Questions to ask when buying first horse or any horse.
You need to ask lots of questions if not already written in the advert.
Some of these questions may be relevant and some not necessary to ask as, it all depends on what job you want the horse or pony to do.
Horse buying - First horse - First pony
Field
Is he easy to catch in a field?
Is he good in the company of other horses in the field?
Does he mind being turned out in a field on his own? (some horses get very stressed when they cannot see another horse)
Travelling
Is he good to load on and off a trailer or horsebox?
Does the horse travel ok?
Will he travel alone?
When he travels in company does he stand quietly when you take the other horse off?
Handling
Is he quiet to handle and easy to tack up?
When viewing a horse you should handle him and tack up yourself, especially if it a first pony or first horse.
Manners
Does he stand quietly to be groomed?
Some horses will display their anger by swishing their tails, putting their ears flat back and even trying to bite you.
Will he allow you to pick up his feet?
Is he good with the farrier?
Is he well behaved when you take him away from home?
For example a fun ride with lots of other horses around?
Some horses get very excited and worked up so much that they won’t stand still or relax.
This type of horse or pony is not what you are looking for in a first horse.
Buy horse - First horse - First pony
Traffic
Is he good in traffic?
You need to find out what type of traffic he has seen.
A horse that is good in heavy traffic would be use to vehicles blasting their horns, artic lorries, horseboxes, buses, and motorbikes.
Pushbikes, quads, pedestrians, umbrellas and not forgetting that noisy dog that waits patiently for you to approach, then starts barking madly at you and your horse
.
Allergies
Does the horse suffer from any known allergies?
Sweet itch can go undetected in the winter months, as it is a summer complaint.
If the horse suffers from severe sweet itch they are usually hogged, (mane shaved off) to improve the appearance.
Head shaking
Again this allergy can go undetected in the winter months and will take effect in the summer when the temperature rises considerably.
Laminitis
Has the pony or horse ever suffered from laminitis?
This is a painful disease commonly found in ponies but also horses.
Changes can be seen in the shape of the feet if he is a sufferer.
This will not be noticeable if the animal has had only a mild bout of laminitis.
Vices
Does the horse have any vices?
You need to be made aware before you decide to purchase a horse, if he has a stable vice or any other problem behaviour such as napping.
Spooking
Does he spook or shy?
Many horses will spook frequently when out on the roads.
It may be a plastic bag flying around, the crafty dog that suddenly starts barking, pedestrian with a large umbrella or road works etc.
For the experienced rider this will not be a problem, but for the novice rider it ill be a major issue and will not be suitable for you.
Bath
Is he ok to bath?
If you wish do showing a grey horse will need frequent washing.
Some horses love to be washed while others will protest and won’t stand still.
Bathing this type of horse can be very stressful.
Sound
Is the horse sound?
A very important question.
You don’t want to purchase a lame horse or a horse with reoccurring problems.
It is always wise to get a vet to inspect the horse.
Getting a horse vetted is a good investment, as a problem horse will cost much more to keep than a healthy one.
There are many different types of vetting available, and which one you choose will depend on a number of factors and what you want the horse to do.
A blood test before the agreed sale will detect if any pain killing drugs that may have been administered to disguise a lame horse are present in the system.
Other options when horse buying are x-rays and scans which is common practice when purchasing an expensive animal.
Clipping
Is he happy to be clipped?
Some horses will not tolerate clipping and need to be twitched or sedated by a vet.
Passport
Ask to look a the passport.Make sure that the passport belongs to the horse or pony you are viewing.
For more information click here
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Which horse to buy
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