Just the Facts - Purchasing a horse

by Megan Dykeman

In the last article we took a look briefly at the real costs that are involved in horse ownership. This article we will explore the costs involved in actually purchasing a horse and what sort of steps should be taken when looking at a horse to buy.

The first step should be to identify what your needs are. Are you planning on riding recreationally, or are you looking for a performance horse? Once you know what you are planning on doing with your horse you need to identify if you want a broke horse or a baby. If you are taking on an unbroken young horse you need to ask yourself are you truly able to offer the consistent training that this horse needs. If you are looking for a performance, show horse are you going to get a horse with a track record in the ring or a horse to bring along and hopefully train to be a show horse.

The next step should be to clearly look at what you can afford. This is a vital part, as you don't want to find what you think is your 'perfect' horse, that is $1000.00 more than you can practically afford! When figuring out what your capital investment budget is, be sure to factor in what the after costs are (i.e. vet checks start up costs etc). You don't want your whole budget just to be the purchase price only to find out you don't even have enough left to buy a saddle for the horse or have it trailered to it's new home!

Research is the next big step. Do your homework. Look at horse sale ads and figure out how much type of horse you are looking for is being sold for. You may find a great horse that would be perfect for you that the seller is asking $1000.00 more than similar horses are currently being sold for.

Different avenues are available for you to find a horse. There is the Internet, trade magazines; private ads at industry stores like tack shops and word of mouth to name a few. If you are looking for a horse to show, going through a barn or trainer is always a good option. This is a good way to find a horse that you can be pretty sure has the experience you are looking for.

Once you have found a horse that you are interested in there are some steps that should be taken.

It is important to spend some time with the horse; by this I mean visiting a number of times before purchasing the horse. This is important so that you can establish what the horse's true personality is like. I have, over the years, seen situations where individuals will tranquilize a horse prior to showing it to a prospective buyer or work the horse into the ground before a seller comes to see it, so that the horse is calm when it regularly is a nut case. Also watch how the horse reacts to the owner and other people. Does the horse seem to be overall happy and calm or is the horse leery and nervous? Watch to see if the horse has any vices or odd behavior, does he tie ok or dance around in the cross ties? This just gives you and idea of the horse's general disposition and what sort of work you may have ahead of you.

If the horse is not a baby, but is going under saddle have the owner ride the horse for you. If the owner comes out and the horse is tied down in a million places and is being ridden is a severely harsh bit this gives you a pretty good idea that this horse may not have been started properly and may not be a real pleasure to ride. If you are not a trainer and are looking for a horse to get you up the levels or be an easy ride, you most likely will want to reconsider this horse.

If you have a friend that you trust with horse experience or a trainer that can come and see the horse on one of your trips I think that it is always a good idea to have someone who is impartial look at the horse. This can be a great way to get their view, because they are not looking to buy this horse they may pick up something that you have missed. It is especially helpful if they have more experience than you, especially in buying horses. I always ask someone I trust and think is a good rider to get on so I can watch the horse go from the ground. You can pick up many things this way. If the horse is un-started I have someone I trust lunge the horse for me so I can assess movement.

In my opinion a cost that should never be excluded is a vet check. Purchasing a horse is a huge financial undertaking. It is a potential lifetime financial obligation, adding in pre-existing problems can become a huge financial burden.

Once you have purchased the horse that you want, you must also take into account the cost of tailoring the horse to the new location. If the owner cannot ship the horse for you or you don't have access to a trailer you will need to figure out what a hauler will charge you. This price will be determined by your location. The further you are away the higher the charge. This is always a factor to take into account if your budget is tight.

Tack for the horse is another cost if you don't already have some that will fit the horse.

A cost that I think is always underrated is insurance. This is one of those expenses that you don't appreciate until a problem happens. You need to consider 3 types, liability, death and veterinary costs. Most provincial horse council memberships include approx. $5 million dollars in liability insurance. This will cover you should your horse cause any damage like kicking someone's car. Death insurance for a horse covers the value of your horse and disposal costs should something unfortunate happen to your horse. Many people do not realize what a financial burden losing a horse can be. If the horse needs to be put down the vet bill can be very high, disposal fees are about $250.00 depending on the chosen method and then you are faced with the disconcerting costs of finding a new partner. Veterinary coverage covers you should your horse need vet care including some surgery. Emergency vet calls are always high, the cost of one year's premiums can be lower that one call for your horse. It is well worth looking at.

The last thing to factor in when you are looking at purchasing a horse is what would the training costs be to get the horse to the point that you would like to see him at. Often when you are starting with a green horse you find at the end of the training process that it would have been a lot cheaper to buy a horse at the point that you wanted it in the first place. This is very true if you are looking for a show horse. Of course the capital cost is higher but this is always good to look at first. It may be worthwhile to compromise and buy a horse that is well started and is able to begin the training for showing.

Whichever type of horse you are looking for no matter what the level or purpose, don't rush in. Do your homework and figure out your budget. Good luck on your search for your perfect partner.


Megan Dykeman- 2004-2005 (c)

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