Tips/advice for viewing a horse...

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Footlights

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I'm going to look at a horse this weekend with a friend, and wondering if anyone can offer any tips or advice as to what to ask and what to be wary of?

I will obviously ask the owner to ride first before getting on, and will be asking questions about the horses history, temperament, past illnesses/injuries etc, but is there anything not so obvious that would be good to ask/do?

I recently read on here about pressing your fingernail into the coronet band as if the horse is doped they won't react!!

Anyone else got any more amazing advice like that!!??
 
when you hack horse, on the way back walk straight past the entrance to yard, it will show if the horse is nappy or obedient. A little hesitation is ok but any more a no no

See the horse trotted on all surfaces, back up, do tight circles crossing hind legs etc. could save you even bothering to have it vetted

Depends on your level of riding but I also like to see it start being ridden on a loose rein, if they grab hold of it straight away I am suspicious. Another thing I do is get the rider to bounce a little and get in front and behind the vertical, this proved rather funny with the one I just bought as he was an Olympic rider :rolleyes: very obliging tho :D .

I am never overly quiet either and make a point of stumbling into or dropping something heavy to make sure they are not overly sensitive
 
Might not be the 'done' thing, but I turned up 25 minutes early, just so I could double check that nothing funny or out of sorts was happening in order to get her ready for me to view!
Write a list of questions you want to ask them so you can come away with all the information.
Me and my mum also agreed on code words for "YES WE'RE BUYING THIS HORSE RIGHT NOW" and "I wouldn't touch this horse with a bargepole... lets get going" :D
Just use your common sense, keep your eyes peeled!
Good luck :D
 
When you ask to see the horse moved (walked and trotted toward and away from you), or/and when you see the horse ridden - if you don't like what you see, don't feel you have to get on.
 
elsiecat said:
Might not be the 'done' thing, but I turned up 25 minutes early, just so I could double check that nothing funny or out of sorts was happening in order to get her ready for me to view!
Write a list of questions you want to ask them so you can come away with all the information.
Me and my mum also agreed on code words for "YES WE'RE BUYING THIS HORSE RIGHT NOW" and "I wouldn't touch this horse with a bargepole... lets get going" :D
Just use your common sense, keep your eyes peeled!
Good luck :D
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I think this is a good idea. Iv heard some horrible stories of people going to view a horse and it looks worn out, because they had been tear arsing the thing around to get it to calm down.:eek:

I love the code words bit!
 
Make sure you see it getting caught, tacked up and groomed.
Don't worry about asking to go back another day if you don't see everything either.
 
I always think that if the current owner ( bit different if on a sales livery) doesn't ask you much about your experience, set up etc. then they might just be a bit too keen to get rid of the horse.
 
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On the dope point.

I looked at a show horse that was just a bit too laid back when I rode it. The more I did with it the more it lay on my leg and became unwieldy and unbalanced.

Putting it back in the stable it had a glazed look in it's eye and was un interested in a polo. I am not as daft as I look, and I asked the vendor why she felt the need to give acp to it. She denied it and it was not until I pointed out that it's sheath was swinging in the wind and it was unable to put it away, that she admitted it.

That was an 8k hunter that had took the supreme at Balmoral a few months before I viewed him. Lovely horse that was 200 miles from home for me, needless to say I was not impressed at the waste of time and diesel. Interestingly, the horse was sold and did well, but a showing friend of mine told me the horse is out of it's box at 4am when stabled on site, and is 'worked in' for hours before going into the ring.

So OP, if you are looking at gelding, have a good look underneath !, it's a dead give away. I am another that would turn up a fair bit earlier than planned. The horse I bought last month was actually fast asleep in her straw when I arrived and her lovely owners told me she always has a snooze in the afternoon. She still does at home now.

Another one I looked at, this time a H/W novice hunter was observed running around the field with several people chasing it when I arrived. It took 2 handlers to lead it into the yard, it then refused to go into the stables. I suggested we trot it up and it napped in hand, then took off with it's owner in tow, not at all level in front and to add insult to injury when it turned to come back, it bit it's owner in the chest and threw her on the floor. Pity, stunning horse but ruined at only 5 yrs old. Another owner on that yard followed me back to the car and told me the horse had done 2 hrs on the walker and had I not come early would have been lunged.

Final one, another H/W Royal Show winner, being kept in a 10x10 box (horse was 18h) with a low ceiling forcing his head down. He came out rather stiff, just by chance I looked in his box and noticed 2 packets of un opened bute on the ledge and the top of a needle. I didn't question the owner on this one as I felt really uncomfortable in his company. Just had a sit on the horse, who was another stunner, but crooked and vile to ride.

