Viewing a horse- remind me!

silvershadow81

silvershadow81

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 February 2008
Messages
1,785
Location
Derbyshire
Visit site
So I'm currently totally excited, sat on a train on my own for a 5 hour journey to go and view a horse first thing tomorrow....

It has been 22 years since I last bought a horse, and I was only 13 then, so just got lucky I guess, so this time I am so nervous and excited at the same time, I don't want to miss something

So, give me your list, what Qs should I ask (I know I get some weeks to return, its a dealers yard), what should I do (my farrier is keen I pick up its legs) as its 4yo and wants to make sure its been handled and used to the farrier...

What else??!!!

I'm never going to sleep tonight!
 
I am assuming a 4yo who is backed..

How it is to shoe, clip, lead, load, rug, etc
Can you brush everywhere
Any insurance exclusions
What has she done, anything she hasn't done/seen so you know where to start her education
Hack her alone and with someone else, first and last.
Purposefully ride a little unbalanced once you have a feel for her to see how she is likey to react to something she doesn't like.
Notice what tack she is ridden in!!
What is she currently fed, how much work is she currently in so you know how much she may change when you get home.

There are a few things to start. Very exciting, let us know how it goes!!

ETA: not sure why I have assumed its a mare but cant really be bothered to re-type! :D
 
How exciting!! i admit to almost crying when i saw my horse for the first time , i asked for him to be left in his field so i could catch him, i appreciate that this may not be possible for everybody but my friend bought a trotter and she spends more time trying to catch her than ride her! good luck, i hope it all goes well for you x
 
Hows horse been kept, ie stabled, group or individual turnout? With one so young i wouldnt be worried if it hadnt done much. Sometimes better as clean sheet to work from. Good luck.
 
That's a realty helpful list, thank you so much! Yes she is backed and has been lightly competed, she only arrived with them yesterday, so they may not even know all the answers, but its good to have them all in my head so I can ask accordingly

AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
ETA: not sure why I have assumed its a mare but cant really be bothered to re-type! :D
Click to expand...
OF COURSE its a mare!! has to be!! xx
 
That's a realty helpful list, thank you so much! Yes she is backed and has been lightly competed, she only arrived with them yesterday, so they may not even know all the answers, but its good to have them all in my head so I can ask accordingly

AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
ETA: not sure why I have assumed its a mare but cant really be bothered to re-type! :D
Click to expand...
OF COURSE its a mare!! has to be!! xx
 
Having known one who we were told they had never clipped so they didn't know what it was like, and later discovered they had tried and she was awful, I would now turn clippers on near a prospective horse to see its reaction.
I would ask to see it in traffic, and open space, both alone and in company.
 
I feel SO emotional, its mad. Think ive been on such a journey with my other one and just feels like now is the chance to get my dream horse! (hopefully!!) I doubt she is being turned out there, so will just have to hope she dosnt mind being caught! (that and loading issues are things id like to avoid) but am hoping at 4 it sounds like she has been produced correctly so hopefully no issues... we will see!!!
 
Don't rely on being able to return it!! Especially a young horse. It's not as simple to return one and even much harder to get money back. Even if you won a court case you may still not get your money.

First thing I always do is walk horse around, stop start back up. If too much resistance at this point it's not the horse for me. If horse is willing to learn to stop when I stop and back up then fine.

Make sure horse has access to water and hay.

Ask to see horse walked trotted up in hand. Small circles to see hind legs cross over.
I see she only arrived yesterday. In which case I would want to talk to who ever broke/competed her

I've bought far too many horses not as described to not follow up on previous owner
 
Its a dealers yard- dont just assume itl be easy to get your money back if you dont like her. You are more than likely to be offered a swap, possibly for a less value horse! Theyve only had her a couple of days, they will know NOTHING about her.
DO NOT buy if you cant use a vet of your choosing. Ask what you like, believe nothing.
Examine her for lumps,Trot her, spin her, canter and listen for wind, back her a few paces. See her ridden then then try her yourself.
Have you checked the 'dodgy dealers' FB page? Google his name, google horses name/breeding.
Good luck :)
 
Get it in writing that she has no vices - cribbing, weaving, box walking, etc.

