Suitable Dressage Prospects

Question
What qualities do you look for when selecting a young Throughbred for dressage as opposed to hunter - jumper?

Answer
Hi Anne...
Funny you should ask, as I am starting the process to sort of look for a couple of TB's myself.
On this question, I can offer my opinion only -- as opposed to some of my training advice which I know works for sure.
Truth be told, it's not an exact science anyway, a lot of winners have a rather colorful background.

That said:  Dressage as an art and a way to horsemanship **should** be the basis for everything else, including hunter-jumper training.  Yes, Western trainers worth their salt do dressage too (different, but still dressage in the larger sense of the word, as in training and enhancing the natural moves of the horse without harsh means..but training for precisioin work, not sloppy)
At it's roots, dressage moves were intended to save a warrior's life in the heat of the battle, ie: capriole  the horses kicking his hind legs up, ....
In that sense, any horse of any breed who has certain athletic capabilities is  a dressage prospect: needs to move well, have a conformation appropriate to the athletic demands, and a  "sane" horse mind (for our purposes, all horses, even the ones previously abused and therefore crazy, they are all "sane".)  Insane to me would mean a true medical condition, and they are extremely rare.

But in the showring ,it's another matter althogether;  nowadays TB and Warmbloods are ok, but one is not likely to win on a shetland pony no matter how well trained.  The pony's conformation does not allow for the flashyness of certain dressage moves, like extended trot.

So yes, myself, I was thinking TB, because I like the "hot" temperament --course I knew a few very mellow TB's.
I would look for:
-- good conformation  for dressage (read Dr. Deb Bennett's books, see Equus magazine books)
   (good conformation for dressage is really no different than hunter-jumper...a dressage horse will not have to land on one front leg after a 6ft jump...but aside from that..?? )
-- good feet and health (vet check)
-- "brio" -- to use the Peruvian Paso term here, I do believe a winner in the ring will have a certain something, a presence... difficult to define, but one can see it in colts and fillies.  I would have to have time to observe and work with said babies though, not sure how to spot it "at first glance".
Most of us mistake "brio" for "hot" and wind up with hotter horses than we really planned for.  Not a good thing, unless  you are super-experienced.

What are you shopping for?  Weanling?  A 10yr old already started on dressage shows, whose training you can a) learn from b) advance to upper levels when you are ready ?  ( I was looking for your previeous question to remind myself of where you are at, but can't find right now.  I'm sure it's in my files somewheres.)

about a sane mind:
A lot of it has to do with how the horse has been handled previously.  No surprise here, a lot of the pricey dressage prospects are pricey not only because of breeding, but also because of previous training / handling.  Although *some* high-priced horses have been mishandled....and some lower priced have not....generally speaking, one does get what one pays for.  (many exceptions to that , though)

--check the breeding, find out about the sire and dam's records.  Not only show winnings, but also temperament.  Any chance you can see the sire or dam of your prospect performing?

-- on mature horses:  look how the present owner handles them  .  How are they kept ? Stall?  Turnout?  How do they behave on the ground?  Are they good while being saddled, bridled?

What I look for myself.  I am on an extremely low budget, so my prospects are as follows:
-- off the track, as long as they have no lasting injuries or leg problems.  I can deal with "crazy" and rehabilitating a horse's mind while buiilding up the body.
A dressage prospect ( as opposed to jumper) should be more... settled, wanting to go for that kind of work, rather than something as flashy as jumping..On an OTTB, I might not know untill a few months of training what suits the horse best, dressage or jumping.  

Dressage: elegant movement.
Jumping: (as opposed to hunter) it doesn't matter, you are judged on height & speed, not form.

-- previously abused horses

-- weanlings / yearlings: I would only buy  weanlings / yearlings if they grew up on a large pasture ( 50 + acres) in a herd environment.  I would not buy any horse that grew up isolated in a small paddock.  (except to rehabilitate)
Many TB, including OTTB's, don't really know where theirf feet are, because they never had to c ross streams, play in the mud, deal with natural obstacles.

I want a dressage horse that knows how to move !!!!   Forwards, too....

You can / should observe them at liberty.  See how they move, and if you like it... See if they swing the legs, collect, have a long suspension, naturally.....

gotta go, hope this helps,
Rena