When you’re thinking of buying a horse there are many places to buy from; from professional dealers, to private sellers. Each has their own positives and negatives.
Buying a horse, especially your first horse can be a daunting prospect. Putting together a list of your requirements and being honest about your knowledge and ability is a good place to start.
This article will help you to make the right decisions for you and your new horse, so that your partnership can begin on the right path from day 1.
How to buy a pony
There are several different places that you can look for your new horse:
- Auction – Whilst these are becoming more rare, especially in the UK, if you are experienced this can be a good place to see a wide range of potentially suitable horses. This would not be a good option for a novice, or for someone who is likely to get carried away with the bidding process! Remember that you are very unlikely to be able to try a horse at an auction sale
- Websites – There are a good many websites dedicated to the selling of horses. These are useful to be able to see what current prices are, and what is available nearby and if one could be suitable for you
- Dealers – Often have a variety of horses and a wealth of knowledge to match riders to horses. You are also covered by consumer law (UK) for a short period if you find that the horse isn’t as described/not suitable. It is wise to do your research and check the references of any dealer before viewing, and definitely before handing over any money
- Private ads – There are always plenty of horses for sale on FB, Preloved, etc. just remember that you aren’t covered as much by UK consumer law as when buying from a dealer. If you can try the horse several times in different conditions buying privately can be worthwhile
- Word of mouth – This is really the best way if at all possible. If you’re looking for a pony for a child, then speaking to the local Pony Club can give you a useful steer in the right direction.
The ideal situation is to find a horse that you like locally, and loan with a view to buy (LWVTB). This will let you get to know much more about the horse in a variety of situations and weather conditions. Unfortunately this type of sale is becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Finding a horse locally is the next best option as you will/should be able to try it several times before deciding if it’s the horse for you. You’ll also be likely to know someone who also knows the horse and will be able to give you a warts and all assessment.
What horse should I buy?
Assuming that you already have worked out that you have the time and money to own a horse, before you start looking, honestly answer the following questions:
- What is my riding ability? – If your riding experience is limited to donkey rides on the beach on holiday, then a competition horse is probably not the type of horse you should be looking at. Indeed, take some lessons in both riding and horse care first… The more established a rider you are, the more horses are available to you.
- What do I want to achieve? – Decide if you want a horse that can do low level riding school events and happy hacking, or whether you want to compete to a high level each week. Knowing the type and level of riding you wish to do will help narrow down the list of suitable horses.
- Do I have the right facilities? – For some people, the facilities that their yard has impacts upon the type of horse they can choose. If you only have a field with natural shelter, and limited winter hacking, then trying to keep a horse fit enough to compete will be difficult. For those with a laid back happy hacker though, this is perfectly doable. Again, be honest with what you want to achieve, and if you want to compete/hunt/endurance ride, find a yard that will enable you to do this. Even the most laid back competition horse will get bored stuck in a field for the winter and may start to display unwanted behaviours
- What is my care knowledge? – If you have always managed horses that live out 24/7, but are looking to buy one that will need to be stabled, do you have the knowledge to do this? The same is true if you find a horse with medical issues that you haven’t dealt with before, sweet-itch, mallanders, or arthritis etc. Read up on care before you bring the horse home
- What are my must haves? – This is probably one of the most important questions to ask yourself. There are no daft must haves, even if it’s simply colour! You are likely to have this horse for many years so being able to identify what is most important to you is key.
- What are my must NOT haves? – Just because you may be able to ride a bucking horse, teach a green horse, or manage particular health issues, doesn’t mean that you should if you don’t want to. It is just as important to honestly assess and list what you don’t want when choosing your new equine partner as listing what you do want.
I’ll caveat the last two points however; when looking for my first horse (SFB) I wanted a horse that was:
- approx 15hh
- not too hairy
- not grey
- well schooled
- nicely bred with good confirmation
what I bought:
- 13.1hh
- traditional hairy cob
- greying dapple grey
- green to the point of not broken
- no recorded breeding and dodgy back legs
However, I was able to loan him for a month prior to purchasing, and found that he was everything I wanted temperament wise with a huge heart. I have absolutely no regrets about buying him and discounting all my rules!
How big should my horse be?
The size of your horse is very much a personal choice; when keeping within the 20% weight ratio. However, there are some practical issues to consider.
- Rugs: Wet rugs are very heavy. The larger the horse, the heavier the rug and therefore the more difficult to change, especially in winter
- Mounting: Although it’s best to use a mounting block, sometimes getting on from the ground is the only option – or a long walk home! Choose a horse that you can mount from the ground, even if you never intend to do so
- Bridling: Can you bridle your new horse if they decide to reach for the stars with their nose? There’s nothing more frustrating than spending time finding a stool to stand on just so you can tack up your horse…plus it can be dangerous
- Legs: Yours not the horses. If your legs are too long or short for the horse you won’t be able to apply the aids correctly which will make it more difficult for your horse to understand what you’re asking for
When trying your potential new horse ask a friend (or the owner) to take a photo of you mounted if you’re unsure. Look critically at the photo and go from there.
