10 Do's and Dont's When Buying a Horse

1) Do

Be realistic of your riding ability. Be honest with yourself, if your new to jumping a nice brave horse with experience that you can learn from, is a far better choice than a green tricky youngster with quality to jump grand prix, but that may be unsuitable in the future.

2) Don't

Buy the first horse you see. It's a good idea to see whats available and do your research. If your buying a competition horse check out his record, winnings etc.

3) Do

Take your trainer with you It's really important to take someone with you who can offer advice and give you an honest realistic opinion.

4) Don't

Be afraid to ask questions. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and an honest seller will have no problem answering them.

5) Do

Get someone to video you when trying the horse. If your going to try a few this will help with your final decision and sometimes how it looks and how it feels are two very different things.

6) Don't

Be put off by horse dealers. Reputable dealers have their reputation to maintain and will usually offer a selection of horses to try as well as offering a good after sale package with a warranty, exchange policy.

7) Do

Be respectful of the sellers time. It's only polite to let people know if your not coming/going to be late.

8) Don't

Forget to draw up a contract between buyer and seller. European law states you have 30 days to exchange a horse that is unsuitable, and 6 months if the horse has a previous injury that now affects the horse. Have this all clarified in a contract.

9) Do

Get the horse vetted/xrayed No matter ho much you pay for the horse you must get him checked out, even if the horse is under 5. Navicular and Arthritis can strike early in some horses, insurance companies usually require a minimum of a five stage vetting on horses over £5,000.

10) Don't

Buy before you try! Unless you are buying an unbroken horse, always try the horse to check if it's suitable for you.

And finally, when your new horse arrives home allow him time to settle in, don't be afraid to speak with the old owners to ask advice for feeding, general routine etc. They will be happy to hear how their horse is getting on in his new home.

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