In This Chapter
- Exploring the idea of horse ownership
- Considering various factors when you choose a horse
- Getting some helps as you shop
If you’re like many people who
take up horseback riding, it isn’t long before you start wanting a horse of
your own. Horses are addictive, and after they get into your blood, it’s
impossible to get them out.
Horse ownership is serious
business, and not just because horses can be expensive; they require a huge
amount of time and energy. Horse ownership calls for a serious commitment, so
make sure you’re ready before you take the plunge.
In this chapter, I give you an
overview of the horse-buying process and what you need to consider when you’re
involved in this exciting task. Chapter Exploring
Horse Care explains general horse care, but for
even more details on the issues I cover in this chapter and the next, check out
my other book, Horses For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Wiley).
Deciding Whether to Get a Horse of Your Own
Understanding ownership realities
Remember
Taking care of Fido and Fluffy when you were a kid probably taught you a lot about responsibility, but horse care tends to be a little more involved. Consider the following realities about horse ownership before you make a purchase:
- Hard work: Horse ownership involves more than just riding and having fun. If your horse lives with you, you’ll be the one to feed her, groom her, and clean her stall. This latter task means mucking manure off the ground. It’s not the greatest job, but it’s absolutely necessary to keep your horse — and your neighbors — happy and healthy.
- A lot of responsibility: Your horse depends on you for everything: food, water, companionship, and exercise. It’s only right, then, that you make your horse a priority in your life. You may have to skip some social engagements to take care of your horse after work or brave cold, nasty weather to get out to the barn. Going away on vacation involves finding and paying a horse-sitter, too. And if you board on your own property, you’re responsible for upkeep of any structures. Horses can live to be 30 years old or more, so you may be doing these jobs for quite a while.
- Financial obligations: Owning a horse is expensive, and the purchase price is just your first outlay of costs. Also on your tab will be food, a farrier to shoe or trim your horse’s hooves, the vet, and necessary equipment. And that’s not even all of it. If you’re keeping your horse at a boarding stable, you’ll be paying monthly board, too. See the following section for financial details.
Before you say yes to horse
ownership, think long and hard about whether you really want to take all this
on. Remember that a horse is a large animal with very specific needs. Horses
are truly special animals who deserve to be cared for by people who really want
them. For info on some of the daily realities of horse ownership, flip to
Chapter Exploring
Horse Care.
Totaling costs
Make sure you know how much money
you have to spend on the horse hobby before deciding to buy a horse. Horses are
expensive animals to care for, not just to buy. The following sections give a
rundown of what costs you can expect to incur.
Tip
Research the costs of these products and services in your area and make sure the total amount fits in your budget. Costs of horse ownership vary from region to region. In general, boarding, hay, and vet care are more expensive in highly populated areas than in rural, less populated communities.
Saying “I do”: Are you ready to make the commitment?
When you own a horse, you have to be there for her
day in and day out, whatever the weather or your time constraints. To help
determine whether you’re really ready to make this commitment, ask yourself
whether you’re willing to
- Give up some of your other activities to spend time caring for your horse - Drop everything and run to your horse’s side should she get sick - Spend time giving your horse medicine or treatment if she becomes ill - Take time out of your busy day, each and every day, to groom and exercise your horse - Work with your horse to solve any problems the two of you may encounter - Perform the sometimes hard physical labor that horse care calls for - Think of your horse as a partner, one who deserves the best care and treatment, regardless of the inconvenience you may experience
If you answered yes to all these statements, then
you’re ready to take on the responsibilities of horse ownership.
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Initial purchases
The amount of money you spend on
a horse depends on several factors, including the horse’s age and training and
whether you want to show the horse. Cost also depends on your region of the
country. No matter where you are, however, you can expect to spend at least
$1,500 for a pleasure horse and much more for an animal you want to show.
