Choosing a Dressage Horse - Leonie M Marshall

This text guides the ordinary rider through the difficult process of buying a horse suitable for dressage. Dressage is the fastest growing equestrian sport in Britain today and there is a wide variety of opinion as to the best type of horse. There are a number of different breeds and types of horses available at a range of prices. This book seeks to help riders find the right horse for them. The breeds are considered from Arab to Warmblood, as are the benefits and disadvantages of buying a trained horse or an untrained one; size and temperament and the age and colour are discussed. A detailed look is taken at the conformation and action of the potential purchase with an assessment of major and minor faults and the effect of conditions such as splints or windgalls. Habits and vices such as rearing and windsucking, are dealt with together with difficulties in loading lorries or trailers. The final sections deal with trying a strange horse, and the inevitable finance.