To Breed or to Buy? Part 2 - Page 2
© Sally White
If the father or mother has weak hocks, and you suspect the foal is tending towards the same fault, it is probably best to avoid buying. Corrective breeding can be effective, though: if the mother's back is on the short side, but she has been bred to a long-backed stallion, then an objective assessment of the youngster's back should tell you if the corrective breeding has worked.
But predicting how an unproven horse will perform is, at best, an inexact science, and common sense should have the last word. Even if your youngster has the best breeding money could buy, and his parents were world champions and text-book examples of good conformation, you should still look at his overall conformation in the same way as you would for any horse. A pigeon-toed horse with a Grand Prix dressage champion for a father will still be a pigeon-toed horse, and unlikely to be a credit to his dad.
So you should still look for a bold, generous look, intelligent and alert; a body that is in proportion; a well-set-on neck and head; good feet with well-angled pasterns; deep and sloping shoulders; and a strong, straight back. A good, detailed guide on what to look for when buying a horse can be found at http://www.aqha.com/buyersguide.html, from the American Quarter Horse Association.
Once you have found your ideal youngster, you will need to do one last thing before handing over the cash. Call your local veterinary surgeon, and get her to examine your horse fully before you buy. Don't accept a certificate from the owner or breeder: it must be an independent examination. Any breeder who refuses this should not be trusted. Without a vet's certificate, you will risk taking on unseen injuries, illnesses and abnormalities that could even put your horse out of action altogether.
After picking your way through this minefield of educated guesswork, you will be left face to face with a little bundle of untapped potential, looking at you with a glint in his eye and waiting for you to tell him what to do next. Take a deep breath - this is where the fun starts!
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