The Beginners Guide to Buying a Horse

If you are a first time horse buyer, purchasing your first horse can be an exciting event. But owning a horse also carries with it a lot of responsibility. You must know exactly what is expected of you as owning a horse requires a lot of your time and effort. This article aims to provide you with a brief overview of some of the factors you need to consider before you purchase your first horse.

1. Know Your Responsibilities
Horses need to be well looked after and maintained. Horse maintenance involves a lot of time grooming, exercising and feeding if you want your horse to stay healthy and happy. The cost of proper care for the horse is quite hefty when you add things up. Some of the costs include:

• Providing feed
• Providing shelter
• Horse equipment
• Medical care

These are just some of the things you must take into account (pun intended).

2. Do You Have Some Experience?
If you are buying a horse for the first time I assume you already have a decent amount of riding experience, know a friend who owns horses and have taken care of them. Before purchasing your dream horse, I highly recommend that you first gain some work experience at a horse farm, riding club or even offer to take care of your friends' horses for a week. Only then will you begin to truly appreciate the work involved.

3. What Horse Should You Be Looking For?
So once you are sure that you are ready to own a horse, you now need to decide what sort of horse you should be looking for. People buy horses for a variety of different reasons. Whether you own a ranch, a farm, like to ride competitively or just as a hobby, there is no one perfect horse for everyone.
You need to look for a horse that will suit your needs.
Beginner riders or first time horse owners should look at buying a horse with experience. Although the idea of buying a young pony and growing up with the horse sounds like a great idea, this may not be the best option. There is a lot more training involved which is more suited to an experienced trainer or rider. If you are buying a horse for your kids, they may have their heart set on a pony and might shy away from wanting a mature horse. But mature horses are experienced, know how to face everyday challenges and provide a much safer and fun learning environment for beginners and kids.

4. Buy For The Ride - Not The Paint
It is common for first time horse buyers to look for a certain look of a horse. They may want a specific breed or colour. Buying a horse for a certain look is a bad idea as it can distort the true reason for having a horse, and that is to have an enjoyable experience riding the horse. So be careful not to base your decision on the colour of the coat or the specific breed unless it is well trained and suits you as a beginner rider. Once the riding and bonding experience is enjoyable, it will not matter what colour the coat is.

5. Where To Buy Your Horse
Auctions - Try to avoid horse auctions as it takes experienced eyes to pick out a good horse and spot any faults. The horse may look good to you but once you try to ride it, you may find an unknown temper. If you do go to an auction, be sure to bring along an experienced rider with you.

Stables - Stables always have horses for sale and are a great place to buy horses as the owners can suggest a suitable horse for your level. You may also have the option to keep your horse there.

Websites - There are numerous equine websites which have many ponies and horses for sale. The great thing about horse websites is you have a wide selection of horses to choose from and can possibly get one at a bargain price. However, it is a good idea to arrange a time to go see the horse trader and have a trial ride before purchasing.

Riding Schools - Many riding schools and pony clubs change their horses and ponies regularly, so contacting a local school or club would be a good idea. This is probably your best option if you are just starting out.

Overall you should take your time, relax and have fun in your search for your perfect horse. Good luck!

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This article was brought to you by Equine Trader.
For information on horse trading, jobs, riding clubs, news and events please visit: www.equinetrader.co.nz

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