Looking for a new horse? Make sure you know these 5 points before you go to see horses!

by Viola Belksma

Before you go searching for a new horse make sure you know what you want.

1.Make sure you know: What you can afford

Please note that buying a horse is one thing but with buying the horse comes a lot of extra costs like 

  • Vet Check (can be very expensive with all the X-rays etc)
  • Maybe keeping the horse with the owner for a little bit longer. (Training and stable costs etc)
  • Blood test (a must for some countries)
  • Transport (from owner to transportation company, transport by car or airplane to your country)
  • Quarantine (not always necessary but in some cases a must)
  • Transport to your stable
These costs are high and in some cases almost as much as the price of the horse itself. So please make sure before you go and see horses that you know what the costs are

    2. Make sure you know: What you like in a horse (looks and character)

    Everyone loves something else in a horse like everyone loves another partner.(it’s almost the same ;-)) So make sure you make clear for yourself and the people you work with in this proces, knows. By Character I mean that you know also what you can ride and what you like. Some people love a super tens, sharp and hot horse; do you? Discus this with you trainer, also. They mostly know what is good for you.

    3. Make sure you know: What kind of horse fits your plans

    Buy a horse which fits your plans is something so important. Some horses love to work but also have to work every day; the high energy horses. Don’t mixt them up with the thoroughbred type of horses. There are also calm horses which really have to work every day to stay happy. Those horses are used to(and love) to be in the walker in the morning, ride in the early afternoon and be in the field or paddock the rest of the day. If you are looking for a horse which you can ride a few times a week just for fun without any plan or mission that won’t be a match and even dangerous to buy a horse with a love for work. They can explode when you don’t give them the work they love to get rid off their energy. Or get depressed. Its like you put a sports person in an old peoples home. Don’t forget it works the same the other way around. A horse who is a bit laid-back or lazy doesn’t fit in a high energy program. It will make him crazy If you take him out three times a day and on competition every week.

    4. Make sure you know: What kind of horse fits your accommodation

    This is something you really should be sharp on. There are horses which really don’t fit on a stable with screaming kids running around and over 200 horses. Like people horses are sometimes also very sensitive on that. They will be so unhappy on a stable like that and could harm themselves or become stressed and even depressed. Some horses are the other way around. Yep really, they love to see things all day and go crazy and depressed on a stable with just a pony and a goat. When you visit a horse ask the trainer and the owner if he loves attention and things going on on the stable or does he love to be in a quiet corner. You can ask how he responds when he is on competition with many things going on etc. Trust me you don’t what to make this mistake and forget to ask.

    5. Make sure you know: What kind of horse fits you future plans. Competition, study, family horse etc. 

    I had clients who were 16/18 years old. Those clients went to college after a few years or fell in love with a new partner after a view years. That is something to discuss and to think about. Also if you have plans to get children for example. Make sure that you know what life events might come at your life path before you buy a horse. If you know your time to spend with your horse will decrease, don’t take a horse which has to be ridden every day but likes to be in the fields for some days and is the same when you get on after a few days of holiday. It’s a lifetime friend an a family member so make sure the horse fits in your life and has everything which makes you fall in love with.

    Just a few things to think about before you go horse shopping. its not buying a bag, it's buying a new life partner a new friend for life. If you take these 5 questions and really think about it. You will make a better choice, not only for you but also for the horse.❤️

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