Searching for Horses

  Some people may have the pleasure of owning a horse, others may be leasing and others may be looking for a horse. This week's blog post is all about what to look for in a horse when you finally have the chance to lease or buy one. Hopefully, at the end of this post, you'll have a better understanding of what to look for so you don't end up buying or leasing the wrong horse for you.

Leasing or Buying

  Depending on what type of commitment you are looking for, you may have different options in ownership. If you would like to have complete responsibility of your horse and are planning to keep him for a long time, buying a horse may be the best option for you.

  If you are new to the horse owning world and aren't sure if it is right for you, leasing a horse for a while may be a good option. That way, if anything were to happen where you are no longer able to take care of a horse, you don't have to worry about finding him a new owner.

  If you aren't sure you'll be able to take on the full responsibility of taking care of a horse, co-leasing or co-owning a horse may also be an option. This means that you are not the only person responsible for taking care of the horse. Often you will see two people leasing or owning a horse. You may also see a person leasing or owning a horse with their riding stable. The benefit of this is that you do not have to be at the stable everyday, you can take turns.

Cost

  The cost of buying or leasing a horse can be expensive. First, you'll need to determine a budget for purchasing a horse. Next, you'll have to factor in the cost for things like boarding, feed, bedding, farrier bills and vet bills. Once you have calculated all of these things, you'll be able to decide if you're able to afford a horse. It's not a good idea to try to save money by cutting corners with horses. If you try giving him low quality feed or skip out on routinely farrier visits, it may result in bigger vet bills later on.

Temperament

  When you finally go out to see a horse, make sure to see if his temperament will fit best with yours. Is he energetic or quiet? Is he more playful or more relaxed? All horses have different personalities. If a horse doesn't have the temperament right for you, you may become annoyed with him easily which will result in both of you not being too happy.

Know Your Stuff

  Many people may try to take advantage of you when you go to buy a horse. Make sure that you know enough about horses so that you aren't fooled and bring a trusted expert along with you. Horse owners may lie about a horse's age or his soundness. They may even drug a horse so that he looks more well behaved than he usually is. Make sure to look for these things when you are checking out a horse. Getting a horse is a big expense, you don't want to make the mistake by getting the wrong horse for you and then regretting your decisions.

  Make sure to get your vet and farrier to check the horse out before you get him as well. They'll be able to tell you if the horse is sound and if there should be any concerns.

Ask Questions

  The owner of the horse knows him better than you do. Ask them plenty of questions about temperament, how he is with other horses, if he is a quick learner, if he is good with children and pets, or if he has any vices. A good horse owner will be happily to answer all of your questions and it will also reassure them that their horse will be going to a good home.

  Another thing that may be good to ask is for them to show you what they are claiming. For example, if the owner is claiming that the horse trailers without a problem, ask them to show you. The owner has the best relationship with the horse, therefore he trusts his owner more than he will you at this point, so he will be more willing to do a task right if his owner is the one asking him to do it. Also, this will show you if the horse is really as good as the owner says he is with your own eyes so that you do not get any surprises when you get home.

Take Your Time

  There's no rush when it comes to buying a horse. Make sure you take the time to look at all the different horses before you get one. You shouldn't feel pressured into buying a horse on your first visit. In fact, I recommend that you go out to visit the horse about three times before you make the final decision. I would recommend that the second or third visit is "unannounced" to the owner. Tell them that you'll be in town sometime throughout a week and that you'll stop by again at that time. That way, the owner won't have the time to prepare the horse and you'll get to see him as he really is, giving you a better understanding of what you might be getting yourself into.

  When you take your time, you'll ensure that you will find the best horse for you. It may take a few weeks or a couple of years before you find that perfect horse for you, but in the end it will all be worth it. Remember that you need to find a horse that will fit your lifestyle best. You shouldn't expect the horse to change for you as this will only cause problems later on.

  So that's it for this week's blog post. I know that there are many other things that you can look for when buying or leasing a horse. Hopefully, this blog post has at least helped you get started on what to look for in a horse and has brought up some points that you might of not of realised before.

  If you like these types of blog posts, the first post I have ever written on Pure Horse Sense is about the things you should look for when choosing a new stable. If you would like to read that one, you can find it by looking through the

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section on the left hand side of this page. Thank you for reading and I wish you all the best with your horses or with your horse searching.

  Until next time, happy riding!