Comments on: What should I look for in buying a horse?

By: Kaitlin K

Kaitlin K — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:00:59 +0000

First of all if you are going to ride this horse you need some kind of help starting up. You NEED to learn this stuff!! You dont need to take private lessons, you could get a friend who knows a lot about horses to teach you, but i think private lessons would be best for a beginner. I think that is a good price for that horse, you should get him checked out by a vet though, just in case. If you need any advice on riding or anything horse related you can email me at badbadrubberpiggy364@yahoo.com.
References :
spending my whole life around horses and people who know A LOT about them.

By: yayme616

yayme616 — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:43:59 +0000

It sounds like you’ve done your research I’d suggest checking out the horse, if you haven’t already, in person before you even think about buying. You can usually tell a horse’s general temperement by how he reacts to things. Ask the owner to take him out and ride him and see how the horse does. $2000 is about right for a horse this young who probably hasn’t had much training other than being broke. If he seems calm and reliable, then $2000 is a good price. If you can tell he’s spooky, poorly trained, etc., you can talk down the price, but I’d suggest searching for another horse if he seems unreliable.

Now keep in mind, three years old is extremely young for a horse (basically he’s only nine years old in human years). Even if he’s well-broke, he may be unpredictable. Are you prepared for that? Also, another thing you might have forgotten – he’s only three years old and he’s still growing. He may reach just under 16 hh by the time he’s fully grown, which is pretty big for a horse. Can you handle that?

Like you said, I’d highly suggest taking lessons. Private lessons on your own horse is a plus, because then you learn how to deal with his particular behavior.

If you do decide to buy him, try to work out a trial with his owner. Bring the horse to your barn and try him out for a couple weeks. this will really give you a feel if you are ready for this youngster. Also, get him checked out by a vet to make sure he’s sound before you purchase him.

All in all, it’s really up to you to make the decision. Remember – he’s not the only horse for sale. If you don’t feel a special bond with him, look for another. You won’t like riding horses if you don’t like the horse you ride…well good luck! =)
References :
horse owner

By: allaroundrider

allaroundrider — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:09:59 +0000

you definitly need to take lessons preferably before you buy a horse. i would suggest not buying a 3 yr old. it may have been through a desensitizing program but it’s still a green horse and when you don’t know how to ride you can ruin a young horse without even trying or knowing it. i would suggest taking lessons and then asking your instructor to point you towards an older horse that is more suited for your needs and riding ability. you may begin to take lessons and see that you don’t actually want a horse after all. please if nothing else take a few lessons before you buy this horse or any other horse. you mention that you don’t even know how to properly saddle him…. that is not a good sign at least 1 or 2 lessons will help u
References :

By: sophia's world

sophia's world — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:46:59 +0000

That is a resonable price but i think you should take lessons first and learn how to actually do the whole nine yards since a horse is a huge responsibility. And it’s not fair for the horse if you give it away a couple years later, right?
So learn first, not just studying from text books but actually going out there and DOING IT.
That horse sounds nice so if it’s possible, maybe ask the owner of the horse to give you a few lessons and talk about what kind of habits the horse has and stuff!!
References :

By: CopperKettle

CopperKettle — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:17:59 +0000

First of all you really need to take lessons before and after you buy this horse. Maybe you should lease a horse first to learn more about them and it would be less of a responsibility, I strongly suggest this. Otherwise, you should always go look at a horse before you buy it. Call the owner and ask if you can come over and "try out" the horse. Ask for them to get it out and tack up the horse in front of you so you can see how they behave in that process, and see if they take the bit easily or they don’t like for the girth to be tightened, or if they pick thir hooves up etc. A really big thing to look at is the bit the horse uses. If it is a snaffle, that is really good, but if it is a kimberwhick or pelham or other harsh bit, it usually means the horse is hard to handle. The horse should stop when asked very easily. When it moves into a trot or canter, it should go smoothly and not leap into the next gait. You should ask the owner to jump the horse for you even if you don’t plan on jumping, you may want to in the future, watch to make sure the horse doesn’t increase in pace (without being told to) before the jump, jump the jump higher than the jump really is, hit the jump or knock it over, refuse the jump, or land faster than it went into the jump (unless asked to). Always have the ower ride the horse before you so you can see how it behaves, then if you feel comfortable, you should ride it, never buy a horse without riding it first. That is a resonable price but I think you can find a much better quality horse for that price. A good age is in between 8ish to 18ish. Quarter horses are very calm horses especially for first time owners. Try to stay away from thoroughbreds as they are very excitable. Try dreamhorse.com and go to search (at the top of the page) then type in the search criteria. Horsetopia.com is also good. I hope this helps, good luck!
References :
I live on a horse farm with 9 horses, we own four, the rest are boarded. My mom and I teach riding lessons and summer camps.

