If you are looking to buy your next equine partner you know how challenging the search can become. Some sellers are truthful about their horse because they sincerely want to find him a good home. Then there are others who live by the old “truth by omission” standard when selling. They will only tell you about what is brought up, and are hoping his vices go unnoticed before the check clears! And last but not least are the sellers who will be dishonest and lie. They want to unload a possibly dangerous or simply untrained animal on the first unsuspecting buyer.
So before your next horse shopping adventure, arm yourself with these 10 questions. They’re designed to help find out everything you need to know before signing that check!
How Long Have You Had Him?
This is the first question for a reason. If the seller has only had the horse a short period of time it’s a red flag. Circumstances in life can change suddenly. However, if they only had the horse a few months or less, it usually means the horse did something which made them want to sell it. If they are also reluctant to ride the horse before you get on (provided the horse is trained to ride of course!) find out why before you put a foot in the stirrup.
They may also be horse traders that go to local auctions and try to resell the horses for a markup. That means they won’t have a true history on the horse and they might not even know if he has vices, his age, or medical history. It is often best to pass on situations like these unless you are an experienced horseman, or you brought one along for the test ride.
If they have owned the horse for a few years that is a good sign. They should know their individual attitude and be able to tell you many details about them. Sometimes you will find a horse that has only had the one owner. In this case, you could possibly see other relatives of the horse on site. Pay close attention to how the seller handles all the horses, because it is the way that horse has been raised.
Why Is He For Sale?
This is one that every seller is going to expect to be asked. It means they will already have an answer in mind. It also means they may have a dishonest or partially true answer in mind. That is why the answer to this question alone can mean little to nothing. However, let’s see what a few common answers can really say about the horse (and the seller).
I don’t have time to ride or train him. This is probably the most commonly used reason to sell a horse. Changes in career or stages in life (i.e. college, marriage, babies, etc) are legitimate reasons to sell a horse. If that is the case, all the tack and horse related items should also be available to purchase. If they aren’t interested in selling any other items be suspicious. They won’t need a saddle, bridle, or horse trailer without a horse! That horse is most likely for sale for another undisclosed reason.
I have too many horses. Well, that one should be easy to figure out! how many horses are there? Keep in mind that when it’s time to thin the herd, no one sells their best horse. He may be a perfectly good horse or they may want to get rid of the barn headache.
He is too much for me to handle. This is actually a good sign. If the buyer will tell you that it usually means they will be honest about his behavior. You can decide whether this horse is one you would be comfortable riding based on their description of his behavior. You may be a more experienced rider than the current owner.
He didn’t do well at (whatever they wanted to use him for). Unless you are wanting to use him for that specific discipline, this is also a good thing. Horses, like people, have different skills and abilities. I once owned a Saddlebred that wasn’t a flashy mover, but turned out to be a brilliant show jumper!
Where Did You Get Him?
They may answer this when asked how long they have had him. Be sure to ask if they don’t. If they are reluctant to tell you there is a reason. The horse might have come from a feed lot, kill buyer, or auction. Keep in mind not all horses from these places are bad horses. Some end up there through no fault of their own. It can be a gamble, however, because you won’t ever know an accurate history on them.
Has He Ever Foundered, Been Lame, or Had Colic?
If they have owned the horse a few years it has likely had at least one injury or illness. When asked, the seller should be able to tell you the horse’s medical history. Their answer can tell you if the horse seems prone to colic, or has experienced some soundness issues. It will also help you gauge the level of care the horse received in his current home. If there was something that concerns you in their answer (or lack of sufficient answer), consider having a vet perform a pre-purchase exam. The initial cost can save you thousands in vet bills later if you can avoid buying a horse with existing issues.
What Does He Eat & How Much Do You Feed Him?
This is a crucial question to ask! You really want to know what this horse is fed before you buy him. There are a few reasons it’s important. First, some horses are extremely hard to keep weight on. If the answer goes something like ,”He gets three scoops of X brand Feed, plus a cup of rice bran, a cup of beet pulp, his supplements, and two flakes of alfalfa hay and three flakes of grass hay twice a day”, you might want to keep looking. Unless you have some seriously disposable income! Finding a horse that requires less feed saves a lot over the years of horse ownership. The second reason is a horse fed cheap sweet feed and insufficient hay won’t be feeling his best. You want to remember he could become more spirited on a better feeding program. The final reason is if the horse is fed a higher protein feed than needed for his workload, he could be hot and high strung. He should become calmer on a lower starch, forage based diet.
What Has He Been Trained To Do?
This should be discussed before you come out to look at him. You might want to ask what else he has been used for either before they owned him, or before he was used in his current discipline. He may be more valuable to you if you know he is trained to drive, knows how to jump, has been in parades, etc. If you know what a horse has accomplished in his riding career it can help you decide if his price is fair.
Does He Have Any Vices?
An honest seller tells you up front if a horse has vices. You want to ask about stable, ground manner, and under saddle vices. Be specific with your questions. It’s harder for the seller to avoid the question or lie if you ask them outright. Ask if they have bucked, reared, or bolted under saddle. Find out if it was an isolated incident or is a habitual behavior. Do they weave, paw, wind suck, crib, wood chew, break fences, open gates, or pull back when tied? How about biting or kicking? Are they hard to catch and do they load easily? Listen to their answers and explanations carefully. Remember not every horse that has bucked or reared a time or two is a menace.
What Does He Need Work On?
Again, this will give the seller a chance to be honest about a horse’s shortcomings. Be suspicious if they can’t think of anything or say he doesn’t need any improvement. Even the best trained horses have a few areas where they could improve. If the seller has the horse’s best interests in mind he will suggest something the horse doesn’t do well yet. It may be as simple as loading better, or his backing up could be smoother.
How Is He With Other Horses? How About Dogs?
If you have several horses, or keep your horse at a boarding barn, you need to know this! If your new horse turns out to be a pasture bully it may terrorize the other horses. You may end up with angry friends or vet bills. You might even be asked to leave your barn. You also need to know if he kicks or bites at other horses while being ridden.
On the flip side, if you put a very submissive horse in with dominant ones he might be seriously injured. He could be chased through a fence and into a road by another horse. He might not keep his weight well due to the stress. Also he could have trouble accessing hay when offered in the pasture.
You also need to know how the horse is around dogs. Sooner or later someone is going to have a dog loose around your horse. Even if it isn’t your dog, you don’t want to find out the hard way that horse doesn’t like dogs. Some horses will try to trample any dog that comes near them in the pasture. I have never found an effective way to discourage this behavior when present. You must keep the dogs out of the pasture the entire time you own that horse. Keep this in mind if your or any of your friends’ dogs are used to dog friendly horses. You might want to pass on a horse who has dog aggression issues. It only takes a few seconds and the results are tragic.
What Is The Worst Thing You Have Ever Seen This Horse Do?
This question is designed to catch the seller off guard. Chances are they didn’t expect to be asked it. You want to notice if they seem unprepared to answer you or irritated by the question. Give them a moment to think about it though. Let them tell the story, and then ask if anything similar has happened since. If it was a loading or tying accident, ask if they are good at those skills now. If it was related to spooking, ask if the horse spooks frequently. Remember freak accidents do happen even with the best of horses.
So, there’s a few things you can ask when considering a new horse. I try to find out as much as possible by phone, text, or email before even seeing the horse. No need to waste your time or theirs if it doesn’t seem like the horse will be a good fit. Happy horse hunting!
