What NOT to BUY in a HORSE!

Now that I have your attention, we really need to talk. This is important. I've been told I should charge for this section of my website, but I don't, because I CARE.

You will probably roll your eyes at some points during this speech, but DON'T stop reading!

The first section of this page will discuss the rules that should be followed when going to look at a horse.

The second section of this page will discuss the things that should be looked for/at when buying a horse.

Okay, first things first:

Do not go somewhere to look at a horse, without whatever mentor you need to have along with you in order to make a decision.

ice <<<your mother-in-law's new best friend:)

You should be able to make an informed decision after putting the horse through various tests and asking questions. (Tests will be discussed below!) The worst case scenario is that you will drive home with an empty trailer. Considering gas prices today, this is MUCH better than driving all the way back two days (two weeks, whatever) later to pick up the horse. The horse may be sold by then anyway.

Know what you are looking for, what you want to use the horse for and what kind of personality you need to fit in with your program. ASK questions of the seller about the horses personality, responsiveness, and experience. IF after you speak to the seller either via email or phone the horse STILL sounds good, then you visit the horse. If you have questions or fears after you hang up, call back!! If you think that you DON'T know what you want to use the horse for, think again, I bet you do.

Lets say you want to hack around on the farm, but you MIGHT want to show the horse later on it life. GREAT, tell the seller this, they may have the perfect horse for you. See, you do know what you want the horse for! If you think you just might want something for the grandkids, but then again, you might want to hook it up to a cart and sell tomatoes on the highway as well, then tell this to the seller. They may have that!

If just love the high energy, big moving Country Pleasure Horses (Saddle seat/flat Saddle), and think you want that, but you have only ridden western pleasure...take some lessons, then talk about buying that kind of horse.

Now, if you don't really want to buy a horse and you just want to look at a horse, fine, go looking (this is window shopping) does that mean you get to ride the horse? Probably not, drive by the field and look. If you just want to hang out at a barn, go find a friend and hang out at their barn. The point I'm trying to make is that purchasing a horse is an investment and a commitment; the original purchase price of the horse is just the tip of the ice-burg. It costs to feed and care for a horse year round, and that will most likely far out weigh the original purchase price. Let alone the hard daily work it involves. Owning a horse is definitely a rewarding emotional journey, also a costly oneJ

This part is IMPORTANT! Please have a budget in mind, if you KNOW you cannot spend more than $1500.00 and you are looking at a $2500.00 dollar horse, that's OKAY. Just make sure you have the $1500.00 WITH you. Most people ~ MOST ~ I say, are willing to negotiate if you click with the horse (really love it) and have cash in hand. I can tell you that I personally have actually waived all adoption fees on a few horses when I just knew that the person looking was a perfect match for the horse.

Who WON'T negotiate? As a general "rule of thumb" there are two different categories of non-negotiating people. *Please note, there are always exceptions and it never hurts to ask:)

Category #1: High-end professionals with high-end horses in high-end barns that deal with high-end people. Are you getting the picture? If you are looking at a winning hunter jumper that lives in a climate controlled barn and has been ridden exclusively by 10 year olds that have been in lessons since they were two years old these people are NOT going to come down by $1000.00 on their price. If you REALLY impress them, they MAY come down a couple of hundred.

Category #2 These people have a reason for asking the price they are asking for their horse, usually a personal reason such as they need to pay the phone bill and the electric bill or the rent and the price of the horse covers it. OR they are already at a very reasonable amount and simply can't go down anymore. The people who have put "that much" into the horse fall in this category as well. Again, these people cannot give you a big cut on the price. They just can't afford to, and since it's already rather low brow, they know that they can and will sell the horse at the price they want in a reasonable amount of time, so it's worth waiting for. HOWEVER, if have the truck/trailer/love and cash...well, they may come down a couple of hundred dollars.

Most people will tell you if they are FIRM on a price. If you MUST have that horse, you will either come up with the difference or do your best to change the persons mind. If that doesn't work, it's okay, wait a few months, and if the horse is still available, they most likely will come down on the price.

If you need a mentor of some sort to go with you to see the horses you want to buy, take them! Take them the day you go.

Okay, so, you go look at a horse, you just don't like it. Here you have your truck, trailer and cash.

What key element is missing?

