Horse Shopping 104: Temperament

Years ago I read an article by a horse conformation expert. Her first recommendation for horse shopping was finding a horse whose temperament you liked. Before buying Scuba in the 1990s, I talked with people who'd cared and ridden her. The first thing they said about her were -- what a lovely mare, what a sweet mare, what a fun mare. She had her physical limitations and, as she grew older, her health ailments. But it was still a joy to have a horse with a fun personality in the barn. My Haflinger Lily is a curious, personable mare who has her nose into everything and often scares herself. She, too, has her physical limitations. She's always had difficult with the right canter lead. So, this time around, I was looking for a horse with a great temperament, but also with physical ability.