Every day, I speak to or correspond with at least 3-4 people who are in the market for their first draft
cross. Many times these are people who have been involved with horses their entire lives and are now
searching for a “kinder, gentler ride” or they may be first time horse owners who are looking for a quiet,
docile backyard horse or they may be searching for a sane yet athletic horse for their children to learn
and compete with. The big question is Where do I begin?
STEP 1: Define your requirements:
Start with the person who will be riding the horse. What is the experience level, riding discipline of this
person? Will a trainer be involved? Can they handle a green horse or do they need something “bomb
proof”? Are they looking to compete? Be realistic about what level. A common mistake is to “overbuy” or
to try to buy a horse that the rider will not “outgrow”... Will the rider REALLY take the horse to the upper
levels??? Bear in mind that draft crosses are typically quieter and more docile than many other breeds
and so some green broke crossbreds may be quieter than an aged Thoroughbred, Arabian or Quarter
Horse.
When folks email me looking for their first draft cross, I always ask for the following info: Age, sex,
breed, color (if any), size, training level of horse, training level of rider, intended level of intended
discipline, other requirements: (temperament, level of refinement, way of going etc)
Also, it helps to know anything that DOESN'T’T matter….For example, can he be coarse and drafty as
long as he is dead quiet with a 10++ temperament and can take care of a novice trail rider? You will
need to consider the characteristics of each breed. The breeds that make up the cross will dictate the
temperament, athletic ability, and range of movement that will determine suitability for your intended
discipline. For example, TB/Percheron crosses are most often the choice for Fox Hunting, while the
TB/Clydesdales have the free shoulder movement valued for Eventing, infusion of some Quarter Horse
may give more muscle and flat kneed way of going valued in the Hunter Ring. A 3/4Belgian/QHX will
have a quiet temperament suitable for the “husband” or “guest” horse.
Step 2: Know your budget.
Assess the market value of the perfect horse that you have defined based on your requirements. A great
easy way to determine market value is to use an Equine search engine on a classified site such as
Draftsforsale.com, equine.com, Agdirect or dreamhorse…. Find 5 horses that match your requirements
and average the prices…don’t forget transportation cost… Now revisit and finalize your requirements
based on the amount that you have decided to spend.
Step 3: Decide what type of purchase makes sense for you.
Once again its time for some introspection. Should you buy from a breeder, a trainer, an agent, or from
a website? Do you need to see the horse in person, do you need to ride it, do you need a trial period,
do you need to have it vet checked? All of these factors add in to the price tag of the horse. There is no
denying the fact that whether you are buying a car, clothing or a horse, “You get what you pay for”…
If this is your only horse and you plan to keep it than you may want to make sure that it is the right one
with an in-person visit and references. If you are buying more than one and can afford to take a risk or
are just looking for a good companion, trail horse or backyard pet, then you might consider buying from
a website. Please be aware that many websites are simply brokering horses from pictures, and
although the price may be tempting, you may be entering into a sight unseen purchase from a person
who has never seen the horse and does not have a formal relationship with the seller. Some of the
PMU Rescue organizations that have been around for years are bona fide rescues, so if your goal is to
rescue a horse and love him no matter what he turns out to be, then this is the choice for you. Buying
your draft cross on the local market, may be the most expensive option and the least risky option.
If you are looking for a quality sport horse prospect that you can train yourself, then a good agent can
help you to select a horse directly from the breeder and arrange for videos, vet checks and handle the
details of importation and insured transport.
Step 4. Apply conventional wisdom:
A horse is a living breathing creature. They are much easier to purchase than to sell. The purchase
price will be a fraction of the cost of ownership. One of the most common mistakes that I see with first
time buyers is forsaking temperament for looks and the next is being “penny wise and pound foolish”.
One trip to the emergency room may end up being more than the purchase price of the horse, and what
price can you put on the life or limb of a loved one… Take your time, make the right choice…trust your
inner voice…you’ll know when you’ve found the right horse…
DCBOA would like to thank Liz Booth of Virginia Sporthorses for this article. To find out more about her
program and available horses, please visit her site at www.virginiasporthorses.com
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