- Breeding
- The Missing Equine Link: How the Modern Horse Came to Be
- Horse Breeding, Part 3: Birth and Care of a Foal
- Breeding Costs: Things to Consider
- Buying a Horse
- Rocky Mountain Horses
- What to Look For When Buying a Horse
- How to Buy Horses: A Step by Step Process
- General Horse Articles
- Bulging Out and Falling In
- Choosing The Horseback Riding Vacation That’s Right For You
- The Top 4 Places to Find Horses for Sale
- Horse Feeding
- You’ve Got the Right Feed, Now What?: Proper Feeding Practices
- 5 Horse Feeding "Don'ts"
- A Look at Horse Feed
- Horse Grooming
- An Overview of Horse Grooming
- eZall Shine & Detangler Transforms Ratty Manes and Tails Into Flowing Tresses
- Keeping Your Horse Beautiful with Horse Products
- Horse Health Issues
- Let Sleeping Horses Lie: A Look at Horse Sleep Patterns
- You’ve Got the Right Feed, Now What?: Proper Feeding Practices
- A Look at Horse Vision
- Horse Training
- Two-track to Slow Your Horse's Gaits
- So You Bought A Friesian, Now what!
- Training Mythunderstandings: Heeding Groundwork: Class Review
- Horses & History
- Trail Riding in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
- Top 5 Strange and Unusual Horses
- The Missing Equine Link: How the Modern Horse Came to Be
- Horses & Sports
- Halter Horse Show
- How to Prepare for Your First Equestrian Competition
- Nearly $7 Million Generated Annually for the District of Columbia
How to Buy a Horse
03/27/2009
We all have the dream of owning our own horse, but there is usually some trouble when it comes to making that dream a reality.
We all have the dream of owning our own horse, but there is usually some trouble when it comes to making that dream a reality. Like all dreams, we imagine only the positive aspects: we find that perfect horse for sale, we buy it, we ride it every day, we feed it and let our children ride it. We never think about the cost of exams, the feed surcharges, or the veterinary bills once we purchase that horse for sale. But considering that horse for sale is going to be with you for 20-30 years, the fussy details become very important. If you’re a first time horse buyer, here are some things you should know.
Before you start looking for a horse for sale, make sure you have more than enough income to care for it. The Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin said, “some horses eventually are neglected or abandoned by their owners because they cannot afford to care for them. I urge first-time buyers to make sure they can provide the time, effort, and resources needed to properly care for a horse they purchase.” If a horse for sale ends up costing more than 5% of your income to purchase, feed, and board, think long and hard before buying it.
In order to get a good deal when you’re buying a horse for sale, you need to ask yourself some questions about what you’re looking for in order to get the best deal. Is this a horse you’re going to ride for pleasure, or is this a competitive horse? If you plan on finding a competitive or show horse for sale, you’re immediately going to be catapulted into a much more expensive circle of options and maintenance fees. What sort of riding will you plan on doing? If you’re going to be doing advanced running and some jumping, you’re going to be looking for a horse for sale that has no history of injury and is relatively young.
Once you’ve decided on what you’re honestly going to be doing with this horse for sale, you can get to the issue of money. What is the maximum amount you can spend per month on a horse for sale? What is the amount that is most comfortable for you? Let’s say you can comfortably afford $400 a month on horse care. That means you are looking for a horse for sale that costs around $4000, and feed/board that costs roughly $300 a month.
Then, of course, there are the fun details. What kind of breed of horse for sale are you looking for? What age and history would you prefer? Look at local tack stores, the internet, auctions, and the newspaper to see what sort of a horse for sale you might find in your neighborhood. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to a few choices, take the horse for sale on a ride to see its temperament.
Once the fun part of the search is over, it’s back to work. Make sure you have the original registration papers, a pre-purchase exam, and immunization records. It also wouldn’t hurt to look into insurance when it comes time to take home the horse for sale. Sorting all of the paper work upfront can save you a huge headache later.
