Newbie looking for advice on where yo buy from

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MrsJ

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So as a Newbie to horse buying what are the do's and dont's when buying a horse other than common sense?

Is it better to buy from a private person or like when buying a dog is it better to go to a recognised breeder and if so where can one find a list of recommended breeders (if such thing exists?)

I've been riding for about 18 months and am looking for something that will jump a little, is happy in the school and is happy to hack out alone and in company. Something that is good natured so that my young girl can grow into.

:confused:
 
MrsJ said:
So as a Newbie to horse buying what are the do's and dont's when buying a horse other than common sense?

Is it better to buy from a private person or like when buying a dog is it better to go to a recognised breeder and if so where can one find a list of recommended breeders (if such thing exists?)

I've been riding for about 18 months and am looking for something that will jump a little, is happy in the school and is happy to hack out alone and in company. Something that is good natured so that my young girl can grow into.

:confused:
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Where are you riding at the moment? If it's a riding school I would get your instructor to help you look. You may want to share a horse for a little while before buying your own. Where are you thinking of keeping the horse?
 
Find someone that knows what you want and is experience and take them with you.
With just 18months experience I'd be concerned someone would "see you coming" and you may end up with something unsuitable.

Have you got plenty of knowledgable support for when you have actually purchased this horse/pony? So that you can get advice on aspects of care as well as any problems you may get with new horse? its a big commitment. Maybe you could look at gettin a loan with view to buy?
 
Swings and roundabouts. Pro's and cons to both.

In THEORY buying from a dealer will give you consumer rights, but it doesn't always work and you can be left high and dry.
Before you buy from a dealer....google, google, google! The name, the number they use, it will bring up all sorts if they are in the slightest bit dodgy!
A dealer may only have had an animal a short period of time, so may not know of any quirks.

A private sale gives you no rights at all. Sold as seen!
BUT.....a privately sold horse may have been in the same home for years, the owner can tell you all you need to know, and if its a good honest seller, will be on the end of the phone for the settling period.

Loan with a view to buy is a good idea too.
And vet it! The amount of people who spent serious money on a horse yet fail to vet it....

Take someone who knows what they are looking at (your instructor is a good bet as she will know if your riding is up to the horse in question!)

Good luck!
 
I have been riding for 40 years and looked after my own ponies and horses for 35 years. If you are new to riding, then my advice would be to sit down with your instructor and ask them to help you. Also, find a full livery yard where they will look after you and help you to learn how to care for a horse.

Sadly the world is full of people who will happily sell you a highly unsuitable horse that will leave you emotionally and financially shattered. I would also recommend you buy an older horse and put all thoughts aside that your child may one day grown into the horse. It is highly likely that your child will decided horses are not for her in a few years - most children (girls) do, when they discover boys...

Buying your first horse should be a joyous, happy event - but the reality really is BUYER BEWARE.
 
Really as someone new to riding you should enlist the help of your instructor. Get them to help you draw up a list of requirements of size, suitability, budget etc. Breeders won't be suitable as they sell youngstock which isn't what you need, a safe, older schoolmaster that's a bombproof novice ride is what you need. Your instructor should be able to guide you, but I wouldn't suggest just looking at either private or dealers, both could have the type you need. There are loads of places that advertise but really you need your instructor to help you. I would also recommend you Google the name & number of any ads that look suitable before ringing. But there are so many pit falls for a new buyer/owner you really need someone on hand right the way through. Then when you have viewed the horse (with instructor) get it vetted before buying. Plus expect to have a decent budget for one suitable as a first horse.
 
It is probably best to share a horse on your yard, this will be cheaper, you can still have lessons and you will get support from the owner and the yard. There is a lot to learn at the beginning, so it is best to put a toe in the water.
Summer is easy, winter is hard work and dedication.
 
I have had a horse on loan from my riding school for about a year (sadly he's not available to buy) and this is where I would be planning on keeping it. They are very supportive and are available to help and assist looking after it.

I'm just a little overwhelmed with where to start really. Some people at the yard say go to a dealer/breeder (whats the difference?) and others say strictly private....
 
Having been well and truly done over when I bought Boris, I would suggest like Joanne said to Google like mad. Do not fall for getting your horse vetted by a vet recommended by them, always use your own vet. Common line used is "oh my vet's coming out to do a jab/blah blah, we can share the cost" and google the pratice also.

Also google the phone number given if they say it's a private sale - had I of done that I'd of found out a lot more and probaby wouldn't of bought Boris, enough said on that.

