A question about buying quality........?

Question

I have noticed a lot when I read questions about "just bought a new horse" that ( NO OFFENSE ) that most horses are rather, lets say conformationally challenged. With todays horse market, and the ability to buy a really nice horse for around 1000 to 3000 why are people still buying pukes, Is it lack of knowledge or buying horses on impulse rather than searching and researching what they should be looking for???Are buyers getting pre-purchase exams? Im just wondering because some of the pictures ive seen of horses just bought almost make me want to cringe.....yikes Someone please enlighten me or is it fugly horses need homes too.....

Answer 1

I know alot of people wont do a pre purchase exam. Which gets me worked up. why not spend the money and get your horse checked out now? instead of finding out when something goes wrong and you have a huge vet bill. i also think people buying horses with bad conformation because they are the ones that are cheapest and they think "oo i get a great deal." (even thought GREAT horses arent that expensive right now!!)i think its lack of knowledge. more and more beginners and people that dont know a thing are buying horses for the h**l of it. it seems to me that people used to wait years and years to get the experience and knowledge to own one. although, i understand every horse needs a home and someone to care for it. i just wish people knew what they are getting into when they decide to "rescue" and horse like that. anyway, it gets me so worked up lol thanks for asking this question because i feel better now  lol :)

Answer 2

i think that if someone falls in love with a horse and its ugly and they buy it then so be it its nobodies problem but there's and if there happy then all the better for the horse all horses need homes

Answer 3

Its like why people buy the rejects of the dog world then spend thousands on their health problems. We see those animals and go 'awwwww look he needs help'

meanwhile perfectly healthy horses go to the knackery/doggers because there are no homes for them.

I think the impulse/lack of knowledge plays a big part too. I think if people realised how expensive horse bills are they would invest in the best specimen they can!

Answer 4

I agree with you and Never Look Back

Answer 5

people are not educated. I totally agree with your question. I was wondering the same thing too.

but then again, this is the place for thoes types of people to gather... lol people that buy quality horses usually know better and shop with a trainer. :)

Answer 6

I think this is one of those delicate issues that get people's maternal instincts all riled up.  There's the attitude that if we value beauty it is somehow shallow and wrong.  And, "mommy" loves her fugly horse no matter what.

But good conformation is not just about beauty.  And when you've got some years of vet bills and lay-ups and failed performance goals to look back on, you have greater regard for what good conformation is really about.  If people want to ignore the limitations that poor conformation may impose, then so be it.  I just hope they don't love their fuglies so much that they decide to breed them and make more.

If someone can love any horse, it's a good thing....I want them all to be loved.  So, I guess it's good that not everyone sees it the way we older ones do.  Maybe it balances things out. I owned a few fuglies in my early years.....they taught me things, even if what they taught me was why conformation matters....I still had to learn it.

Answer 7

my better side is telling me not to answer. . . Dont answer. . . Dont answer, you'll only end up getting reported for being a meanie.  

Okay, i dont know why this is, all my prevous confromation games where to point out the fact that people dont know what IS a good horse, they think ALL horse's are pretty. . . well guess what?! they're NOT! some horses are so horribly put together that it makes me gag and sick that people would even consider passing them off as a "good" horse. i think the people selling these types of horses are worst and should be slapped. . . but the buyers who just had to have that horribly put together horse i guess are just as guitly, use your head and not your heart when buying a horse.  

Answer 8

As a kid I had a mare who looking back even then I knew her conformation faults.  If I remember right, she was pigeon toed in the front, base narrow in the back had a too high set tail and at 20 or so, a bit of a sway.  BUT, that horse was a babysitter beyond compare.

The main reason for a first time owner to buy a "fugly" horse (My brother just used that term tonight too, but NOT about horses.) is that we all have to start somewhere.  I agree about NOT breeding these types of horses and creating more of 'em especially in this time of equine over population but people are going to do what they are going to do in an ignorant sort of bliss.

Back in the sixties, a lot of kids got horses to keep them out of drugs, sometimes it worked, often times it didn't.  It worked with this kid and over 40 years later, I'd still rather see a kid on a horse than wasting their time doing "other things"...

Answer 9

I agree. I mostly love when they ask what you think of their new horse and you point out the CLEAR faults and they get pissy.*sighs and thinks about the good times of yahoo answers*. I think it's one part uneducated five parts stupid/just wanting a pretty fuzzy horse/being to lazy and hasty to buy the first cheap horse they see.

