# Buying for Color: Have you done it, and has it worked out??



## kaitlynbowles (Sep 30, 2013)

When I bought my Appy mare, the first thing that caught my eye was her color. I have a weakness for Appaloosas of any pattern. I lucked out and ended up with a really great mare (even though I have always preferred geldings).

However, while there are certain colors that I prefer over others, I am a firm believer in the saying, "A good horse has no color." 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Inga (Sep 11, 2012)

In a long line of important things to look for in a horse when wanting to purchase, color is low on the list. That said, we are all human and have our favorite "looks" in a horse. 

If I wanted a certain color, I would look at many horses of that color and hold out until I found one that fit all the other criteria. Conformation, soundness, temperament etc...


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## david in md (Jun 13, 2013)

I'm not sure. Last horse I bought was a black twh mare. Always wanted a black walker. Also a plus I knew the guy selling her, not through horse circles though, and trusted what he told me. Probably wouldn't have bought her if she wasn't black. Definitely wouldn't have bought her if she wasn't gaited and wouldn't have paid that much if I didn't know the seller to be honest. Very nice horse. All other horse's were bought for training and disposition so l'm not really a color person.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

I agree, colour is pretty low on the list, however, a chestnut or dark brown or tobiano of any colour always catch my eye. If I were to go look at a horse and it wasn't my favorite colour but was everything I wanted, I wouldn't walk away because I didn't like the colour.


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## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

I had no idea what color my mare was when I bought her (just knew some kind of roan) I had the pick between her (I know now she's a grulla roan) and her blue roan sister both very similar and I picked her based on personality. 

My stallion I had admired from afar and never thought he would be mine. He's perlino and sabino not a color I'm wild about, but his conformation, personality, athleticism, breed type, etc are what I went for. But I'm sure his color will help market him and I'm warming up to it.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Since I have a cremello stallion, I went looking for a bay QH mare so I could make buckskins. Well.....I bought a chestnut Paint mare and a buckskin QH mare and a dun QH filly. The last one is the only one that really fit the bill color-wise. I bought good bloodlines, good conformation and temperament. The first mare is halter all the way but she can pick it up and move when she wants. The buckskin I bought because of her Presidente Shiner sire line, and the temper & athleticism and pretty that goes with that breeding, so I bought her in spite of her color. The dun I liked her lines, her athleticism, temper and color, but her head was not as nice as I normally look for, a little long & a bit roman nosed. Since you can't ride the head, I gritted my teeth and bought her anyway. And it's not like she's ugly...she's just not as baby doll headed as I normally go for. 

Honey Boo Boo the chestnut: 









Shiner's Moon Dance aka Goldie:










Wart aka Lakers Smoke: Wart's in the back, Goldie is a camera hog.


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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Nope... I haven't, and don't see any occasion when I would feel the need to. I have my preferences, but I would pass on a horse of my ideal color if it didn't meet all of my criteria, or we didn't "click". Finding the right horse is hard enough anyway! 

That said, I did almost buy a gorgeous, jet black mare with lovely markings. My perfect, ideal color in a horse. We ended up passing on her because she was nuts, and I may have seen those flaws sooner had I not been too excited about her color. On the flip side, I'm not so much a fan of grays. I wouldn't pass on the perfect horse because it was a gray, but it would have to be an absolutely perfect match for me! As it is? I'm happy with my guy's wild bay and chrome. I think just about any color would grow on me if I had a horse of that color anyway, lol.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

I haven't personally, but I used to board with people who did have it work out for them. They were very new to horses (a mom and two daughters), but the resident trainer was a good friend of the mom, so they had help. When searching for their own horse after lessons for a while, they were adamant that the horse be a buckskin, despite being told by others that their safest and cheapest bet would be a "boring" and common color like an older bay or sorrel gelding. It would be safer and more experienced for them to learn on.

Nope. Wouldn't have it. After searching for a while, they finally found this 6 year old mare. Her only fault in their eyes was that she had 4 socks, not the black legs they were so hoping for. She ended up being very sweet and worked very well for all three of them and got 90% of the color they wanted (they were jealous of my buckskin for only having one small pastern). I no longer board with them, but I assume they're still doing well.


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

We have never bought for color. That's led us to own some blacks, a couple bays, a couple palominos, some pintos, some chestnuts, and a gray. Among other colors too.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Apparently the universe has decided I can only have grey horses.. which was originally my least favorite color as I am lazy and never wanted to deal with keeping one clean.

Now I just embrace the brown/green/yellow color that they are, as I wouldn't trade any of our 4 for anything.


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## Breezy2011 (Nov 23, 2012)

My first horse I bought for her colour. I was looking for a black quarter horse. I lucked out on her, as she has pretty good conformation, a great attitude, and she is my 'heart horse', although she is a grade horse. She is my forever horse. 

The second horse I bought was based on his conformation and overall build, not his colour, he was a dappled grey, and although he was pretty, that is not what drew me to him. We didn't click though, and I sold him about 6 months after I bought him (he was a resale though, just went sooner then I first planned)

The horse I just bought was bought for both colour and build. I wanted a palomino, but I was open to all colours, and looked at many before I bought her, but as long as they were the size I wanted, and had good conformation for what I wanted to do with them, I would buy any colour. I ended up getting a palomino mare. She has OK conformation, she is a decent size and she has a nice disposion. 

