Buying a horse

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hollymarsh

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after loaning for years, I'm going to (possibly) be looking for my own horse after exams finish. I've never bought before and parents aren't horsey so just general advice really!..
vetting - how much does a 5 stage vetting cost and how long does it usually take? do you need to attend? would ideally like something by the summer holidays!
how much does insurance cost, what companies do you use?
how many times would you recommend visiting/trying the horse before buying?
also, buying from a dealer? i've always thought of it as dodgy but I'm having trouble finding anything suitable (14.2-15.2hh, safe and sensible but not cobby, doesn't need to be a competition pony just something to have fun on until I go to uni, budget of about £2500 possibly £3000 with wardrobe) are dealers descriptions usually dishonest as they all look to good to be true?
tia x

UPDATE one more thing - what do people think of buying an older horse/pony? everything within my budget seems to be over 15, which is fine as long as no health problems but is insurance a lot more and what's the possibility of a large vet bill one day?
 
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I like to view twice. When robin was 5 stage vetted it was about £250. I would highly recommend you get a vetting. It was outside my area so I rang my vets and asked who they would recommend. I was there for the vetting but you don't have to be. I am insured with nfu and it is £80 a month which is a lot but I have been stung due to very large bills before (£10k in 4 months) and I know they are good.

It is impossible to tell if you will get a big vet bill! I lost mine as 10 due to an accident. But older horses you may have more issues with arthritis and may have exclusions on your insurance due to ore existing injuries/illnesses.
Dealers have pros and cons. I would say research a dealer very well before you go.
 
A five stage vetting costs around £300 depending on your area, you don't have to attend, it usually takes 1-2 hours.

I would budget around £60 a month for insurance depending on whether you need 3rd party insurance/tack/personal insurance.

Try the horse twice and take someone experienced with you.

Have a list of must have and a list of things you are prepared to compromise on. So if you will be hacking on your own a lot, then this a must have.

Nothing wrong with buying an older horse/pony, certainly if you can get its full clinical history.

Unfortunately with horses, there could always be a whopper of a Vets bill around the corner, good luck, hope you find something you can have fun with :)
 
Exciting times ahead!


vetting - how much does a 5 stage vetting cost and how long does it usually take? do you need to attend?

I had my horse vetted about two months ago, and it cost around £250. You also need to take into account cost of going to pick horse up, or paying for a transporter/seller to deliver. It takes a few hours, but depending on the practice, they might be busy. I had about 3-4 days wait between asking for a vetting, and the vet being able to fit it in. I didn't attend due to work, but if you can go, definitely do. You might see/hear things you aren't keen on, that aren't later mentioned.

how much does insurance cost, what companies do you use?

I'm with SEIB, was with KBIS before. It's all dependent on what you want to do and what the horse is etc. With KBIS it cost me about £350 a year (I pay upfront), but I was only doing hacking and schooling with a NF pony. With SEIB, I've got a young TB who I plan to event, and it's cost me about £500, but nearly every part of his body is excluded anyway. I've always heard good things about NFU and PetPlan, but they're more expensive I believe.

how many times would you recommend visiting/trying the horse before buying?

With the ones I've bought, I've gone twice. I've made sure I've done everything - hacked alone, gone in indoor/outdoor arenas, ridden with another horse in the school, jumped. My instructor came the first time, and if you've never bought before and your parents aren't horsey, definitely take someone more experienced, like your instructor.

also, buying from a dealer? i've always thought of it as dodgy but I'm having trouble finding anything suitable (14.2-15.2hh, safe and sensible but not cobby, doesn't need to be a competition pony just something to have fun on until I go to uni, budget of about £2500 possibly £3000 with wardrobe) are dealers descriptions usually dishonest as they all look to good to be true?

I bought my current horse from a dealer, and couldn't be happier. There are lots of bad, dodgy ones, but equally there are plenty of great ones. You might end up paying more as they're unlikely to come with wardrobe, but you get a bit more protection (sometimes) if they turn out to be not as described. There's plenty of threads on here and on facebook groups like twittereventing with recommendations of who to try and who to avoid! I did lots of research on the guy I bought from, and he came highly recommended by practically everyone, including my instructor!

