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Finding a New Home

© Patricia Celley

Whether you are in the market to buy or sell a horse, having the option to place the horse in his new home for a trial period has many benefits--and the potential for many problems--for both parties.

The greatest benefit of a trial period is for the buyer of the horse. There is no better way to really get to know the horse, see him in a different environment and have time for your vet to do a pre-purchase exam. Be aware though, that you are totally liable for the horse's well-fair while he is in your care. If he gets hurt or sick you pay the vet bill. If he has a fatal accident or suffers an injury that causes permanent damage you will pay the owner the full purchase price. The owner of the horse has the right to demand full payment and refuse to take the horse back if he is not returned in exactly the same condition as when you took possession. An unscrupulous seller may claim that an old injury was not there when you took him, or claim that he was in better condition when you took him than he actually was. Buyers also need to be aware that there is a drug used on horses to make them calm that can last in the system for up to two weeks. The drug is Resperpine. It is a drug intended for human use and will not show up in a normal drug test unless you screen for it specifically.

As the seller of a horse, allowing the buyer to take possession of the horse for a two week period may make it easier to close the sale. It may also add credibility to your reputation. However, you as the seller are taking all the risk. Some factors that you may want to take into consideration when deciding to let a horse go on trial are the horse's age, the level of training the horse has, the distance from you he will be going, the level of experience the buyer has and the availability of references.

The younger a horse is the less suitable he is to go on a trial period. A young horse is much more impressionable and learning from his experiences and handling all the time. Also a younger horse is more likely to play roughly and injure himself. Regardless of the horse's age, a trial period is not in your best interest if you have a horse with a lot of specialized training that may be compromised by being ridden incorrectly.

The copyright of the article Finding a New Home in Horse Talk is owned by Patricia Celley. Permission to republish Finding a New Home in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.