Bowed tendon
Buying a horse at an auction is a crap shoot at best, as usually there are reasons why the horse is there in the first place – reasons you might not want to find out if you take the horse home.
Generally, unless you happen to be a horse trainer or Vet, you won’t have the chance to do a pre-purchase exam. In that case, all you can do is try to pick up red flags from the horses you are considering. Yes, they can be really subtle and may also be masked thanks to drugs or even the fact the horse was rested prior to you looking at it (which would not show some forms of lameness).
Start your inspection from nose to tail for any swelling or warm spots. Run your hand down all the legs (if the horse will let you and if not – red flag) and compare appearance and the feel of the left and the right. You might find a bowed tendon or a fluid filled knee – an indication of arthritis. Try flexing the joints if you can. If there is arthritis they won’t flex too well
Now take a good look at general body condition (good, fair or poor), hair coat (sleek and shiny or dull), foot quality (well trimmed or chipped and cracked), muscle development (well formed or wasted) and attitude (bright and curious, dull and depressed or scared). Many of these things will give you an idea of how well the horse has been cared for and you need to pay close attention to them. They are things that will also tell you how much training the horse has and the amount of exercise it has had.
Watch the horse move – walk, trot and canter. Does he move well or are his ears pinned and tail on a switch? Does the head bob up and down (lameness)? What about his breathing? Does he roar or whistle or wheeze? Make sure you see the horse ridden under saddle to get an idea of his attitude and whether or not he and you will get along. You need to take your riding experience into consideration for this decision. And try not to over-estimate your skills or you will get a horse not suited to your level of expertise.
Take your time sizing up a potential purchase at an auction. There is no need to be in a rush. You may miss a few things, but the more horses you inspect, the better you get at it.
Many horses
Top 10 Things to do BEFORE you go horse shopping
Buying a horse is a big commitment in both time and money. The emotional energy spent is a large factor as well. With so many horses for sale, how do you choose?
If you buy a horse before you lay the correct groundwork, you run the risk of coming home with one that isn’t suitable for you. At the worst, he could be dangerous and at best, you could easily spend a thousand dollars or more to get professional trainer to correct the problems.
Make a plan before you look at horses for sale and do these 10 basic steps first.
1. Take riding lessons for at least six months.
Horse riding lessons will teach you the basics of control and the foundation for correct horsemanship. In addition to learning to ride a horse, you’ll also learn how to safely groom and handle one. You’ll establish a relationship with a professional horse person in your area who knows you and who you can turn to for help if you need it.
2. Decide on the type of riding you want to do.
There are many types of horse riding styles. The most basic are Western or English. Then you can break down those two styles into many subcategories. You don’t have to make one choice exclusive of all others. Many people enjoy riding both styles and compete in both.
Decide if you want a horse to trail ride and just enjoy having him or if you want to be competitive and show.
3. Horse’s personality
The type of personality you want for your horse depends a lot on the type of riding you want to do and also your personality. Some riders want a horse with a big engine and a lot of fire. Others like a horse to be quiet and laid back.
It’s usually easier to get the laid back one to rev his engine than to get a hot horse to relax.
4. Decide on what breed of horse you most want.
Once you’ve decided on the type of riding you’re interested in and the type of personality you want your horse to have, the breed choice will become easier. Some breeds are associated with certain types of riding. For instance, a Thoroughbred or Warmblood breed are usually thought of for the Hunter/Jumper circuit or dressage. In the past, the Quarter Horse, Appaloosas and Paints were thought of for Western riding. Today, these breeds can successfully compete at all levels with the more traditional hunter type horse.
If you want a very smooth ride, look at the gaited breeds such as Missouri Foxtrotters, Tennessee Walkers or Paso Finos.
5. Decide on how big a horse you need.
If you’re looking for a horse for a child, buy a pony that your child can groom and handle now. A too big horse is intimidating for a young child to deal with.
If you’re looking for one for yourself, consider the type of riding you want to do. Western styles of riding do not require a large horse and most of the stock type horses can carry a large adult even if the horse is 15 hands or smaller.
If you want to show in hunter/jumper classes, a 16+ hand horse is necessary to be competitive. However, if your plans are to learn to jump and go to small local shows, you’ll save money by buying a smaller horse.
6. Decide on the gender of the horse.
A gelding or a mare should be your only consideration. A stallion is difficult to handle and can be downright dangerous even if you are a very experienced rider. He isn’t suitable unless you’re in the breeding business.
Geldings make great riding horses and companions. Preferably he was gelded before his second birthday so that he never learned stallion behavior.
