Buying a Horse

Lesson 2: Buying Your Horse

Riding the Potential Horse

If you're not comfortable riding a strange horse then ask the owners or a knowledgeable friend to do it for you. The owners shouldn't mind especially if they've touted the horse's good behavior to the hilt, and besides, if he's going to do something stupid then let the owners deal with it. They will also be the best people to show you what the horse can and cannot do. If all goes well, then you can ride him yourself. It is important that you ride him so you'll know how he responds to you, but you can let someone else put him through his paces first while you see how he reacts. Also if someone else rides him first it will give you the chance to assess his conformation and how he rides from a distance.

The conformation of a horse confuses some people, but all it means is how well the horse is put together. Each breed has it's own conformation guidelines, so find yourself a fact sheet on the breed that you wish to buy. You can usually do this through a breed association's website. Essentially the key points to look for are:

• A nice long hip.
• Good withers that sit well back and have a nice slope to the shoulder.
• Good feet. A short cannon bone and hocks that aren't too high off the ground

You can read more about a horse's conformation here

What to look for during your ride

Essentially you need to know if the horse is responsive and if he's responsive to all who ride him. How does he respond to cues? Is he light on the bit or does he tend to pull? Does he bend around your leg when you ask him to? Does he stand still as you mount and dismount? How are his brakes and do they work well at a trot and a canter? Will he stand still after you've halted him and not move off until you give him a forward cue? Does he neck rein or only respond to direct rein? Will he back up without fighting you? These are all questions that need answering as you ride him.

If the sellers have other horses then you can ask to take the horse on a trail ride with the seller riding another animal. This is a great way to assess the horse outside of his comfort zone and namely check to see how spooky or non-spooky he is. It will also allow you to see how he responds to you away from his home.

If the horse responds admirably and is local, some owners will even let you take the horse for a week to test him out. You'll have to sign an agreement to state that you'll be responsible for the horse's health and well-being, so just ensure that you're really interested in purchasing this horse. Remember, any doubts whatsoever, walk away and think it over for a day or two. This is a huge purchase and essentially you'll be trusting your life to an 1100 lb. animal, make sure you can trust him. While accidents can and do happen – riding can be a dangerous sport, there is no sense in courting it!

Read Chapter 6; Trying Out p 60-69 of The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse.

If you like the horse and he's responded well so far, then there are certain questions that you must ask the owner, let's have a look at them.

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