4 Tips on How to Pick the Horse You Want to Buy

Buying a horse and having it arrive in your home is a thrilling experience, especially if it’s your first time. However, due to people’s lack of research, this experience would end too soon after a few weeks due to inexperience or inattentiveness. But with the right research and be careful, this traumatic experience can and will be avoided.

But how do you know that you or the person you are buying the horse for is ready to own a horse? It’s simple. It would be best if you did some appraisal for yourself or for the person. Ask questions like am I ready to own a horse? Or do I have enough experience in attending to horses? What about the financial aspect? If you are limited to only experience getting in contact with horse to ranch visits, then maybe it’s not a good idea to own a horse just yet.

There are a lot of things you should consider before buying the horse. Not thinking about it enough or just buying one due to impulse will lead to disaster. However, if you think you’re ready but don’t know how to go about it, then you’re at the right place. Here are some tips you can follow on how to pick the horse you want to buy.

Self-Assessment

Before you go ahead and buy a new horse, you must decide on what you want to do with the said horse when you acquire it. This because of the vetting the horse will need. Simply put, if you want to buy a horse to compete in the Preakness 2020 lineup, then the vet will attend to the horse for it to be able to compete in the tournament, same as buying it for recreational purposes only.

Deciding on what to do with your horse pre-purchase will save you a lot of hassle in tending the horse. Also, take note of the age of the horse you want to buy as it is also essential in vetting. The younger the horse is, the cleaner or simpler the vetting of the horse will be. The older it is, the more maintenance the horse will require.

Cost

Not all horses are priced the same. They the price each horse has varied according to breed, age, sex, the training it has, and the size are just some of the factors that go into pricing a horse. However, the most crucial factor you should consider in pricing a horse is the breed. Horses are used in different activities, and each breed is useful in at least one of them.

For example, if you are looking for a horse that is adept in competitive jumping and hunting, consider Thoroughbreds, Crossbred, and Warmbloods. If you like western riding, try Quarter horses, Paint, or Appaloosa. However if you just like pleasure riding, then the breed isn’t as crucial as the temperament of the horse.

Handling

Each horse is unique and handles differently. That said, knowing how to handle the horse you want to buy is crucial for you to know the feel of the horse, as well as how to tend to it. If you want to see how a particular horse should be handled, you can ask the seller himself to ride the horse you are planning to buy.

Also, there are questions you can ask the seller if you want to be more specific like, does it stand still when mounting? Or does it react violently when tugged often? How about the temperament of the horse when ridden for a long time? While these questions aren’t a necessary concern for most experienced horse riders, for a beginner, these vices will be hard to deal with.

Take note, however, that a horse can also adapt to the rider. So if you see a horse rider riding a horse smoothly, it might not be the same for someone who is just learning.

History

Knowing the history of the horse is also an excellent way to know if you can be compatible with it. You can ask the seller several questions like how long does he have the horse? Or why are they selling it? Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions because not knowing enough about a horse can spell disaster.

Also, if the seller doesn’t have enough information about the history of the horse due to him just newly acquiring a horse, you can ask the previous owner of the horse. Or you can just check the registration papers of the horse, which has the contact information of the previous owner.

Takeaway

Buying and owning should be thought out very well firsthand. A horse needs a lot of maintenance and can cost a fortune, especially if you’re buying it competitively. That said, never be ashamed of asking a lot of questions to the seller about the horse. The knowledge you have about a horse will help you in its handling and maintenance. If you want to avoid having problems with a horse, know everything about it.