Buying Your First Horse - Part 3

Viewing A Horse

People buy horses all the time. Which means people are selling horses all the time. Horses can be for sale for a hundred dfferent reasons, but a lot of the time, the horse and owner just aren't right for each other.

So, how can this situation be avoided in the first place?

I think that there are quite a few things you can do to help avoid a situation where you are not happy with your new family member and the main one I believe is to know what you are doing when you go to view your prospective steed.

Arrange the best viewing time

When you first go to see a horse you want to be able to do exactly that, see it. So, the first, very important piece of advice I can give is to make sure you see the horse in daylight. I know, that may sound a bit silly right now, but you would be surprised how many people arrange to see a horse for the first time one night after work, for example, make an appointment at 7pm on a November evening, get there and find that it's pitch dark. Yes, the light will be on in the stable, and yes, the yard will probably have a flood-lit school, however you probably won't spot lumps and bumps, scars or any little things that you might have otherwise noticed in full daylight.

I would try to make an appointment around lunch time on a weekend, or during the week if you are lucky enough to have weekday free time. That way, you aren't likely to get there just after the horse has had a feed, so there should be no issues with riding, the light should be good, so you have the best chance of getting a really good look at the horse and it should leave you plenty of time to spend with them, as there's no rush for tea time or anything like that.

Never go alone

If you have set your heart on a horse from the photos on the advert, or a video the owner has sent to you, going alone to the viewing can be a very bad idea! You already want to buy him or her, so it might be harder to find any faults or any reasons why the horse would not suit you.

Take a friend or two with you, who know about horses and know what it is you are looking for. If possible, it's great to take your instructor with you. If your instructor is a busy person, maybe take them to a second viewing if you think the horse really does have potential. Your instructor knows your style of riding best and knows your strengths and weaknesses. They should be able to see you ride the horse and let you know pretty quickly whether it looks as though you'll gel well together.

It is always good to have a chat with whoever you are taking before you get there. Make sure they know what it is you are looking for and why you are going to see the horse. Remember, they are with you to help you think objectively about your new horse, not to persuade/dissuade you because of their personal opinions. So make sure you take people you trust.

Always ride the horse yourself

Unless you are buying a companion horse or pony that is never going to be ridden by you, make sure you can ride the horse you are going to see.

Ask the owner to show you the horse ridden first. This should show up any immediate issues or habits that you may need to know about before you get on. It will also give you an insight into the horse's temperament. Are they lazy, skittish, spooky etc.

Then it's your turn. If you are not an accomplished rider just yet, or are a nervous rider, take your instructor so that they can give you a 'mini-lesson' when you ride the horse for the first time. Your instructor will give you confidence and will be able to give you immediate advice if the horse does something that you have not come across before. If you are a confident and experienced rider, there should be no reason why you cannot ride the horse without your instructor. As long as you have your riding hat and suitable clothing, and a friend watching just in case, the owner should not have a reason to not let you ride the horse.

I would be suspicious of any owner that was not expecting you to want to ride the horse on a viewing. Especially if it is a viewing that has been arranged in advance and the owner knows that you will be riding the horse if you purchase him or her.

Examining the horse

Before you do get on, take a good look at the horse. Check out all it's legs and feet, ask the owner to pick the horse's feet up and if it behaves well, try to pick its feet up yourself. Check the horse's ears and face. Make sure he or she has no issues with you touching any part of their body. If possible, ask to see the horse groomed and tacked up before you ride, then ask to see the horse un-tacked and groomed again afterwards.

This should show you any immediate bad habits the horse may have, such as biting when the girth is being fastened etc.

There are some habits that can not be seen on one visit and don't expect to be able to come back from a viewing knowing the horse inside out. But, the more time you can spend there and the more you can see, the better chance you have of making the right decison.

Some habits can be helped and eventually go away, such as not letting you touch their ears. A bit of playing and grooming every day for a few months should help the horse get over this. However, if the horse kicks out whenever someone tries to brush its stomach, there may be an underlying issue and this must be taken into consideration.

If you are serious about buying a horse, have a vetting

Aside from buying a foal, or a horse under the ager of 3, I would advise in every case for you to have your prospective horse vetted.

The main reason is for the animal's own well-being. If the horse you are buying has an issue which you are not aware of, which then means that it is not able to physically cope with the activities you want to complete, you may end up causing more harm and sometimes long term damage to the horse.

In a vetting, the vet will check the whole horse, top to bottom. You can even request blood tests etc, however this is only usually done when someone is spending a lot of money on a horse that is going to be competing at high levels. Make sure your vet knows the type of activities you will be taking part in with the horse, then let them do the work.

They will come back to you with a full report which should high-light any issues the horse may have.

Not only is this good for the horse, but it is good for you also. Taking on a horse is expensive and to take on a horse with issues that will need treating will be even more expensive.

I believe it is in all parties' interests to have the horse vetted before the sale. The vetting may even high-light something the current owner wasn't aware of, so even if you choose not to buy the horse, the owner will have extra knowledge that will help them to help their horse.

Lastly, never make a rash decision

I cannot stress enought the importance of taking your time when buying your first horse. I know how tempting it can be when you fall in love with a horse, to just say 'I'll take him' there and then. But you must think about your decision carefully, if not for yourself, for the animal.

Like I said to begin with, you don't want to be in a situation where you have bought a horse, then six months later find you need to sell him or her because your partnership is not working.

So please, think before you buy!

Thanks for reading!

Sarah