Equipment and supplies are
another expense you need to consider. The short list includes a saddle, saddle
pad, bridle, halter, and grooming tools. You also need stuff for yourself, such
as riding clothes. As you can imagine, all this gear can add up. Chapters Dressing
Up Horses with Saddles through Equipping
Yourself with Other Important Gear describe some of this equipment.
If you want to house the horse on
your property and you don’t already have horse facilities, you need to put them
in. This cost of this can be substantial, depending on the amount of work you
have to do and the type of housing you want to provide. See Chapter Exploring
Horse Care for
details on housing a horse.
Ongoing expenses
Most people think the initial outlay for a horse and equipment is the largest expense they’ll have after they enter the realm of horse ownership. The reality is that maintenance will cost you more.
Horses for rent
Many people believe the only way they can ride whenever
they want is to commit to horse ownership. In reality, horses can also be
leased, both full time and part time. A good option for a person just getting
into horseback riding, leasing provides a great opportunity to find out what horse
ownership is all about before you get up
to your neck in horses. As a lessee, you function
as the horse’s owner without suffering the same financial and long-term
commitment.
Finding a horse to lease isn’t difficult. After
all, trainers often lease horses to make money. Individual horse owners
usually do it because they don’t have time to ride the horse every day, don’t
have the money to care for the horse, or no longer have the desire or ability
to ride. Rather than sell the horse, these owners prefer to lease because it
allows them to stay in control of what happens to the horse.
Leasing a horse can cost you anywhere from $100 a
month to $500 a month or more, depending on the horse you’re leasing, how
often you’ll have access to the horse (full or part time), and other
variables. Leases are usually negotiable, especially with individual horse
owners.
Leasing is a great way to find out whether you really
want to own a horse, but there is a downfall: You may fall in love with the
horse you’re leasing, and if you want to buy, the owner may not want to sell
the horse to you — or the owner may charge more than you can afford.
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Remember
Expect to incur regular expenses when owning a horse. The cost of each item or service in the following list varies depending on where you live, so do some research. Call local veterinarians, farriers (the people who trim and put shoes on hooves), and tack and feed stores to determine how much each item will cost you; you may want to estimate high, just to be safe:
- Boarding: If you don’t have your own horse property, you need to keep your horse somewhere else. Your most likely option is a commercial boarding facility. The stable where you take lessons may offer this service. When boarding, you have to pay monthly for a stall, pasture, or paddock (a fenced enclosure). This fee usually includes food and stall maintenance; it may or may not include bedding.
- Bedding: If your horse is boarded somewhere that doesn’t provide bedding, or if you keep her at home, you have to provide shavings or another type of bedding, which you need to clean and freshen daily.
- Feed: If your horse lives at home with you, you need to provide feed, which includes hay and/or pasture maintenance. Don’t forget to include extras, such as pellets and food for special diets.
- Dietary supplements: Feed supplements, which you can add to help your horse’s joints, attitude, or other issues, are plentiful at tack and feed stores. If you plan to give one or more of these supplements to your horse, add this cost to your monthly expenses.
- Preventive veterinary care: Adult horses need regular preventive care in the form of vaccinations and deworming several times a year. Teeth floating (filing down of overgrown teeth) must also take place once or twice a year.
- Veterinary treatment: Horses get sick, and when they do, you have to call out the vet. The problem may be minor and need minimal treatment, or it may be major and require surgery. Vet bills can be very costly, and they can rise quickly if a horse has a serious or chronic illness.
- Shoes and hoof trimming: Horses who wear shoes require new ones every six to eight weeks, and a farrier still needs to trim the hooves of horses who go shoeless. (Whether your horse should wear shoes depends on how much work she’s doing and whether you prescribe to the “barefoot” method. For details on this method, see Chapter Exploring Horse Care.)
- Insurance: If you insure your horse for major medical, mortality, loss of use, and/or liability, add the premiums to your list of expenses.
- Training/lessons: As a beginning rider, you should continue your education (and your horse’s) by riding with an instructor or trainer. Training is also a must if you intend to show your horse. You need to add weekly training or lessons for you and your horse to your budget.
