BUYING AND SELLING
HORSES.... FINDING THE RIGHT HORSE AND THE RIGHT HOME IS IMPORTANT.
Written by SHNZ
Buying and selling
horses is one
aspect of equestrian involvement that is often dreaded by many horse people.
Despite the
reasonable number of horses that are on the market in New Zealand at any
one time, buyers often have difficulty finding a horse that is suitable
for their own experience and requirements, without having too many "issues".
Sellers often dont know where to start with their advertising and hold
alot of responsability in disclosing everything they know about the horse
to ensure the buyer knows exactly what they are taking on. So, how, as
either a buyer or a seller, can you go about getting what you want?
BUYING
A NEW HORSE
As a prospective horse buyer, it can be a good idea to start by making
a list of your top priorities..... age, ability, size, temperament, experience
and price might be some of your main requirements. Try to keep your mind
open to different breeds and colours as the ideal horse may be a slightly
different type to what you first had in mind! However if you have a set
purpose in mind, eg western pleasure riding, you may have definate preferences
to breeds or types such as quarter horses who are more purpose bred to
perform in these types of events. It is also important to be realistic
about your own capabilities and future intentions.... for example it is
no good taking on a young, green horse that shows potential to jump the
moon if you don't feel confident to cope with its inexperience. Write
down what you'd like to do with your horse and any goals you may have.
There are plenty of horse for sale columns in magazines, newspapers and websites. Ask around your horsey friends, contact your local riding trainers or perhaps even try ringing a few studs with the types of horses you like to see if they have or know of any horses for sale.
Before contacting
the horse owners / advertisers, make another list of questions to ask
that cover vital points to help you decide whether the horse is worth
going to look at.
Some good questions include....
Is the horse good to travel in floats and/or trucks?
Has it had any injuries or health problems?
What is the horse like to ride out and about, in traffic, at competitions,
at the beach etc, alone and in company?
How long has the owner had the horse and why are they selling?
If a ridden horse, ask about competition performance levels, results and
ability to go further.
If a breeding prospect, ask about the full breeding history and if you
can view any progeny.
Once
you decide to go for a look, it can be a great idea to take a knowledgable
friend along to look at horses with you. They might see things you don't
and come up with questions you may have forgotten about. If they know
the type of horse you are looking for, they will be able to give you an
opinion on whether they feel the horse really does suit you, especially
if you are the type to fall in love with a horse at first sight without
thinking out the practicality of it for you!!
As a quick note, if you are considering buying a horse "sight unseen" having perhaps just seeing a photo or video, there are certainly risks involved as the seller has the opportunity to present the horse in a perfect light and not show any negative points. The temperament cannot be easily assessed either unless you meet the horse in person. We suggest that if you cannot travel and view the horse yourself, ask an experienced horse person in the area to go and view it for you (even the local vet who can examine it while they are there), at least this way you will have one outside opinion to provide you with more information.
When going to see the horse in person, make sure you have clear instructions and a contact mobile phone number in case you are late or get lost.... there is nothing more frustrating for sellers than prospective buyers who never even turn up or arrive late after you have been waiting with your clean and tidy horse for a long time.
Usually the owner
will have the horse ready for you to see, perhaps already tacked up if
it is a riding horse (the horse shouldn't appear as if it has been lunged
for half an hour beforehand though!). Take note of your first impressions...
is the horse calm and settled or is it looking to get back to its paddock
mates? Does the owner appear relaxed around the horse? Does the horse
meet you with a kind eye and interested expression? Be sure to ask the
owner lots of questions about the horses' good and bad points.
It can be good to see the horse walk and trot on the lunge or in-hand
before the rider gets on. You will get to see the natural paces and more
general handling of the horse and its behaviour.
When it comes to climbing aboard, make sure the owner or handler rides
the horse before you do. No matter how quiet or safe they assure you the
horse is, if they are not willing to get on first and ride it, then you
shouldn't either. While there may be the occasional exception to this
rule, it is actually also quite valuable for you to see the horse going
with its current rider who knows it well so you can see how it behaves
and what it is currently capable of.