There are a lot and I mean A LOT of nasty, unscrupulous traders out there. However, there are some excellent ones too, so do plenty of research, take someone you trust with you and always get the seller to ride the horse first before you go anywhere near it. Watch it being tacked up, mounted etc. and ask them to do everything you want to do on it yourself. Ask to see the passport BEFORE you buy it, make sure it corresponds with the advert (take a copy along with you). Ask them to take it on a hack and follow at a distance on a bike if you can, to see if it naps and to see how it moves.

If you can, always buy through word of mouth, that's how I got my other horse who is an absolutely DIAMOND, I could not ask for a better boy.

Good luck and let us know how you get on ;)
 
On a note of personal safety, please never go to an unknown address on your own, or with just your child :eek: regardless of needing an experienced person with you, remember suzie lamlpoue (sp)
Good luck with the search and I always think that a true ride and drive is a good horse for a first horse :)
 
what happened to SP?

Could someone give me an idiots guide into the differences between dealers, breeders and now traders......thankyou
 
MrsJ said:
Thats great thank you, I read that last night as I am a member of the BHS. Still doesn't clarify if there is a difference between breeders/traders and dealers....are they all the same and do people just call them different things?:confused:
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A breeder breeds and will sell youngstock and sometimes broodmares etc if they are downsizing.

Trader/dealer - same thing really. Buy horses cheaply, bring them on/tart them up and sell them for more. There are good ones and bad ones. Nothing wrong with the good ones and often a good way to see several horses at once. The trouble is you can't always tell the good from the bad until things go wrong.

Please, please get your instructor to help. If you will be keeping the horse at the RS, it will be in their interest for it all to go smoothly. Good luck. :)
 
beware you may not know its a dealer you are buying from. Some of them look like they are private sellers. they take in part exchanges that have problems and dont correct the problems.

NOT ALL DEALERS DO THIS so its a good idea as already said to get a full vetting from your own or a recommended vet (ask on here) but never their vet and dont take a vetting certificate they produce as being ok.

There was another thread on here yesterday saying a dealer had used their own vet and things werent right.

When the vetting happens the passport should be given to the vet to look at. Never buy a horse without a correct passport.

dont rush into anything if it doesnt seem right walk away. Also get a receipt for anything you buy and if its a private sale it should say that on the receipt and if its a dealer sale it should say on the receipt.

If you see a horse you like you can put a small deposit down to be returned after the vetting if the horse is not what you would expect. Only put a small deposit down and never pay for the horse before the vetting.

Ask as many questions as you need to on here people will help you before hand as its better than making mistakes afterwards.
 
You may find that breeders (studs) generally only have youngstock to sell, some will sell all theirs unbroken and others will break and sell at 4 ish. It is not that common to hold on to them much longer, although they may have one or two older horses about, or know of previous horses they have bred who are for sale.

I'd keep an open mind about whether to buy private or through a dealer (though I'd be tempted to avoid auctions!), as has been pointed out there are good - and dodgy - sellers of both types! Personally I prefer dealers, they can have multiple suitable horses for you to try; saves you the time travelling between private homes :)

Really though, the best thing would be if you/your instructor found something locally through word of mouth. If you get the word out that you are looking, you never know your horse may find you!
 
Thank you...so really good solid advice.

Dare I ask as you all sound really knowledgable who the good/bad dealer/traders are?
 
oh......so it really it like playing Russian Roulette? How do I find out the ones to give a wide berth and the ones that are recommended.

I am willing to travel but my RI only knows of ones that are local to us (which is West Midlands)
 
However if you use the search function on here you will see the same dealers being asked about....the positives are mentioned, the ones that say PM..normally mean bad experiences, and you can ask people to PM you if they know about x dealer. If you are keeping your horse at the RSmwill it be on working livery? In which case I would think your RI would be very keen to ensure you have a horse that they can use!
 
Well first I think OP needs to be congratulated on asking for advise before she goes to buy one... hopefully we will not be seeing another "send it back" post.

Firstly, you say you have been riding for 18 months, and you have loaned a horse for a year. In this year, is your loan horse the only one you have ridden? If so, may well be a good idea to have a few lessons on different horses before you go and buy ones for sale.

Secondly, what sort of riding have you been doing at your RS? Have you just been riding the "ploddy" ones nose to tail in group lessons, or have you been riding the "naughty" one out on a hack, and cantering and jumping out on a hack?

These would determine to me if you are ready to buy a horse yet, or if some more sharing/loaning would be better for you - 18 months riding is not an awful lot if its just been once a week.
 
