Making the Wrong Horse Right for the Job

As I watch my friends buy new horses, the same theme keeps repeating itself over and over—suitability. We’ve all seen it; the wrong horse for the job. I see people buying horses that are not suitable because of conformation, age, previous work, movement or incompatibility with the rider, among other reasons.

Most common seems to be the young horse buy—the four-year-old horse for the child or someone who just intends to ride on the trails. Sure, you can find a nice quiet four-year-old, but, really, what are the chances he’ll be a trustworthy mount for a weak inexperienced amateur or the older recreational trail rider?

Another wrong horse scenario involves conformation. One friend was looking at horses that were billed as “dressage or hunter” prospects. (Frankly, I don’t see how a horse could be both except if you intend to ride just the lower levels of dressage, but that’s just my feeling.) She was shopping for a dressage horse and came back with a trial horse who seemed pleasant enough in personality, but he was a big draft cross type, maybe Irish draught.

“I dunno...,” I mussed, taking in his big, draft body, huge legs, and clunky feet. When he cantered, he sounded like a medieval war horse. “I’m no expert, but he looks more like he’d be real happy as a field hunter.”
“Really? They said he’d probably go to fourth level, maybe higher,” she said.

“I thought you said you wanted something small enough so that you could mount it from the ground in case you got thrown?” I wondered aloud, figuring he was over 17 hands. She didn’t answer. She was shorter than me, and I knew I’d have to vault off the side of the arena to get on this monster. And it’s not like she sticks like glue either; she was off her previous horse more often than not.

Needless to say, her instructor did not feel he’d make an upper level dressage horse, and he went back before his trial week was up.

Maybe I’m not one to comment. I've never sold my horses. I’ve loved them for what they could do. I don’t really know what it’s like to go horse shopping with the intent on finding a horse for a particular job.
In a recent lesson with my dressage trainer, we began to push Lady’s training a little further, encouraging her to carry herself in a more advanced frame. Because we’re going slowly and carefully, she’s picking up the work quickly and agreeably (that is, when she isn’t distressed by squealing pigs.) I am well aware that she is not built to move through the upper levels of dressage, but that’s okay. She doesn’t like jumping and she’s not terribly bold without a lot of encouragement. But she’s a nicely forward, pretty mover for an ex-racehorse, with a lovely head and neck. I’m happy to work with what she’s willing to give while keeping her sound and sane. My riding aspirations revolve around what my horse is capable of doing—her suitability for the task. I will find the right job for her so that she can be the right horse.EquestrianHorseForum