My next horse (if I get a next horse) I would mainly be looking for a solid, thick build, good conformation and a nice disposion. I will not be looking at colour as much, because I would like a nice good horse. 

This is my black... Breeze, a grade quarter horse filly:









The grey I sold... 'Dimensional Wrangler' aka Wrangler quarter horse gelding:









My Palomino... 'Wrangles Kooler' aka Promise quarter horse mare:


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## disastercupcake (Nov 24, 2012)

Nope, never. 

My first horse was chestnut, and if you squinted you could never pick him out of a herd, he was so plain. 

Second horse I bought was ugly as sin when I brought him home(first pic). I thought he was the ugliest color on earth- light chestnut, but dirty light mane and tail. But, he grew up and became a real looker.  second pic

Next is Cloud. I loved him, but I was actually put off at first that he is a paint. Never really wanted a paint, and I thought it was kind of a cover up for conformation deficiencies. Plus all that white is a real pain to keep white! But he gets sooo many compliments  He's in my avi


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

When I was horse shopping, I was looking for a quarter horse who was on the larger side and ready to be shown in both English, western and cow working events. A friend wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for but told me she knew someone selling a horse. I went and test rode this crazy, hot sorrel overo paint horse. Even when I looked at a show ready quarter horse, much better trained, already a proven winner I turned him down. I had fallen head over heels in love with Stitch. 
For the past 7 months we have been diligently undoing everything his previous owners did, and (if all goes as planned)will be debuting in the hunter ring in April or May. Sometimes you don't always end up with what you expected.  
















He's my heart horse, and will be with me until the day he dies.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I've always picked based on personality, build, and when I was still breeding - bloodlines.

My husband likes flashy and I can always be pretty sure that any animal he picks out is going to have mental issues whether it's a horse, dog or cat. I haven't figured out the cause of this strange phenomena but his kids assure me it has been happening since long before I came into the picture.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

Its very interesting seeing the different colors people like and dislike. I never wanted a chestnut or bay, always liked grey and dun and most patterns, but my favorite horses have ended up being chestnut and bay. oh well. I try my best not to be "color blind". So many people pass by the perfect horse because they want another color.

on an unrelated note, Glynnis, the horse in your avatar is an arab mare, right? Mine has almost the same facial markings.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

My first horse just happened to be a beautiful, golden buckskin. A real looker. I bought her as a baby, during the winter when she was a color much more akin to dirt xD

My current horse is liver chestnut, which is probably my least favorite horse color.

So, the answer is no.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

No, I haven't although the first horse *I* bought is a dun. A beautiful, well marked, bay dun with stripes, dorsal, webbing, zippers, frosting and the whole nine yards. Too bad I really didn't like the dun coloration. Really I've never been a fan of any of the "colors" and I don't like chrome either. So, I bought in spite of color on Soda, although at least he doesn't have a lot of white. :lol: I do like his color now, but at first I wasn't a fan. 









Lily is a beautiful dark brown with a light sprinkle of white hairs on her flanks and tailhead and a whole 6 white hairs on her pretty little face. Although I still didn't buy her for her color, I bought her for her adorable little ears!









ETA - I should mention that my favorite colors are chestnuts, bays, blacks, browns with MINIMAL white. Just a little star or snip and maybe a little sock or something.


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## 2BigReds (Oct 7, 2011)

Buying for color certainly didn't work out here... I wanted anything BUT a medium chestnut with minimal chrome. He has one white sock, a small star and a snip.

I like to call him sorrel because I think it makes him sound more exotic... :lol:

At least he has a pretty butt stripe and a darn nice mane and tail! Oh, I guess his adorable personality, awesome bloodlines and conformation kinda make up for it too.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I almost bought a dapple gray Andalusian because that's what I've always wanted. Luckily I got a trial period on her, because she had zero respect for anyone. The vet couldn't even finish the vet check on her because of her behavior. I do think she would have made a nice horse after some time with a good trainer, but the seller wasn't willing to negotiate on the price and was asking way too much for a horse with her issues.

I ended up getting a cremello. I lucked out in that he's pretty neat and stays surprisingly clean, but I wouldn't normally be very excited about having a white horse (although, yes, I know the dapple gray would have gotten there eventually!) I can't imagine how long it would take me to find another horse like him; once I met him in person color wasn't even important any more.


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

I haven't bought strictly for color though I did want a buckskin for a long time. I finally bought my dream color buckskin Jackpot though he is technically a dunskin (bay+ dun+cream). But I looked at several buckskins, I checked for build and temperament as my main priority. I wanted a rodeo prospect first and foremost, and a horse that was built to last. With patience you can buy what you're looking for in a color that you prefer . I don't think breeding should be done strictly for color though. I think build, temperament, and resposible breeding should be first and foremost with color being one of the last things to worry about. Though with resposible educated breeding you can breed for conformation, ability, and color.

My dream dunskin Jackpot 

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

BlueSpark said:


> Glynnis, the horse in your avatar is an arab mare, right? Mine has almost the same facial markings.


She is an Arab cross. And that is really funny! I know there's nothing remarkable about a star and a snip, but the size and shape are really similar. 

I just thought of something relating to buying for colour. My sister was always the fanciful one in our family when we were growing up and swore that our first horse, who was completely greyed out, was a unicorn. Years later, when we were looking for a horse for her, we looked at all shapes, sizes and colours. When it was finally narrowed down to a couple who were comparable in comformation, type, price, etc., she ended up picking the grey, although she knew at that age that she wasn't in fact a unicorn. So, it wasn't buying for colour specifically, but with all things being equal, the colour did end up being the tipping point for my sister and that mare will be 30 this year.


