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Buying Your First Draft Cross
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| Every day, I speak to or correspond with at least 3-4 people who are in the market for their first draft cross. Many times these are people who have been involved with horses their entire lives and are now searching for a “kinder, gentler ride” or they may be first time horse owners who are looking for a quiet, docile backyard horse or they may be searching for a sane yet athletic horse for their children to learn and compete with. The big question is Where do I begin? STEP 1: Define your requirements: Start with the person who will be riding the horse. What is the experience level, riding discipline of this person? Will a trainer be involved? Can they handle a green horse or do they need something “bomb proof”? Are they looking to compete? Be realistic about what level. A common mistake is to “overbuy” or to try to buy a horse that the rider will not “outgrow”... Will the rider REALLY take the horse to the upper levels??? Bear in mind that draft crosses are typically quieter and more docile than many other breeds and so some green broke crossbreds may be quieter than an aged Thoroughbred, Arabian or Quarter Horse. When folks email me looking for their first draft cross, I always ask for the following info: Age, sex, breed, color (if any), size, training level of horse, training level of rider, intended level of intended discipline, other requirements: (temperament, level of refinement, way of going etc) Also, it helps to know anything that DOESN'T’T matter….For example, can he be coarse and drafty as long as he is dead quiet with a 10++ temperament and can take care of a novice trail rider? You will need to consider the characteristics of each breed. The breeds that make up the cross will dictate the temperament, athletic ability, and range of movement that will determine suitability for your intended discipline. For example, TB/Percheron crosses are most often the choice for Fox Hunting, while the TB/Clydesdales have the free shoulder movement valued for Eventing, infusion of some Quarter Horse may give more muscle and flat kneed way of going valued in the Hunter Ring. A 3/4Belgian/QHX will have a quiet temperament suitable for the “husband” or “guest” horse. Step 2: Know your budget. Assess the market value of the perfect horse that you have defined based on your requirements. A great easy way to determine market value is to use an Equine search engine on a classified site such as Draftsforsale.com, equine.com, Agdirect or dreamhorse…. Find 5 horses that match your requirements and average the prices…don’t forget transportation cost… Now revisit and finalize your requirements based on the amount that you have decided to spend. Step 3: Decide what type of purchase makes sense for you. Once again its time for some introspection. Should you buy from a breeder, a trainer, an agent, or from a website? Do you need to see the horse in person, do you need to ride it, do you need a trial period, do you need to have it vet checked? All of these factors add in to the price tag of the horse. There is no denying the fact that whether you are buying a car, clothing or a horse, “You get what you pay for”… If this is your only horse and you plan to keep it than you may want to make sure that it is the right one with an in-person visit and references. If you are buying more than one and can afford to take a risk or are just looking for a good companion, trail horse or backyard pet, then you might consider buying from a website. Please be aware that many websites are simply brokering horses from pictures, and although the price may be tempting, you may be entering into a sight unseen purchase from a person who has never seen the horse and does not have a formal relationship with the seller. Some of the PMU Rescue organizations that have been around for years are bona fide rescues, so if your goal is to rescue a horse and love him no matter what he turns out to be, then this is the choice for you. Buying your draft cross on the local market, may be the most expensive option and the least risky option. If you are looking for a quality sport horse prospect that you can train yourself, then a good agent can help you to select a horse directly from the breeder and arrange for videos, vet checks and handle the details of importation and insured transport. Step 4. Apply conventional wisdom: A horse is a living breathing creature. They are much easier to purchase than to sell. The purchase price will be a fraction of the cost of ownership. One of the most common mistakes that I see with first time buyers is forsaking temperament for looks and the next is being “penny wise and pound foolish”. One trip to the emergency room may end up being more than the purchase price of the horse, and what price can you put on the life or limb of a loved one… Take your time, make the right choice…trust your inner voice…you’ll know when you’ve found the right horse… DCBOA would like to thank Liz Booth of Virginia Sporthorses for this article. To find out more about her program and available horses, please visit her site at www.virginiasporthorses.com |