Remember that the
horse will be in its home environment so should be happy to calmly work
in a nice outline and perhaps pop over a few jumps without becoming spooky
or tense. Have a ride if you feel happy to do so. Ride the horses' walk,
trot and canter if you feel confident enough and do some basic schooling
exercises to get a good feel for the horse, their way of going and general
attitude. Does it have a soft mouth and respond to your aids? Most importantly,
do you feel safe and happy on this horse?
Sometimes your knowledgable friend might like to have a short ride
as well - if they are more experienced than you they may be able to assess
the horse a little better for you by asking some more advanced movements
of it and letting you know how the horse responded.
Be honest with the
seller if you feel the horse just isn't for you at this point as nobody
wants their time wasted. If you do seriously think the horse may suit,
organise a time to return and have another ride. You might prefer to ride
out around the roads or see if you can arrange to ride the horse at a
new location, perhaps your local pony club grounds etc, so you can assess
the horse when it's out and about.
Some sellers will be willing to allow their horse to stay at your property
on trial for a few days (you may need to pay a deposit first), however
remember that this does involve some risks that need to be discussed and
clarified beforehand - eg, if the horse had an accident while on trial,
who's responsible?
Most sellers would be quite happy for you to ride the horse several times before making a firm decision - it is so important to get the right horse and rider combination, so take your time deciding and don't rush into buying the wrong horse. Even if you've found a horse who seems very suitable, ring up about a few others and go to see them too - this will help you compare and make a decision.
Whether you are buying from a respected stud, trainng establishment or individual horse owner, the horse should be in good condition, sound and with no visable health problems. While some people may prefer to buy from studs or trainers on the impression that they will have good quality horses and a public reputation to uphold therefore be very open about the horses' full details, there is no reason why an individual seller should be avoided. If possible it is a great idea to ask the seller for contact details of the horses' previous owners, riders, breeders or people who have worked with the horse so you can ring them to confirm the horses' history. Viewing the registration papers (if any) will also confirm the horses' age and that indeed it is the horse the seller says it is.
Past video footage can be great to see if the horse has competed or been out and about. Compare the NZEF registration card to the sellers notes on the horses competitive experience and results.
A vet check is a wise final approval for you to ensure the horse is in suitable condition for the questions you are going to ask of it. These can range from quick basic assessments through to full health and x-ray checks, depending on your requirements.
In some places you can purchase specific "Horse Buy/Sell Contracts" that require the seller to complete with the full known health, behavioural and performance history of the horse and sign to confirm. These contracts are a great idea as the seller must disclose everything they know about the horse, therefore hopefully leaving no hidden surprises for the new purchaser.
On payment for the horse, the seller should provide you with the horses' registration and competition papers, any veterinary or dental records and an invoice. It is usually an unspoken rule that horses are sold with their halter, you may be able to pay a little more for their exisiting covers and saddlery if the seller wishes to sell them too.
Hopefully by the time you have your new horse at your property, you will be pretty well advised on the horse and have plenty of time to start getting to know him or her. It really does take a good year to get to know a horse and all their little "ins and outs" well. So long as you have made the right steps to purchasing a suitable horse in the first place, with time and a little help from friends and instructors along the way, your new equine relationship will be able to bloom onwards and upwards!
SELLING
A HORSE?
You've decided it's time to part ways with your horse.... for whatever
reason you want to sell, your main priority will be finding a suitable
home who is going to care for, enjoy and understand your particular horse.
We all know that different horses, just like humans, have different quirks
and traits.... maybe your horse has a dislike of dogs, an allergy to certain
foods, is worried about floating or perhaps just loves it when their ears
are being scratched! These are all the sorts of things prospective buyers
need to hear, especially any possibly negative traits which could potentially
put someone who didnt know the horse well at risk. Unfortunately there
are a number of horse sellers around who don't disclose the full background
of the horse they have on offer, hiding health, soundness or temperamental
issues right down to those horror stories of horses being drugged for
sale etc, leaving some very nasty surprises in store for the future owner.
