What do you like to see?

[Charlotte]

I don't mean when you are wanting pictures to evaluate a horse, but when you're flipping through a magazine, surfing the web, etc. What kind of picture just makes you WANT to see more? What jumps off the page and grabs you?

Is it the halter shot?

Something more romantic?

Something 'natural'?

If you're looking through the World say, and you see a picture that really grabs your attention. Do you notice the name of the farm advertising? Do you look for contact information? How much time/effort would you put into following up on that ad? Would it make enough of an impression on you that you would look for that farm the next time you are in the market for a new horse?

There are SO many ads out there. What makes one stand out for you?

Charlotte

 

[minih]

I have been doing a lot of searching recently, and what grabs me the most is a pretty picture---I like your first halter picture and I also like the natural picture you have. But the thing I most want to see in an ad is a website address where I can go and look at what type of horse you have and your breeding program. Grab my eyes first and then give me information I can use. I will not necessarilly call you or email you off one ad. I will go to your website and browse. Please---those of you with websites-----please keep them updated! What good is it if I go and you still have your 07 foals as current?

 

[Jill]

Visually, a posed halter shot will catch my eye. The ads I remember (possibly until I'm at the computer to pull up a sales page.......) are usually the ones with something that visually caught my eye (halter shot of a horse I like the looks of) but also with a message that sticks with me. I like the ads that are "different".

For what it's worth, too, I don't think you can beat the value of online advertising on LB. My problem when it comes to magazines is I'm not normally at the computer when I look at them and browsing through. I will think I want to look up this that and the other farm's website for more details but I bet I don't remember to do so even 10% of the time. If something catches my eye here, I'm a click away from more information. Plus, it's so inexpensive

 

[Leeana]

Im like Jill, a nice posed halter shot will always catch my attention ...as well as a "big" trotting picture. I love flipping threw the journal, i normally find the farm name and then read/look at the pictures just so i know it goes with that farm.

 

[BeckyG]

[SIZE=8pt]I tend to like the more natural look. For me, there is nothing more awesome than the natural beauty of a horse.

[/SIZE]

I love looking through the mini horse magazines at every ad. The URL is key to me, and I do look at the website based on an ad that really catches my eye (typically the more unique ads)

But Jill makes a really good point……. I am much more likely to check out a site from an on-line ad. Just "one click" and you're there.

 

[minih]

Unlike what Jill posted I am the opposite

I will take the magazine to the computer and thumb thru it and look for websites out of the Journal usually.

 

[disneyhorse]

Because I value a big trot... a picture of a BIG trot will catch me first. I also like a posed halter shot (providing the horse is balanced and very refined). I don't look at natural shots or headshots only.

Andrea

 

[bingo]

I like a nice conformation shot. The most important thing for me is a simple ad without alot of clutter. I like the info to be simple and easy to spot.

Head shots are nice and could make me take the time to look. I have horses who are very average movers but on the right day in the right click of the camera can look much more amazing then they are so that thought always goes thru my head when I see trotting pictures. Although I don't mind those nice trotting pictures and in fact HCM miniatures sticks out in my mind for being good at getting those trotting pictures in their ad.

If the horse advertised drives I like to see it in harness, if it jumps I like to see it over fences. A good example of the horse doing different things shows me it is a all around horse.

I do not like beautiful, amazing, gorgeous words like that. I can see the picture let me judge for myself

 

[whitney]

Halter picture.

 

[Alex]

A natural halter shot. Pulled right out of the pasture, bathed & clipped, and taken halter shots of. No goop, shine, or oil. Just the horse so I can see just what that horse looks like naturally. Like bingo, if it jumps, drives, does obstacle, I want to see the horse doing it!

Not to say I dont like a goopy oiled shined horse, I love it for the show ring, but mostly natural shots for a horse I might buy. I do like to see the shined pics tho too, to see how the horse turns out!

 

[loveminis]

Personally the "natural" one grabs me.... But they have to done with flair, like yours. I see too many halter shots and they all start looking the same. I would definately look at the farm name and where they are from, if any are for sale.

 

[Margo_C-T]

I want to see what a horse REALLY looks like, so--in your examples, Charlotte, the first picture comes closest to what I'd want to see. That said, I really prefer to see a full side view(INCLUDING a full view of the HOOVES!), level w/ the horse(so w/o distortion from 'standing above'), horse properly squared(although for a photo, the 'inside' (closest to the camera) legs can be slightly separated, the inside front slightly back, the inside hind slightly forward, so you can see all four), NO stretching!!!, ears up and an alert expression, and an ATTRACTIVE, but NOT 'overstretched' or nose up-- head/neck position. Horse clean,brushed; feathers, chin whiskers trimmed, and bridle path trimmed(but NOT necessarily halfway down the horse's neck; it is a widespread misconception that those EXTRA long 'bridle paths' make a horse's neck look longer....)I don't want a photo to have been 'messed with'; since the whole idea is to convey the actual appearance of the horse(otherwise, it is misleading, not to say fraudulent, IMO), the HORSE'S appearance should NOT be altered (need to 'erase' a leadrope or someone's hand in the pic?--fine--but no more! I care NOTHING for 'special effects'- 'halos' of light, fussy backdrops, etc.-and will pass up such photos.