Another one kept on paper, whilst all it's mates were on straw - rode it - thick in it's wind.

So look at surroundings and beyond just the horse, it's surprising what you might notice ! Good luck, you will find your dream horse at some point.
 
AdorableAlice said:
On the dope point.

I looked at a show horse that was just a bit too laid back when I rode it. The more I did with it the more it lay on my leg and became unwieldy and unbalanced.

Putting it back in the stable it had a glazed look in it's eye and was un interested in a polo. I am not as daft as I look, and I asked the vendor why she felt the need to give acp to it. She denied it and it was not until I pointed out that it's sheath was swinging in the wind and it was unable to put it away, that she admitted it.

That was an 8k hunter that had took the supreme at Balmoral a few months before I viewed him. Lovely horse that was 200 miles from home for me, needless to say I was not impressed at the waste of time and diesel. Interestingly, the horse was sold and did well, but a showing friend of mine told me the horse is out of it's box at 4am when stabled on site, and is 'worked in' for hours before going into the ring.

So OP, if you are looking at gelding, have a good look underneath !, it's a dead give away. I am another that would turn up a fair bit earlier than planned. The horse I bought last month was actually fast asleep in her straw when I arrived and her lovely owners told me she always has a snooze in the afternoon. She still does at home now.

Another one I looked at, this time a H/W novice hunter was observed running around the field with several people chasing it when I arrived. It took 2 handlers to lead it into the yard, it then refused to go into the stables. I suggested we trot it up and it napped in hand, then took off with it's owner in tow, not at all level in front and to add insult to injury when it turned to come back, it bit it's owner in the chest and threw her on the floor. Pity, stunning horse but ruined at only 5 yrs old. Another owner on that yard followed me back to the car and told me the horse had done 2 hrs on the walker and had I not come early would have been lunged.

Final one, another H/W Royal Show winner, being kept in a 10x10 box (horse was 18h) with a low ceiling forcing his head down. He came out rather stiff, just by chance I looked in his box and noticed 2 packets of un opened bute on the ledge and the top of a needle. I didn't question the owner on this one as I felt really uncomfortable in his company. Just had a sit on the horse, who was another stunner, but crooked and vile to ride.

Another one kept on paper, whilst all it's mates were on straw - rode it - thick in it's wind.

So look at surroundings and beyond just the horse, it's surprising what you might notice ! Good luck, you will find your dream horse at some point.
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You really have your fare share in visiting loo-la horse owners :eek:
 
Fueledbyaisling said:
You really have your fare share in visiting loo-la horse owners :eek:
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It was a while ago when I was trying to buy the H/W hunter. Things may have improved.

The cob I bought last month came from the most open, honest and genuine people imaginable. Still in touch, which is lovely and we will stay in touch.

I think the most frightening aspect of my experiences with the H/W purchase was that 2 of them were top class, big winning horses, that were by no means cheap.

The rude one was just in the wrong hands, and his owners seemed to think he was a normal horse.
 
Don't try the horse if they can't find somone to ride it first. Even if they don't want to ride it themself there is usually a friend or relative who is willing to show the horse. If nobody on the yard is willing to ride the horse that speaks volumes. Walk away.
 
It's probably worth writing yourself an absolutely minimum list of requirements that you can look at if you are tempted by a horse that isn't really right. Give it to your friend to wave at you. :)

And do not buy without a vetting. This also gives you a wonderful opportunity to see how the horse responds to lots of pulling around.

Paula
 
Make sure that you see the rider actually mount.
I've seen 2 where the owner has gone round a corner to get on. The second one, when I caught up with her she was hopping round in circles with one foot in the stirrup - having assured me that the horse would stand politely at a mounting-block. The first one was no where near as described, anyway!
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Make sure that you see the rider actually mount.
I've seen 2 where the owner has gone round a corner to get on. The second one, when I caught up with her she was hopping round in circles with one foot in the stirrup - having assured me that the horse would stand politely at a mounting-block. The first one was no where near as described, anyway!
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My girl did that when I went to see her. I wasn't too worried because that was a fixable and the owner was quite honest about it and the fact people told her she wasn't firm enough.

It's ever so difficult when you see a horse to be rational about what's fixable and what isn't so its really worth working it out in advance.

So I accepted not great to mount, a bit inclined to stop dead and refuse to move, quite green and pushy and a sore mouth as she was still a baby and was going into schooling - wouldn't have accepted bolting, bucking or rearing, traffic shy or failing a 5 stage vetting/refusal to let the vet do their tests.

Only take a horse that needs training if you enjoy training and have the ability or help to do it. Any problems will be worse after you move the horse to a new environment.

Paula
 
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