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BUYING A HORSE
Thanks to:arbittier@wharton.upenn.edu
Okay, everybody, I've compiled a list of things to look for
when buying a horse. There were so many items, I divided
the list into three sections: looking for a horse, vetting
the horse, and purchasing the horse. These will be in three
separate posts. Disclaimer: Nearly all these ideas came from
you out there; if you happen to see something that sounds like a
direct quote from you, it probably is! I hope this helps
future horse buyers!
Looking for the right horse:
1. List beforehand some guidelines of what you are looking for
in your future horse: age range, gender, height, experience,
training, quality, prospective use, price, etc. Try to stick
to these guidelines, although you can be a bit flexible (if
you find a nice mare when you usually prefer geldings, or if
you find a 6-year-old when you listed 4-5 years as your age range).
2. Get as much information over the telephone as possible. It is
very time-consuming to travel to see a horse, only to find that
it is really spooky when ridden, or has some major blemish that
(hopefully) you could have found out over the telephone and
saved the trip. (It helps to make a list of questions for the
seller over the phone, such as if the horse trailers, if there
are any vices you should know about, if the horse has any major
confirmation flaws, etc.) WRITE THE ANSWERS DOWN! Take the
list along with you, and hopefully what you have been told will
match the actual horse.
3. Reserve plenty of time to see the horse. Don't have just a half
hour to see and ride the horse--you will feel rushed and worry that
you missed something.
4. Take your time looking the horse over. Look at the horse tacked and
untacked. Some blemishes can be easily hidden by a saddle. Watch
the horse as it is groomed, look at its attitude. Pick up the
hooves to see if there is resistance to this everyday procedure
(I had a horse kick at me when I picked up a back hoof!). If the
seller has the horse tacked when you get there, ask to see it
being untacked and brushed after the ride.
5. Get direct answers from the seller. If they seem unsure, don't look
at you directly, or simply don't know about major things, be
suspicious. Try to see the real truth behind the flood of praise
that you will probably hear.
6. Check the stall. Look for signs of cribbing, chewing, etc. that
may cause a problem. If you can, look at the habits of the horse
while in the stall. Watch him being fed. See him turned out with
other horses.
7. Examine the horse's hooves and legs VERY CAREFULLY. Have the owner
walk and trot the horse, away from you, toward you, and in front
of you so that you can see the stride and straightness of the
movements of this legs. (The vet should do this in his routine
examination.)
8. Have the seller ride before you get on the horse. Don't take any
excuse (such as wearing improper clothes) from the seller. Several
people have mentioned awful experiences with bucking and rearing
horses, which the seller had an excuse not to ride. To make
this point clear, inform the seller over the telephone that
you will want to see the horse ridden by the seller first. If
you get there, and the seller refuses to ride the horse ("Oh,
I forgot!") then examine the horse on the ground and leave. Make
another appointment if you are still interested in the horse
after seeing it, but assure the seller you want to see the horse
ridden by someone else first.
9. See the horse more than once. If you like the horse after the
first visit (where you have worked around it and ridden it), say
you'll think it over. Call back that evening and make another
appointment to ride the horse. Understand that, if you do not
put a down payment on the horse at this point, it may be sold out
from under you. Also try to "drop in" unexpectedly, although
don't be a pain; the seller may decide against you because you
inconvenienced him/her.
10. Take somebody objective along with you. Besides being able to
see you ride and how the horse looks, you both can discuss your
individual reactions on the ride home. Don't discuss in front
of the seller; get your own feelings and then talk in the car,
while the horse is still fresh in your mind. This person can
be your trainer, spouse, sybling, etc., just make sure that
he/she is objective (no horse-crazy children, please!).
11. Have your friend take pictures and/or video of the horse at liberty,
the owner riding the horse, and you riding the horse. This will
give you another objective idea when you are away from
the seller. It will also show you how you fitted the horse, and
how it reacted to your riding.
12. Try to ride in more than one area, if possible--the ring, the trail,
and/or a field. Notice your horse's reactions going toward and away
from the stable and other horses.
13. If the horse is registered, look at the papers. There may be
a list of previous owners on the back of the papers. Contact them
and ask detailed questions about the horse's training, injuries,
past health problems, habits, and personality.
14. If the horse has a flaw (for example, roaring), and you are going
to compete in a particular division of sport, make sure that the
flaw is permissable by contacting the governing association.
15. If you really think the horse has possibilities, ask if a trial
period is possible, but don't be surprised if the seller says
no. Perhaps work it into the contract (see "Purchasing the horse").