LOVE!! If you DON'T like the horse DO NOT buy it.

You will know right away if you like it. If you don't, then don't get it. Now, I don't necessarily mean that mushy warm fuzzy feeling...I mean think with your head AND your heart, if the horse doesn't fit the bill, don't buy it. It's simple.

You did NOT waste your time or theirs if you just simply didn't click with the horse either. It can do all that you asked, and for whatever reason, you just don't want to take it home..then don't. Follow your instincts. I know that part stinks! The part where you know it's a great horse, but you just can't put your finger on why you don't like it...there is no reasonable explanation for it...well, that does stink...but you know what, don't buy it. There are others out there.

****One note on this, I buy horses on instinct all the time for myself. However, when I am looking for lesson horses for the students or any horse for another person for that matter), I don't go by my gut as much as I do the horse passing the tests. I can emotionally either take the horse or leave it, but it fit passes the tests I buy it anyway, this is because the students may end up LOVING it. I have two prime examples on the farm right now. One is a pony I don't even particularly like and the kids love it. One is a QH mare that is VERY pretty to look at but doesn't do much for me as far as wanting to hug her, however the adults and children alike LOVE her. I personally did not click with these horses, but I put them through the tests, and they passed and I purchased the horses. I didn't have to love them, other people did and they do! ****

What if I love the horse and it did NOT pass the tests??

Remember, I said, KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. Right? Okay, so, we have to decide if you want to settle. Lets say the horse bucked when asked for the lope or canter. Is that acceptable? No, of course not. The owner will most likely tell you that the horse either hasn't been ridden in awhile, has never done that before, doesn't do it after fifteen minutes of riding, or after he does it the first time he doesn't do it anymore, or needs work on the lope/canter. The latter answer is most likely the accurate one.

Ask yourself:

Is this caused by soreness in the horse?
Is this caused by lack of training in the horse?
Is the caused by attitude in the horse?
Is this caused by rider error?

Okay, if it's rider error, you are on a well-trained horse that won't tolerate sloppiness and you need some lessons. So, do you want to spend money on lessons with THIS horse? We are talking $30 - $50 per hour once a week for at least 2- 3 months. Is this horse REALLY worth that? If so, get it. Don't let the opportunity pass you buy if it's only a few hundred more dollars to fix yourself. AND don't forget, the owners may totally negotiate with your for the price of lessons if you tell them your plans!

Okay, if it's horse attitude, you have to decide ~do you want to spend either more money or more TIME on this horse to work it through its mental issues. A trainer is going to cost you anywhere from $400.00 for 30 days to $700.00 for 30 days. In the end you may have a horse that has a great attitude for the trainer and still has a bad attitude with you! Remember, attitude is lack of respect, and it's twice as long and difficult to "train" the attitude out of a horse. If you choose to do it yourself, and invest your own time, ask yourself this...Do you want to fight this horse for potentially 3-6 months every time you ask it to lope/canter? If this is a joy to you (it really is for some people) then by all means, buy the horse. Please note, other people aside from you may not be able to ride this horse at the lope for a very long time. Again, it may respect you but not others. If you wanted a horse for yourself AND the grandkids, you really DON'T want this horse...UNLESS you are willing to buy something else for the grandkids, or don't let them lope the horse:) Attitude is shown by ears pinned, eyes squinted, nostrils big, tail swishing, neck arched, muscles tense and just an all around "ugliness" at the time of the request. Attitude is consistent, it happens over and over.

Okay, so lack of training... looks very similar to attitude doesn't it? The difference is, the horse will look confused/frightened or upset when asked for the lope/canter. He will most likely hesitate and try other things first (indicating a willingness to please, but no idea what you want) When pressured for the lope/canter the bucking will be short lived and done totally out of "I give up, I don't know what you want get off!" Okay, now this is much easier to "fix" but again, it will cost you money and/or time. It's an investment. There are many other horses out there. Do you want to spend either time or money to finish this one? Most likely this type of horse will take the standard 30 days to "fix" ~ sometimes only a couple of weeks if you do it yourself on a daily basis. The question is do you want to? If so, get this one, you will have a much deeper bond with the horse if YOU train it yourself! You will be able to trust it and have a great relationship if you choose to invest the time into it as opposed to send it to a trainer to fix:)

Soreness...this one is tough, a sore horse can very much come acrossed as a horse with attitude. Wouldn't you? So, do the flexion, test, ask questions, feel for heat, feel the horses back, watch it move. You still love the horse? Okay, have it vet checked, it may be something as minor as a pulled muscle and you don't want to pass this horse by if it will be gone in two weeks of rest. If it's a permanent fused hock, well, you decide if loping is that important for what you want to do. If it is, you are going to have to pass on this horse.

lesson

I have noticed that people make horse buying WAY more complicated that in needs to be. It really boils down to either you like and want the horse or you don't.