UPDATE one more thing - what do people think of buying an older horse/pony? everything within my budget seems to be over 15, which is fine as long as no health problems but is insurance a lot more and what's the possibility of a large vet bill one day?

I wouldn't rule out an older horse, as long as you have it vetted. You could also request its vet history (I think), to see if there's anything worried. Vet bills - you can't ever guarantee or guess this, but be prepared! Mine flew through a 5 stage vetting, but then was horribly horribly ill after a routine vaccination which landed me with a fairly hefty bill.

Few other things:
- Don't forget to budget for things like mucking out tools, grooming kit, rugs, tack etc., in your initial pony fund. I think my 'extra bits' cost almost as much as the horse!
- Take someone super experienced with you to view, and see if you can send them adverts to check before calling sellers up or booking appointments. More experienced people will be more likely to spot any warning signs/phrases
- Don't buy just because you're getting FOMO! Yes, owning in the summer is wonderful, but don't just buy for the sake of having a horse over the holidays! You've got to like it once you're doing it in the winter and before/after school.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 
I know this is always said but it's because you need to...add up all the costs then double it. This is how much you need to have saved.

You say you will be going to uni, what will you do with the horse, will it come with you or go on loan / working livery? I think you'll need to have this thought through to help with finding the right horse.

Try to take a friend or instructor with you when you view for a second opinion.

If it doesn't come with a wardrobe then look at local second hand shops; I've saved a great lump of money this way.

Ask the seller as many questions as you want including when was horse last wormed, vaccinated etc

Don't be pressured into a decision and choose the horse that makes you happy even if that horse is a little older than you planned.

Good luck.
 
zzClaire said:
I know this is always said but it's because you need to...add up all the costs then double it. This is how much you need to have saved.

You say you will be going to uni, what will you do with the horse, will it come with you or go on loan / working livery? I think you'll need to have this thought through to help with finding the right horse.

Try to take a friend or instructor with you when you view for a second opinion.

If it doesn't come with a wardrobe then look at local second hand shops; I've saved a great lump of money this way.

Ask the seller as many questions as you want including when was horse last wormed, vaccinated etc

Don't be pressured into a decision and choose the horse that makes you happy even if that horse is a little older than you planned.

Good luck.
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Thank you! not 100% sure on what will happen when i go to uni, depends on how attached we get to horse, but will either sell or put out on full loan, or if possible loan from current yard. Another thing i'm kind of hoping is that my mum will rekindle her horsiness (used to ride a lot until I was born) and take over when i go to uni, but I'm not relying on this.
 
zzClaire said:
I know this is always said but it's because you need to...add up all the costs then double it. This is how much you need to have saved.

You say you will be going to uni, what will you do with the horse, will it come with you or go on loan / working livery? I think you'll need to have this thought through to help with finding the right horse.

Try to take a friend or instructor with you when you view for a second opinion.

If it doesn't come with a wardrobe then look at local second hand shops; I've saved a great lump of money this way.

Ask the seller as many questions as you want including when was horse last wormed, vaccinated etc

Don't be pressured into a decision and choose the horse that makes you happy even if that horse is a little older than you planned.

Good luck.
Click to expand...



Thank you! not 100% sure on what will happen when i go to uni, depends on how attached we get to horse, but will either sell or put out on full loan, or if possible loan from current yard. Another thing i'm kind of hoping is that my mum will rekindle her horsiness (used to ride a lot until I was born) and take over when i go to uni, but I'm not relying on this.
 
thanks v much for all the replies, I will keep updated! I have done the last two winters part-loaning 5 days a week so I know it gets miserable, but I find it's worth it for the summer, and as I'll be in sixth form next year I'll have time to go up in the day and revise after school so I won't need to do so much in the dark. Also luckily I have a lot of mucking out tools, grooming kits, a bag of girths and numnahs etc which i need to sort through from old loans, so hopefully won't need to spend too much on extras.
 
Do not buy from a dealer called totally cobs! I think a more experienced horse may be good for a first time horse provided it has no medical problems at all.
 
