Buying a Horse- Do it Right the First Time

Note: My apologies for the weird formatting. This was typed on a separate program and pasted in and I can not figure out how to fix it. 

What to Look For In a Horse

Basics

Conformation

Teeth

Hoofs

Eyes

Coat

Fitness

Soundness

Movement

What to Do at a Pre-Purchase Meetings

 

1. Inspect the area the horse is kept in. Look for vices such as chewing and stall and gate 

kicking.

2. If possible, watch the horse and how he behaves around other horses and humans.

3. Ask to prepare the horse for the ride yourself. Pay attention to how he reacts while 

you tack him up.

4. While watching the owner ride him, pay attention to the way the horse is moving and

 ask about any and all problems you notice.

5. Try to have someone film as much as they can, especially when the horse is being worked on the ground and ridden. This will help if you are comparing many horses.

6. Horse should be trotted in hand while you or an experienced rider watches to 

ensure soundness.

7.Make sure you can touch all parts of the horse’s body and inspect for injuries or flaws.

Make sure to have someone take note of these possible flaws or injuries.

 8. Ride the horse both in and out of the arena, and make sure he performs well in multiple 

areas.

Feel for his movement, and make sure you run him through walking, trotting, and  

cantering. Many riders don’t want to canter a new horse, but doing so will let you know 

more about how he moves.

9. If you are capable of doing so, ride him bareback some, mostly at a walk.

Feel his muscles underneath you. Do you sense anything amiss?

What to Watch for in Listings
Owners are not always truthful in listings. Here is what to watch for when looking at listings. 

1. Project horse. If you are not looking for a project horse, ignore these listings.

Note: Almost all sellers will under exaggerate flaws. Also watch out for listing that state that a horse is
“green”, halter broke, or “in training.”

 

2. Age. If the precise age of a horse is not listed, chances are it is an older or younger

 horse that might be too old to do much or to young to be ridden.

This does not mean you should entirely ignore these listings. Sometimes the seller may 

forget to list this information. Call the seller to clarify.  

3. With foal or two-in-one package. Often sellers will try to sell a horse that is pregnant

 so they don’t have to deal with it.

Chances are, you don’t want to deal with both a mare and 

a baby. Same goes for several horses that must be bought together. Chances are, these

 horses are not well trained and are extremely herd-bound.

4. Needs someone quite advanced or not a beginners’ horse. These horses will be difficult 

to ride and often bad-tempered. Only consider these horses if you are extremely advanced 

as a rider.

5. Needs work or out to pasture last 6+ months. If you are a good rider, you may want to

consider these ads, but only if you are good rider and confident with ill-behaved horses.

Those are some of the main things to watch for in ads, but there are others as well. Always be sure to ask the owner several questions about the ad before agreeing to see the horse, lest you waste a trip.

Always be aware that there are many horses available, and don't buy one that is unsuitable for you or your environment and those around you. Happy riding!