By: Veneta T

Veneta T — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:59:59 +0000

There is a video tape put out by one of the United States top horse whisperers that explains all this. You can go to his website at: http://www.montyroberts.com
References :

By: rocketgirl

rocketgirl — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:37:59 +0000

The price seems reasonable…..BUT……you need to have some sort of riding lessons first……pick a known stable and start out in some group lessons until you get your "sea legs". This way, it is much more fair to the horse and to you. The horse’s temperament is extremely important, especially since you are just now starting out, his conformation is important for soundness, and a good foot. Personally, since you are just now starting out, i would pick an older horse that has some experience under his belt, rather than a 3 year old. Definitely have whatever horse you buy vet checked.
References :

By: Naomi~irene

Naomi~irene — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:52:59 +0000

Look uder there hoofs ask if he/her has shots see if it is healthy any more Question,s ask i have 5 horses. a good price for a healthy horse is $600 to $1000
References :

By: john_deeregirl07

john_deeregirl07 — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:41:59 +0000

that honestly seems to be rather cheap, and because he’s only 3, he probably doesn’t have all sorts of training. i know of a 17 month old who’s been desensitized, but that doesn’t mean in any way she’s ready to be ridden. be careful when they said he’s been trained for trail, because there’s trail on his back, but there’s also in hand trail meaning that he hasn’t been ridden. just be careful what kind of "broke" they’re talking about. he could barely be green-broke but they’re still calling him broke to get rid of him.
if you’re only going to be walking and doing easy work, you can find an older horse MUCH cheaper, who’s going to know what they’re doing. people generally want younger horses, and are always trying to get rid of older ones. even if the horse is 15-20 years old, they still have another 5-10 years left, and i think for a first horse, that’s a better choice.
before buying any type of horse though, TAKE LESSONS! and make sure that’s something you like, especially if you’re going to bring home a younger horse and make that big of a comittment.
just be sure to have lessons under your belt because then you’ll know how to react to different behaviors of the horse, and you’ll know how to properly groom and exercise them.
make sure you get them regularly vet checked and have their shoes and teeth done. a lot of first time horse owners don’t remember these things.

a side note – for never riding before, younger horses generally aren’t the best. they spook easily, and with no riding experience, you won’t know how to break them of these habits. they also require training up till about 7 years to get them completely set in their ways.
References :

By: katiemustang

katiemustang — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:59:59 +0000

First, test ride the horse before you buy him. Just to be safe. It is good if the horse is current on all. BUT DONT GET A THREE YEAR OLD!! I am 11 have been riding my whole life, do, barrels, jumping, Cutting, every thing you can think of & i train, pleasure & under saddle. When I start 2 year olds, I get bucked off & all. Now I have a 6 year old I have been training for only two weeks & he is a but at points! 2000 means the horse is not trained a WHOLE LOT. try at least a 15 year old horse that has done it all. 2000 is a great price for ANY horse at all. trained or not. but please, take my advice for your safty, dont get this horse. How about you try, http://www.dreamhorse.com & http://www.agdirect.com
I found a few of mine on those sites! oh, and before buying ANY horse, get a vet check done. & you need to try to ride at a trot.

thanks
Happy Holidays!
References :
owner of 15 horses.