please could you tell me what sort of questions i should ask the seller. please reply as soon as possible
Answers:
Ask if there have ever been any problems at all with the horse, and also if they are going to give you all of the paper work including vet bills and such. Also you might want to ask how often the horse is ridden now, that way you know how hard or easy to start off. Also ask about any allergies or anything like that, and you should probably ask about the products they use on the horse. Some horses if they go from one product to another will get hives. Basically any question that pops into your head dont hesitate to ask or you might regret it. Good luck!
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age and breed, but thats obvious. ask if its green at all, and ask of its medical records and if its current on shots. does it have any kids, things like that.
Why are they selling it ?
I think thats a pretty important question.
Make sure you see someone else ride it before you try ( friend got bucked off a horse she'd gone to try - no one was available to show it ridden oddly enough ! Friend ended up in hospital with a broken back - turned out it'd broke someone else' hip as well.)
See if you can have a Vet or a horse-appraiser available to look over the conformation of the horse. If it's legs or back or teeth are off, you are setting yourself up for a very expensive hay-burner.
Before ever setting out to purchase a horse, you truly need to go check out or purchase a good book on purchasing a horse that has pictures for you to see regarding the conformation traits. After you get the basic physical out of the way, you need to check out the horses' attitude both on the ground and under the saddle. The horse's attitude needs to blend with yours. It should not be too strong willed, or so sluggish that you fall asleep from boredom, either.
Always take a friend with you who can help you hold the horse steady when you get on/off it, and take pictures for you. You also need to take notes of how the horse is around you and around different stimuli around it (noises, visual changes, smells).
And you should be "shopping" thru different means - like the newspaper, internet, magazines, fliers at barns/feed stores(posted on the walls), newspaper type magazines that are at the feed stores, word of mouth, and such. You can also, if you know of a breed that you like, see if they have a club available in your area that would have a monthly brochure that has advertisements of horses that their members are selling.
Once you get the scoop of the general prices, breeds, ages out there, you are better equipped to get a good bargain on the horse.
Ask the seller for a copy of the geneology of the horse, that shows the dam and sire and generations that went into the horse. If the horse is registered, there should be that available. Remember that a registered horse costs more than a non-registered or "grade" horse that has no proof of it's lineage. That is important!
Ask where the horse was born, the experience in horse shows, how it trailers (gets in and out of the trailer), how it is around dogs/cats/horses and people. How old it is, it's gender (stallion, mare, or gelding[no longer a male horse]). If you've had lessons, you'd know the gender you prefer and the breed, height, color and such. Lessons would help you to decide, if you haven't done so.
A horse is considered "older" when it's 10. Usually, the price goes down because the health issues rise. If a horse has been fully and constantly trained and nourished properly, it can run more expensive, even though it would be considered an older horse.
Check out the feet and make sure they don't have cracks, chips, or are angled as to be considered a fault. A vet or farrier can help you with that.
Ask the seller if the horse has ever been foundered, had colic, or any other major health issues. Some health problems can be on-going, so it is best to know up front.
See if the seller would throw in a saddle and some tack if you pay his asking price. Doesn't hurt to ask.
This is just a quick answer. Best find someone you trust well versed in horses to go along with you to make sure that you are not taken advantage of!
Good luck, and think with your head and don't be swayed into buying someone elses "problem".
061907 4:40
My number one suggestion would be to take an experienced horse person with you when you go. Someone that is experienced will be able to evaluate the horse and tell you if it is a good deal or perhaps negotiate a better price. But some general questions would be:
Has this horse been vaccinated yearly?
Has this horse been checked by a vet lately for soundness and teeth?
Does this horse have a current negative coggins test?
What type of riding has this horse been used for in the past?
Can I ride the horse before I buy it?(I would recommend riding it somewhere other than it's home. Some horses act differently at home as opposed to show grounds)
Is this horse sound?
Do you mind if I have a vet perform a pre-purchase exam?(use your vet. If they refuse this request leave, there is a high probability that something is wrong that they don't want turned up in the pre-purchase exam. Always have one of these done before purchasing a horse.)
