Tips for buying a horse

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THIS week I thought it would be good to talk about buying your new equine friend. This is not always an easy procedure. As it is very daunting to buy a horse for the first time, I thought that it would be useful to share some tips about things to do and questions to ask. First, do your homework thoroughly. There are good people out there, but others are just dealers. As horses are large animals, they can hurt you when they have been in the wrong hands. So, when finding a horse, I always like to see people catch it from the paddock, as that is one way to learn a lot about the nature of the horse. This request can always be made before your visit. Second, always take your own gear as you do not know about the reliability of the owner’s. Next, make the owner ride the horse, in and outside yards and arenas, as a horse may exhibit quite different behavior once in open space. Then check to make sure that the horse is responsive with a good soft mouth. Here, it is a good sign if the horse is ridden with a snaffle. Next, check the horse for signs of lameness or old injuries. Here, you are entitled to ask for a check by a vet. While this may have already been done by the owners, sometimes it may come at your expense. Finally, there are a lot of horses out there so I do stress (and I can’t stress enough) that you should take your time and not rush into buying the first horse that you find. If you are unsure when going to test your chosen horse by riding it yourself, take someone with you who is knowledgeable and who may pick up things that you may not notice. You need to keep in mind that horses have teeth, hind legs and an ability to buck – so be careful. It is great to have an equine friend, but please be safe as well. I hope that this advice helps you when buying a horse. Happy riding until next time.

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