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## haviris (Sep 16, 2009)

This question really isn't that cut and dry. When I horse shop I do at times have a pretty good idea what color (colors more likely) that I would like my new horse to be, but that is just a tiny piece of the equation, so what do I do? Look mostly at horses in these colors, that way when I find 'the one' there is a good chance it'll also be in the color I want. There are enough good horses out there that there is no reason I can't have the one I want, in the color I want! That said I don't always end up buying my color. When I bought my grulla mare I was really wanting some shade of dun, well any dun, except grulla!! I, at the time, had mostly seen the darker grullas and didn't realize they could be so gorgeous and silvery til I laid eyes on my girl and it was love at first sight!! I didn't buy her because of her color, I bought her because she was everything I was looking for with a lucky bonus of an attractive color! 

When I bought my most recent horse I did not care what color he was (already had one in the color I wanted), ended up with a perlino. I would have bought him no matter what color he was, even if he'd have been gray, my least favorite (I do love certain shades of gray, LOVE them!! But the fact that they will not stay that way ruins it).

There have been times that I have been scanning the classifieds and stumbled across a horse who's color was just so pretty (although the horse has to atleast be cute to) that it may cross my mind to want to buy it just to have it in my pasture, although I have never followed through with that, I can't say sometime I wouldn't (although it would have to be cheap). That is the only time I could see myself just buying for color.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

My next horse has to be a dun (hopefully a Kiger or a dun Mustang). I LOVE Duns (my user is a good hint at that lol). My first mare is my heart horse. The funny thing is she is everything i was NOT looking for. Shes and Arab, seal bay, When i got her she was "broke" had hoot issues and drove me to tears multiple times. But now its over 2 years later and i would not trade her for the world.

Trying out the Indian "war bridle" (halter with reins was for emergency and the leather "bit" will brake if I pull too hard)









Her showing her Seal Brown colors









Her looking good at 18 (last year)


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## HeelsSouth (Aug 2, 2013)

When my mom decided she wanted an Icelandic after our trip to Iceland, she decided that, if she was going to spend 6-7 K on the horse she'll have for the next 20-30 years, it had to at least be a "cool, color ie not chestnut, bay, etc.
We ended up with a red dun, pretty cool color. But we very nearly did end up selling him. We chose btween several horses at the farm: a grulla that was shy and spooky, a silver dapple that bucked when away from other horses, and Broddi, a 9 year old pasture puff with 30 days training on the trail. He had some serious separation issues and just really needed miles, and we actually had him for sale and had several offers and visits, but no body actually came through, which is probably good because, once we really put some miles on him and gave him a job, he actually became e really nice horse. So, in that case, searching for a flashy color did work out or us.
When I look for a prospect horse later this year, temp, health, and confo will come first, but if I can narrow it down to several good prospects, a flashy color might be the deciding factor.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bellasmom (Jun 22, 2011)

Yes, the horse in my avatar. We originally looked at her for my husband, but he pronounced her "too pretty" and she was greener than he wanted. I did NOT need another personal horse, but could not get her out of my head (I have no problem riding pretty horses, lol) & ended up buying her a couple of weeks later. She is my main riding horse at this point and I am very happy with her. She is not perfect and we worked thru some issues at the beginning (very headshy, threw herself backwards when tied), but she has turned into a really nice, dependable trail horse.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I don't shop for colour specifically but I sure do like the added bonus of it. My mare, Rem ( I own 25 horses but she will always have a special place in my heart) is a sorrel, and not a nice sorrel either, she has that orange/tarnished look to her. 

When I was shopping for my new stallion I wanted something that gave me the possibility of colour (weather it be lots of white, black, roan, dun etc) and I waited for almost two years for the exact right horse to come along. Conformation and breeding came first, then colour. Had a sorrel stallion came along that had the breeding and conformation that I wanted in my price range I would have bought him too, it just never came along. I am glad I waited my new man is homozygous for dun.


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## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

KigerQueen said:


> My next horse has to be a dun (hopefully a Kiger or a dun Mustang). I LOVE Duns (my user is a good hint at that lol).


I NEED a dun. NEED. I'm probably going to end up with a sulphur they have the conformation and breed type I'm looking for plus they almost all come in dun. I was close though I ended up with a grulla roan (I thought I was just wishing the dun factor there nope it's real!) and a perlino sabino who may also be dun... we shall see! But I want a BAY dun. Like this guy Sulphur's Chance:


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## NorthernHorse (Jan 11, 2013)

Color isn't something Im really to concerned with when buying a new horse although I really really don't like perlinos and cremellos, so the horse really has to have the whole package of breeding, conformation, soundness, and a really good mind for me to consider it. Now when I go on the hunt for a new horse again if I find 2 horses that have the same breeding and both have fantastic conformation and ones a flashy Dun or something with chrome and the other is a plain bay then the odds are likely to favour the dun lol. 

I would rather have a pasture full of well put together well bred sorrels then a bunch of flashy train wrecks lol.


