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. 

There are numerous resources in finding a good horse for sale.  

1. CLASSIFIED ADS: The first obvious place would be the classified ads in your local newspaper. This is a great place for finding a horse locally and the advantage would be that you can visit the horse and the owner without driving too far (in today’s world of high gas prices, this is a big perk!).  

2. WORD OF MOUTH 

3. DREAMHORSE.COM

4. MESSAGE BOARDS (HORSECITY.COM)

5. WEBPAGES

6. HORSE SHOWS 

7. RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS

8. Horse Farms (breeding stables, training centers, boarding stables, etc)

This is a question that you probably think that you already know the answer to. Yes, horses are beautiful and they respond so lovingly in the movies! Maybe you can get a top quality racehorse out of that classified ad – a diamond in the rough that everyone else overlooked, and all of your dreams would come true, right? Or maybe you can somehow find a really nice untrained stallion who will sweep you off your feet and you can ride across the beach together into the sunset.  

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but reality is often a tough lesson. When it comes to horses, it pays to do your research and not learn things the hard way! Remember one very important thing – what you see in the movies is not necessarily reality! As always, buyer beware. The horse industry is almost like the auto industry, in that you need to really do your homework. Check out the temperament of the horse. Take a test drive of the horse. Check to make sure that all of his systems are working properly (vet check), and make sure that all paperwork is completed (registration, if there is one).  

The main reason of this page is to ask if you should get a horse. Here are some questions to ask yourself: 

1. Do you have the financial resources to be able to afford the UPKEEP of the horse? Don’t even worry about the purchase price yet. That comes secondary to understanding whether you can afford to keep the horse.  

2. Do you have the knowledge that it takes to care for the horse? If not, do you know where to find good information and resources?  

3. Are you willing to take the TIME that it takes to care for the horse? Horses need a consistent feeding schedule which means that if your horse eats twice per day, you either need to be home twice per day or have a responsible person who is able to do the task for you when you are gone. Make sure that this person understands EXACTLY how you feed your horse, as even the smallest slip up can lead to colic.  

4. Is this something that you are willing to make as a commitment? Too often people become caught up in the romanticism of owning a horse without looking into what it actually takes to own a horse! Realize what you are getting into before you jump in. Test the water a little by trying riding lessons or mucking stalls for time with horses. Spend some time with friends who have horses. If you are still sure that this is for you, then by all means take the next step!