- Show expenses: If you plan to show your horse, you have to spend money on show clothes and tack, entry fees, and transportation. (See Chapter Show Off: Riding in Competition for details on showing.)
Find your total costs and figure
out whether horse ownership fits into your monthly budget.
Figuring Out What Kind of Horse to Buy
Choosing the right horse for
purchase can be a challenge, and even the most experienced horse people
struggle with it. That’s because finding the right horse is often like finding
the right mate: It’s not easy, but when it happens, you know it’s right.
Your riding experience, what you plan to do with the horse, and costs are several factors to consider, and your preferences for breed, age, and gender also come into play. And of course, whether a particular horse suits your personality is of utmost importance. I explain the factors that go into choosing a horse in the following sections.
Recognizing the ideal equine personality type
As a beginning horse owner, you
need a first horse who has a gentle, quiet demeanor, one who’ll be forgiving
when you make mistakes and patient when you don’t know what to do. She
shouldn’t be apt to overreacting to her environment. Your first horse also
shouldn’t take advantage of the fact that you’re a beginner by trying to get
away with as much as possible. You need a horse who’s experienced in life and
will help you learn — not one you have to teach.
Remember
Just like humans, horses are individuals, and each one has a unique personality; therefore, horses who fit the ideal come in every age, breed, and gender. The only way to get to know whether a horse truly has a compatible personality is to spend some time with her and have an equine professional assist you with your evaluation (see the later section “Finding help upfront”).
Taking age into account
When looking for a horse to buy,
you need to consider age. Although buying a young horse who you’ll have for a
very long time may seem like a neat idea, getting a young horse as your first
mount is rarely wise. Young horses are typically inexperienced and lack
training. They don’t have much confidence or knowledge, either, though
exceptions do exist.
If you’re a fairly inexperienced
rider, the last thing you need is an inexperienced horse. Some people think
that maybe a young, untrained horse and an inexperienced rider make a good team
because they can “learn together.” In reality, the horse usually ends up
becoming unmanageable, the rider becomes miserable, and the relationship
dissolves.
Tip
When you’re learning to ride and care for a horse, it’s best to pair up with an older, experienced horse who already knows the ropes. Horses over 6 years old are considered adults and are capable of the equine maturity you need in a first horse. However, the horse’s level of training and experience under saddle are the most important factors; some horses who should be mature at 6 still have some growing up to do.
A great age for horses is in
their teens and into their early 20s. I got my first horse when I was 13. I’d
been riding for a couple of years but was definitely a neophyte when it came to
horse ownership and serious riding. The horse my parents chose for me was a
quiet, affectionate, older mare named Peggy, who was about 15 years old. Peggy
had seen it all — including little kids who didn’t really know how to ride —
and she patiently taught me much of what I know today about horses.
How old is too old? Well-cared
for horses are often rideable well into their 20s. Horses in their 30s are
often plagued with lameness problems and aren’t the best choice, although you
may find exceptions.
Considering your riding discipline
As a beginning rider, you want a
horse who’s been well-trained in your discipline of choice. Taller, leaner
horses are often trained for hunt seat and dressage. Western horses, on the
other hand, tend be smaller and stockier.
Of course, as with everything
else in life, you can find exceptions to the rule. You may see English-trained
horses who are small and stocky and Western-trained horses who are tall and
lanky. This situation is not the norm, however. Most horses end up trained in
whatever discipline they’re most physically suited to.
Determining your interest in competition
Many people enjoy riding their
horses just for fun, taking strolls on the trail, or just working in an arena
on their own or with an instructor. But a lot of people also enjoy competing
with their horses in the one or more exciting events open to horse owners. (See
Chapter Show
Off: Riding in Competition for details on equine competitions.)
