Horse for sale, and it's all about color,

[Frankie]

Would just like your opinions on horses for sale, and the owners seem to be making a huge big deal over the horse's sire/dam and their show placings in color.

I might add that the horses show record in halter is not the greatest, but the horse excels in the color class. Not the first time I have came across such an advertisement.

Since color classes are not based on how good the horse is, does winning color really mean a whole lot? Does it mean anything? If so, why?

I am just curious. I love my horses with color, but by far and away not the most important thing, pretty far down on the list a matter of fact. I do put my horses in color classes at almost all shows, but only for one reason, experience in the ring.

Would you purchase a horse just because it's dam was winning color classes?

Just curious, for discussion.

 

[Miniv]

I agree with you, Carolyn. Color is down on my list of importance. Conformation and Movement are at the top.

MA

 

[Sue_C.]

Color is down on my list of importance. Conformation and Movement are at the top.

DITTO!!!!!!!!!!

:

 

[showmofffarm]

Conformation should be number one followed by movement. I would take pedigree over color as well. Color is just that... color. So what if the horse has won a National Title in color - if the conformation and the movement aren't there what else do you have left? I've always believed that a nice color is an added bonus to an already perfectly conformed horse but it's shouldn't be the priority.

 

[billiethekid40]

Well, I'll be the first to say "sell the horse, not its parents/papers" in other words, the parents and pedigree on a horse mean little to me, (especially if it were a gelding) other than the interest value. But, if the horse doesn't have much in the way of achievements to brag about, whats wrong with advertising the horses color, or placing in a color class? You really wouldn't be turned on any more by an add that said "cowhocked, ewe necked places dead last in halter classes". If the horses best feature is his/her color, then by all means, advertise his/her color as being great, not everyone wants a show horse, maybe there is someone out there looking for a great pet and the color for them is the icing?

Obviously if I were shopping for a show or breeding horse I would be looking for much more than color, but if I was looking for a companion mini, I might be tempted to let color win out over conformation... after all I've always wanted a silver dapple pintaloosa in my paddock and if one came along that wasn't the best conformed and wouldn't cut it in the show ring... I'd still be tempted cause he or she would look GREAT to me in my barn and be a dream come true, even if I couldn't breed or show it!

But advertising the PARENTS win in the color ring? Come on! Sell me the horse, not his/her parents!

 

[Songcatcher]

I've got to say I agree with all the above posts. For a breeder, color should not be the top priority, but for a pet, maybe.

Color of parents??? What's that got to do with it????

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Doesnt matter what color the house is painted if it cant withstand the storms. For me color is just a bonus on a beautifully built horse.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[whimsical]

I have to agree too. I wouldn't breed for color. Conformation is key. Now if I had a horse that was just kicking it in the halter classes and had color too. I would go for that title also. It will just add to the value. But a horse winning in color but not halter wouldn't get my attention.

 

[Firefall]

Like most have said color isn't as important, but the loud colored horses seem to cost more money. At

least thats what it seems.

 

[Charlotte]

I'm going to disagree with just about everyone above :bgrin Come on, jump on my head :bgrin

In AMHA conformation is 20% of the horse's score and I can tell you, at the shows we do the judges lean reeeeal heavy on that 20%

: If you don't have a top halter horse out there, no matter how good the color, you aren't going to get the wins because the color classes have gotten TOUGH! There are so many really good color horses out there now (pattern & conformation, or color & coat quality + conformation) that it takes a very special individual to stand out to the judges.

I imagine we all are looking first for correct, balanced, beautiful moving horses before we look for the special color or pattern that is the icing on the cake as it were.

And yes, I would want to know about any and all wins of the parents if I were looking to buy.........that is if I like the individual enough to be interested :bgrin

ok, stomp on me :bgrin

Charlotte

 

[MiniHoofBeats]

Boy i'm glad this topic came up because i've been wondering a lot about how important color is to people...I have a "white" colored horse available and i've had a few people tell me that white is a hard color to sell because...a white horse has no color...lol...who know's, I think white is a very pretty color, hard to keep clean yeah but for those who know how to do it, very stunning in the showring!

Personally I judge a horse on their confirmation, then personality (people friendly or not?), then pedigree, and last the color. Color is pretty but not everything! Though pattern is completely different..as an appaloosa breeder there are some patterns more saught after than others so pattern would come into play too, but definitely before color. In this case I think it's neat that the dam is a champion in color classes but that just means judges like how *she* looks...her foal is not her twin so as far as color goes, her foal could be way on the other end of the charts! who knows =)

 

[mountain_waif]

....

