What should you ask when looking at a horse for sale?
What should you ask when looking at a horse for sale?
1. Is the horse Safe for Beginners?
2. Is the horse sound?
3. Does the horse have any vices?
4. Do you offer a guarantee in case the horse does not work out? GET THIS IN WRITING!
5. How old is the horse?
6. What is the bloodline of the horse?
7. If the horse is registered ask to see the papers
8. Does the horse have any personality querks i.e. What makes them spook? What makes them buck? What causes them to run off? Don’t ask them ”if” they buck because they will most likely say no. Ask what types of things make him/her buck? You will most likely get a more honest answer. They should be answering truthfully anyway, but as with anything, BUYER BEWARE! You probably don’t want to bring home a horse that needs additional training for behavioral issues.
9. What type of hay/grain is the horse on? How much and how often do you feed? How much does this feed generally cost?
10. Is the horse taking any medications or supplements?
11. What types of riding and discipline is the horse accustomed to?
12. Has the horse ever shown before? What were the results?
13. Is the horse up to date on all vaccinations and de-worming?
Remember even after answering all of these questions, it is of utmost importance that when you are serious in considering a horse, you schedule something called a “Vet Check.” Make sure that you use your own veterinarian and not one recommended by the person selling the horse. You want an unbiased opinion. In the vet check, the vet will look at the overall health of the horse, check his teeth and age, check his hooves and vitals and note anything that may be out of the ordinary. This is an extremely important step in buying a horse and it should not be overlooked. Why? What if you buy the horse and find out that he/she has a lameness problem that was not seen at the time of purchase. The horse may have been on pain killers to prevent the lameness from showing. You then take the horse home and a few days later notice he is a little “off.” However, you have no proof that this lameness did not occur as a result of something that occurred after you brought the horse home. Always Insure yourself with a vet check.
Tags: Buying a Horse, horse buying, questions to ask when looking at horse for sale