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## VaticanVice (Oct 28, 2012)

I went shopping for conformation, intelligence, personality, and size (I wanted something short). That said, the breeds I were looking at (Haflingers and Fjords, mostly) are distinctly monochromatic. So I did *know*, when I went down to that Haflinger farm, that anything I came home with would be flaxen chestnut. I guess that sort of counts? Although I will say that even though Nyneve's pure gold-ness is definitely growing on me, I once strongly preferred the darker-colored Haffies.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I have never bought just for the color , I look at color as a bonus 
I prefer sorrel/chestnut .. the red heads  but I have greys, paints, bays, blacks, as well as sorrel, and a dun or brown Fjord . 
I have owned a palomino and a roan .


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## HorseMom1025 (Jul 17, 2012)

When we set out to buy a horse for my daughter, color wasn't even on my list. Our trainer and I had the following list: broke, kid safe, intermediate rider, local show potential, between 7 and 12 years old, gelding - preferred, registered AQHA preferred.

My husband agreed, but added one more rule, NO light colored horses! Kitten's first school horse was white (grey). It would take us 3 hours to bathe TJ before a show. Then, at the show he would inevitably get something on him, requiring spot grooming. It was a nightmare.

We ended up with a georgeous red dun mare. She has the primitive dun markings and is quite the looker. My husband approved because she is the same color as the arena sand. . So, it was a win-win for everyone.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

Yes and no. Chrome I bought because I have a soft spot for Pallys but also because he just looked so sad and my trainer said he would be a good fit. Not so much, he immediately cost me 1400 in feed, feet, a surgery in his ear and then a few weeks later another 200 on a second ear surgery after my trainer noticed he was lame. She thought he was gaited but realized that wasn't the case. Do in all my trainer talked me into buying a lame horse who put me in the hole that I couldn't even safely work with because once he went into flight mode he cared about zip not even his own safety. She knew my level if riding and knew I couldn't afford a medical project. I trusted he word that he was sound and looked fine besides his ear and she led me wrong. It definitely stung and I learned a lesson not to think with your heart and stick with your plan. I wanted a barrel prospect no less then 5 no older then 15 atleast 14.3-15. What I got 14.2 hh 3 -4 yr old with a seriously bad past 
He sold to a nice couple as a trail horse only. 

So in all my next horse will be seriously looked over tried several times and seriously thought on. I don't have money to throw aroun on horses that don't fit what I want. It took that bad experience and me now being out a horse for now 8 months to realize that I should have just kept looking when I found out his actual age at the very least


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

My friend really wanted a buckskin-one that she looked at just wasn't right for her-I ended up buying him, & rode him for a few years, then due to a job loss-he was sold to a working ranch & was their favorite horse, The friend bought a nice little buckskin mare, but it wasn't a great match-she eventually found a nice stallion & bred her-she got a really nice buckskin colt, then sold the mare to a young girl-she still has the gelding-so in the end, after a few years, she got most of what she wanted.


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## nikelodeon79 (Mar 3, 2008)

I try to tell myself I didn't... That I bought for conformation and movement...

But I have a big, beautiful black and white pinto that my trainer is riding... And I'm not. *sheepish grin*
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

Buying for color? No idea what you're talking about.:hide:










When I was looking for an appy baby, I knew I wanted a black and white. I also knew I wanted between 15-16 hands, and something with laid back parents. I wanted a boy, and he didn't have to be show quality, just usable ( I really only trail ride.) 

I ended up with a clown, and I love him. 









Hopefully he'll be just as fun to ride.. and get into less trouble as he matures more.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Eh, buying for color, not so much as I didn't really _buy_ her, she was free, but it was certainly her color that drew me to her.

Lord knows that nothing _else_ about her is eyecatching in a good way LOL. She was totally feral when I first saw her, living with a herd of totally feral, inbred horses. The owners told us years ago that if there was anything we wanted from the herd, just take it and when they called and asked that we round the herd up and ship it off, I realized I had to take the chance that she'd end up being a decent horse.

So far, she's been really impressive in her temperament and intelligence, but she's still far too young and small to start any kind of saddle work with. I'm sure she'll take to that the same way she has taken to everything else.

She'll always have wonky conformation so her color is the only positive about her appearance but she'll make a nice little using mare someday.....I hope LOL.









And back in the summer before she was quite so downhill and fluffed up with winter fuzzies. Her neck isn't as short as this pic makes it look. She was standing at a funky angle.


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

Yes and yes. When I was already showing one APHA, I most definitely shopped for color! Aside from enjoying the look of loudly colored Paints, it was most practical to purchase another horse that would show the same circuit. I found some great horses with a combination of color and quality.

I currently have a chestnut AQHA with just a tiny star & strip and everytime I see a pretty Paint there is a pang of jealousy. I should have held out for quality AND color, rather than ignoring my personal aesthetic preferences like everyone says is "the right thing to do."


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## aureliusandoinky (Nov 28, 2013)

When I was twelve I wanted this cute welsh/arabian buckskin mare. My parents instead bought me a dark bay which was the same color as my first horse. So...almost?? But I don't think that counts because I was so young.  Now I don't so much like buckskin.

I used to HATE chestnuts. Any chestnut. They were so plain looking to me...and then a few months ago I saw the prettiest horse ever. She was chestnut. Now I want a chestnut. Specifically THAT chestnut. </3

I actually really like bays, dark bays specifically. Dislike grays with a passion. Love chestnuts with flaxen manes now, and honestly right now I am so blinded by that color I might just be dumb enough to buy a horse for the color, but not totally sure. I have two horses atm and cannot add another, even though I want that chestnut....

I pretty much like any color except for gray. Very very fond of chestnuts with flaxen manes, dark bays, black, palamino, and paint with big brown patterns and less white.