 

[Reble]

I do love my pintos, and had to down size, had two black mares, and my descission was keeping my pintos and selling my blacks, and yes I agree colour does sale best.

My experience. and opionion only.

:

Just love those Pintos.

Colour classes in my opionion / judges preference only.

:

Thank goodness there is something out there for everyone, and we all like something different.

:saludando:

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Well really if it is something that doesn't interest me in a add I pass it up. Someone using there horses positives to market them- well there is nothing wrong with that at all. It is a tough market and really everyone uses what they can and feel is important. I see many times local show results or HOF used.. well for me it isn't important at all but to others it is very important. Some don't look at a Nationals record as important so that type of marketing wont work for them either.

Would I personally purchase a horse based on color class results no. To me it is like asking do you prefer blondes or brunettes or redheads.. there is no right answer only a right answer for the judge(on that given day at that given moment). But obviously some do think highly of it as people do pay for the classes and at Nationals it is HUGE i mean ridiculously so - to all those entered it is very important.

It it doesnt appeal to you in marketing and sales adds.. move on the the next add

:

 

[Coventry Lane Farm]

We have miniature horses with conformation, performance, with great personality with the PLUS of color as an added bonus at our place at Coventry Lane. Conformation is the first always in our book.

"Little Wee Lord of the Ring" has earned his placings in various halter classes additional to the Nationals as well as the other rated shows and being National Reserve Champion in Multi-Color which makes a total package. But I do agree 100% that Multi-Colored classes are just an opinion of what catches the judges eye and varies from time to time at each show. I will not purchase a horse just because of it being "pretty" without all the other qualifications to go along with the color.

 

[HGFarm]

I agree with both Charlotte and Lisa.... I have never been to a color class that had a horse that was not ofgood quality and had horses that I would be proud to own....

Would I buy a horse ONLY on color- absolutely NOT.... I want good conformation and movement first. I think you will see that the color classes combine all the above- good conformation, style AND color

 

[Dorrie & Frank]

Waht is really important is that you like the horse you are looking at buying and that it meets your goals for that horse. If it is for breeding the bloodlines are a background to what your looking at - those are charactistics that may show up in folas. If the horse is for the show ring then I think the color and lineage is not as important as conformation and movement. I agree with Charlotte - in AMHA at least - the best conformed horse in the color class tends to win - to the dismay of exhibitors who bought for solely for color. There isn't just one gage to measure the value of the horse by - but buying without any goals won't get you where you want to go inthe show ring or out.

 

[CJMM6]

We breed for QUALITY colored pintos.

: We show what we breed. From my experience our pinto horses that win in multicolor class win also in Model and halter classes. Most judges do lean on conformation

quality for their color winners.

cjmm

 

[Jill]

No, I wouldn't buy a horse based on how well one of its parents did in COLOR class. Duh.... You can look at that foal and see if YOU like the color. I'd place weight on the conformation of the parents, but not the color placings.

But, the sellers can hold out as long as they want for as much as they want. There are plenty (plenty!) of horses for sale. Rumor is they make them every day.

To me, color is actually kind of important. It is not as important as conformation, of course, but the truth is there are lots of nice horses for sale so it's reasonable to try and find one you like in build AND in color.

 

[Sonya]

I'll bring a little different perspective here since I don't breed or show. My horses are just pets who drive a little just for fun and my biggest criteria was healthy, well comformed horse. Second was personality. And third was price. I never considered color nor did I care what color. I always see a beautifully colored horse and say, "Boy I'd love to have a horse that color". But when it came shoping time, I never went looking for it, I looked for healthy horses with descent conformation and great personalities that were in my price range. I ended up with all pintos (4 geldings), none are flashy or fancy, just plain. After the first chestnut pinto I said, "I'm not buying any more pintos, they are to hard to keep clean (I have dry lot)". Sure enough 2 years later I ended up with two more (one of which was not so healthy, I consider him a rescue, but has descent conformation and the best personality ever and is healthy now). :bgrin I guess I am colorblind!

And to add to the other post about geldings being hard to sell - I always look for geldings, thought about a mare briefly, but geldings steal my heart every time.

I did want to try to show alittle, just for fun, maybe a couple shows a year, but my work schedule won't allow it, I work week-ends.