How To Choose A Horse The Right Way?

Without a doubt, buying a horse represents a great responsibility. It not only requires money, but also long-term time and dedication. For this reason, when you are about to choose one, you need to take into consideration a number of critical points. So as to minimize the risks and avoid making a bad choice. What do you need to know if you want to buy a horse? What are the things that need to be checked? Here is a detailed guide that will help you choose a horse the right way.

Essential steps for choosing a horse

Evaluate responsibilities and costs

First, and even if it seems like a trivial matter of common sense, you must be truly convinced and willing to acquire a horse. This is because it is an animal that lives around 25-30 years and needs a lot of dedication. To keep him in good condition, to exercise him, to feed him, heal him and interact with him. And also to establish a bond of trust.

Before going to a breeder and starting to choose your possible new horse, you will have to evaluate a whole series of very concrete aspects. Try to ask yourself the following questions :

• For what purpose it is acquired. From this point will depend the type of animal you will have to look for and its characteristics. It is not the same as taking a racehorse as a workhorse or one that you will only use to go for a walk a few times.
• Availability of time : do you have enough?
• Economic investment : you will have to meet the cost of maintenance (food and supplements), the cost of training, visits to the vet and the purchase of medicines, the cost of accessories (harness, saddles) as well as the rent of a stable or box if you don’t have your own.

• Enough space : you will not be able to keep a horse inside the house, so the purchase is for those who have a sufficiently large green area or have the possibility to build or set up a stable.
• An expert friend : it is important to be able to count on a veterinarian or trainer friend to whom you can ask to see the animal and who will be able to warn you of any problems that would easily escape your sight.
• Passion : having a horse requires many sacrifices, ask yourself if you really have such a great passion to be able to have one. Otherwise, remember that you can always take away the whim with weekly or monthly walks in any riding school.

Degrees of preparation

If you have decided to buy a horse, surely you already know this type of animal and, most likely,  you already know how to ride. The ideal is to master basic management techniques. Either in the field or on the track, as in the placement of equipment and pet grooming. Try to develop this knowledge  first, even with other horses, so that you can be autonomous in handling the animal.

Be humble, get advice from an expert

• Both in the phase prior to choosing a horse (to know which breed is the most appropriate), and at the time of purchase, it is important to be able to count on the opinion of a qualified professional. Better if it is a friend or a trusted acquaintance. It is not just a question of avoiding scams and scams but, above all, of receiving objective advice about the type of animal, characteristics and any problems that may arise later.

What kind of horse to choose

• Race: Analyze the characteristics of the races before deciding. You know his temperament, whether he is calm or nervous, etc. The best thing for a first experience is to look for a versatile breed. One that does not limit the possibilities to advance in various disciplines. Sports specimens can do just fine.

In case you are looking for a horse for the countryside, the ideal is a crossbred specimen grown in the area.

• Gender : castrated females or males are calmer than stallions. They are ideal for riding and walking, dressage and other activities that do not require excessive wear.
• Age : if this is the first time you buy a horse, we recommend a model of about 8 years that has already been tamed. Never a foal, as it requires a lot of experience. If you are looking for a competition specimen, remember that after 5 years the animal is considered mature. From there it can be used for competitions.

Selection process

Once all these preliminary considerations have been made , it is important to be guided in the buying and selling process. This also means looking for and knowing the places where it will be possible to buy your horse in order to understand which specimens can be  found on the market.

We recommend that you consult a professional. It is likely that he has the contacts or can give you detailed information on who sells and where. People who work for equestrian organizations or federations, who personally own horses, if they are instructors or tamers… It will be essential to  know people directly and listen to everyone’s opinions, in order to arrive at the best possible decision.

What to observe when choosing a horse?

Once you have found a small number of horses that meet the requirements you need, it is important to approach the breeding and observe their behavior in different situations. While doing this, we recommend that you evaluate these fundamental elements:

• Physical appearance of the horse : see if it looks healthy, look at its legs, eyes, muzzle and ears.
• Ask the owner to have  him examined by your vet.
• Personality : Check his character and temperament closely. It is always best to prefer a calm and intelligent animal.
• Beware of nervousness : if in a familiar situation he does not appear calm, bites or exhibits aggressive and anxious behavior, it is best to leave it alone.
• Check the  animal’s official documents.
• Pay attention to excessively favorable offers or options designed to hide even quite serious flaws and problems.

Try the animal before the final choice

Arrange a meeting with the seller or breeder to be able to closely evaluate the horse. Don’t hesitate to offer some money in exchange for a few hours to spend with your new friend. This will serve you not only to try it on the saddle, but also to understand if there is a certain  feeling with the animal.

Check-up visit to the vet

Once your horse has been selected, and before making your purchase, have your veterinarian perform a full medical examination. This really is the last step that separates you from the chance to gallop on your beautiful new horse.

Source of the main image: Daniela Aguilar