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

I am more attracted or have a weakness for pretty heads & necks:lol: I like to look at the horse as an overall picture so those that are put together properly are going to be more attractive as they should be more balanced & sound conformationally:wink: Some colors { like the dilutes} may initially make me look more readily but if they don't have the rest beyond the color then nope,interest is lost pretty quick:wink:. yup have to say never desired a horse based just on what color they are


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Today was an eye opener....while I never bought for color there are some colors I don't like.

Hubby traded one of my bay horses for a Cremello, yuck! My least favorite color. I don't buy a horse solely on color for sure and I am not very exciting when it comes to colors, my favorites are bays.
Anyhow, hubby rode him yesterday and he was a super star especially given what was required of him. Great temperament and a big heart. Both of us were pleased with him. Today I needed a horse and he offered for me to ride him. I fell in love with him! He's a little green especially for being outside, he feels like he's been ridden in an arena too much. But wants to be soft and moves off your leg nicely, lots of try. Going to be a nice horse.
Told hubby if he trades him off I will kick him square in the butt even if he's a Cremello 

The picture is from the ranch sale catalog that a friend bought him from last winter.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Until I got Skippy, I never even considered buying a Cremello or Perlino. But now that I've got him? OH...I LOVES me some Cremello. He is my Mello Cremello Fello. I'm going to breed him to a buckskin mare in a year or 2 and I'm actually hoping she throws her creme gene and I get a Cremello filly, now that would put me over the moon!


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## Nell J (Nov 28, 2013)

I look for bloodlines, ability, personality, confirmation.... find that first but I will admit I will sit and sit and sit and wait for one in the right color! With that said.... ahhh the buckskin yearling I bought is so smutty he is brown (He is either smoky black or buckskin he had the crème). My second horse looked like a buckskin, but was a bay dun.... still looks like a buckskin in summer. Soooooo I ahhh technical may have a buckskin but does look like one and I have another that looks like a dunskin but isn't one....


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## Nell J (Nov 28, 2013)

> So he has the crème gene.... see it a little, but yep I learned my lesson he was more buckskin like as a weanling and owner showed my those pictures said he would definitely look like a buckskin come spring.... NOPE WRONG


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## Nell J (Nov 28, 2013)

So I gave up on the next one and bought a bay dun..... Ah yeah her lines where great.... so I guess even though I shopped for a particular color BUT they had to meet other qualifications first.... I didn't strictly get the color I was looking for I gave in... skipped it.


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## frlsgirl (Aug 6, 2013)

I always wanted a grey horse. But now that I'm horse shopping, I'm screening for:

1: Disposition
2: Ridability
3: Conformation
4: Health

Breed, gender and color suddenly does not matter anymore. Size and age matters a little bit.


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## Nell J (Nov 28, 2013)

frlsgirl said:


> I always wanted a grey horse. But now that I'm horse shopping, I'm screening for:
> 
> 1: Disposition
> 2: Ridability
> ...


Those should come first but if you look LONG enough and are willing to wait eventually you could find the whole package. Problem for me was how long did I want to wait... to find this long list lol....


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## sparks879 (Apr 14, 2013)

I used to buy cheap horses and train them to sell them. Did one or two project every summer, I did buy some not based on color alone but It did help. went to look at a bay mare and came home with a black and white pinto. I did look for good genetics and comformation. But color sells.


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## Poseidon (Oct 1, 2010)

I forgot to mention in my first post in this thread that I would very much like to own a grey dun Fjord one day. As much as I love my brown dun and the traditional look of the brown duns in general, a grey dun would be fun to have.


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## lillahimed (Jun 8, 2013)

I would never buy an animal for solely color, but I will admit I would hope for a certain color. I am very partial to smoky grullo and light buckskin. But in the end, a good horse is a good horse so color is the least of my worries.


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## Regula (Jan 23, 2012)

I tried not to shop for color, but admittedly a pretty horse is just more eye-catching when looking at sales ads. So I guess I did end up looking at mostly pretty ones. The prettiest of them all was a light buckskin snowcap Appy, which luckily I had the strength not to buy in the end. He was really too green for me and not what I was looking for...
I prefer pretty much anything with a black mane and tail over other colors, so blacks, bays, buckskins etc over sorrel, pally, grey. The only colors I'd be really put off by are cremello and perlino, and I'm not a fan of blue eyes either.
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## Southern Grace (Feb 15, 2013)

I also bought an appy mare for color. I wanted a jumper project with a large intent to sell her later down the road. She was unbroke, just halter trained. I had a lot of free time on my hands and needed something to work with. She was built to make a good jumper, but you never know with an untrained horse. I figured that if at any point I decided she wasn't going to make it for me, she'd be easier to sell in the current market because she was "pretty" more so than another bay or chestnut Thoroughbred hitting the same market.

She, of course, did not work out for me (a purchase that would never have happened if the sellers had been honest about her history), but I was able to sell her to someone interested in a trail horse to possibly breed down the road.

-The two horses I currently own and intend to keep, were both bought for mind, build, movement, and pedigrees, neither is my "ideal color" for the horse.


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## Island Horselover (Apr 4, 2012)

I also bought my grulla mare for color, luckily she turned out to be the perfect horse for me and what I need her for.... but usually would not recommend to buy for color...


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## peppersonlygirl (Jan 21, 2014)

My friend bought a beautiful black and white tobiano tennessee walker mare...green, fast and crazy. Ended up selling her after a year because she was sick of leaving all of us in the dust on a trail ride. 