Does this horse have any vices(bad habits)?
Ask:
*What have they done with it (training, showing, etc...)
*Why are they selling it
*If it has any bad habits/vices
*If it is sound and healthy, what soundness issues has it had since they got it
*How it acts away from home
*How often do they work with it, and when they work with it what type of equipment do they use on a daily basis (meaning what kind of bit, saddle, training aids,etc)
*Does it ever show aggression towards people or other horses
*Have them ride it before you get on, ask them to walk, trot, canter to both directions. If you are looking at it for jumping ask them to take it over a couple fences.
*Will they be willing to have you vet check it with a vet of your choice
You can ask if they would be willing to let you take it on trial, but if they say no dont be too concerned. I would personally NEVER send a horse on trial to a buyer, it is really risky. Be careful if you take it on trial, if it gets injured while you have it, you could be stuck with it, or even get involved in a law suit. I took a horse on trial once, the horse was fine when I had it, but it turned out to be way to high strung for me, i sent it back in the same condition as I got it...Well 6 months later I got hit with a law suit saying their horse was injured while in my care. Ended up they were trying to scam me into paying for the horse.
Good luck with your horse shopping!
Ask the history of the horse and who has had it before you. If it has been sold a lot it probably means there is a problem with it. Ask if it is sound and what injuries its had. Make sure to ask about its feed, worming, and vaccinations. You should also ride it around. Ask how it gets along with other horses and how it acts around people. You will want to know if it is shod and how long ago they were put on, why they shoe him, and who does it. Make sure that it doesn't have any bad habits and ask how much training it has had. I hope this helps and that the horse works for you!
There are lots of things to ask. If this is your first time purchasing a horse, take someone with you, a riding instructor, stable owner, anyone with experience. You'll want to ride the horse, it is usually preferable to take your own saddle. If you are looking at a young one that isn't broken obviously you can't ride. You will want to have them lung the horse for you, with you standing a good distance away so you can watch their movement, look for any stiffness or funny ways of moving. You'll want to know the history, how was she trained, what have they been using him for, why are they selling him, etc. I would strongly recommend taking someone with you. Do not buy the horse on site. Leave, go get some coffee, think about it, then make your offer.
if your going to buy one: make sure its broke. It has a good temper. gentle. good with riding. safe. Just make sure it's a good horse that fits you.
What the contract consists of?
When was the last time she was seen by a vet and what for?
Is the horse UTD (up to date) on shots etc.. and request a coggins test?
Can we have a vet clear her before I buy?
Has she ever had any injuries?
Does she have any vices?
What is unique about her personlity?
How many days of training has she had?
Has she ever been bred?
Why is she priced at the price she is? and Why are you selling her?
Have you owned her all of her life? If not can i have the phone number to the previous owner?
How good is she around other horses?
Is she flighty at all?
What deworming schedual do you use?
What do you feed her and when?
Is she outside 24/7?
Those are just a few I can think of for now...
Ask the seller if you may contact the vet who has been caring for the horse about its general health. They should be agreeable to this, and with their permission, the vet should be willing to talk to you. The vet cannot guarantee the horse's soundness and health, but if he has been treating the horse for any condition, he should be able to tell you that.
If the seller won't let you talk to the vet, then I'd walk away from the horse.
Aside from that, ask what the horse has been used for recently. Ask them why they are selling the horse. If the answer they give you doesn't sound right, then walk away from the deal.
If you are working with a trainer, ask them if they would allow you to have the horse on try-out for ten days or so. Many sellers are willing to do this, especially if you are working with a reputable trainer.
Watch the horse and the way it acts. Does it seem alert and interested in what's going on around it? Does it do a lot of pinning its ears and acting grumpy, or is it calm and cheerful? How does it behave around other horses?
Presumably you're going to try the horse out. If you arrive there and the horse is already tacked up, ask the people if you can unsaddle and unbridle it, then tack it up yourself (if a horse is "cinchy" or has other problems with being saddled or bridled, sneaky sellers will make sure that the buyer doesn't have a chance to find this out right away).