It would be far more sensible to continue part loaning until you have finished your education. Presumably you/your parents already pay something for the part loan, so why not work out how much more per month it would cost to own a horse and put the difference into savings (ISA etc) along with the initial horse purchase cost? That ought to provide you with a very nice nest egg for your future.
 
the reason we've decided to buy rather part loan is because there is only one yard in my area and my parents won't drive me further than 10 mins, and it also means I can cycle on weekends, so this yard is the only place I could loan a pony from. I've loaned various ponies there over the years. However my last loan was sold (way out of budget) and there is nobody else needing a rider/loaner at the yard and as part loans never seem to be very long term it's a better idea to buy. I'm not really sure what you mean about the savings thing, I pay for my part loans myself and I spend literally all of my money on it so I don't have any extra to put into a savings account. My mum will make up costs if/when I get my own and I'll be able to work more over the summer to save!
 
I don't want to be a party pooper, but I don't think this is a good idea at all, I think you may be a little unprepared for not only how much Uni will cost, but also how easily you'll find a buyer/loaner when you go, what i they return the horse?

If your parents won't drive you more than 10 mins, I can't imagine that they will be happy to pay out £3000 for pony, then £1500 at least for other bit's you'll need, plus £300 a month above what your summer job will pay to keep it. Horses aren't play thing you can pick up and drop as and when you have time for it.

Perhaps stick with a part loan, or see if there is anyone local to you that rents a field that could do with help? Or put your summer money into learning to drive so you can go further afield?
 
I agree with the above! I can barely afford to keep myself fed at uni and I work 10 hours a week (the very most I can do and keep on top of uni work), get a little pocket money from my parents and my student loan. You say your parents won't drive you but if you're about to go into sixth form then you can learn to drive soon? Then you can drive yourself to a part loan.

I think what the other poster means by saving is say you spent £400 a month on your own horse in livery and feed etc but only spent £120 on a part loan that's £280 more than you're spending right now. Put that £280 a month in a savings account whilst you're at sixth form and then you've got a nice wad of savings for when you leave uni to spend on your dream horse. Although, I had a job during sixth form and I was on average earning £300 a month so I definitely would not have been able to keep a horse on so little unless you are doing DIY but then you've got to factor in the extra hours that'll take away from your studies.

I hate to break it to you but A-Levels are a humongous step up from GCSE, I can't imagine how you could possible work enough hours to keep a horse without your grades taking the hit. I know having a horse over the summer is the dream but maybe settle into sixth form first, appreciate the extra work load compared to gcse's and consider how much free time you really have, you will need to revise an awful lot more than you do for GCSE's.

Enjoy having no responsibilities whilst you can!
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
I don't want to be a party pooper, but I don't think this is a good idea at all, I think you may be a little unprepared for not only how much Uni will cost, but also how easily you'll find a buyer/loaner when you go, what i they return the horse?

If your parents won't drive you more than 10 mins, I can't imagine that they will be happy to pay out £3000 for pony, then £1500 at least for other bit's you'll need, plus £300 a month above what your summer job will pay to keep it. Horses aren't play thing you can pick up and drop as and when you have time for it.
Perhaps stick with a part loan, or see if there is anyone local to you that rents a field that could do with help? Or put your summer money into learning to drive so you can go further afield?
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it was their idea to get our own, not mine, so I think they will. I know a horse isn't a play thing, I've ridden for 14 years and I got my first full loan when I was 9, and looked after it almost entirely on my own. I've had two other full loans since then too (but kept out all year round on our own land literally next to our kitchen window so was a bit lower maintenance than having to go the yard everyday and muck out, I understand that). For the past two years (I think?) I've had two different part loans at the yard where new pony will hopefully be kept. If the yard DID get too expensive, we have our own land so always have the option of moving the horse home. No, there are no horses around really for me to help out with, it's a very unhorsey area.
What I'm trying to say is I'm not a beginner who's just suddenly decided 'I want a pony!' - I've been working on it for years and years, i do have quite a lot of experience with keeping horses and I know local farriers etc, just have no experience of the actual process of buying a horse so was asking for advice. I'm fully aware of the costs of university but that's irrelevant - my parents can afford it and we have funds saved, they just prefer me to be independent with riding.
 
char_f94 said:
I agree with the above! I can barely afford to keep myself fed at uni and I work 10 hours a week (the very most I can do and keep on top of uni work), get a little pocket money from my parents and my student loan. You say your parents won't drive you but if you're about to go into sixth form then you can learn to drive soon? Then you can drive yourself to a part loan.