Color was on my list as I promised myself no bay, brown, chestnut, sorrel, boring, etc. 

So what did I end up with? Personality.


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## peppersonlygirl (Jan 21, 2014)

I realize this isn't completely horsey but also confirmation on why buying for color is usually a bad idea. 

I picked my dog out when she was a puppy because she has a unique coloring and of course the eyes. Now she is almost two years old and extremely relentless energy-wise. Sitting for this picture was almost just too hard for her, lol.


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## Surayya (Dec 7, 2011)

For years I never considered colour when buying horses- I DID consider type/looks though (I'm not ashamed to admit I'd pass over an otherwise perfect horse whom I considered to be butt ugly in looks, when looking for *myself*... Id rather hold out for the total package- one pretty (profile wise) enough to show, with a good brain & conformation etc.), I knew I DIDNT like grey's or pintos per-say, but never really thought much about it, as pretty much all of them were to sell on anyway. 
The one time I decided to buy another horse for myself at the sale yards, it just so happened the one I liked the type of most was (a dreaded lol) grey. That mare ended up giving me lovely foals (including my current mare/riding horse) before being sold on. 
The next horse I brought for myself was a Blue eyed, Smoky Brown, Tobiano yearling- I wasnt a fan of pintos before I got her (I brought her because I loved her profile, brains & nature), now I LOVE pintos lol. 
In fact after having to sell my pinto filly on, I'm going to bred another pinto, because I miss having a 'coloured' pony in the paddock & I cant find the stamp of horse I like, with the conformation I consider correct/strong for sound riding & with the pinto coloration I miss so much, so I guess this time, yes, I am totaly 'ordering' my next horse based on colour 1st- it's just that colour isnt my only consideration- temperament, conformation & profile will also be required of the stud on top of colour, before I'd go ahead with the breeding


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## Surayya (Dec 7, 2011)

Oh & after being someone who didnt love greys- this is my 'keeper' homebred mare...
 & I now LOVE her colour- going (I hope) to be heavily flea bitten grey (she only 8 & the photo is recent), with re pigmentation/blood marking dribbling down her side  (all of her flea bites dont show up well when photoed, as she is actually a Brown Roan under the grey- the vast majority of her body bites are paler roan bites (atm), intermingled with her solid bites, which is why the ones on her head are so much darker than her body bites lol)


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Surayya--I'll never understand people who don't like grays of varying types  I think they're beautiful.
Your mare is stunning!


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

I have 3 paints and none if them have the traditional pinto patterns. Pepper is DW so he is almost completely white and the other two are mostly solid, jet has a star joy ha a white sock and a blaze. I just bought a barrel horse who actually does have spots a cute tobiano mare. Unfortunately she is graying and I just am not a fan of gray either especially in paints. But she was just too nice a mare to pass up. 



_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Surayya (Dec 7, 2011)

Thanks Zexious  I know, now I love both the colours/patterns I used to be really adverse to- so no matter what 'colour' I get, I'm good to go now lol 

Also enjoying my grey's ever changing colours- we started solid, went roan, washed out the colour/pattern for 1yr, went iron grey for 2yrs, went dapple grey for 1yr, greyed out for a yr (was 'white' with grey points & low dapples on her hind legs) with repigmentation marking becoming visable, heavily dappled for 1yr, as she started getting flea bites, then repigmentation markings started to darken up, now she's developed 3-4times more flea bites over the last yr, so is colouring back up again lol


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^That's so cool that she's changed colors so many times--I guess that's fairly typical with grays. It's like having a new horsie all the time!

Peppy--The more I see of little no name, the more I like her. She's awfully cute. <3


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

Thank you Zexious! She is adorable! I love her cute lil petite head.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^She's got a cute one, that's for sure. 
I feel like mares usually have prettier heads


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## Peppy Barrel Racing (Aug 16, 2011)

I agree! I think Maddie is gonna be the name it seems to suit her.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

You know I never wanted a bay horse.

I realized today I technically own one. 

so, my Bay horse.









He's bay based (Or possibly brown based) fewspot.  but.. technically bay, yes? Not grey, not white.f

Is it wrong I look forward to telling people I own a bay, and point to him? .. whatever keeps me amused I guess.

He will argue the prettier head theory, but he's got a very dishy one for an appy.


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## 2SCHorses (Jun 18, 2011)

I did not buy for color. And although I love almost everything about my mare, I do not love her color. She's gray. It would be one of the very bottom colors on my list. Never been a fan of gray - she always looks dirty. Coincidentally, I have a white dog, too, and he always IS dirty and looks it. The next time I shop for a horse, I won't buy for color, but I will look at all the horses I possibly can in my favorite color (Palomino or Black). I may breed my mare one day, but will look for a homozygous black stud and pray that it won't go gray ... but it will, most likely, because that's just how my karma rolls. Oh well! I'll still be happy because I own a horse!


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## Paradise (Jun 28, 2012)

Of the last 6 horses I've bought, 3 were paints, 2 were palominos and 1 was bay. 

The only one I haven't got along with and have found any attitude clashes with was the bay. 

Guess I've been lucky with colour 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

When I was looking for a cowhorse prospect, I vowed it would NOT be sorrel. Yep, ended up with a sorrel. :lol: But bloodlines were right, conformation was right and more importantly, the price was right. AND she was the full sister to a friend's cowhorse mare and I know how good that horse was. So I bit the bullet and bought her. Have never regretted that decision.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

^^_Very_ nice!