If you try the horse out under saddle, see how comfortable you feel about the horse. Does it seem to be trained to a level you're able to manage? How well do you get along with it?
Ask the seller if he/she has worked with a trainer with the horse. If so, ask how you can contact the trainer. If the seller is reluctant to let you talk to the trainer, walk away.
If the seller seems to be trying to hurry you, intimidate you, or force you to make a quick decision, walk away immediately. People who care about their horses want the buyer to be happy if they have to sell the horse. They want the buyer to take as much time as necessary to decide if the horse is right for them.
Good luck to you.
age?
how many people have owned the horse?
why are they selling it?
what events has the horse done?
have the owner get on it before you do.
is the horse passive with other horses or people?
if u have any other types of animals make sure that that horse likes that type of animal.. ( example. does he likes dogs?)
what type of feed does he eat so u can switch hos feeds gradually.
what breed is it?
does it spook ezly?
things like that do not be afriad to be inquisintive... cuz if ur not u may be buying a horse that u know nothin bout.
one more thing. ask him if he would be willing to give u the horse for bout a week so u can ride him and c what he does at ur house... leave a deposit. if he says yes then that means that it iz a good horse cuz he has no problem letting him get out of the enviroment he has been in.
also show up either like 30 minutes early or an hour late so if he druged the horse they would have not set in or they have worn off. but if u get there and his neck is sweaty then he has druged the horse. and ask him not to haltr or saddle the horse until u get there so u can c how he does on that. hope i helped
How does he do in his events? (if any)
Does he have any allergies/does he take medication or have a disease? (i.e: hypp in Quarter Horses)
Does he broke for riding?
Have children ridden him?
Is he spooky?
You should also ride him yourself.
You've had lots of really good advice, but I'll just give you one more point.
Ask VERY specific questions. Example "On a scale from 1-10, with 1 being very quiet and 10 being as wild as a mustang, how quiet is this horse?" Don't just ask vague things such as "Is he quiet?" People often won't outright lie, but they certainly won't make things sound any worse than they need to.
Another example of a really specific question is "All horses have things that bother them. What sort of things upset this horse?"
And "Have you ever had any lameness or health problems of any sort in the last few years? Has he been to the vet for any sort of problem recently?"
It's almost like you're the lawyer at a court and you have to pry every sort of answer possible out of people.
And most important of all, if you have not done alot of horse shopping in the past, take along a very experienced friend and pay attention to their opinion. And if the horse is fairly expensive, consider paying for a vet check. The few hundred dollars you spend can save you alot of money in the long run.
Good luck and don't be in a rush to buy the first horse you look at. Buy the right horse because the wrong horse will make you miserable, and be tough to sell in the future.
it depends what you are going to do with the horse. if you are just going to ride around once in a while at your house just make sure that it has never been sore or had any health problems.
if you are going to show it make sure of the same things but also ask if it has ever been shown before and what it did and how well it did.
What kind of history does he have?
When was his last farrier, vet check-up?
Has he had any bad habbits?
Does he ride good all over?
When was the last time you rode him?
Is he/she friendly?
Does he/she listen to your commands while riding?
How is his/her riding?
What are they capable of doing?
How easily can you put on their tack?
How long it takes to have them trust you?
stuff like that
net depends on what you are going to use the horse for to what kind of questions you need to ask but you most defiantly need to know why they are selling the horse, and make sure that it has a coggins and medical records before you buy the horse, and the temperament of the horse.
1. Bring a Vet/Experienced Horse Person
2.Ask tons of questions such as: why are you selling, age, do you have register papers, does this horse have any vices, previous injuries, any perminant injuries, weight, hight, is it trained,green,or trainable, if trained or green, can i try riding it, what bit do i use, any health issues, any attitude issues.
3. Have your vet check him/her over
4.have the owner ride/work with him/her
5.Ride or do ground work with it
6. Good Luck!
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