Tisk, tisk...

A double no-no here. Grazing pictures do not make any horse look good and shouldn't be used for advertisement unless you want to prove that it eats grass. Secondly, you don't turn out your horse in standing wraps. And you don't go take a picture of it and think to yourself, boy this would be a great picture to use on equine.com!

Nice horse, decent turnout, nice pix, but what about you?

Camouflage? Really? With a matching hat even?

Horse Name Huntin In Color
Price $17,500
Location Plant City, Florida
Breed(s) Paint (Overo)
Sex Gelding
Height 16.1 hands
Foal Date Apr 1996
Markings Tobiano

No, no, no, no, NO!

Don't advertise your pony as a hunter prospect and show it jumping like this. To be a hunter, it has to do more than just get over the fence.

Farrier knows best?

I recently adopted a 4 year old TB from the track and have found that he will not suit what I adopted him for. I intended to use him for lower level Eventing, but my farrier, after shoeing him a few times, has told me that he is better suited to a trail/companion horse. The soles of his front feet are too soft to hold up to the rigors of Eventing and showing. He has never offered me a buck or rear while I've been on his back and is extremely willing to learn. Once he learns something he tries his best to continue to do it. He does have a bowed tendon, and while he has not been lame on it, I feel he still thinks that he will feel pain once pressure is put on it. I currently ride him with a crop and spurs, he collects at the walk and trot, has trouble with the left lead (front leg has bowed tendon) and will collect going to the right at a canter if asked. I have jumped over a few cross rails with him and he has gorgeous knees for his size (17 hands and BIG bodied). I do feel like jumping is not something that he should do on a regular basis, maybe just jumping over logs on the trails. I have trail ridden him alone and he has been great. He does look and snorts but has never done anything mean. If someone is willing to put a month or so into him to get him more used to w/t/c I feel he could make a great husband horse. I'm 5'10" and I feel small on him! A contract will have to be signed and I will want the right to come see him. If he for some reason doesn't work out for the person who adopts him, I will take him back immediately. Please contact me with any questions and I also have pictures and a video of him available.

Has your farrier tried other options like pads? Better yet, have you talked to a licensed veterinarian? A farrier does not need any formal training to call himself a farrier. A vet, on the other hand, has to successfully complete 8 years of formal education to earn their title. The key to managing a horse like this is to consult with both, make a plan, and try different options until you find one that works.

I have a feeling this lady is either not educated well enough to manage a horse or isn't quite telling the whole story about this fella. Either way, he'll probably be better off with someone else, unless the meat man comes with his trailer and she doesn't bother to check references. Good luck, boy!

Why must you take pictures of you lounging on your horses?

YOU PEOPLE



ARE



KILLING ME!



These horses are priced $9,500, $22,000, and $15,000. Guess which price belongs to which horse. You are going to get this one wrong!

Anyways, these pictures are pointless for sales ads. I can sort of understand the ones with the ribbons or the ones in the winner's circle, but just standing around? Okay, maybe a Foxhunter. Maybe it's a personal peeve, but I'm generally annoyed seeing pictures of horses being sat on like they were a really nice piece of furniture. It's fine for as a cherished memoir of you and your "heart horse". But for a sales ad? Ride or get off.

Review your own ads!

How about this one?

young with great potential $7,500
He's an eyecatcher!!

<----- That's the picture from the ad.
http://www.equine.com/horses-for-sale/horse-ad-972212.html

Yeah, real eye catcher. You're a real funny guy and you paid $25 for a picture ad with a picture that doesn't work. Laff.

Price to Bad Pictures Ratio

If you have a $25,000 horse, I would expect to see, at the very least, a properly groomed horse. If your ad only has one picture it should either be a very good conformation picture or a very good riding picture.

In the case of the former, it should be stood up in a breed appropriate stance. It should be wearing either a clean leather halter or bridle. Your background should not be distracting for example a manure pile or random pieces of cars/farm equipment that hasn't been moved in 30 years.

In the case of the later, a show picture is ideal, but a schooling shot is acceptable. Again, clean tack. Rider should be dressed in subdued colors and proper riding attire as to not distract from the horse. Walking or standing in tack is not acceptable! Trot, canter, or jump is preferable for english. Any action photo for western (other than walking) is acceptable.

What is not acceptable is a photo picturing your $25,000 colored Quarter Horse stud colt being round penned in a dirty breaking saddle whom was pulled straight out of the pasture!

http://www.equine.com/horses-for-sale/horse-ad-973305.html
Price $25,000
Location Wagoner, Oklahoma
Breed(s) Quarter Horse
Sex Stallion
Height ?
Color Perlino
Foal Date Jun 2008

These pictures would be acceptable, however, if the horse was not being marketed as a stallion prospect and price tag was at least one zero less. So the point is, if you have an $850 QH broodie, a grazing picture is fine, but it is not Okay to use a grazing picture for your $12,000 show jumper.