Stud masters - spread the word

[Berri 2,131]

We are in a digital age. Online shopping has increased by 186,000% over the past 5 years. Online horse sales have increased dramatically when a past argument was that people needed to see the horse in order to buy it. The clothing industry was the same....it was argued that women, in particular, needed to try the clothes on before buying. But Next, one of the UK's largest clothing chains, reported and annual 450% increase in online sales to women buying clothes.

So I go to the NZB site to look at some of the yearlings' photos. Many aren't there despite it being only 2 weeks before the sale. I looked at some of the videos, the result prompting me to post this message....and I hoper I don't offend anyone because my intention is improvement - not criticism.

When we look at yearlings, the first thing we want to do is have a look at the horse before anything else happens. This way we can assess what we are about to see in the walk. We like to capture an essence of the horse before we see if that essence is expressed in the walk. That initial viewing of the horse standing up is a simple format, look from the side where the mane falls on the other side, then move to the front to see the front leg conformation, go round to the other side where the mane falls and then finally look at it from the rear. Post this, the viewer will go back to where they started. At this stage, the viewer will ask to see the walk, walking away (viewing from behind to see the combination of rear end movement and front leg movement, then viewing the horse walking towards you to confirm the front limb action, and finally asking it to walk up again to view the horse side on to understand how all the conformation structures work together in a broad sense. It is this phase that the viewer tries to assess overall character through its walking expression. When the horse comes back from this phase, it should be stood up again so that the viewer can look at the minutia.... the detail for want of a better expression. Post this, another walk may be in order to confirm various points, or as the case may be dispel them.

So back to the videos....if we are truly going to go online, and get with the modern program of marketing and selling, why are the videos that are being posted on the NZB site so poor? It's almost as though this tool is a secondary thought and one done because the neighbours are doing it. Why not make it a feature so that people can buy a horse from the online environment? If I can find it, I will post an example of this that I made 15 odd years ago.

[Breeder 608]

I would add the simple point that if the vendor is going to put up a simple photo they should get a professional photographer to do it --some who understands light etc. If I was buying I would use the online photos to help me whittle down my list of horses to look at closel,y when I got to the sales ( or to get my expert horseman/woman to look at for me).

So the photo quality is important because it could limit the number of potential buyers looking at your horse. Looking at those who have already uploaded for this year I would commend Trelawney Stud and Highline Thoroughbreds.

[elvis 43]

4 hours ago, Berri said:

We are in a digital age. Online shopping has increased by 186,000% over the past 5 years. Online horse sales have increased dramatically when a past argument was that people needed to see the horse in order to buy it. The clothing industry was the same....it was argued that women, in particular, needed to try the clothes on before buying. But Next, one of the UK's largest clothing chains, reported and annual 450% increase in online sales to women buying clothes.

So I go to the NZB site to look at some of the yearlings' photos. Many aren't there despite it being only 2 weeks before the sale. I looked at some of the videos, the result prompting me to post this message....and I hoper I don't offend anyone because my intention is improvement - not criticism.

When we look at yearlings, the first thing we want to do is have a look at the horse before anything else happens. This way we can assess what we are about to see in the walk. We like to capture an essence of the horse before we see if that essence is expressed in the walk. That initial viewing of the horse standing up is a simple format, look from the side where the mane falls on the other side, then move to the front to see the front leg conformation, go round to the other side where the mane falls and then finally look at it from the rear. Post this, the viewer will go back to where they started. At this stage, the viewer will ask to see the walk, walking away (viewing from behind to see the combination of rear end movement and front leg movement, then viewing the horse walking towards you to confirm the front limb action, and finally asking it to walk up again to view the horse side on to understand how all the conformation structures work together in a broad sense. It is this phase that the viewer tries to assess overall character through its walking expression. When the horse comes back from this phase, it should be stood up again so that the viewer can look at the minutia.... the detail for want of a better expression. Post this, another walk may be in order to confirm various points, or as the case may be dispel them.

So back to the videos....if we are truly going to go online, and get with the modern program of marketing and selling, why are the videos that are being posted on the NZB site so poor? It's almost as though this tool is a secondary thought and one done because the neighbours are doing it. Why not make it a feature so that people can buy a horse from the online environment? If I can find it, I will post an example of this that I made 15 odd years ago.

OMG I couldn't agree more. Same with some of the Gavelhouse photos etc. Why bother. This so needs to be improved .