Disclaimer: our thoughts - possibly unwanted and unwarranted - feel free to stop reading now...

“Don’t buy a Thoroughbred.”

“Warmbloods are always the best sport horses.”

“Get a Stock Horse — they’re all quiet.”

“Connemaras are perfect kids ponies.”

“Shetlands are stubborn.”

“Clydie crosses are always placid.”

We hear these statements constantly… and they’re one of the biggest mistakes people make when horse shopping.

Because there are good and bad examples in every breed.

I’ve known lovely Shetlands.

Warmbloods that tripped over poles and went around like alpacas.

Sensitive, opinionated Clydie crosses.

Quiet, educated Thoroughbreds that were brilliant schoolmasters.

Stock Horses that acted like they’d just come off the track.

And Connemaras? Incredible ponies — but plenty are personality plus and absolutely not for every child. (See images on this post of Georgie’s Kahean Trooper Nelson… one of my most controversial sales because I refused to sell him to children and held out for the perfect adult home.)

Breed can tell you tendencies — but it doesn’t tell you everything about the individual horse in front of you.

Temperament. Education. Rideability. Suitability. Management. Mileage.

Those things matter far more than breed stereotypes.

My mantra? No good horse is the wrong breed (or colour).

And if you stop ruling horses out by breed, you often open yourself up to better educated, more rideable horses that you can actually afford.

Your perfect horse might come in a package you weren’t expecting.