FAQ

What is True Texas Equine
True Texas Equine is a premier hunter, jumper, and equitation resources for riders of all ages and skill levels. We offer horse sales, training, boarding, and showing services aimed at forging joyful and fruitful relationships between riders and their mounts.

Does True Texas Equine sell horses?
We work with top breeders and private sellers around the world to find the strongest, healthiest horses possible - and then facilitate the buying and selling process to help ensure the right horse is paired with the right rider. Through a perfectly transparent relationship-driven process, we guide buyers and sellers through assesments, documentation, transportation, veterinary processes, and more.

How much should I expect to pay for a horse?
There are lots of factors that contribute to the price of a horse-including its breeding, age, overall health, scope (the height it can jump), discipline (hunter, equitation, jumper), show experience, and prior success. Even an aging horse with a solid shop record can sell for as much as $100,000. Using that as a midpoint, one might expect to pay $75,000-125.000+ for a younger horse (7-8 years old) with a clean vetting and show record (depending on how high they jump and their potential to succeed at year-ends finals). A top-shelf equitation horse with the potential to win a national medal final could sell for $250,000 or more. In general, one can find an athletically “average” horse for $50.000-100,000.

How does the process work?
Typically, our clients or their trainers will contact us with an unbiased assessment of the rider’s ability along with their discipline, goals for the next one-to-two years, and budget. Based on that information, we will begin our search. Since it’s not an exact science, it can take some time-even several months or more-to find an appropriate match.

How can TTE ensure a good fit between rider and horse?
While we can never be certain of a perfect match, our experience-combined with your active participation in the process, and clear communication among everyone involved-goes a long ay toward a successful search. It’s in everyone’s best interest to find a horse that brings you years of joy and helps you meet yourt goals. We’re on the same team!

Should I involve my trainer in my horse purchase?
ABSOLUTELY! It is essential that your trainer is satisfired with the horse’s abilities and confident that there’s a good fit between horse and rider. A trainer will typically charge 10-15% of the purchase price to be involved in the process-and it’s worth every penny for their experience with your rider and their expertise with horses.

What does TTE need from me to find the perfect horse?
There’s no such thing as too much information. We love learning about riders and sharing their love of horses. To get started, we simply ask for a realistic assessment of your riding ability-either in the form of a sample video or your trainers evaluation. From there. we want to know your current show record and level, your preferred “type” of ride, and your goals for the next 12-24 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

GLOSSARY

Add /Added / Add Stride
Hunter Jumper courses are designed with a set deistance and a designated number of strides allowed between each jump. An “add” occurs when a horse takes an extra stride between any two jumps in a line.

Big Eq
a group of equitation classes in which junior riders jump 3’-6” or more. “Big Eq” classes include AWSPCA Maclay Horsemanship, USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal, WIHS Equitation, and USEF Show Jumping Talent Search.

Chip
A very short stride or “stutter-step” at the base (start) of a jump.

Cross-Canter
A horse is said to have a left or right “lead” at the canter depending on which of its front legs is “leading” the pace. When the horse is on one lead with its front legs and the opposite lead with its hind legs. it is known as a cross canter. Since it is very difficult to ride, a rider must perform a lead change to correct for a horse’s cross-canter.

Handy or Handy Round
A horse that is quick on its feet is described as “handy.” A “handy round” refers to a hunter course designed to test a horse’s “handiness” through the addition of such elementgs as rollbacks, bending lines, or trot jumps.

Lead Change / Late Change / Skip Change / Simple Change
Horses are expected to be on the correct lead at the canter for the duration of a round-left lead when going left, right lead when going right. If a horse lands on the wrong lead following a jump, then it must correct or “change” leads. Ideally, the horse performs a lead change later than desired, it is considered a “late change” and a slight fault. By the time a horse and rider get to the end of a ring, they are expected to be on the correct lead. To do this, the horse can typically perform a quick “skip change” in a single stride. In some cases, however, the horse must go to the trot or walk-resulting in a less desireable “simple change.”

Left Behind
A rider is “left behind” when they fall behind the horse’s motion over a jump.

Long Spot
When a horse takes opff earlty or too far away from a fence, it is said to have taken a “long spot.” This is the opposite of a “chip,” which happens when a horse takes a late, short step prior to jumping.

Medal
Another term for an Equitation “class.” Medals may comprise more than one component-such as a scored first round followed by a secondary “test” for the top three to six riders. Examples of tests include a shortened course, a question asked by the judge, or a flat phase.

Packer
Also known as a “saint,” a packer is a seasoned horse who performs so effortlessly that it makes the rider’s job easier.

Quiet Hands or Legs
A “quiet” rider appears practically moitionless on their mount-with no obvious or exaggerated movements of the hands or legs

Scope
A horse that jumps well is said to be “scopey” or to have “scope.” Especially in Jumper competitions, a “scopey” horse keeps its jumps up and will rarely knock down rails. In general, the higher a horse can jump. the more “scope” it is said to have.

Spooky/Looky
A spooky horse is one that reacts abruptyly to unusual sights, sounds, or smells be rearing or running away. A looky horse will fix its gaze on something out of the ordinary-and is therefore easily distracted.

Square Knees
Especially for hunters. the ideal posture has the horse’s knees even (or “square”) over the top of the fence.

Step
When a horse is said to “have a lot of step,” it means they have a big stride (not a fast stride) at the center around a course. “Getting the step” refers to a horse and rider making the correct number of strides in each line of a course.

Swap Out
A horse is said to “swap out” when it changes canter leads immediately before it takes off on a jump. Typically, the horse will only swap out in front or behind (not both). A rider must effectively use their aids to prevent their mount from swapping out.

Glossary of common terms

LINKS