Does she have sweet itch or head shake?

Do they have confirmation of her competition record?

Hack her out of the yard a little way and then turn around and hack back past the yard - does she try to nap at yard entrance? Be suspicious if they send someone to walk with you.

Ride her in the school and open space if at all possible.

Ask why she is being sold via a dealer and not by the owner.

Ask if you can contact previous owner's vet if you decide to go ahead.
 
Don't do what I did and get on first! Nothing bad happened, but I was so nervous and it all went so quickly and suddenly I was sitting on it :O :O thankfully he was a star and went really nicely, but I've heard some absolute horror stories, including a good friend breaking her back when the horse span as she got on, then kicked her(thankfully she's made a full recovery!) and another friend breaking her arm when she asked it to walk on and it went over backwards.

That's all I have as I haven't done many viewings and only one of my own!
Sounds exciting :) good luck!
 
Ask that she is left in the field ( very unlikely they will do this, as they will want to prep her before hand). If she is stables check for water. Pinch test to see if she is dehydrated. Look for signs of doping, head held low, slow blinking. Check for signs that she has been ridden already that day. Tack her up yourself. Get them to ride her first. Check all over for lumps and bumps. Good luck and let us know how you get on!
 
Always get there 10 mins earlier than stated. That way if its being lunged to get the fizz out of it prior to your visit, you'll see. Similarly beware of a horse that's recently been washed down as it might have been worked first. I saw an "ideal family pony" where I arrived ten minutes early, to watch it tank through the leccy fencing with the owner on the end of a rope; then it blatently refused to leave the yard! Shortest viewing ever that!

Always without exception take a knowledgeable friend who is cool-headed and able to be objective, and knows you and the way you ride.

Never ever EVER get on anything you haven't seen ridden first. If you're not happy, don't get on it.

Always ask to see owner pick up feet, particularly the back feet. Take a good look at the shoes (if there); is there any different wear patterns? One shoe worn more than another? This may indicate lameness.

Always ask for it to be walked and trotted up, just like the vet does.

After a recent experience, even if the horse seems (to your eyes) sound, GET IT VETTED. I fell in love with a lovely horse, it had some lumps and bumps on it which for the sake of the temperament I was prepared to ignore. It looked sound to me and had been doing a lot of stuff like jumping & hunting - and had stayed "sound" .......... but the vet spun it as diagnosed low-grade lameness with advisory on other issues. So always best to have a vetting to make sure.

Ask if the animal has had a recent vetting and what was the result of it. This is important!

As an aside: don't assume that the owner will be a suitable person to trot the horse up for the vet: it IS their responsibility to arrange someone if they can't themselves, it is NOT the seller's. The seller is there to see what the vet sees, watch what he/she does, NOT to trot up. At a recent viewing the owner arrived but was totally unsuitably dressed (more like for the beach than the yard) and was as much use as a chocolate teapot - my friend had to do it. So never assume that the owner will do this. CHECK FIRST. If they can't/won't do it themselves then it is their responsibility to arrange for someone and if you have a 5* viewing the horse will need to be ridden or lunged. So someone needed to do it, if not the owner, someone they nominate. But not the buyer!

Always ask for a second viewing and see if you feel the same about the horse on the second visit. I viewed a lovely horse that hacked out quite OK with the other horse. Went back for a second viewing - this time without what was obviously the pair-bond - and it was a totally different horse: bolshy, rude, bargey, and refused point blank to hack out the yard solo, and oh no it had never done that before!

Don't be bamboozled by sellers telling you that "there's a lot in the queue behind you and this one will sell quickly if you don't snap it up". A good seller/dealer will want the right person for the right horse, and won't pressure you.

If seeing the horse ridden in the school, take note of how many rounds the seller rides it round - I viewed yet another horse recently and the seller did twice as many circles on one rein as she did on the other! Thinking that myself and very canny friend wouldn't notice. We did! The poor mare was very obviously lame and stiff on one side :(

In a nutshell: listen to everything you're told - and then don't believe a word of it!!