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## LadyChevalier (Apr 19, 2013)

Once. Only once... And I got this little beauty, a coming 2 yr old buttermilk buckskin to bring color into my herd of blacks and bays. She's not perfect but she has decent conformation, and I absolutely fell in love with her face and build. Shes a cute lil stocky QH. She is such a sweet heart!

Other wise its all about conformation, personality/disopostion, training, and health. I am more of a person who buys for favorite breeds though. Like I bought a draft cross that looked like a full blooded Clyde and I love drafts- and she was bred to a friesian- which I happen to LOVE even more! Ended up getting my dream horse with her baby and hes solid black with a heart shaped star. Got a good mind on him too- hes in my avatar.


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## Roux (Aug 23, 2013)

Sorrels are my favorite, as we call them New Mexico Reds, and I have never had one! Not yet anyway. 

I always vowed I would never have a paint or an appy (because so many while flashy are just so badly put together) and somehow I ended up with two paints. I also vowed I would never take a horse with a blue eye and Roux has a blue eye lol. That taught me my lesson, there are good horses in any color.


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## shesocalifornia (Nov 24, 2013)

Bottom line is color "SELLS"! No one should buy for color alone. I beautiful horse with awesome conformation will sell itself regardless of color. I love bays, buckskins, duns, paints, and dark dappled grey (if it would stay that color) and anything with lots of contrast. It can have a judge drawn to you in a show ring as long as it combined with conformation, temperament, and movement. That can be a good thing and a bad thing sometimes.  I love solid bays in a lot of breeds and say wow, that horse is nice. Sometimes color can be too distracting. I have a bay, a bay dun paint, and a chestnut tobiano. So I guess you can say I like color, but I wait till all my other criteria is met and never base on color alone.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

My mom and I went to a Kiger adoption event. Naturally the vast majority of the horses were classic dun, with some grulla, black, and bays mixed in. Generally the grullas go for top dollar, the classic duns next, then blacks and finally bays. My mom and I went to that event with every single intention of snatching up a bay 2yr colt who had impressed us with his conformation and movement.

Wouldn't you know it, that colt ended up being the second most expensive horse at the auction, going for $2000+ dollars (for a completely ungentled mustang). Just goes to show that there are certainly people out there who care far more for conformation, movement etc than anything else. My mom and I scrambled to look at the horses that hadn't been adopted in the first round of the auction and wound up getting a dun yearling colt for $350. A year later we took in a dun mare who had been at the same adoption, paying only the $25 BLM transfer fee. Both of these horses are amazing, and their color is the icing on the cake. (I'm especially fond of Aurelio's leg barring and Eva's bi-colored mane.)


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## Ninamebo (May 25, 2013)

Nope, never just for color, but I'm partial to pintos so my current boy was a lucky plus with that  

I'm sure if it came down to choosing between two similar behavioral/ trained horses then the color would come into play. 

Only exception is when I go to buy my father his horse (in the future). That one will be a palomino as he adores the color and I can never deny my beloved dad anything.. So I will search as long as it takes to find one that fits the bill and the color in that case


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Ninamebo said:


> Only exception is when I go to buy my father his horse (in the future). That one will be a palomino as he adores the color and I can never deny my beloved dad anything.. So I will search as long as it takes to find one that fits the bill and the color in that case


LOL, I didn't even think about that!!

My Dad would look at a buckskin yearling at a local breeder's farm every time he would drive by. He knew nothing about the colt beyond it's color and breeding, but he still looked....so I bought it for his birthday a few years ago.

Pokey is quite the quirky horse and I'm not sure anyone other that my Dad could have gotten him broke, but those two fit together like two peas in a pod.


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## Ninamebo (May 25, 2013)

^ love it! That's a great story! Nice looking horse too!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

smrobs--That's awesome. I wish all stories could be like that :>


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## Roux (Aug 23, 2013)

I was thinking that there is some advantages to a white (grey obviously) or paint horse and a valid reason why some one might want to buy one for color. 

When we are gathering cows we can all ways see the paints and the greys from a very long distances but the sorrels and bays get lost in the cows and the brown mesa from a distance. It is really nice to see the other riders from a distances so you know where they are bringing the cows up from etc...

The reverse of this is when you want to hide (military or maybe even hunting) you would be better off with no color.


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## Ace80908 (Apr 21, 2011)

I completely did.

Saw this baby and bought him. Bloodlines good, but you always gamble when buying a baby. He grew up to very sweet, smart, and willing.

He is not going to be the type of all around showing that I wanted - he carries himself very upright and forward. But he's too nice to give up, so I am going to try Ranch Horse pleasure with him. It should suit him. He always meets me at the gate with this very happy 

:happydance::happydance::happydance::happydance:I love you MOM!!! 

How can I resist this face with this wonderful presence?


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

I admit it. We totally bought based on color. I asked opinions of other horse friends/people and everyone said they couldn't see any flaws that would prevent her from staying sound and doing what I wanted to do (low level dressage, trails, all around family horse). Best decision we ever made. I have a friend right now who if I had to sell would snatch her in less than 2 seconds. Another who would die to buy her and turn her into a lesson horse. And myself and my family all adore her.