What age of horse should I buy?
There are pros and cons of both young and old horses. With a young horse you will need to do most of the teaching yourself (or be able to pay a professional), whereas an older horse should have the basics at least already there.
With an older horse though, especially an aged horse, you may have more health issues to contend with and ultimately will have to retire the horse. A young horse will hopefully have many many working years before retirement is necessary.
How to read the advertisement/what to avoid
What is left out of the advertisement is often more telling than what is put in. Even if an ad states that the horse has no vices, it is always good practice to have in writing that the horse is free of anything that would potentially put you off the sale. For example, if you are determined not to buy a windsucker, and the ad states vice free, still ask for this to be specifically mentioned in writing.
There are several phrases that should start ringing alarm bells….
- thrives in regular hard work – if you want to leave your horse in the field and get on without a fuss the following week, this is not the horse for you
- more woah than go – if you’re looking for a forward thinking horse, avoid this description
- broodmare or project – especially if in the prime of life this is a horse that could be hiding all sorts of behavioural issues
- sold from the field – there may be many reasons that a horse is out of work and sold from the field. However, especially if you’re a novice, this description should be given a wide berth. A horse can command much larger sums when in work and able to be tried. Be cautious as to what the seller is trying to avoid a buyer seeing
- Low mileage – This horse hasn’t been out much…..or alternatively has had a saddle on once and been left forgotten in the field. Safe to assume that training is a must
- Passport – Before you view ask for a screenshot of the passport. This will also give the microchip number. Legally, it is not allowed to move a horse without a passport, even though they are not proof of ownership. You can also double check that the horse is up to date with inoculations from viewing the passport
- Viewing – Turn up early. If the horse is in it’s stable and sweating; has it been worked before you arrived to make it more docile for your viewing? Is the horse simply difficult to catch?
- Deposit – Never, never, never, send a deposit to allow you to view the horse. If you do put a deposit down after viewing make sure you get a receipt and confirmation that it will be returned should the horse fail the vetting (if you’re having one)
- Vetting – Even if you’re not intending upon having the horse vetted, ask the seller if they’re happy for the horse to be vetted. Their reaction will tell you a great deal. If they don’t want the horse vetted, walk away. If they’ll only allow their choice of vet, walk away.
Remember that a vetting is only good for the health of the horse on the day that it was carried out. It is up to you as a buyer to decide if you want to have a horse vetted, but many insurance companies will insist upon one if you purchase a horse worth over £5k.
A 2* vetting will simply look at the basics, whereas a 5* vetting will be far more thorough. Often though, x-rays and bloods (storage and testing) will be additional to a 5* vetting and should be asked for at the time.
How much does a horse cost?
The question how much does a horse cost is very much like asking how long is a piece of string. This is where doing your homework will pay off. A happy hacker with no recorded breeding will undoubtedly cost less than a proven showjumper or dressage horse.
Decide upon your budget and stick to it. This is one area wherein your head should definitely rule your heart.
If a horse’s price is too good to be true, it probably is.
Should I buy unseen?
Sometimes the horse you’re interested in is simply too far away to view. Whilst not ideal, buying unseen actually provides you with more rights (UK law) than buying after a viewing.
Make sure you do your homework on the seller though. There are plenty of ‘dodgy dealer/seller’ sites available where people have shared their horror stories. These sites allow you to search a sellers name to find out if anyone has had problems in the past.
Fatty was purchased unseen as a 2 year old. She was exactly as stated temperament wise and had obviously been well handled. Unfortunately her height had been rather exaggerated, and instead of a pony to make 14.2hh, she’s only reached the dizzy height of 13.1hh. It was quite apparent when she walked off the trailer that she wasn’t already the 13.2hh I’d been told. Whilst I would have been well within my rights to put her straight back on the trailer, I couldn’t. She has however, turned into the most beautiful pony, albeit substantially smaller than desired.
Buying unseen is a risk, photos could have been taken in the summer, or with a previous owner, and what arrives could be startlingly different. However, plenty of horses are sold this way and turn out even better than described.
Which transporter should I use to get horse home?
If you don’t have transport to get your new horse home make sure that you research the carrier that you are to use. Ensure that they have the proper insurance and are registered. Make sure (especially if it’s a long journey) that you know where the horse will be kept overnight/prior to delivery, and that you have the contact details of the transporter if arranged by the seller.
Conclusion
Always do your homework. There are plenty of wonderful horses out there, but there are also plenty of people willing to pull the wool over your eyes simply to make a few pounds. Checking social media (FB, Instagram, etc.) for the sellers profile is always useful. If they don’t have many (or any) photos of the horse that they’re selling, it’s time to start asking more questions. Most sellers of ‘much loved’ horses have more photos and videos than anything else on their phone.
Remember; if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