These are the sorts of traits that you as a seller do not want to be involved
with, so do make an effort to tell prospective owners everything you can
that may help them if they decide to buy. (Remember this is also going
to help you in the future as news in the horse world, especially bad news,
travels very quickly!!)
If you are selling a riding horse, having it reasonably fit and in work when you decide to advertise is going to assist alot when it comes to people taking a look. Your word that it is good at this and that probably won't be enough to satisfy prospective buyers unless they can see the horse doing these things in person. Ensure the horse is sound and in good health. Keep feet trims up to date (unkept hooves can make buyers wary the horse isn't good to shoe) and mane and tail tidy. First impressions when people look at your horse will count, so a little bit of effort can help out alot.
Think about your advertising
budget and decide how you want to market the horse. If you are putting
an ad in a magazine or website, getting a good photo is important. If
you havent already got a good one (out competing or under saddle are great
if selling a competitive mount), set some time aside on a sunny day with
a helper and try to stand the horse up with an uncluttered background
(trees and shrubs usually look best). A video compilation showing the
horse is also very handy to be able to send to prospective buyers who
don't live locally. Advertising can sometimes take awhile to work, but
don't despair... the right owner will be out there somewhere! If you don't
seem to be getting any response to your ad, try a different magazine,
newspaper or website with a new photo and maybe reconsider your price.....
there are different thoughts on how to advertise your price but bear in
mind that many people are put off contacting horses priced as POA simply
because they assume it is going to be expensive.
Deciding on
the right price to sell your horse for can be a bit tricky if you haven't
sold a horse before or know the current market very well. Again, ask around
your horsey friends and check out similar sounding advertisements. Be
realistic in your price and advertisement wording... try not to make the
horse sound like Olympic material if it really hasnt got the potential!
When people contact you, answer their questions honestly and try to make your time available when the buyer is interested in coming for a visit. It can also be an idea to offer some reference people if requested who know you and your horse so they can back up what you have to say (make sure you ask these people beforehand!).
Have the horse clean and tidy before the prospective buyers arrive. If it is a riding horse it can be good for them to see the horse being tacked up, you can then get on and ride your horse in a way that shows their movement, temperament and capabilities to best advantage. Mainly just go through your everyday motions and ride the horse as you usually would while also showing off a few of the horses best moves as applicable. It can be a bit nerve racking having people watching you ride, but remember they will be looking at the horse much more than you!
Most buyers will be dressed and ready to have a ride themselves. Let them know any little secrets to your horse for best performance and offer advice while they are riding if it seems appropriate. While the rider will be assessing your horse, here you have the chance to really assess the rider and decide if you think they are capable of handling your horse or not. (Just like horse sellers, occasional horse buyers can have the tendancy to appear much better than in reality!) If the horse and rider are having bit of a battle, it may just be that the new rider has different aids to you and is not necessarily a bad thing, any new combination takes time to get to know each other, however personality clashs can indeed happen. If they appear to be getting on well and you feel the new rider suits your horse in both riding style and personality, you may well have your sale almost completed.
Have the horses paperwork available for the buyers to see, things like veterinary records, dental checkups, pedigree, breed registrations, performance results, photos etc are all great info to show buyers.
Inform the buyers if your horse has had any injury or health issue in the past, especially if it is something that could re-occur again to cause problems. Chances are the buyer will want a pre-purchase vet check anyway and if your vet discovers something signifigant you have forgotten to mention, it could well cause some embarressment and possibly a lost sale!
When a buyer comes along who clicks with your horse and you feel is going to provide a good home, exchange payment for the horse and the deal will be done! Make sure you have signed and passed on any documents relating to ownership where applicable so the new owners can transfer the horse into their name with the various breed and competitive associations. Also ensure the new owners have all your contact details just in case they have any further questions once the horse is in their hands.
Even though it is no longer your horse, it can still be very satisfying to see your old equine friend out and about being enjoyed with their new owners.
Patience and honesty are two vital ingredients when it comes to buying and selling horses. Whether buying or selling a horse, simply taking your time and being clear in your intentions will hopefully end up providing you with the best outcome.