When we go to shop for my husband, he wants a black and white paint. I already told him we'll buy a horse that will fit the bill, but in any color it comes it. But after we get another nice family horse we'll take our time to search for everything that fits the bill including color


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

No, I've never picked a horse because of color. I like a great many colors. Certainly some I like better than others, but it's a bit like saying I'm going to pick out my girlfriend based on the color of her hair. Color would have had me buying my older mare's kid brother (who was a beautiful animal with a black brown and white pattern, all three colors in his tail) instead of my mares cousin. He did make my short list of 5, but there were 3 fillies ahead of him so he would have been hard pressed to beat all three (especially the filly I did pick). There was nothing wrong with him (he would have been an excellent choice) and color would have given him a lead the others couldn't have matched.

Now there are colors I prefer and some I'm not so fond of. The first horse I owned (mine, not someone else in the family's horse) was probably the least attractive horse I've ever had (white, not grey, pink skin, blue eyes). To me she was beautiful (but that's the blind love of a 14 year old boy finally getting his own horse). She did turn out to be on the best horses I've ever owned. Best working horse for cattle in the family. But today I probably would have passed on her unless there was nothing else equal to her in the things that matter.

I won't say colors can't play a part in what I would buy. There are colors I will not buy. I won't buy any horse that's pastel blue, Kelly Green and I'd recommend everyone avoid any that are hot neon pink. :rofl:


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## Slave2Ponies (May 25, 2013)

I have never bought for color. I just look for the best horse out there for the $$ I have at the time.

My first horse was a Strawberry Roan (about 30 years ago) - but just found him by chance. He was my favorite of all the horses, but not for his color.

I have always preferred Sorrel and Bay horses, thinking that since their color isn't special they would have to measure up on their merits alone. I might avoid white (hard to keep clean where I live), but I like white on the face as it is easy to find at night.


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## shesocalifornia (Nov 24, 2013)

In the old days cowboys didn't want to be recognized from a distance by the color of their horse. Might get shot off of it if someone knew you rode a certain paint and they didn't like you. Most preferred common looking horses like bays sorrel and greys. They left the paints and Appaloosas for the Indians. .
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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I did breed a mare in the hope of getting what we call a coloured horse in the UK - any colour and white = a skewbald or a piebald. We got a really nice skewbald filly but she was never 'my' dream horse and I sold her - but made a great profit and she went to a wonderful home.


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## Cielo Notturno (Sep 12, 2013)

I really love some paint patterns and the "golden" colors (buckskin and palomino) but when I decided I wanted a horse, I also decided I wanted an Arabian. That means sorrel, bay or grey (black ones are super pricey here, and if there are other colors they are not in my area). I could never have a golden arab, so I just bought a horse I liked, a nice but not exceptional bay. I didn't pick him for the color, though I'm happy that I don't have to clean a grey 
I like that he has some white markings, I don't care much for horses with no white at all, they look plain to me.

Just to make you laugh:
I did adopt one of my cats for her color. She's just a dsh, but she's a stunning classic tabby calico, just a delight to look at. Well… if she has the chance, she poops in the sink, and in the bathtub, or just 1 foot from the litterbox, and she pees on computer bags, sport bags, pile of dirty clothes, leather and fake-leather furniture (couches). 
I do love her to pieces, but I always say that I got punished for picking the best looking cat instead of a plainer one… my other kitty is a plain tabby with van-white, and she's so more normal


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## LuvMyPerlinoQH (Jun 21, 2011)

I was searching bloodlines and came across a Palomino Cat Ichi colt out of a ncha money earning dam so I snatched him up really fast. In the cutting world color is icing on the cake. Hopefully he will be great in the cutting pen. We will find out in the next year and a half once he begins training.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

shesocalifornia--That is awesome xD /RunsOffToShareWithEveryoneIKnow


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

It seems the census is the majority of folks on here do NOT go for color, and I am in that group as well.

When I decided I was financially ready to own a horse again I only had a few requirements, 1- NOT a bay , or white/light gray (seems that bay's are all my family ends up with) 2- Must be green broke (goes left, right, forward and back.), 3- I do NOT like blue eyes. 

What I ended up with was a yearling Gypsy cross colt....Why? Because I bought the BREED. Saw it was a Gypsy and said "yup, coming home with me". 

The collage of pictures kind of sums things up about him. He is now 3 1/2 years old and great with kids, scary stuff and who knows what else. 

It seems rarely does one get the exact horse they want. But everyone ends up with any particular horse for SOME reason, to learn something from, love, or, combination of.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^He is not only lovely, but stylish too ;D

Though, the breed /is/ pretty flashy. I'd say, by default, you bought for color teehee~


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## draftgrl (Jan 8, 2011)

Actually, I really was kind of hoping a good horse would come along that was a bay roan


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## TimWhit91 (Feb 3, 2012)

I bought my brown roan for color and his bloodlines. He is a great horse, but I ended up falling in love with a very plain chestnut mare. I now have two horses  if I had worked them both before picking the colorful one, I would only have my Roxy girl
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## AnnaHalford (Mar 26, 2012)

I didn´t buy for colour. I think I bought her for her personality. It certainly wasn´t for her intelligence, broke-ness, or general suitability for what I wanted her for. :lol:

I think I chose three other horses for all the right reasons, and then went a little weird for the fourth one (the one licking my face in the photo). 

Around 8000km later, though, and maybe I didn´t do so bad after all. And neither did she. Although maybe I should mention that she was the only one who managed to fall overboard off a barge on a tributary of the Amazon...


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