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
zaminda said:
Having known one who we were told they had never clipped so they didn't know what it was like, and later discovered they had tried and she was awful, I would now turn clippers on near a prospective horse to see its reaction.
I would ask to see it in traffic, and open space, both alone and in company.
Click to expand...
I had a similar experience with buying a horse that was sold as "good to clip" I asked to see the horse with clippers on him and the dealer said she didnt know where their clippers were. It turned out that he was terrified of the clippers. She was a very dodgy dealer in Scotland!! I now always take a pair of small clippers with me and produce them if necessary also take a measuring stick as horses are seldom the height they are advertised at. Please please have it 5 stage vetted with blood pulled.
 
soulfull said:
Don't rely on being able to return it!! Especially a young horse. It's not as simple to return one and even much harder to get money back. Even if you won a court case you may still not get your money.

First thing I always do is walk horse around, stop start back up. If too much resistance at this point it's not the horse for me. If horse is willing to learn to stop when I stop and back up then fine.

Make sure horse has access to water and hay.

Ask to see horse walked trotted up in hand. Small circles to see hind legs cross over.
I see she only arrived yesterday. In which case I would want to talk to who ever broke/competed her

I've bought far too many horses not as described to not follow up on previous owner
Click to expand...
I completely agree with this. Try to photograph the passport where previous owners names are with your phone. Also check any vaccination records and where they were done. Like Soulfull I was have been mis sold a horse. Make sure when the horse is vetted that blood is pulled, the one I bought had been drugged up with bute and I was also given 6 bags of drugged up feed!!
 
stormox said:
Its a dealers yard- dont just assume itl be easy to get your money back if you dont like her. You are more than likely to be offered a swap, possibly for a less value horse! Theyve only had her a couple of days, they will know NOTHING about her.
DO NOT buy if you cant use a vet of your choosing. Ask what you like, believe nothing.
Examine her for lumps,Trot her, spin her, canter and listen for wind, back her a few paces. See her ridden then then try her yourself.
Have you checked the 'dodgy dealers' FB page? Google his name, google horses name/breeding.
Good luck :)
Click to expand...
More very good advice especially the Dodgy Dealer page on FB. Dodgy Dealers The Truth is one of the best ones.
 
I bought a nightmare of a horse a few years ago and my one bit of advice is that if you found it from a wanted advert, get them to write an advert for it, or a thorough receipt with a full description on (inc temperament).
I had no proof that the woman had ever described the horse to me as anything other than a lunatic, as she rang from an ad I had placed :(.
I agree about speaking to previous owners. When I got passport and spoke to person who had it before person I bought it off she was very worried and upset that I'd bought him as a safe schoolmaster due to his "severe bucking problem". Would have been good to speak to her before handing over a huge amount of money!
 
OP, how did it go?

I hope if you went ahead, you have a printed copy of the dealers T's & C's, with their registered address & contact number on? (A must for anyone buying off a dealer).
This will help you if you have any come back, most reputable ones have this on their website, and will give you a copy too on purchase.

Usual one is if returning, you are able to part exchange. They often deduct 10% (or similar) off the purchase price of original as handling fee, as long as equine is returned in same condition/sound as it left the yard, if you have a refund.

So - update? :)
 
Get someone to videotape the person riding the horse whilst you are asking the vendor questions about whether it has any vices or not. Ask each question separately, ie. does this horse load? Does this horse hack out? Etc, etc. Don't just ask does it have vices because if there is any comeback the vendor can turn around and say that particular question was not asked of them.
Check that water has not been held back from the horse as this can make them docile due to dehydration.
Check that the stable the horse is in when you arrive is that particular horses stable and look for evidence of crib biting/kicking the stable door.
If the horse has winnings get proof.
It the horse is registered BSJA make sure you get its passport/comp name and check for its record. You may get 'saddled' with something that is not able to jump in your height restriction, i.e. if its won too much money.
Check that it moves straight and does not place any of its legs under its midline. This will put undue stress on its joints.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top