how do i buy a good horse?

Answer 1

Every ones definition of a good horse seems to differ so I would get with your vet that you will be using and a certified trainer to help you pick out the equine for you. Make sure you tell them your riding level and exactly what you will be using the horse for so they can find a horse that will meet those standards.
Your vet when he goes with you to see prospects will tell you if the horse is sound enough to meet your riding goals with little or no maintenance.
The most important thing I tell clients when we go and look at prospects is to keep their mind open. The best horse is not necessarily the youngest, strongest, most beautiful horse with long mane and tail- but rather the pokey little cow horse in the corner of his stall staring at you with a thoughtful eye.
Your trainer and vet will be able to assist you in picking out a safe, sound and healthy horse for your equine dreams. You may end up shoveling out alot of dollars to find that perfect equine pal- but when you get on his back it will be totally worth it.

Answer 2

You do research and look at all of the different horse breed and their pros and cons. But always remember that there is no such thing as a "perfect" horse. And if you don't know how to ride you need to take some riding lessons for about a year before even considering getting a horse. If you are a beginner don't buy a three year old baby green horse. This horse could hurt you because of your inexperence. I am not saying these things to be mean but i have seen many great horses be sold to the wrong owners and the owners spending too much money on trainers when all of that could have been avoided if the owner had taken the time to look at information on horses. But if you do get a horse i hope you have a great time with it!!!!!

Answer 3

Buying a good horse and the right horse are two different things. A good horse is what you want and the right horse is what you need, but you asked about a good horse. Since you didn't give any explanation as to why, when, or where, the details are pretty simple. You have to ask yourself how much money you want to spend on a horse- which will definitely narrow your options. Moreover, a "good" horse is going to be a horse that has "good" qualities. Qualities you'll need to consider are bloodline, use, training level, conformation, and most importantly - health.

I work for a thoroughbred farm and I have first-hand knowledge of the fact that there are a LOT of horses out there that aren't wanted. Actually, there are many horses with good bloodlines, good conformation, good most-everything that no one wants. My advice to you would not be to look in the classifieds, but to contact the farm/owner directly. Look for horse farms in your area. When you approach someone, via phone or in person, it is very important that you come across seriously and professionally. One example: I probably get 1-2 emails every day about someone wanting a horse, but I'm not going to take them seriously if they can't do something as simple as hit the spell-check button in the email. Neither I nor my farm manager can take the time to respond to every little email. Don't be afraid to contact the farms yourself (hey- EVERY horse owner has to start somewhere). Good luck.

Answer 4

First of all make sure you are ready to own a horse, and that you know where you are going to put him, how you are going to get him home, what you are going o fedd him, etc. Then, start looking in your local newspaper or classifieds. There are lots of good websites that have horse classifieds.

www.brokehorses.com is a good one

If you find a horse that sounds good, write down a list of questions you want to ask the owner, then give them a call. Arrange a time and place where you can meet the horse, and find a horsey person that will go with you.

You will want to let them know that you want to do everything, including getting it out of it's stall or pasture, tacking it up, and riding it, so you can see how it acts once it gets used to it's environment. Check for soundness, alertness, and look for brightness in the eyes

Form some sort of contract that says you can take the horse home for a "trial" and bring it back for a full refund if anything goes wrong. Make sure to do this because I know from experience that it is very hard to make someone take a horse back and return your money.

Good Luck!!

Answer 5

First of all, you need to know what you are looking for. Are you riding English or Western? Will you be doing lots of shows or just an occasional ride here and there?
You also need to think of the size of the horse. 14-16 hands high is about the best horse size for any average person.
What about the horse's gender? A stallion is not a good horse unless you are an equine professional. Mares are good, but can be very tempermental & hormonal when they go in season every month. Gelding's are the best all-around horse.
Also think about it's hooves. Does it wear shows or is it barefoot?
Have the owner of the horse give you a total report on all of the horse's previous vet/farrier exams.
Always have a pre-purchase exam by an equine vet before buying it.

Hope this helps. =]

Answer 6

Carefully consider your needs before you buy, know what you plan to use it for. If you want a calm horse you would want to choose for example a Quarter horse over an Arabian because they in genral are calmer. Also an active older horse can be a great choice, a horse 10-12 years old can still have 15+ good years left and will be a seasoned reliable companion.

Answer 7

Make your decision carefully. There is nothing worse than getting a horse who doesn't fit your needs.

What kind of skill rider are you? Make sure you don't get a horse who's too simple or advanced for you.

Do you care gender? I've had fantastic experiences with both mares and geldings, so I don't have a preference.

Try not to let coat color influence your decisions- I've done that as well. It turned out catastrophic.

Make a list of what you want and stick to it. Your equine partner will come around soon and when you find the right one, it'll be fantastic.

Good luck!

Answer 8

well look for a horse that looks nice first of all buy one at leat 3 or 4 or trained if u like. find one with a similar personality as yours. maybe u like forward going get a horse that likes to move. or if u like a slow poke buy a slow poke. get a horse that will sute u if it dosent dont get it. ask the owner if u can interact with the horse see if u like the way it act or how good its ground manners are. ride it drive it if u can.

Good luck!

Answer 9

Be sure that you're thoroughly educated in:

equine health, injuries, ailments, etc.
correct feeding and proper hoof care
experience in riding
the hormonal difference in genders
a bit of horse psychology

be sure that you have a sufficient pasture (3acres per horse) or stall to keep the horse. vet and farrier bills, feed, and overall maintenance will cost alot, so be sure you're ready for the challenge.

look for a horse that has personality first and color last. does he have the right attitude that you're looking for? are they the same both on the ground and when you're riding him? does he have the right (and type)amount of training you'll be needing? is his confirmation ideal to his breed? will he load and unload into a trailer without a fuss? test ride him away from where he is kept (after checking with the owners). does he act up? have your vet (or your future equine vet) come out and inspect his health. are his health (and/or registration)papers up to date. if he needs more training, bring a trainer of your choice to analyze the horse.

be sure that most-if not all these expectations are met.

Answer 10

There is a video or book on the horse whisperers, Marty Roberts website that can tell you what you need to know. The website is: www.martyroberts.com