Horse Training Made Simple: When Buying a Horse for the First Time

If you are new to buying horse & considering purchasing a horse here are a few things to consider. The first thing you should do is Homework…Homework…Homework!
Find some books on horses and read…read…read. Then consult someone like a horse trainer or find a local boarding stable. Get as much info as you can. Do a lil riding & you can even lease a horse for a while to see if owning a horse is what you really want.

Rule number one for me when looking to purchase a horse is don’t buy solely for color!
As the ole saying goes “pretty is as pretty does”. Buying for color should be the last thing on your list. Second thing is to determine what will your use be for the horse? What kind of riding are you interested in? Trail riding, reining, barrel racing, western pleasure, showing, dressage etc.

Once you have determined what type of horse you want you then need to look for & consider the horse pedigree/bloodlines. Buying a horse can be a major investment. So I suggest getting a horse with some registration papers & good pedigree. I highly recommend this. In the event you decide to sell your horse you have better chance of selling it for a good re-sale value. With an unregistered horse odds are you won’t profit much. As the other ole saying goes “you get what you pay for”. It’s kind of like buying a Chevy versus a Ferrari. It is also best to consult with someone that knows horse pedigrees

Looking around on the internet is probably the best way now days to do horse searching.
When you do find a horse you are interested in go check it out and be sure to take a knowledgeable person with you if at all possible. Some basic things to look for in a horse are confirmation… does the horse look healthy, are the legs straight have the hooves been trimmed etc. Ask if the horse has had any health issues and is current on all its vaccinations. Request to see some paperwork from the vet. One thing that is very important to me when looking at a horse is the horse’s hooves & legs I like to see a nice big hoof and straight legs with no previous problems after all I’m going to be riding this thing last thing I need is a horse with bad hooves and leg problems. You’d be surprised how many people never consider this. The last tip I’ll give in this segment is top of the list of importance… Before you purchase any horse GET A VET CHECK! A preliminary exam before you purchase any horse & use your own vet.