Purchasing a Horse

I was asked to discuss what to look for and where/who to buy from when purchasing a horse. Admittedly, I’m not the most knowledgeable or experienced person when it comes to purchasing a horse but I’ve “played the game” a time or two and I’m happy to share my opinion on the subject.

I think it comes down to three main points:

1. Be honest about your abilities and knowledge.

Don’t purchase an unstarted or greenbroke horse if you’re new to riding.
Don’t talk up your abilities and put yourself, the horse, or others in danger.

Do be honest with the seller about your abilities/skills/knowledge.

2. Purchase from a reputable person.

This one is pretty difficult because how do you know if they’re a good person with honest intentions? But I think we have “gut feelings” for a reason so if you’re gut is telling you something seems shady, trust it.

Vet checks are your friend. This will generally be done at your own expense, in addition to the sales price of the horse so make sure the horse meets all of your criteria and then ask for a vet check from a vet of your choosing. If the seller balks at this, walk away.

The couple of times I went to look at a broke horse, I asked the seller to show the horse first. If there were no red flags from this, then I would step on the horse for myself.

As far as auctions go, there are some good people who get in tight situations or some people simply choose to sell their horse at an auction for the convenience, but overall, I’m leery of purchasing a horse at an auction unless it’s a discipline-specific auction or a special event auction.

3. Shop for what you need, with a realistic budget.

Yes, “unicorns” (your perfect horse at a super sales price) do exist, but they are few and far between.

Most of the time, unless you’re willing to wait indefinitely for that unicorn and put all your hopes on the chance that you are the first person interested and able to go purchase that unicorn, you will need to be realistic.

Cheap, broke, sound… pick two.
Cheap and broke, not sound.
Cheap and sound, not broke.
Broke and sound, not cheap.

Disposition/Conformation > Color

And I think it’s worth pointing out that color doesn’t make a horse any better. But by all means, if you have your heart set on a certain color and you’re willing to wait and pay for it, more power to you. Goodness knows, I’m in no place to judge that! (*cough cough* Spur!)

Remember, the cheapest part of horse ownership is actually purchasing the horse. I know it seems like a lot of money at one time (and it is!) but you will likely have this horse for a long time and things like feed, farrier, vet care, vaccinations, training, board… they add up quickly. Not to mention if you plan on hauling this horse anywhere, paying entry fees for rodeos or horse shows, purchasing and replacing tack as necessary – the list goes on and on!

So take your time, be honest, fair, and realistic. Your perfect horse is out there!

Humbling Confessions:

Wrangler was purchased as a weanling because he was “pretty”. He does not have the best conformation but I sure got lucky with his disposition!

I found Fawkes at a rescue for $400. He was broke, sound, and cheap. He’s one of those rare “unicorns”.

I went shopping for a partner and came home with Spur (blue roan). Although at one point that day I had picked out a brown horse, I ultimately ended up with the color I had loved from afar for years.