16. Finally, Dorothy Marsh said this best (IMHO): "Sometimes you have to
settle for less than your perfect horse, but don't settle if the horse
lacks something that is important to you. You won't be happy with the
horse. Keep looking." There ARE lots of horses out there,
especially these days. (Although I am the first to admit that this is
possibly the hardest advice to follow, looking into those dark
liquid eyes!) :-)
VETTING THE HORSE
1. If possible, use your own vet or one who is highly recommended.
Do not use the seller's vet or one who takes care of that
particular barn.
2. Be at the vet check, if possible. If you are not able to be
there, most vets will prepare a written report for you. If this
is the case, also talk with the vet personally after he sees the
horse.
3. Let the vet know what you plan to use the horse for.
4. Do not expect the vet to say buy or don't buy. This is not
his/her job. The most the vet can say is if he/she thinks the
horse should be capable of what you want to use it for.
5. Have a checklist of what you want the vet to cover. Standard
checks are vision, teeth (for age and proper masticulation), gums,
hooves (he should use pinchers), legs (for straightness and
proper growth, as well as blemishes), joint flexion, soundness
in the walk and trot, pulse and respiration at rest and after
exercise. Have the vet see you ride the horse, if possible; the
extra weight on the horse's back might indicate something that was
not seen before. If you are concerned and/or are able to spend the money,
you can get x-rays and blood tests, too. The vet should recommend
if he thinks there is a cause to take x-rays. Blood tests are
recommended for horses on the track, or if there is a distinct
difference in temperament/gait between times you have ridden the
horse.
6. Note: the vet will NOT check if the temperament of the horse
is suitable for the purchaser. He/she does not have the authority
to pass that knowledge. He/she will only say if the horse seems
to be suitable for your purpose.
7. Get a list of dates for recent shots, worming, etc. from the seller;
try to get the actual previous vet records.
8. Also get a date of the last Coggins test. The owner should have
a document from her vet with the date that the blood was tested.
Some states have a law that there must be a Coggins within 30 days
of a horse being moved between properties; check on this within
your state. Also check with your barn if it is a requirement to
have a Coggins at time of move-in; it is at most stables! It is
also necessary to provide an up-to-date Coggins at many competitions.
It will be cheaper if you get the Coggins drawn at the time of
vet check, so that you don't have to pay for an extra barn call.
Also, if you are in a rush, you can probably get the results within
a day or two if you pay for overnight mail and get verbal results
over the phone from the lab. Check with your vet on this option.
9. If you are purchasing a mare for possible broodmare purchases,
have the vet check for possible pregnancy problems. (I don't
know specifically what to ask for, here. If the horse has
been bred before, there should be records if she slipped, never
caught, had healthy foals, etc.)
10. a detailed comparison of the horse to the
papers during Phase 1, and maybe have the vet verify it in Phase 2,
rather than leaving it to Phase 3.
If the vet passes the horse as being suitable for your purpose, and
you are still happy with the horse, go on to the next step...Purchasing
the horse (see next post)...
PURCHASING THE HORSE:
1. If the owner is amenable, arrange for a trial period for the
horse--but don't be surprised if the owner doesn't like the
idea.
2. Make out a contract for a purchase agreement. Include the
following: the tattoo/registry number of the horse, if
applicable; the purchase price of the horse (necessary if
horse is to be insured!); a statement that the seller has
legal title of ownership, and will exchange said legal title
at time of sale, when monies are exchange; the date of the
sale; contigencies of the sale (said horse will pass the vet
check, at best of seller's knowledge horse is ???); arrangements
for trial period and/or downpayment, if applicable. Many of
these arrangements can be worked out between you and the seller.
The main thing to include is transfer of the legal title of
ownership.
3. Registered horses may have a section on the back of the papers
for title transferral, where the seller signs in one column and
you sign in another. There may also be official tranferral
forms from that particular registry office; check with the registry
office of that breed.
4. Don't get pushed into buying more quickly than you want. If you
feel the seller is trying to "unload" the horse, find out why.
Just try to stay rational (if possible! :-) ) throughout the
buying process; it is easier to get attached after it is all over,
than to get unattached if the deal falls through!
5. Arrange the trailering, and include in the contract the length of
time that the horse will stay on the seller's property. Also
include, if the horse will stay on the seller's property, who
will be responsible if the horse gets injured, needs shoeing, etc.
If you have paid for the horse and are just waiting transportation,
you will probably be held responsible for all emergency and upkeep
costs until the horse leaves (barring neglect by the seller!).
Finally, make the transition to the new stable easier on the horse, by
finding out the amount of feed he got at the seller's barn, % protein,
any additives or special diet. Once you get the horse to the new
place, allow him time to settle in. Most of all, now all the buying
process is over and he's YOURS, have FUN!!!
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