There are people who have ridden for twenty years and never bought a horse of their own, because they know what it means. And there are people who, after a year of riding lessons, buy the first horse for sale they see online. The first group are sometimes too cautious. The second group find themselves a year later with a horse that does not suit them, in a stable they cannot afford. This checklist is for everyone in between: people who take the dream seriously and therefore look at it honestly.
Before buying: four questions to ask yourself
1. Can I afford it, even if something goes wrong?
The purchase price is the smallest item. A leisure horse realistically costs €450 to €900 a month (stable, farrier, vet, insurance, feed, equipment), and over €1,000 near a city. On top of that, an emergency fund of at least €3,000 or surgery insurance, because a colic operation costs €5,000 to €10,000. If your budget will not stretch to that over ten years, the time has not come yet.
2. Do I have the time?
A horse needs you six to seven days a week, at least an hour and a half per visit, plus travel time. Holidays, illness, exam periods: who steps in? No plan B, no horse.
3. Can I ride and handle a horse well enough?
Be honest: can you saddle a horse on your own, ride confidently in all gaits, keep control out on a hack, lead a horse that gets spooked? If not, a share horse for one to two years is the better preparation. It costs €100 to €250 a month and teaches you everything riding lessons do not: everyday life with a horse.
4. What do I want to do with the horse?
Hacking and trail riding, dressage, jumping, groundwork, or simply time at the stable? The answer determines breed, age, level of training and price. "Something or other" is not an answer to buy on.
The search
- The right horse for a beginner is old. Eight to fifteen years, well trained, steady-nerved, experienced. A young horse for a beginner is the classic wrong combination: two who do not know what they are doing.
- Check the seller. Private sellers with a history and photos from several years are usually more honest than dealers with thirty horses in the yard. With dealers: the statutory warranty is your right, use it.
- Learn to read adverts. "Needs an experienced hand" means difficult. "Not a beginner's horse" means what it says. "Healthy, no previous illnesses" without documents means nothing.
- Take someone with you. A trainer, an experienced rider, someone who is not in love. Always.
The trial ride
At least twice, on different days, and if possible once unannounced and early. You see the horse in the stable, during grooming, saddling, leading, in the arena, out on a hack. The seller rides first, then you. Watch for: how does it behave when you mount, around other horses, alone out on a hack, when being loaded? A horse that is only ever shown to you but never allowed to be alone with you has a reason.
The pre-purchase vetting
Always. No exceptions. By a vet you choose, not the seller. The small vetting (clinical examination, flexion tests, heart, eyes, lungs) costs €150 to €300. The large vetting with X-rays of the legs (at least 10 to 18 images) costs €500 to €1,200. For a horse over €5,000 or with sporting ambitions, the large vetting is a must. Have the images handed to you and keep them. And remember: a vetting is a snapshot, not a guarantee. But it prevents the biggest bad buys.
The contract
- In writing, always, even between friends.
- Name, life number, equine passport number, age, sex, colour, markings.
- Purchase price, method of payment, handover date, transfer of risk.
- Known previous illnesses and bad habits (crib-biting, weaving, rearing) named explicitly.
- Result of the vetting as an annex.
- With dealers: do not accept any exclusion of warranty, as those are invalid towards consumers.
- Equine passport and proof of ownership at handover, otherwise no money.
The first weeks
A new horse needs four to eight weeks to settle in. It will be different from the trial ride, often more unsure. No competitions, no hack alone in the first week. Routine, calm, groundwork, trust. Stable place secured beforehand, insurance from day one (liability insurance is a must, surgery insurance urgently recommended), farrier and vet informed.
The most honest question, to finish
Would you buy the horse even if it did not have the coat and mane you fell in love with? If the answer is yes, because character, training, health and price all fit, then it is your horse. And then we also understand why the first photo of the two of you should hang on the wall one day.
And when that moment comes: a horse fills a wall. What works in large format on framed canvas in our horse portraits quickly looks lost as a small poster in the hallway. How to get the right photo for it is covered in Photographing horses.
Keep reading
- What a Haflinger costs per month: a breed that forgives a lot
- Photographing horses: for the first photo afterwards
- Giving a pet portrait as a gift: and for the moment you want to keep
