the seller may simply like the match between their horse and the buyer and be willing to cut a deal. This is often the case when looking at schoolmasters, whose owners are generally most interested in finding their horse a partner who will give them a happy, productive life.

Riders on a limited budget will need to consider those horses that are less than perfect or who are what Wood considers a “project” horse.

“Good project horses are diamonds in the rough,” says Wood. “And they come in all forms.”

Projects may be an older horse who never received training, horses with quirky or difficult personalities, or an ex-racehorse with an old, healed injury.

“For quirky horses or those just off the track that you don’t know about, this is a real buyer’s market,” says Guyotte. “But you are taking a chance.”

Wood says that buyers who used to automatically lean toward project horses are trying to take advantage of the economy by finding deals among potential or produced horses currently on the market. This has resulted in a glut of project horses looking for homes and rock bottom prices for the right rider.

The Pre-Purchase Exam

Even if you are not spending top dollar for a new mount, both of our experts agree that the time and expense of at least a basic pre-purchase exam is well worth it. Sometimes the pre-purchase can create more questions than it resolves.

“There is no ‘pass/fail’ answer,” says Wood. “[The exam] is only a gauge of the health and fitness on that day and is not a guarantee for the future. I find it helpful to point out things I might have missed. It would be good to know that your potential horse has a heart murmur, for example.”

Guyotte says it is important to choose a veterinarian who will be able to go over the whole body and really evaluate the horse, as well as observe the animal being ridden and jumped (if it is trained). “I want a thorough physical examination, including their wind, eyes, heart and lungs,” says Guyotte. “I want them evaluated for parasites and sand. I also expect to have the seller share the animal’s medical history and records.”

A reluctance to share these records, or a large gap of time in the horse’s work history where the animal wasn’t doing anything, can be red flags, signaling a potential problem.

Of course, x-rays and flexion tests, in addition to history, are valuable tools that can pinpoint current or future areas of unsoundness. “I want x-rays of the hocks and lower limbs, fetlocks, pasterns, coffins,” says Guyotte. “Knees and stifles too if budget allows.”

Wood cautions that you have to be realistic and ask if the horse is sound enough for the job needed. “I would not spend more on the exam than the cost of the horse,” says Wood. “A first horse will probably have a little age on it, and a little wear and tear should be expected.”

Wood says that for less expensive horses, he asks the veterinarian to check out what he/she feels is obvious, usually eyes, heart, lungs, and unusual bumps, dents or blemishes.

If you are looking at a mare, it can be worthwhile to have her palpated and do a basic check on her breeding soundness. “You might not be interested in breeding her, but it is good to have a baseline when you go to sell her in the future,” says Wood. 

Final Thoughts

There are many considerations when looking at a potential event horse. It is important to be clear about what you want and need in your next partner before you begin your search.

Sidebar

Meet Our Experts

Nancy Guyotte is a U.S. Eventing Association ICP Level III instructor and USEF “R” eventing judge. Twice long-listed for the Olympic Games, she remains an active competitor and coach. Based in Hill, NH, she is frequently seen at events with the mobile unit for her Clark Farm Saddlery.

Richard Wood is a U.S. Eventing Association ICP Level II instructor. As an amateur, he trained and competed several horses to Intermediate and completed five CCI* events, including a second place finish at Bromont (Canada). He is currently the Director of the Berkshire Equestrian Center in Richmond, MA.