dressedkez
Well-Known Member
I once bought a horse from a garage forecourt - we had him trotted him up alongside the fuel pumps.........he was lovely!
The numpty guide to basic checks when buying a horse.
- Thread starter TrasaM
- Start date
TrasaM
Well-Known Member
I now realise that car parks and even petrol stations are not unusual .. Sometimes it's worth taking a chance.
Clippy
Well-Known Member
Here goes.
After my first foray into horse buying..or attempt to buyI was wondering what the most important checks are, if you are looking at a horse you are thinking of buying..possibly even in a car park somewhere lol.
Situation to imagine is you, plus friend, and not a huge amount of equine knowledge about correct conformation etc.between you.
My event was both eye opening and amusing but one friend later commented about how she had just looked at her's and though it was pretty and bough him! lol..shed gone to buy some brushing boots and ended up with a stroppy cob! I did a bit of research beforehand and some great advice from Christmas sparkles and Faracat. So...what's the very least you can check for if you've not got a vet or expert with you at the viewing?
Well lets pretend you're on a carpark somewhere with a horse in front of you...
He should be standing 4 square - not favouring any leg. Feel his feet - they should all be the same temperature. Look for any oddness on the legs, if in doubt, compare to the other leg. Matching pairs are good. Run your hand over his back from withers to loins, use a bit of pressure and check there isn't any uneveness either side of the spine. Lift his top lip up and check that his teeth aren't worn to a sharp edge because if he's a crib biter, he won't be worth much. See him walk away and trot back, he should have a good, even pace with no shortness (or nodding). Lunge him on a hard surface (car park is ideal) both ways in a small circle at trot, this is the best way to show any lameness.
I think that's as much as you can do with an unknown horse stood in front of you with no other facilities
ImmyS
Well-Known Member
My tb mare has one 'normal' eye and one white eye... I love it though, it makes it a lot easier read their emotions and see exactly what they're looking at. My mare isn't any madder because of her white eye though!
TrasaM
Well-Known Member
StarlightMagic
Well-Known Member
My cob had 'mad eyes' with the white sclera showing, except she was the quietest dopiest coblet around! But on the other hand since I've sold her (they had a 5* vetting at the time) it has come to light that she has a degenerative eye condition, dont know if the two are linked at all?
TrasaM
Well-Known Member
Pre viewing try to find out as much as you can about the horse and or it's seller.
Have a clear idea about what type of horse you are looking for and what you will be using it for.
1. Get there earlier than arranged. In case horse is being exercised to tire it out..is horse sweating.
2. Take a knowledgable friend along. Helps to have more than one set of ears and eyes.
3. Establish general facts about the horse.. Who rides it what it's done how it loads any peculiarities etc .
4. Check that passport details match the horse. Do they have it's medical history vaccinations microchipped details.
5. Conditions the horse is being kept in..access to water important and check for signs of dehydration ( think I might take bottle of water as a prop)
6. Overall impression of horse.. Eyes, ears, clear nose! Coat condition, skin condition, weight. Teeth.( sharp edges, even bite)
7. Touch. Is horse ok with being handled. Ears,sides, legs. Is it reactive to sudden movements ie signs of fear.
8. Pick up feet..get owner to do this first.
9. Check legs are smooth and there are no lumps bumps or swelling. Feel for heat or any tenderness.
10. Condition and shape of hoof. ( this needs more detailed list )
11. Overall impression of conformation. Straight legs, 4 of, and one on each corner.. As square as possible. ( helps me here to check if it's square or rectangle. But definitely not a triangle lol)
11.1 Back..long , short, dipped. Check for tenderness and evenness of muscling.
12. Horses movement. Walk & trot. away.. towards. Is it placing it's feet correctly. Check for lameness. Lunge both directions.
13. See horse being tacked up and ridden by seller/ or whoever but not yourself!
14. Check all paces with rider on. Jump if required+ Ride on road if you want to check if it's used to traffic.
15. Should have a reasonable idea by now if you are interested. So ride if it's safe to do so.
16. Oops forgot. Can it be loaded and unloaded for example if possible. And how does it behave when it's let back into the field.
How's that folks. Have I done a fair representation of all your suggestions. Please feel free to add in or correct anything I've written.
have added some more checks...thanks for reminders. I'm actually quite good at spotting when a horse is moving well but I don't know how to explain what I'm seeing when it's not. Think I need to study conformation a bit more and re learn all the body parts..again.
Littlelegs
Well-Known Member
The numpty comment wasn't aimed at you op, it was in response to whoever said novices shouldn't own their own.
TrasaM
Well-Known Member
Lol.. I kept looking at the title and thinking.. Umm. Should this be The Numpty guide or a Guide for Numptys.
no offence taken I know by now that there will always be those who never read the first post correctly and go off on a tangent.
TM.
Echo24
Well-Known Member
I would strongly recommend bringing an experienced person with you who can cast an eye over the horse in case you miss anything in terms of conformation or subtle lameness. I think the more horses you view, the more you pick up on things that aren't quite right. If needed, video the horse being ridden and show it to your instructor when you get home.
One tip I was given was hack the horse out the yard, turn round and hack PAST the gate to the yard to see if the horse will be nappy or happy to plod on.
I'm still looking for my first horse and although I've ridden for seven years, still class myself as a novice, so don't be put off, especially if you've got support of experienced people to help. Good luck!
One tip I was given was hack the horse out the yard, turn round and hack PAST the gate to the yard to see if the horse will be nappy or happy to plod on.
I'm still looking for my first horse and although I've ridden for seven years, still class myself as a novice, so don't be put off, especially if you've got support of experienced people to help. Good luck!
TrasaM
Well-Known Member
Thank you
I've been pondering this Novice thing and owning horses. It's pretty obvious to me that owning a horse does not confer either ability or status to the rider. I think when people hear 'first' horse they immediately assume that you are a total beginner. It's a big decision for me as it's a huge responsibility..emotionally and financially. However there are certain frustrations when riding other people's horses which are pushing me towards ownership. But it's a HUGE decision. Good tip about riding past the gate.. We do this as a matter of routine with our horses if they've been in a hurry to get home and fed.
Littlelegs
Well-Known Member
Worth bearing in mind though that the skills & knowledge required to own & care for a horse well, are completely different to those required to buy suitably. I know loads of people who have the experience to deal with young or highly strung, or difficult horses that don't have the skills to buy unaided.