What to ask at a viewing?

Paint Me Proud

Paint Me Proud

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 October 2010
Messages
4,166
Visit site
Well, I am going to view a potential new horse tomorrow and I am sure there will be loads I will forget to ask.

SO.

HHO people, please remind me of all the important questions so hopefully a couple might stick in my mind tomorrow :p

(And no, i'm not telling you what I'm going to view, i'm keeping it a secret at the moment because you know what horsey gossip is like, lol!)
 
ask why are they selling (& look for shifty signs and touching the nose / mouth etc to indicate lying)

ask if its ever had laminitis, sweetitch, colic, any sort of lameness or sarcoids. (& ditto look for shiftiness)

lots of others but they are the 2 I always forget!!
 
Load, catch, clip, farrier, how is the horse to do in the stable, any vices, hacking, previous illness/injuries, what is the horse afraid of etc. Ooooohhhh please give us one tiny clue Pmp!!!!
 
How many owners! I asked all of tobiano's questions and forgot this one. My lad was 5 and had had 4 owners in that time. As it turns out he's a good lad who's been very unlucky, but it should have rung alarm bells and I've been very lucky!
 
What's the worst thing it's ever done?
What's the best thing it's ever done?
Good with other horses?
And all the usual
 
Asking questions is interesting but TBH I don't trust people as far as I can throw them!! (Sorry) so everything you want him to do (hack, jump, XC jump, hack on own, and I guess load into a trailer!!) ask to see and do for yourself - recent photos maybe OK.
Ask to see insurance cert - so you can see exclusions
Ask to see print out of vet history (vet will happily give this to their clients) - so you can see everything he's had.
If he competes ask to see BE/BS/BD record for yourself or unaffiliated where - so you can ask around those pony/riding clubs

The more third party evidence you can get the better placed you will be to make an informed decision.
 
Last edited:
I tend to find that if you ask contextual questions you catch sellers a little off guard and tend to get a more honest and/or detailed answer. So instead of asking of asking 'is it good to hack out alone?', ask something like ' I usually hack out with a friend but sometimes I like to go further than her so she will turn back and I will carry on - how do you think he would react to that?'
(I just made that one up but you can use the context of your own routine/riding requirements.)
Good luck :D
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
When viewing any horse I always arrive at the yard 20 mins early (apologising profusely!! :); that way, IF they are lunging the *****e out of it before you'll arrive, you'll catch them with their pants down; ditto if its a b@gger to catch.

Sorry, just my nasty suspicious mind :)
Click to expand...

yeah the lady who is having Chico arrived 30 minutes early to find me madly trying to muck his stable out as I had rushed straight from work :D Good job I didnt have anything to hide, lol :p
 
FinalFurlong said:
The colour of hooves, PMP your not going to budge are you hahaha!

But if you do buy a new one we need LOADS of pictures and a GIANT thread dedicated to him or her!!
Click to expand...

lol, nope, not budging :p

Promise I will do a big thread when the new one does arrive with as many photos as I can.
 
A good question to ask is "does it have any blemishes?"
My old instructor at uni tol me this, as it aupposedly covers everything for scars to sweet itch etc.
 
Billie1007 said:
What the frick have I missed? Where is Chico going? :eek:
Click to expand...

Decided that Chico was ready to move on in his career and make something of himself. He is going to a FANTASTIC home not too far away on Sunday. Will miss him like mad but doing what I feel is best for him.

But dont worry you havent missed anything. I didnt make it commonly known I was selling him as it has been a hard decision.
 
Ah! I've been looking at horses recently and have been working on my master list - not quite laminated yet, but getting there. I am sure missing things but...

Blemishes/illnesses: Laminitis, colic, sweetitch, sarcoids, lameness
Vices in the stable: Windsucking, weaving, cribbing, box walking
Vices when ridden: Napping, rearing, bolting, bucking
How is it...: With other horses, to chatch, to load, with the vet/farrier/dentist, at shows, to hack - first/last/if group splits (thank you for who ever mentioned that in this thread, not thought of that one before!), if it is fist/last in or out of the field/stable

When did he last get his teeth done?
Has it ever seen a physio? If so why/when?
 
