Must-haves:
Before reading everyone else's responses I would have said the only absolute was that I have to have that instant connection with the animal, but upon more reflection I've realized there's actually quite a few things I won't live without that are part of that connection. The horse must have good overall flow to their outline from nose to tail, meaning a nice uphill build with good withers and strong loin coupling. I want a "big horse back" like JWC Sr. said. The horse must have the ability to lift and telescope the root of their neck for collection and I seem to have a penchant for very long necks with good clean throatlatches. I don't want one of those horses that holds a "natural headset" when running around in the pasture, I want one who looks you in the eye then snakes that neck down and out and takes your breath away with their extension. I want flexibility both mentally and physically, a potential for versatility as Targetsmom said. I want a horse who naturally lifts his withers, drops his rump and powers off the rear when he's showing off. Kody doesn't have as nice a stride as I'd like (no lift to his action at all) but he has clear gears at the trot instead of just moving faster and I like that. I like the horse's entire body to be engaged in action rather than just the legs moving beneath the body while the head and neck stay still. I have to enjoy looking at the horse and they have to hook me right away. I want a nice big eye that draws me in.
I want a horse with the POTENTIAL to be what I want. I don't mind if he's undermuscled and scrawny, terribly groomed, totally untrained, even trained with some (breakable) bad habits. I can fix a neck that is overly muscled on the underside and appears ewed but not a true ewe-neck bone structure. I will also work around a lot of conformation flaws if I think the horse has the brains and heart to be worth it. I'm not a breeder and show geldings so pedigree means nothing to me except as a nice bonus and I don't have to worry about passing those flaws on.
Brains and personality are a must as well. I love owning a character, someone with a story of their own they want to share with me. I love to coax a wounded heart to trust again and show their true colors. Any horse in my barn is in their forever home so they've got time to regain their courage and grow into themselves. I want to sense that "special something" in them, that spark calling out to me.
There are a LOT of horses out there I'd choose over what I've got if I wanted a winning show horse or an example of good conformation. But I won't even think about buying them unless I can't live without them in my pasture and that's a rare trait indeed. So few true best friends out there!
Also a must-have is registration in either A or R or perhaps Pinto. I show R and wouldn't want to have to leave someone home, and if they're in A but not R I can currently hardship them into the registry of my choice. I'd love to show Pinto but then I'd have to leave Kody home, so R would be best. They'd also have to be in a price range I could afford as my lump sum savings is non-existent.
Preferred:
Under 34"- if I'm going to have a mini, I like to have one that is truly miniature. I love the B's and would buy one but prefer 33-34". I like a horse with a lovely attractive head, elegant demeanor, high-placed neck, square broad chest with clean lines, well-sprung barrel, square deep hip with good strong stifles and lovely angulation overall. Despite my Arab background I actually prefer a flowing lifted tail to a flagged one but as long as it suits the horse I'll take anything. I like the horse to be refined but have good bone in their legs and be built for soundness. I'd also like to see suspension and agility, preferably a good turn of speed too, but will take what I get if the horse has the Must-Haves above. I want a lot of length to the leg including in the pastern area so they can flex and step under themselves deeply. Good sound feet of medium size, neither too tiny nor big and clunky.
Deal-breakers:
Lack of eye appeal, no connection with me, no brains, no personality, short stubby pasterns, down-hill build in a mature horse, excessively long mare-ears, lack of natural flexibility, lack of extension or reach in the shoulder at a trot, laziness, bad temper, idiocy, conformation flaws that affect performance and can't be compensated for (shallow ribs, weak coupling, club feet, etc.), dwarfy characteristics
MiLo Minis said:
I like to see a handsome head on a stallion and a pretty head on a mare. Wide between the eyes tapering to a nice slim muzzle. Teeth that meet correctly with a very slight overbite. I like the ears neither too big nor too small, tippy and tight. I like a nice big soft eye and a good jowl. I like the head set onto the neck at a nice open angle with a slim throatlatch and a neck with enough length to help them balance without being front end heavy. I like to see the neck join the chest nice and high with a good long sloping shoulder and actual withers. I like the legs to be straight from the front and side with good angles in the pasterns that are of a nice length to give good shock absorption but short enough to be sturdy. I like a well muscled forearm and nice short cannon of good substance. I like the hooves to be round, smooth and at an angle comparable to that of the pastern and pointing straight ahead to track straight. I like a good short, flat back and a well sprung barrel with lots of room for lungs. I like a nice rounded croup that is not overly flat like some of the halter horses you see in the ring. I like the tail to come smoothly off the croup. I like to see a good long hip with an angle matching the shoulder angle. Strong stifle and good angle to the hock, neither too open nor too tight. I like to be able to drop a line down from the farthest point of the buttocks and down the back of the cannon. Again a nice short sturdy cannon, good angle and lenth of pastern meeting a hoof that is on the same angle and slightly toed out so they won't interfere. I like a horse that has "IT" - that spark that draws your eye and takes your breath, the one that stands out. I like a horse with a good personality, intelligence and spunk.
Great topic!
Leia