I think what the other poster means by saving is say you spent £400 a month on your own horse in livery and feed etc but only spent £120 on a part loan that's £280 more than you're spending right now. Put that £280 a month in a savings account whilst you're at sixth form and then you've got a nice wad of savings for when you leave uni to spend on your dream horse. Although, I had a job during sixth form and I was on average earning £300 a month so I definitely would not have been able to keep a horse on so little unless you are doing DIY but then you've got to factor in the extra hours that'll take away from your studies.

I hate to break it to you but A-Levels are a humongous step up from GCSE, I can't imagine how you could possible work enough hours to keep a horse without your grades taking the hit. I know having a horse over the summer is the dream but maybe settle into sixth form first, appreciate the extra work load compared to gcse's and consider how much free time you really have, you will need to revise an awful lot more than you do for GCSE's.

Enjoy having no responsibilities whilst you can!
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I know that A-levels are a big step up! I know a lot of people who manage having a horse and A-levels absolutely fine though, so I'm sure I could too. I actually find that I work a lot better if I have some kind of motivation - if I know I've got all day to revise then I'll end up leaving it until the last minute, whereas if I need to go and sort out the horse then I'll make sure I get all my work done quickly. If I do struggle, I can try to get a sharer or move the horse onto our own land which is a lot less time consuming (I know some people say having horses at home is a nightmare but I've done it before and I haven't had a problem). And as for money, my parents will make up what I can't pay - my dad's the one who came up with the idea so I'm not assuming I'll be able to pay everything myself.
 
Another option to consider. Why not hunt for a full loan? While I appreciate they may be a little thin on the ground in the summer but if you stress you have experience, would committ to winter, have full parental support and perhaps references from previous people you have shared with, you could strike lucky..
 
hollymarsh said:
the reason we've decided to buy rather part loan is because there is only one yard in my area and my parents won't drive me further than 10 mins, and it also means I can cycle on weekends, so this yard is the only place I could loan a pony from.
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Why can you only loan a pony available at one yard? Why can't you loan a point from somewhere else and keep it at that yard?
 
Luci07 said:
Another option to consider. Why not hunt for a full loan? While I appreciate they may be a little thin on the ground in the summer but if you stress you have experience, would committ to winter, have full parental support and perhaps references from previous people you have shared with, you could strike lucky..
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yes that would be better and I've been looking for a while but nothing suitable seems to come up other than on the other side of the country. I should have put in the post, I forgot to say we would take a full loan over a sale. I've had 2 full loans before but I outgrew one and one didn't work out (big strong 5 year old cob and I lost quite a bit of confidence on the ground)
 
ycbm said:
Why can you only loan a pony available at one yard? Why can't you loan a point from somewhere else and keep it at that yard?
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I've been part loaning for the past year, so couldn't move the ponies. I would full loan and keep it at that yard if anything came up, forgot to put that in the post, but I think it's quite unlikely that I find a full loan close by enough who meets (or almost meets) the criteria. I saw a perfect one on fb today but was only to move fairly locally and it's four hours away from us!
 
I think everyone is being a bit mean. She has her parents back up, has loaned before so not new to horses and has 2 years of school left. Why shouldn't she buy? She has plans and back up for when she goes away.
 
Kamikaze said:
I think everyone is being a bit mean. She has her parents back up, has loaned before so not new to horses and has 2 years of school left. Why shouldn't she buy? She has plans and back up for when she goes away.
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thank you! I think by saying that I'd like to have something for the summer I made it sound like a bit of an impulsive decision and I sounded like I didn't know about keeping horses over the rest of the year, but the main reason I said that was because I think it'd be good to get the horse settled in and into a routine while I have 9 weeks off school, which will make it a lot easier for when I go back to school if that makes sense.
 
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