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Questions To Ask When Buying A Horse
Once you have narrowed down your criteria and located some potential horses for sale it's time for questions. More questions! This time to ask the owner over the phone. The answers will help you decide if this horse is worth going out to view. Things to find out are:
- Whether this horse is suitable for a beginner. Most people will be honest here, not wanting to endanger someone.
- The horse's age, height and build. Does it match you criteria?
- Color and markings, if these are important to you.
- What sort of temperament he/she has. Quiet, calm, bombproof, gentle.
- If she is a mare, what to expect with any mood swings, if any.
- The suitability for your chosen horse activity. This is an opinion only, and should be taken with a grain of salt unless there is a solid reason for that opinion. For example, if you wanted a horse for jumping and the owner advised you this horse always refuses...
- Any vices or bad habits. Charging, biting, kicking, bolting, bucking, rearing. Any of these and you can thank the owner for their time and end the call.
- Easy to catch and shoe and trailer and worm? A horse that won't do these is a pain in the behind and you should consider carefully if you want to put up with these bad habits.
- Any fears ie dogs, bicycles, cars. These aren't ideal either.
- Any health issues. So you can research if an issue would be a problem for you.
- Any soundness issues or physical limitations. A vet check will show these up, but why visit a horse that is known to be very lame?
- What the horse has been trained and used for, now and with previous owners. Has the horse had experience in what you want to do? You'll have a lot more fun on a horse that can teach you rather than the other way around.
- How long the horse has been in work (ridden regularly) and has it been in work recently. Some horses aren't trained until later in life. Sometimes horses are trained and worked and then put in a paddock and left for years.
- Any quirks of personality to be aware of. Just so you know.
- Why it is being sold. You may not get an honest answer, but it's worth asking anyway.
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Labels:
buying a horse,
choosing a horse,
horse for sale
I have a question -
What is the true definition of BOMBPROOF?
Is there one universal definition or is it up to man's interpretation of what he wants the potential beginner buyer to think?
Thank you!
Anonymous said...
10:27 PM
I'm 13 and I have been through a horse who has reared, bucked, kicked, and stomped on me all in one summer. For 5 years of Ruby's life she sat out in a field and was treated as a pet. When I got her i was extremely excited because i had rented to horses for 4 years in my riding life. When I started riding her, i found out that she had only been known to stop, walk, and trot! But then bad went to worse then to terrible. But I used the basics from this e-mail and i am currently getting the results i 've only dreamed of. Thank-you so so so much!
Anonymous said...
4:03 AM
Thank you for the information. I alwasy enjoy getting your emails and learning or re-learning about handling horses.
Marci
Marci said...
8:48 AM
Hi. This is fantastic information for a beginner. One thing you may also want to think about is whether you will ever be wanting to ride out on your own. I bought my current horse and the owner told me about 5 weeks later that she would not go out without a mate. So I am slowly trying to get her out on the road where she can't see her paddock mate but it is proving very difficult. She is very panicky. So, good to ask the question as it is very restricting to always have to ride when others are too.
Justine said...
5:00 PM
Problem is is that I have not found one single person who has been truthful about their horse/pony. I have always had problems when they are brought home which the owner, when you phone them say "that's not the horse we sold you" or "they did not have/do that when we had them.
We recently bought a pony who is fabulous, however, when he came off the lorry was itching. They said that they had washed his rugs the day before but they came out dirtier than when they were washed. This lead me to believe that they had had a problem with their washing machine. It transpires that the pony has sweetitch and my vet has confirmed this. I did contemplate taking them to the small claims court but feel sure that they will wriggle out of it.
I think it is best to go to a reputable dealer who has their reputation at stake and, if a problem should arise, will let you return the pony/horse.
Some hard lesson learnt. Don't trust anyone!!!!
Elaine said...
11:18 AM
Anyone has an experience: buy a horse whom doesn't have vet's record or any kind of health record neither from the previous owner? The last 2 owners keep him only 6 month and they sold it, their statements about vet/health issue is the same:they don't have,but the horse is healthy! Should I be worry?
Anonymous said...
3:58 AM