A good horse filmed badly looks like an ordinary horse. With a phone and five well-used minutes you can show what it is worth, whether you are selling it or want an objective assessment.
Before you film
Footing and light: a level arena in daylight, ideally without the sun facing the camera. Avoid filming at dusk, when phones blur the movement.
The horse: clean, with no boots or bandages covering the fetlocks, and with a free head when loose. If ridden, in simple tack.
The phone: always landscape, with a clean lens and, if possible, on a tripod or resting on something.
Where to stand
For the paces, film from the side, with the camera still at about 10–20 metres and no zoom. Let the horse cross the frame from one side to the other: that shows its real reach. Panning to follow it is fine; zooming in and out is not, because it changes the apparent size of the movement.
What to film
Walk: at least 20 strides in a row on each rein.
Trot: 20 strides or more on each rein, in a straight line along the long side.
Canter: both reins, with some trot–canter transitions.
If ridden: the figures that fit its age. At 4–5 years circles, changes of direction and transitions are enough; there is no need to force exercises that are not due yet.
For soundness: trot in a straight line on hard ground, away from the camera and back towards it, with the camera at withers height.
Mistakes that cost value
Filming in portrait: it cuts off the legs or the head.
Two-second clips: they don’t show the rhythm.
Music on top, or slow motion for the whole video: buyers wonder what is being hidden.
Editing in only the best strides: one continuous video builds more trust than a cut one.
Conformation photos
If you also take photos, the most important is the side view: in profile, at 5–6 metres, with the phone at mid-body height and all four legs visible, those on one side slightly apart from those on the other.
How Horsia helps
When you upload the video to Horsia, we tell you what to film for the horse’s age and level. Then we analyse each pace with the same criteria for every horse and send you a report with its level, how far it can go and its value against the market.