As for 'big trot' pics--I am OK with them, but am not necessarily convinced that they mean much--esp. those where the horse is trotting through the tall grass, as most horses, if suitably 'inspired', will lift high in such circumstance--AND, ANY horse, under the right circumstances, will occasionally pick up a 'big', tail-flagging, 'springing' trot, but that does not prove that they are extraordinary movers, so shouldn't be 'counted on' as such, if one is 'shopping'.

I generally pay little heed to 'posed' head shots, and am actually 'turned off' by those showing a horse in full razored, shiney, 'goo'.

Margo

 

[anita]

All three pictures are beautiful . Little House Photographie does a fanastic job I watche them often in the World.

I have chosen ' natural'

Greetings

Anita

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I like the posed halter shot. That or a head shot is the one most likely to make me pay attention if it is a good looking horse. If I am shopping then I will check location next (shipping can be a killer) and finally price. If it is within a reasonable distance ('reasonable' can vary ) and the price is in my ballpark I will look it up on line to see if there are more pictures and info then if I am seriously interested the next step would be to contact the owners for new pictures 'au naturel' and any further info. I know it has been said before by others but I am frusterated by ads without prices. No pricing to me means "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" so I just move on.

 

[Sterling]

For me it would be an action shot. Since I come from a performance background a nice shot of a horse full out driving well turned out will catch my eye in a heartbeat. Second I would like to see a full body shot for conformation purposes and yes some pasture pictures thrown in there to see what he/she is like when relaxing at home. I look for the farm name and number...look to see if they have references and a good reputation, and and take it from there.

 

[user 488]

Nothing bores me to tears more than looking at the same old stand up shots. Especially in the Miniature Horse World of horses that are poorly conformed, poorly groomed with horrible, unprofessional razoring jobs. I don't understand why some people do not see they are showing off the worst of their horse with what they think is a pretty picture. Maybe this is fine for newbies but after years and years of looking I want to some some more artistic type shots, with a clean well groomed horse in a beautiful background.

Charlotte, your pictures are all high quality. But if I was going to choose my favorite out of those three, I would take the natural shot but I would have put a leather halter on the horse.....not a show halter but something just a bit nicer. But that's picking at straws.

Now if I was doing a yearly layout for stallion promotion I would make sure I got in a halter shot one month for those that don't get to travel to the shows. But if my stallion was not halter quality I certainly would not show him off to be one. Be smart enough to know what can really make your horse look bad.

One more pet peeve. The same picture over and over and over. BIG YAWN! Who cares.

 

[HGFarm]

I'm with Margo. I want to see the horse as is, pretty much daily. Mind you, it needs to be groomed, but I get bored with the greased up show shots....

I also want to see the horse MOVE, so want to see what they look like in motion, not just standing there. I guess it just depends on the horse and the photo, but I am not into the special affects either.

 

[OhHorsePee]

I so agree with Carol over the same ole pictures over and over. Even though I am one that shows the same ole shots over and over cause I suck at taking pictures. LOL But I see where she is coming from. I also agree with Margo that I want to see what the horse really looks like. How it looks when it is doing "it's job." I also don't want to see a picture of a horse toed out and the add say that the horse is not toed out it's just how it's standing. Soon as I see the toed out I am don looking.

 

[shadowsmystictopaz]

I love driving shots and halter photos. I love quintessa they have some amazing ideas for referances to my most favorite one that I look forward to every time I get a world magizine. they make stuff very creative and delightful to look at. i am always intriged by them. I also would like to say that a decrative ad always gets my attention. we need to keep in mind that people have their own way in doing ads. What they do they work very hard on and a clap to the hard work they do.

 

[ropenride]

I like to see a natural stance, no goo, full-body-all-four-feet halter shot to give me an idea of the conformation, and then some action....driving, jumping, running in a round pen, doing something.....and list a price or I will rarely even bother. My BIGGEST pet peeve about ads......WHAT'S YOUR ADDRESS/LOCATION?????? I don't know HOW MANY ads I've looked at that brag on and on about their wonderful horses but forget to tell me where they're located!!!! A phone number (usually cell) just doesn't cut it. I'm NOT going to get up and look up the area code just to decide if you're close enough to warrant more interest. Websites are great because I can look at offspring, siblings, etc. The 3 pictures you posted are really good, but I don't personally care for the "romantic" look.