Mares sometimes get a bad rap for being difficult every time she comes into heat. Perhaps some are, but there are many wonderful mares with very stable personalities.
7. Decide where you will keep your horse.
If you plan to board, check out several boarding stables. Your first choice is probably the barn where you’ve been taking riding lessons. Look at some others to have for back-up choices and as a general comparison.
If you plan to keep your horse on your own property, be sure to have safe fencing, a solid barn and know your time schedule will allow you to feed your horse at least twice a day – every day – rain or shine. Find out any local and state liability laws for a horse property before you bring your new horse home.
8. Figure how much you can afford for the initial price of a horse.
The original purchase price of a horse is a large upfront expense. Obviously, the more you can afford to spend on a horse, the more choices you’ll have to look at when shopping. If you have this money saved up in advance, you’ll have better leverage with a seller. If you have to buy your horse on payments, you’ll limit your bargaining power and choices because many sellers won’t want to take payments.
9. Figure out your monthly expenses.
Monthly expenses include board, lessons and supplements if you keep your horse at a boarding stable. If you keep your horse at home, you’ll be buying feed, hay and stall bedding instead of a board bill.
There are reoccurring expenses that don’t come every month but still need to be added up for a year’s cost and averaged as a monthly expense. These include farrier visits, worming, vaccinations and vet care such as floating teeth and a yearly Coggins test.
10. Tack and Supplies
Purchase the basic supplies before you get your horse so that you’ll be all set when you bring him home. Brushes, shampoo, liniment, leg wraps, buckets and a first aid kit are a good start on supplies to have ready.
An all purpose headstall and a few bits, saddle pads, a saddle, halter and a long lead rope with a stout snap are your basic tack supplies.
If you follow these 10 steps before you begin horse shopping, you’ll have a clear idea of the horse that will be the best choice for you when you do begin your search.
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Summary: Advice from a professional horse trainer to help you find and buy your perfect horse. These are the top ten things to do BEFORE you start horse shopping.
Keywords: horse, quarter horse, horse for sale, horse lover, horse supplies, horse tack, horse boarding stables, horse riding, horse show
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It All Lies in the Attitude- Guidelines for Choosing Barrel Horse Racing Sale
It is not like buying a gold fish or a puppy. Buying a horse is real business. Aside from the initial expenses that you would incur, there are other maintenance costs that are relatively taxing. This is why you must be very decisive when buying a horse, especially when you are on for a barrel horse
While we may benefit from on-sale items, we still must discern if we would profit in the long run. Before indulging yourself with the least expensive horse at your glance, be sure that you are secured with your choice and that you will have no regret in the end. As we have said, buying a horse, any type of horse for that matter, is a taxing business. You would not want risking your money over an old horse that can’t speed up while on track.
One of the major considerations when selecting an option for a barrel horse is its speed. After all, barrel horse racing is all about speed, not on the beauty of might or elegance of your steed but on its agility and performance. You are against no subjective rules while on race track but your bane is the time. Thus, you must give priority on how fast the barrel horse for sale can go.
You should also put in mind the training a horse for sale has gone. Early discipline is vital with barrel horse racing as this is not only a discipline–based event for horses; it also incorporates focus while on track. Earlier during the selection, you should ask for some display of skills.
There are horses that have problematic temperament, regardless if they are oriented to barrel horse racing. Even some of the best in the barrel racing can present difficult behaviors at times. Common problems include hesitance during the race which may manifest during the onset of the game or the ending of the race itself.
Some horses can be very aggressive during the first barrel which leads to missing the angles that must be hit to be able to perform the cloverleaf pattern perfectly.
Others, on the other hand, could be hard headed with following commands during the race. Thus, common mistakes occur. Still others can be very timid or too deviant during the end of the race which could then result to delayed acceleration towards the finish line. Put in mind that a slight delay due to the horse’s hesitation while on the arena would mean lesser points on your end. Thus, you must check into the temperament of your prospect horse. Lower price is nice but if this would endanger your performance then it would be better if you go with much priced barrel horse with greater capacities.
Another problem commonly encountered with horses is their tendency to become tired of training. It won’t hurt if you would ask bits of information about the horse’s background. This way, you would know how to get around the stuffs that would stress the steed. Say, sudden change of environment would be detrimental for the horse.
As much as possible, if the horse got fixed with a specific atmosphere that has proven to be healthy for him, make it a point that this same environment can be partly adopted. In such case, you would need ample assistance from the previous owner of the barrel horse.
Lastly, but certainly not among the least consideration is the justification of the price. Too low price, considering that the horse barrel horse is for sale might imply lesser efficiency on the horse’s part. High commanding price may also be too advantageous. Either way, you must discern things properly.