Before you make your purchase,
decide whether you want to compete with the horse you buy. A horse you want just
for casual trail riding (see Chapter Don’t
Fence Me In: Trail Riding) is going to be a lot different from a
horse you want to win ribbons with. In order to be truly competitive, the horse
you use for showing or other events needs to have talents and training geared
toward the horse’s sport.
Tip
If you want to show or compete with the horse you buy, have a professional help you with your purchase. This professional should be your instructor, or better yet, a trainer who is very experienced with the type of competition you plan to do. See the later section “Finding help upfront” for more information on finding someone to help you with your horse shopping.
Checking out breeds
Hundreds of horse breeds exist
throughout the world, and each breed has a distinct appearance and history.
Some of them are incredibly rare, while others number in the millions.
In Chapter Head
to Hoof: The Mind and Mechanics of a Horse, I list breeds that
are considered the most popular riding horses in the United States. Based on
the number of individual horses registered with their respective breed
associations each year, these breeds are the ones you’ll see most often when
you’re shopping. (You may also see grade horses, which are horses of
mixed breeding. They can make great riding horses as well.) Use this primer to
get an idea of breed history, appearance, and height, as well as general info
on a breed’s common uses, skills, and demeanor.
Thinking about gender
Essentially, as a beginning rider
and novice horse owner, you’re limited to the following two gender choices:
- Geldings: Geldings are castrated males. Many horse people think geldings make the best mounts because riders don’t have to deal with the horse’s sex hormones. Hormones can affect a horse’s behavior, just as they can with cats, dogs, and other animals.
- Mares: Mares are female horses age 4 and over. I think mares make wonderful companions, although many people find some mares difficult to handle whenever the horses come in season (heat). (Mares can be spayed, although it’s a difficult and expensive procedure.)
Warning!
You may have noticed that stallions, uncastrated males, aren’t one of the choices here. That’s because stallions are rarely suitable for a beginning riders and first-time horse owners. Stallions are full of testosterone and usually require an experienced handler. They also come with logistical problems: Most boarding stables won’t allow stallions to be kept on the premises. Also, stallion owners are legally liable if their horse breaks out of his stall and impregnates a neighbor’s mare.
The question of whether to get a
mare or a gelding is a big one to some horse people, and it isn’t something
everyone agrees on. Many people own only geldings; others swear by mares. Some
people don’t have a preference one way or another. The decision on whether to
get a mare or a gelding ultimately rests on you. You can spend time with both
genders to see whether you develop a preference. If you don’t have a favorite —
and most people don’t — then just look for the best horse regardless of gender.
Walking through the Horse-Buying Process
The task of horse buying can be
daunting — so many horses are available, and so many people are trying to sell
them to you. And buying from the
Finding help upfront
The biggest piece of advice I can
give you about horse shopping is to do your homework. Find out as much as you
can about the process of horse buying before you write out that check.
Remember
Getting experienced people to help you find and choose your horse is vital. They can come in the form of
- Your riding instructor or trainer
- Your veterinarian
- Your farrier
- Other equine experts
These people can guide you and
help you choose your new horse — for a fee — so make sure you select your horse
authority carefully. Get to know each individual in your future horse’s life.
(See Chapter School’s
in Session: Taking Riding Lessons for details on finding a riding instructor; Chapter Exploring
Horse Care has
information about finding a vet and a farrier.)
Looking in all the right places
Buying a horse can be a bit
complicated, in large part because you can find horses for sale in a lot of
different places. The process would be easier if you could just pick one out of
a catalog, but things don’t work that way!
Horses are sold by individual
sellers, horse dealers, and breeding and training operations. Also, if you
prefer to adopt a horse rather than buy one, rescue groups usually have horses
available, as do occasional private individuals. You’ll acquire your horse from
one of these places, but you should look into more than one type of seller when
you’re shopping. Check out each of the following sources, and then settle on
the one that feels right to you.
Individual sellers
Buying a horse from an individual
seller rather than from a trainer, breeder, or horse dealer can be a good way
to find a horse. Individual sellers may advertise in the classifieds section of
your daily newspaper, in regional horse publications, or on the bulletin board
at your local tack and feed store.
