10 Important Questions When Buying A Horse

Buying a horse can be intimidating to someone with little or no experience. Here is a list of ten questions you should always ask when buying a horse.

1. How long have they had the horse and who did they buy it from?
2. Why are they selling the horse? Very important if they have not had the horse long.
3. What has the horse been used for? Has it done any pony club, trail riding, dressage, jumping, cutting or showing. If yes how did the horse perform in competition? Ask about any discipline you intend on doing.
4. Does the horse have any vices? Biting. kicking, rearing, bolting, bucking, cribbing, pawing, etc. Does it travel well in floats.
5. Does the horse have a hard or soft mouth? What type of bit is it being riden in?
6. Does the seller have the health history for the horse? When were the last vaccinations, when are boosters due, worming history, previous injuries etc. An honest seller will have no problem telling you any history of injuries. Previous injuries do not mean the horse will be unsuitable it depends on what you are going to do with the horse. If you are going to be show jumping for example you do not want previous leg injuries that may resurface but if you are only pleasure riding they may not be as important.
7. Is the horse registered or ever been registered? What is its pedigree? If the horse is not registered it may have been previously and the registration may have just lapsed. Again for pleasure riding this is not a problem but if you intend to show in breed categories it is important.
8. Does the seller have the farrier history of the horse? Has the horse had any hoof problems like founder, seedy toe, cracking etc. The old saying no hoof no horse is true, any good horse owner will know the farrier history of their horse at least while they had it.
9. What is the horse like being riden in traffic and with other horses? Where the horse is located and riden will give some indication of how used to traffic it is.
10. Does the horse tie-up, lead and handle well? Important for any horse is the ability to tie-up and be handled without fidgeting, pulling back and things like that.

These ten items are not the only questions to ask they are just the basics every buyer should should ask when looking at buying a horse. An answer in the negative to any of these questions does not preclude the horse as it depends on your intended use of the horse. For example if you are looking for a horse to ride with friends and have no intention to show then a horse that is not registered and the pedigree is unknown would not matter.

By writing down a list of questions you will not forget to ask when viewing the horse. These questions can also be used when telephoning about the horse and may save you a trip to see a horse that is unsuitable for your needs.