Remember, it's a commitment, and an investment in your own future as well as the future of the horse.

I'm sure you are getting the idea now.

But lets re-cap.

Know what you want in a horse be specific
Know what your plans are for the horse be specific
Know your budget
Know your instincts
Have a plan for tests you are going to put the horse through
Have a list of questions for the owner
Know what you are willing to settle for
Know what you are willing to invest time wise in a horse
Have your friend/mentor with you

We have talked a lot about "tests" and I'm sure you can't help but notice I haven't told you WHAT tests yet. Okay, if I have kept you this long, I am now willing to share the tests with you:)

BEFORE BUYING A HORSE ~SAFETY TIPS

***As with all horses that I sell, I am happy to work with you and your horse as much as you like (with-in reason; this is not a license to have free lessons for 6 months!! Most people only utilize this for a couple of weeks) before you take him or her home with you at no charge. I want you and your horse comfortable with one another.

*** I encourage you to get the horse of your choice vet checked before you buy it.

*** If the owner of the horse will not ride it first, don't put yourself or your child on the horse.

**** If the horse is already saddled and bridled when you get there, ask if the owner will unsaddle and unbridle it so that you can see for yourself if the horse stands to be saddled, if the horse is "cinchy" and if the horse has a problem raising his head or fighting to get the bridle on in any way. You can see if he is ear shy or head shy.

***Ask the owner to not only pick up all four feet but to tap on the feet with the hoof pick and hold the feet in the position the farrier does.

***Ask the owner to walk behind the horse (unless they have already informed you the animal kicks of-course), Ask the owner to brush/play with the horses tail.

****Ask the owner to spray the horse with something, if it isn't fly spray season, have them use de-tangle spray on the mane and tail.

***Pay attention as to weather or not the owner brushes the horse before riding it. If not...Ask the owner to touch the horse on the flanks, on the horses ears and stomach. Lots horses are touchy or kicky in these areas; you would only see this if you were able to watch the horse being brushed.

***If you don't fall "in love at first sight" with the horse, come back and visit it again. Pretty is as Pretty Does in the horse world especially. If you feel safe on a horse that's been "hit one too many times with the ol' ugly stick" the horse becomes more and more beautiful as time goes on...just ask my BEAUTIFUL MULE:)) Safety is the key to a wonderful relationship.

***Show up a little early or even unexpectedly if you are close enough to the horse’s location to do so. This way you know for sure the horse is not drugged when you show up! You can see if the horse is easy to catch as well.

*****Can you "Sack the horse out" with a plastic bag, saddle pad, rope etc?

****Pick up all four feet.

****Remember what you lead is what you ride, if the horse is pushy on the ground, it is likely to be pushy under saddle.

*****Will the horse accept be mounted, saddled, everything on BOTH sides?

****Can you put the saddle on the horses Hind Quarters without the horse bucking?

****Can you drop the saddle off of both sides and the hind with out the horse spooking/jumping?

****Can you roll a ball towards the horse?

****Will the horse go around/over obstacles?

****Between larger obstacles?

These are just a few tips for buying a horse. REMEMBER ~ Horses are great FRIENDS, great FUN, and wonderful ANIMALS, but if you are NOT SAFE, and NOT COMFORTABLE, it's not fun anymore.

And a final note...I can't say it enough...It's not IF you are gonna get hurt with horses, it's WHEN you're gonna get hurt. NO owner should put a 100% guarantee on any horse you are looking at in that department...horses DO have minds of their own. AS humans it's our job to pick that mind and make the best judgment we can as to what kind of temperament we are dealing with.

****All information on this page is Copy Right of MoonWind Stables. It is unlawful to plagiarize anything on this page in anyway shape or form.****