Horse dealers
Horse dealers are people who make a living buying and selling horses, and you can find them in most areas that have an active horse industry. Dealers typically purchase horses at auctions or from individuals and then sell those horses to others at a higher price. In essence, they’re the middlemen of the horse-buying world.
You can buy a good horse from a
reputable horse dealer. Most horse dealers are experienced horse people who
know how to judge a horse’s disposition, quality of training, and athletic
ability.
Tip
If an instructor, trainer, or other horse expert is helping you with your search (as I suggest earlier in this chapter), ask whether he or she can recommend an honest horse dealer. Don’t go to a horse dealer without the recommendation of someone you know well and trust. Horse dealers are much like used car dealers: Some are ethical; others aren’t.
Breeders and trainers
Horse breeders and trainers
routinely sell horses to individual buyers. In fact, doing so is usually a
large part of their business. Here’s how the two horse sources compare:
- Breeders typically deal in purebred horses and sell very young stock. The weanlings and yearlings most often available from breeders aren’t suitable for a first-time horse owner because they’re so young. However, a breeder does occasionally offer an older horse for sale, possibly a retired show horse or a broodmare (a mare used exclusively for breeding) who’s been trained for riding. The earlier section titled “Taking age into account” talks about the importance of buying a mature horse
- Trainers are often a good source of older, trained horses — the kind you should be looking for. The horse for sale may be one who the trainer purchased with only basic training and then schooled to a higher level. Or the horse may belong to a trainer’s client; perhaps the client outgrew the horse, so the trainer took on the task of selling her. Sometimes, a trainer is looking to sell off a lesson horse to a private owner — maybe even the lesson horse you learned to ride on! When healthy and sound (free from lameness), former lesson horses can make good mounts for beginning riders, so consider them when you shop.
Tip
If you’ve been taking lessons from a trainer and intend to keep working with this person after you have your own horse, consider buying a horse directly from that person. The trainer you’ve been working with knows your skill level and personality and may be selling a horse who’s perfectly suited to you.
Remember
As with anything else you buy, the seller’s reputation is very important — especially when dealing with breeders and trainers. If you don’t know the breeder or trainer, ask for referrals or inquire about him or her from other horse people in the area. Make sure the business or the individual has a good reputation before you get involved in any business dealings.
Rescue groups
If you like the idea of giving a
home to a horse in need, consider adopting a rescued horse. Rescue
organizations, such as Horse Lovers United (www.horseloversunited.com) and the
Horse Protection League (www.cohpl.org), may
let you adopt a horse for nothing or for a minimal fee.
Although horse adoption is a
noble cause, it’s not always the right road to take for a beginning rider and
first-time horse owner. Some horses who are available for adoption make great
riding horses for beginners, but others aren’t suited to inexperienced riders
or can’t be ridden at all. If you’d like to pursue this option, do so with your
horse-shopping expert in tow. Remember to be rational and critical, just as you
would if you were buying.
Warning!
Don’t take home a horse who isn’t right for you just because she’s free or because you feel sorry for her. If the relationship doesn’t work out (and chances are that it won’t), the results can be disastrous for both you and the horse you’re trying to help. If the rescue group you’re working with is reputable, it should match you only with a horse who’s appropriate for your experience level.
Having a horse undergo a pre-purchase exam
After you find a horse that both
you and your trainer or expert agree on, it’s time to get a vet in on the
decision. Most equine veterinarians offer a service known as a pre-purchase
exam, or a vet check. If you hire a vet to perform such an exam, the
doctor comes out to where the horse resides and thoroughly examines the animal.
I walk you through the pre-purchase exam process in the following sections.
Preparing for the exam
After you find a horse you’re interested in, you need to choose a veterinarian, decide whether you want an extensive exam or just the basics, and schedule the actual appointment.
