Practical Tips for Buying a Horse

Horse Purchase

After searching for months, you've finally found the horse. Great news! Now, it’s time for phase two - finalizing the purchase.

The following tips offer sound advice for successfully closing the deal. Not all may apply to your situation, but each is worth consideration.

Tip #1 Negotiate and agree on a price.

Never pay the asking price – a universal rule of thumb accepted by horsemen. Even if the seller says that the price is firm, make an offer anyway. Situations in the horse world change constantly; a once firm price may now be negotiable due to an unforeseen condition. You'll never know unless you make that offer.

Tip #2 Put a deposit on the horse.

When you've settled on your price, leave a deposit. From a seller's point of view, a deposit says the buyer is serious. As a buyer, if you don't leave a deposit, what's to keep the seller from continuing to present the horse to other potential buyers?

Tip #3 Ask for a trial period.

A trial period is a great opportunity. It lets you remove the horse from his familiar environment and observe his behavior, perhaps seeing his "true colors." However, if both parties agree to a trial, establish ground rules and put them in writing, in case the horse injures himself or worse. See how your horse will ride in your horse trailer during the trial period.

Tip #4 Schedule a pre-purchase exam.

For many transactions, the pre-purchase exam can be the deal breaker since it may uncover health or soundness problems. If you can’t use your own vet, select one who is unfamiliar with the horse and understands what your future plans are for the prospect. This, along with other factors such as selling price helps determine how comprehensive the exam should be. If you are in North Carolina as well as many other states, normally the vet will go and do an examination for you.

The results of this exam have enormous impact on the outcome of the sale. If the horse flunks, in most cases the sale is dead. If the vet finds minor issues that may require future maintenance, the buyer could leverage that to re-negotiate a lower price. If the horse passes, then both the buyer and seller celebrate.

Congratulations on finding your next superstar! Heed the advice above and you’ll seal the deal without a hitch.

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