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Ivonne Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:05 amIf you've already bought a horse what did you learn from your experience? Tell us about the good, the bad, the ugly.
There's always someone out there looking for a horse. It's an investment in time, money and personal devotion (do you and your horse really get along? why?)
I always recall a class on horse management a long time ago, where the vet in charge started talking about how Arabs used to (or still do) buy horses.
They stick the horse in a tent and the buyer is outside of the tent, as if waiting for the curtain to raise and the show to begin.
The seller will raise the curtain to show the feet.
If the buyer sees sound feet, then he asks the seller to raise the curtain up a little further to show the legs, the knees, a little higher and up to the shoulders and chest, and so on..
Until the whole horse is uncovered.
At any time, if the buyer is not satisfied with the conformation of the horse, he tells the seller to stop and the curtain isn't raised any higher and the deal is off.
So, if the buyer sees a horse that has weak feet, then no deal, or if the horse is pigeon-toed or.... anything that seems "off" to the buyer = the curtain isn't raised any further.
Point is....Too many times the buyer looks at the horse like they're buying a dog. He's so cute! She's so flashy! Then get the horse home only to find out: she's lame, he's not as well trained as the seller claimed, he's got some kind of issue with his hip, or neck, or she's a rough ride, or...
the key points when buying a horse:
Soundness?
Conformation? (how well built is the horse? if he's "off" somewhere, he might go lame easily, or might get sore easily or might get a sway back easily, or .....)
Then there's the question of training.
How well trained do you need the horse to be? A true kid broke horse? That if you are screaming and peeing in your pants, the horse isn't going to react? Or can you handle a horse that knows nothing or next to nothing? How well trained are you? Do you really know how to ride? Are you just learning to ride? Are you an expert/confident rider? Can you deal and fix negative issues? Will you both need some training? Got the money for that, too?
I always tell people in the market:
1. go see the horse and watch the owner catch, groom, tack up, ride (at ALL GAITS)
2. then do the same yourself
3. get a vet check
4. find someone who knows what to look for, someone who isn't going to "fall in love" with the horse, but who can give you an honest opinion
What about if you're selling a horse? What do you look for in a buyer?
What's your input?
There's always someone out there looking for a horse. It's an investment in time, money and personal devotion (do you and your horse really get along? why?)
I always recall a class on horse management a long time ago, where the vet in charge started talking about how Arabs used to (or still do) buy horses.
They stick the horse in a tent and the buyer is outside of the tent, as if waiting for the curtain to raise and the show to begin.
The seller will raise the curtain to show the feet.
If the buyer sees sound feet, then he asks the seller to raise the curtain up a little further to show the legs, the knees, a little higher and up to the shoulders and chest, and so on..
Until the whole horse is uncovered.
At any time, if the buyer is not satisfied with the conformation of the horse, he tells the seller to stop and the curtain isn't raised any higher and the deal is off.
So, if the buyer sees a horse that has weak feet, then no deal, or if the horse is pigeon-toed or.... anything that seems "off" to the buyer = the curtain isn't raised any further.
Point is....Too many times the buyer looks at the horse like they're buying a dog. He's so cute! She's so flashy! Then get the horse home only to find out: she's lame, he's not as well trained as the seller claimed, he's got some kind of issue with his hip, or neck, or she's a rough ride, or...
the key points when buying a horse:
Soundness?
Conformation? (how well built is the horse? if he's "off" somewhere, he might go lame easily, or might get sore easily or might get a sway back easily, or .....)
Then there's the question of training.
How well trained do you need the horse to be? A true kid broke horse? That if you are screaming and peeing in your pants, the horse isn't going to react? Or can you handle a horse that knows nothing or next to nothing? How well trained are you? Do you really know how to ride? Are you just learning to ride? Are you an expert/confident rider? Can you deal and fix negative issues? Will you both need some training? Got the money for that, too?
I always tell people in the market:
1. go see the horse and watch the owner catch, groom, tack up, ride (at ALL GAITS)
2. then do the same yourself
3. get a vet check
4. find someone who knows what to look for, someone who isn't going to "fall in love" with the horse, but who can give you an honest opinion
What about if you're selling a horse? What do you look for in a buyer?
What's your input?
Good one! 
They are so upset because they were just starting her under saddle and now she'll have to have time off to foal. ugh