Helpful Hints & Tips On Buying A Horse There is a lot to take into consideration when looking the the right horse for sale. Novice and inexperienced riders should always seek expert, unbiased advice form a qualified professional. The standard of the rider and their amount of experience looking after horses and ponies must be taken into account. Assessing the rider's capabilities and needs is essential as this should be used as a guide to find a horse or pony for sale that meets with the requirements and needs of the rider to find a potentially well matched partnership. Finding the right horse Be prepared to travel. Recommendation is always a good way of sourcing a quality horse, remember not all horses for sale are advertised. Go to competitions if you see a horse you may be interested in don't be afraid to go up to the owner and ask if they would be interested in selling. Be prepared to approach a horse producer who specializes in the type of horse for sale you are looking at. (If you do turn to a horse producer make it clear on what you do and what you don't want.) When replying to adverts find out some information on the prospective horse or pony to determine their suitability. How old is the horse? Does he have a passport? What type of temperament does the horse have? Does the horse bite or kick? Does the horse have any vices? Is the horse calm or buzzy to ride? What bit is the horse ridden in? Does the horse hack out alone and in company? Does the horse have any behavioural problems? Does the horse have a dust allergy? Has the horse had any health problems? Are the horses' vaccinations & worming an up to date? What is the horse fed on? Does the horse live in or out? Does he need any special care? Tips on viewing a horse Don't fall in love with the first horse you see, it is unlikely the first horse you see will be the one for you. Try not to be influenced by a flashy / good looking horse, not all turn out to be as nice as they look. Remember presentation is everything when selling, so the horses for sale you go to view will be done up to look the best. Look past the horses' appearance, the horse may look brilliant but can it do the job you want? Always see the horse or pony untacked and untied in a loose box. You will be able to start to determine the horse's temperament. Make sure the horse is happy to be groomed, tacked and untacked, remember to touch his face and pick up his feet. When taking them out of the stable watch as you do not want a horse that pushes you out of the way and runs off. Watch the owner turn the horse out; make sure you are happy with the way he behaves. Ask the vendor to ride the horse for so you can assess the horses' way of going. If suitable, try the horse. Ask for the horse or pony to be ridden out of the yard alone, and watch him being hacked alone and in company. (You can follow by car) You will be able to assess how the horse behaves on with traffic, and you can see how well the horse hacks alone and with company. If the seller does not have the facilities you require to try the horse or pony out arrange to meet at an equestrian centre that meets your needs, for example if the seller doesn't have access to a set of show jumps, or a cross country course. If the horse or pony meets your requirements arrange for a second viewing. Buying the horse Never buy if you don't feel safe and comfortable on the horse as this feeling won't go after you have purchased and you won't enjoy your time with the horse. Never be pressured into buying a horse. Always have a potential horse vetted. When buying your horse you must have something in writing which states the horse is up to the job you want it to do. If the horse has any problems (for instance the horse may crib) So that there is no confusion on the horses capabilities and behavior. Having a receipt / bill of sale which has this information is essential. If you brought the horse and it does not do what it should and you have nothing to prove any difference there is not much you can do, but if you have something in writing then you can prove you were sold a faulty horse and should be able to return it.
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