Some aspects of the pre-purchase
exam are included in the basic price, although other services will cost you
extra. The more tests you have the vet perform, the more you’ll learn about
your prospective horse — and the more you’ll pay for the exam. Pre-purchase
exams can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1,000 or more, depending
on where you live and whether you have the horse’s legs X-rayed. The following
section explains some of these checks.
Warning!
Make sure you select an independent veterinarian to perform the pre-purchase exam — not one the seller suggests or who considers the seller a client. If you’re unable to locate an independent veterinarian on your own, contact the American Association of Equine Practitioners for a referral (www.aaep.org or 859-233-0147). Chapter Exploring Horse Care has more information on finding an equine vet.
Tip
If you’re working with a reputable trainer to find a horse, your veterinarian may recommend that you take the horse you’re considering for a one-week or longer trial period before conducting the pre-purchase exam. That way, you have a chance to spend time with the horse, and you can ensure that the horse is drug-free before the exam.
Taking note of what the vet checks
Following are just some of the
things the vet looks at in a pre-purchase exam:
- Vital signs: The vet checks the horse for normal temperature, respiration, and pulse while the horse is at rest. After the horse gets some light exercise, the vet checks these vital signs again. Abnormal readings are sometimes a way to detect illness.
- Heart and lungs: The vet listens to the horse’s heart and lungs with a stethoscope to determine whether any problems are present.
- Gut sounds: Using a stethoscope, the vet listens to the sounds coming from the horse’s gastrointestinal system. Normal gut sounds indicate a healthy digestive system.
- Teeth: The vet examines the horse’s mouth for problems with missing teeth, overgrown molars, poor alignment, and the wear from cribbing (an obsessive habit of biting on a fence, feeder, or other object and sucking air in at the same time).
- Eyes: Using a light source, the vet checks the health of the horse’s eyes, looking for corneal scarring, cataracts, inflammation, and other signs of disease.
- Lameness: The veterinarian evaluates the horse’s conformation (the way the horse is put together) for any faults that may affect the animal’s ability to perform in the role you intend for her. The horse then undergoes something called a flexion test, in which she’s gaited in front of the veterinarian on hard and soft ground and in circles so the doctor can determine any problems in movement. Also during the lameness part of the examination, the vet palpates the lower limbs in search of abnormalities and examines the hooves visually and with a device called a hoof tester, which checks sensitivity on the underside of the hoof.
- X-rays At your request, the veterinarian takes X-rays of the horse’s legs to further evaluate soundness and health.
- Blood: At your request, the vet draws blood from the horse and has it tested for equine infectious anemia (EIA), problems with thyroid function, and other issues.
Tip
Ask your veterinarian to do a blood or urine test for drug detection. I’ve heard stories of sellers who tranquilize or otherwise drug horses before selling them, leaving the unfortunate buyer to discover the truth after the drug wears off and the horse’s true personality comes out.
The veterinarian who’s conducting
the pre-purchase exam should ask the seller about the horse’s medical history
and current use. The vet should also question you about what you intend to do
with the horse if you buy her so the vet can determine whether the horse is
physically capable of performing the job you want her to do.
Following up after the exam
The veterinarian won’t give the
horse a pass or fail on the exam; he or she simply alerts you to the horse’s
condition at the time of the exam. The vet may tell you whether the horse seems
suitable for certain disciplines or sports depending on the correctness of her
conformation, although many veterinarians aren’t willing to give an opinion on
this subject for liability reasons. If the horse is suffering from a serious
illness, the vet will indicate the abnormal finding on the horse’s report.
Remember
The results of the examination can give you a good idea about any health problems the horse may have. Keep in mind, however, that the pre-purchase exam isn’t foolproof. A disease or medical condition can evade discovery during a vet check.
You can discuss the results of the pre-purchase exam with your instructor, trainer, or other expert to get his or her input as well, but the decision on whether to purchase the animal is ultimately yours.
by Audrey Pavia with Shannon Sand
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