Ask the same questions you asked over the phone when you view the horse to catch out liars. I spoke to a lady on the phone and asked her the reason for sale and she said she was downsizing as she had too many horses. I asked her again when I viewed the horse and she said she was selling it on behalf of a lady who is pregnant!

I'd also ask similar questions but word it in a different way to see if you get the same response, particularly with anything that sounds suspicious. One lady said to me her horse would occasionally buck and rear, but that's because she's a "typical chestnut mare". I later asked her if the horse is ever mareish and she said no!

I also find if sellers are rude, patronising or just not interested when you chat to them about the horse,to walk away. Something's not right if they don't care where the horse goes. Good luck!
 
An interesting question to ask is "what would you say is the worst thing about him/her" as it people aren't usually prepared with an answer.
 
I often ask a whole list of questions and dont care what they think. Then i may ask them again in another way and its sometimes interesting how the story changes. Ask questions that have answers in their advert too, see if you get a different answer.


how long they have owned? Good with farrier? Good on road ie is it 110% with ALL traffic motorbikes etc etc
Good with farrier is hot shoed or bare foot etc
Ever sick or sorry?
When did last see vet? Vaccinations(if)?
Teeth?
Always see it caught from field etc You can tack up etc
Pick feet out(they can if you dont want) you can do again if happy etc

Good with clippers/Stable/loading

Pretty much do what you will do with it

I take them out and then go past the entrance to return home to see if they nap.

Does buck, rear, vice free.

Mind you I have been told all the right answers perfect horse that doesnt buck and does. This has happened a few times to me.

Just go on your gut feeling. Good luck. Hope it turns out to be a goer.
 
Oh for goodness sake - why are you assuming that everyone who is selling a horse is on the make - or trying to hide problems? maybe trust too a bit of intuition?
I sold over a 100 horses in a 10 year period - I got so fed up with private buyers - and thier friends, and their 100 point plans - that I sent V genuine horses to horse sales, and possibly made a little less, than I could have got privately - but on the bang on the gavel.....ponies I sold for £300 - made £3,000 two years later, because they were good ponies......arghhhh I hate this buyer beware thing.......
 
dressedkez said:
Oh for goodness sake - why are you assuming that everyone who is selling a horse is on the make - or trying to hide problems? maybe trust too a bit of intuition?
I sold over a 100 horses in a 10 year period - I got so fed up with private buyers - and thier friends, and their 100 point plans - that I sent V genuine horses to horse sales, and possibly made a little less, than I could have got privately - but on the bang on the gavel.....ponies I sold for £300 - made £3,000 two years later, because they were good ponies......arghhhh I hate this buyer beware thing.......
Click to expand...

I didnt mean what to ask to catch them out, I meant what are the questions that are important because I get very anxious at things like this and everything goes out of my mind and I have trouble remembering what people have told me when i'm in that state.

I have a printed list of bullet points to ask just to help me keep a level head and get all the answers I need.

About to head off in a minute for the nearly 2 hour drive. Wish me luck!
 
dressedkez said:
Oh for goodness sake - why are you assuming that everyone who is selling a horse is on the make - or trying to hide problems? maybe trust too a bit of intuition?
I sold over a 100 horses in a 10 year period - I got so fed up with private buyers - and thier friends, and their 100 point plans - that I sent V genuine horses to horse sales, and possibly made a little less, than I could have got privately - but on the bang on the gavel.....ponies I sold for £300 - made £3,000 two years later, because they were good ponies......arghhhh I hate this buyer beware thing.......
Click to expand...

And as a seller youre perfectly entitled to do that, just like the private buyers whove possibly saved for a longtime to get the horse thats just right for them, are entitled to spear the Ar$e of you,before parting with the cash, buying a horse can be a big dissappointment if you buy the wrong one. As a buyer i ask as many questions as i feel i need to, but its the trying the horse thats most important for me, and id probably pi$$ you off even more because id be over it with a fine tooth comb, feet up for a look, and in its mouth, id even have it trotted up and lunged, as well as ridden, im not going to a vetting if theres something i see thats wrong, there are some very genuine horse dealers out there, but there are as many, if not more dodgy ones, i dont know you from Adam so you would be grilled over anything you were selling to me and if you dont like it fine, i move on somewhere else and youve lost the sale.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top