The Most Important Considerations when Buying a Horse

0
1399
Veterinary great performing a scan to a young mare

Buying a horse is not like investing in a pet rabbit, new dog or a guinea pig – it is far more of a commitment than that. There are many considerations and factors to take into consideration before deciding to go ahead and buy that first horse. So you need to make sure that you are ready for such a commitment in time, money and energy, so that you don’t regret buying the horse later on.

You will need to ask yourself if you have the time and the commitment to hand. All of which will be required throughout the lifetime of your pony or horse. It will need daily attention: which would mean you travelling to the stables every single day to feed, check and exercise your new friend.So having a horse takes a lot of effort, it will certainly keep (or get) you fit but you need to be ready for that and it can be quite a struggle initially so you definitely need to be ready for that.

If you are thinking about going away on a two-week holiday in the sun, there will have to be meticulous provisions made to have your equine friend looked after whilst you are gone. You would need to pay a stable manager to home and feed your horse and take care of any vet bills that may occur.

You will also have to consider whether you have a decent place and home for your horse to live. Rented stables or a barn are the immediate choices to hand. But know this: the time you will have on your hands will be much limited by the new animal in your life.

You should ask yourself why you would actually want a horse. Some people will buy a horse to put him out to competition or perhaps just for leisure purposes. Many owners simply ride them around country lanes on a Sunday afternoon and while others will take on serious competitive events and even hire a professional rider.

You should also be aware that most horses will easily survive well over 20 years. Investing in a young horse may require that you just don’t have the time to commit this huge chunk of your life to one animal. So it’s a very long term commitment, one that will of course give you huge pleasure but you do need to make sure that this will fit into not only your current life, but also your likely future life too.

There are several necessary supplies that will need to be sourced at the same time you buy a horse. Tack and grooming supplies do not come cheap and the hiring of professional riders and farriers can be a financial factor you should weight up in advance too.

Do You Want a Horse, Or A Pony?

Ponies are smaller than horses, but this does not mean they are small. Ponies have a bit of a stubborn characteristic, but with good temperament can be a better investment than a horse.