Jeff Responds to Email – How to Video a Young Horse for Sale

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Jeff Johnson

Hi – we met at the Pam Goodrich Clinic.

Your website is very informative – I will definitely recommend you folks to anyone looking to sell their horse.

Anyway, I wanted to follow up with you guys – not that I’m in the business of selling horses but since I’m sometimes asked to prepare videos for folks thought it would be helpful to followup our conversation at PG clinic – Also, I have a 3 yo WBx (DW, Holsteiner, TBX) bay white pinto and may have to sell him . Anyway  here are links to some videos I’ve edited.

Thanks for looking – would appreciate any comments, feedback, etc.
Thanks much.

Thanks for your email. Here are a ideas you might want to consider.

My first suggestion with him would be to get him going under saddle before trying to sell him. There are a ton of unbroken 3 y/o’s out there and unfortunately, they are not bringing a lot. I think your investment of time or money to get him started under saddle would pay back very well.

It was difficult from your video to get a good feel for temperament, conformation and basic gaits which are the primary areas as a buyer I would be trying to evaluate.

With an unstarted youngster I would be looking for the following for evaluation:

Temperament

  • Catching/Leading
  • Grooming
  • Aisle Manners (cross ties etc.)
  • Picking Feet
  • Clippers
  • Walk and Trot straight away and to the camera on a lead line
  • Loading on and off a trailer (in standing wraps)
Total length of completed video section should be 3-5 minutes.

Conformation

Still Photograpgy: all shot with a 50mm lens to minimize distortion
  • A nice head and neck shot (braids are recommended)
  • Front
  • Back
  • Side  showing all four legs (open pose) with neck out
  • Closeups of legs: Front, Back and Side
Still Shot of Trot – Usually I take these with the my Nikon but you can also get good shots out of the video editing software if shooting 29 Frames a Second (non-interlaced mode). Most video editing software lets you put still pictures in your video like a slide show (allow 3-5 seconds for each picture.

Movement

  • Walk and trot in a straight line away and back towards the camera.
  • A few minutes of Walk. Trot, Canter in and enclosed area at liberty in wraps.
  • As a 3 year old, I would want to see Walk, Trot and Cantor  both directions on a lunge line at a minimum.

Other information:

  • Introduction Titles
  • Pedigree if that is a selling point
  • Credits including how to reach you for more information

Final Thoughts:

Some people really like lot’s of creative presentation in their videos “slow motion” and other “special effects”. I feel that it is easy to over do it and creates a distraction to the subject matter so I would avoid extreme creativity.

About Jeff Johnson

Impulsion Unlimited Dressage Horse Sales and Representation is owned and Operated by USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist, Susan Cooper and Jeff Johnson. Together, we have over 40+ years experience training, showing and marketing dressage horses and we help avoid mistakes while making the process of buying or selling, faster, easier and informative. Sue began dressage lessons as a teenager and went straight to the top to get the best help possible. Her education has included such great teachers as Dorothy Morkis, Gina Smith, Pam Goodrich and Carol Lavell. Under the guidance of Carol Lavell, Sue achieved her USDF gold medal in 1998. She is proud to say that she has also earned her USDF Bronze, and Silver medals on horses she trained. Jeff's experience with buying and marketing of dressage horses spans 20 years. His focus is on understanding your needs, abilities and aspirations. Buying your next horse is about you and your needs first not our horses. Our measure of Success is in the Match
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