Wench - I have been doing a mixture of riding. Started off with private lessons on a mixture of horses then last 12 months on the same loan horse with the occasional lesson on a different one.

The one I loan, we have jumped in the school and outdoor jumping paddock, hacked out in a group and alone (he's alot spookier on his own) and have cantered and galloped out on a hack (in a group and on our own)

I feel ready to buy, but am obviously nervous about buying right. I've tried to find previous threads where people have bought and had problems, someone said there was one on her the other day and I can't find it anywhere?
 
What Luci07 said - do a search ;)

Also, you can post up in Epona Stars (click the link in my signature) and you can ask where you're looking and if anyone knows of any dealers/traders in the area? And be prepared to travel to find your horse!

A friend of mine is a dealer and she said the following in how to define the difference with a trader/dealer:

I will put this in car terms for easy understanding. Someone like BMW is a main dealer and therefore the same as a horse dealer - they usually sell one type of car and you know exactly what you are getting.

An independent place selling all sorts of cars off a car lot is a trader and therefore a horse trader - you don't know exactly what you are getting, although they should tell you! So you could buy a car with a dodgy clutch but you don't find out until its too late!!

Of course opinions will differ, but this friend is a long established dealer, a family business handed down through the generations and this is her description of the two. And remember, there are good and bad dealers/traders so always do your research.

Should you buy from a dealer or trader, you do have rights as a consumer and are protected by the Sales of Goods Act, and be wary of a trader/dealer whose terms are strictly 30 days.
 
Some great advice on here and I'd also say well done for posting looking for tips. Sadly, there are a fair few threads on here about new horses going wrong, so it does pay to do your homework and be prepared, to help minimise the chances of it being you. And be patient, finding one locally/word of mouth is probably your best bet but could take time. In the meantime maybe invest in lots of lessons on lots of horses and maybe do BHS horse owners course.

In addition to what people have already said, if you don't want to share/loan any more (which is a great way to get started), then surround yourself with as many knowledgeable people as you can, inc vets, instructor and livery yard. Sounds like you have that in place - it really is such a help.

I strated out on another forum (tut tut) looking for someone to help me with mine, as I was a very novice owner, didn't have a horsey network (boy, do I have one now !!) and had not had a horse since I was a kid (which doesn't count cos my parents did all the admin!). We are still friends to this day and she was a brilliant help when I was starting out. You may find you are in need of a sharer to help exercise etc. See if there is anyone on your yard, or locally, that would be interested and could help.

Also make sure you have a big fat cheque book - it's a fantastic world being a horse owner, but flippin expensive.

And embrace a world where you think nothing of going to the shops in your jods and muddy boots, but wouldn't be seen dead in tight pants otherwise, you don't mind finding bits of hay in your hair but your horse is immaculate and your car smells like a muck heap and your car boot is a quasi tack room. Fun fun fun.
 
Round our way there are two well known dealers, one of whom seems to specialise in cheap horses and swaps them without a problem. He does send people the most unsuitable horses, eg an unbacked cob for a beginner, then a driving cob which was impossible to fit a saddle to, but somehow people seem to accept this, the horses usually go back with a new set of shoes on and a good feed!
The other yard used to bring horses on, good young horses, but now go to Ireland, bring a few decent types over every week, school them a bit and turn them over, the horses all arrive with shoes held on by a thread, and the dealers have little moral conscience.
It is worth while looking in tack shops and online, Equine ads, H&H, and so on. If you stick to local ones, you may have to wait a few weeks or months till the right one comes along.
 
Miss L Toe said:
Round our way there are two well known dealers, one of whom seems to specialise in cheap horses and swaps them without a problem. He does send people the most unsuitable horses, eg an unbacked cob for a beginner, then a driving cob which was impossible to fit a saddle to, but somehow people seem to accept this, the horses usually go back with a new set of shoes on and a good feed!
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Any chance of letting me know (pm is cool if you can't say on here) who this is....don't want to risk buying something only to find its unsuitable and have to send it back.....would rather steer clear of this one...
 
For your first horse I would suggest your local RS, they often have horses for sale, or check out the notice board at your feed store, ask the staff, they often hear of things for sale which may be suitable, ALWAYS take someone knowledgeable with you and have a list of questions ready, go with your gut instinct, older horses are often confidence givers, so don't discount them.
Contact your local vet/farrier, they often know of horses coming up for sale, try a rescue centre, you have lot's of choices.
Good luck in your search, I just hope you are as lucky as I have been
 
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