And for most of the tweens or younger people who have mum and pop footing the equine bill, they feel if they just buy one horse(no matter how beat up flawed it is) that little Missy will finally shut up and quit with the "I was born into the wrong family, I'm emo and no one understands me!" Then they have to listen to more nagging and complaining when that broke down conformational disaster sitting in it's comfy $200 stall isn't going fast, jumping high enough, or limps when he's ridden at anything faster than a working walk.

With the way the horse market is down right now, it's fairly easy to go to any barn auction and pick out a ugly for a low price of $80, just don't expect for him to be a world class jumper or dressage horse with him having sickle hocks, sway back, pigeon breasted, and splayed feet.

Fugly horses do need homes. But people also need to stop getting these fuglies, breeding them back to another cheap fugly stud, so they can have MORE fuzzy fuglies running a muck. People need to spend the time educating themselves on health, conformation and spending the money to get the horse vetted, and parents need to quit caving into these tweens constant whining about wanting a horse and just picking the puke of the herd because they think their little princess will stop complaining if they do.

More then half the time, these uglies end back on market within 6 months of time AFTER the owners realize they picked a conformationally crippled horse that isn't going to run those barrel times or be the fantastic jumper they wanted. Thus these horses end up swapping hands and being bred back and forth to have more ugly babies of their own.

***Spell check doesn't like the word Fugly. LOL. What do you mean online dictionary, fugly isn't in websters?

Answer 10

Hi,

Well I agree it does seem that some buyers are buying conformationally challenged horses now a days...

I think that some people buy horses that they took/take lessons on because they fell in love with them and then ignore all of their bad habits or poor confirmation.

Others buy horses from their trainers and ignore the fact that there are other horses out there.

Others do not get vet checks since that is MORE money to invest and some people may feel it unnecessary or an unaffordable expense.  ALthough it is WORTH every penny to insure that your future horse is at its best when you take him/her home.

Then some just buy the horse with bad confirmation because they are ignorant.

Then others buy horses from their friends or another person at their barn.  I think that this is just as common as the lesson horse thing.

Others just do not know any better and are unaware of what they are getting themselves into with their horses health and conformation complications.

It is as though they feel obligated to buy the horse due to their prior arrangements or not wanting to insult anyone or anything.

I however agree with you, some people do not realize that due to the market being REALLY bad right now you could get an AMAZING horse for Rather Cheap!

lol....

Ugly horses need a home too.  LOL If people are willing to accept the horse for who they are inside that is great.

Remember:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

lol...

Hope I Helped and I hope I Enlightened you some!

Thank you:

H is for H♥rse馬

That is very nice of you! :-)

Answer 11

Who cares its not your horse

maybey that is all they can afford

or maybey they dont need that good of a horse

Answer 12

Some people may not know better, or they may buy horses for sentimental reasons (like myself, who bought the horse I've been trail riding on for years when he came up for sale, and would have done so regardless of what he looked like).  If the horse isn't being used for conformation-specific shows or any fancy events that require a good looking horse, I don't think there's any reason to tell people not to buy "ugly" horses.  If it's the horse they like and it does the job they want it to do, what's the harm?

So do you think I got a good deal?  :-)

http://flickr.com/photos/26506846@N03/se...

Answer 13

I think it is more a case of overlooking faults for the sake of a good pleasant demeanor if you get my drift. I would rather have a safe trustworthy fugly than a to-die-for fruitbat.

I can look and pick fault with anything ( and be dammed harsh with it too but my horses ? well I dare say you have seen the pictures and know they are not what anyone would call perfect specimens. But, truth be told, I'm not into competition and they serve the purpose that I wanted them to,. They put up with my faults so I can put up with theirs in return.

The horse market may be down but quality horses still cost more than the challenged ones, I suppose the surfeit of substandard animals is allowing a lot of people to buy a first horse who would never have had the chance if they weren't so cheap.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing in the long run ? I honestly have no idea.

Edit> Equus - I am having a weird problem with messages to other users ( it makes my head hurt as it's being so slow) I posted a Q about it but I don't know if there is a cure as yet. If you want a good mail from me please send me your "real" email. TA

Answer 14

I search these website a lot and you can search to the finer points of what you need or want.

dreamhorse.com

OR

horsetopia.com