Buying horses in the winter

[Loren&Rocky]

If you are looking at minis to buy in the winter, how can you tell if they are good quality and have pretty heads, necks and bodies under all that fur? How can you tell about foals especially?

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

All I can say is.... hands on, and some imagination. Some may do a partial clip, depending on location and weather. See if they have any pictures available when they have been clipped. Good Luck.

 

[kingminihorses]

good question! I was wondering the same myself, I'm curious to hear what others think on this.

 

[Joanne]

We make sure we have photos of the horses clipped in the summer. People just have no idea in the winter what they really look like.

Our foals that are born late in the year we take baby photos of them when their hair is short. Then we wait for the following year to clip.

When we are trying to buy a mini in the winter we ask to see any photos taken when they were just shed out or clipped.

It is too cold here to have someone clip the horse in the winter and send it to us.

Burrr ....

 

[Sue_C.]

Straight legs are straight...hairy or not. As for the head, if you know a refined mini, then you know what you are looking at with a bit of hair, as well. A measuring tape will help you out with leg mesurements etc...

If you're having a hard time, put a tight body slinky on the horse...that will really give you an idea of what you would see without the fuzzies.

 

[nootka]

Sometimes when they're wet (I wouldn't wet them down if it were very cold, but if it's been raining) you can see the basic structure.

Otherwise, you will need to rely on photos of parents as well as pictures from before they haired up.

I really wouldn't advise doing this if you aren't confident of your ability to see basic structure through the hair (and/or fat as well).

The legs will be easy, really, as Sue mentioned. they will either be straight or not and hair won't change that.

I can often see things "wrong" or right even in the thick winter hair, and am honestly rarely surprised by what's "under" the coat though I am always delighted to be able to see their sleek, new look. Basic structures aren't that hard to see, especially where it relates to legs.

I think heads are the hardest, IMO, they are often haired up enough to be able to tell what's what, and I would at least want to clip SOME of the hair off to see the shape and throatlatch maybe.

Liz

 

[Jill]

A lot of sellers will at least do a head and partial neck clip if they're serious about selling a horse that has a pretty head this time of year. You can tell through the thick hair if the horse is straight. Plus, if it's a mature horse, you should be able to see pictures from last season before the horse got so hairy.

I also have a hard time looking through the hair coat, when it comes to determine proportions. It will make even finely made horses look a lot thicker, and that's something I really do not care for -- a thick horse. I like them refined with enough build to DO things, but not thick and tht winter coat can make it really hard for me to evaluate that type of thing.

 

[wantminimore]

I just bought a new horse and the owner sent me pics of him clipped from the summer and pics of him right now and also a video clip of him. I really like having the video of him.

Leslie

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

I feel this way about it.... Its kind of like checking out a guy.

If you see a guy in a tuxedo... its probably the best he is EVER gonna look. It never gets better than that. If he is JUST ok in a tux, he's gonna be just ok (or maybe not) in every day life)

If you REALLY like the guy with a nice butt, in ripped jeans and maybe a little stubble, He is gonna look DYNAMITE in a tux!

If I see a horse I like in his winter fuzzies and REALLY like him, he's only gonna look better clipped out,groomed and oiled up, kind of like wearing a tuxedo!

Robin

 

[targetsmom]

We bought nearly half of our small herd in the winter - actually 3 different winters - so we have some experience with this. We got photos of the minis taken in the summer, and either saw the mini in the flesh or got a video. In one case, the seller was having trouble getting a video in the winter but was coming our way (From MD!) and brought the horse along instead! We asked a lot of questions, and in one case got "lucky" while we were looking at the horse when it rained so we could see her wet. The hardest thing is to get an idea of leg proportions, especially on a smaller mini, as they tend to look very short legged in the winter. Here is one of ours when we got her in January and again in July. We call this the extreme makeover but it gives you an idea what the difference can be. By the way, we have been very pleased with all our winter purchases.

January

July

 

[Dr. Pam]

Soooooo...does this mean Slick and Rocky are getting a new baby brother or sister for Christmas??????

I feel this way about it.... Its kind of like checking out a guy.If you see a guy in a tuxedo... its probably the best he is EVER gonna look. It never gets better than that. If he is JUST ok in a tux, he's gonna be just ok (or maybe not) in every day life)

If you REALLY like the guy with a nice butt, in ripped jeans and maybe a little stubble, He is gonna look DYNAMITE in a tux!

If I see a horse I like in his winter fuzzies and REALLY like him, he's only gonna look better clipped out,groomed and oiled up, kind of like wearing a tuxedo

I really wish some people would have some consideration--do you know how hard oatmeal is to get off the monitor?

Honestly, I've never heard it described so well!!

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

OOPS! Thought I was in trouble for a minute!

Sorry about the oatmeal on the monitor!!

Robin

 

[Boinky]

Robin i agree whole heartedly! if you like them in their jammies they will probably only look nicer without them on! As for the rest that don't just standout at you..yes it CAN be hard to see through the hair but touch, feel, try to imagine THROUGH the hair. ect. I've bought many of my horses in the winter and have ended up with some nice horses.

 

[Loren&Rocky]

Soooooo...does this mean Slick and Rocky are getting a new baby brother or sister for Christmas??????

I feel this way about it.... Its kind of like checking out a guy.If you see a guy in a tuxedo... its probably the best he is EVER gonna look. It never gets better than that. If he is JUST ok in a tux, he's gonna be just ok (or maybe not) in every day life)

If you REALLY like the guy with a nice butt, in ripped jeans and maybe a little stubble, He is gonna look DYNAMITE in a tux!

If I see a horse I like in his winter fuzzies and REALLY like him, he's only gonna look better clipped out,groomed and oiled up, kind of like wearing a tuxedo

I really wish some people would have some consideration--do you know how hard oatmeal is to get off the monitor?

Honestly, I've never heard it described so well!!

I would like to get Rocky and Slick a baby brother or sister for christmas, but I was just wondering. The price of horses seems to be lowest in winter so that is a good time for poor people like me to shop.

So, if I see a horse in a tux that looks great, I should buy it, right?

 

[Elsa]

I feel this way about it.... Its kind of like checking out a guy.

If you see a guy in a tuxedo... its probably the best he is EVER gonna look. It never gets better than that. If he is JUST ok in a tux, he's gonna be just ok (or maybe not) in every day life)

If you REALLY like the guy with a nice butt, in ripped jeans and maybe a little stubble, He is gonna look DYNAMITE in a tux!

If I see a horse I like in his winter fuzzies and REALLY like him, he's only gonna look better clipped out,groomed and oiled up, kind of like wearing a tuxedo!

Robin

Love the comparison!

 

[woodnldy]

OH Robin, Very well said