Whether you rodeo or love recreational riding, there are things to consider before you buy a horse that can make a significant difference to your success as a horse owner.
Reasons To Buy a Horse
Why do you want to buy a horse? It’s one thing if you’re buying a horse for barrel racing, roping, or reining competitions, and it’s another if you’re looking to keep a horse for recreational riding. If you’re buying a horse for competitions, you’ll need to thoroughly check out its pedigree, competitive history, and training, along with its current fitness and health. Recreational riders should be no less conscientious in examining a horse’s fitness, health history, and test results.
Ongoing Costs
Prospective horse owners should be aware of the ongoing costs associated with keeping a horse, including vet services, boarding, feed, and waste removal. Additionally, they should not overlook expenses for tack and supplies, transportation, and regular maintenance.
Documentation
Ensure all necessary documentation is in order before finalizing the purchase. Review the health records, proof of ownership transfer, and, if you’re buying a purebred, registration papers. Proper documentation is essential for verifying the horse’s history and health status.
Horse Temperament, Gender, and Age
Consider the temperament, gender, and age of the horse. These factors significantly affect the horse’s behavior and compatibility with the owner. A calm, well-trained horse is preferable for beginners, while more experienced riders may seek a horse with specific traits for competitions or breeding.
Vet Services
Regular vet check-ups are crucial for maintaining the horse’s health. Familiarize yourself with nearby veterinary services that specialize in equine care. Make sure you’ll have veterinary services available near where you’ll keep your horse. Ensure you are prepared for both routine medical care and emergency situations.
Boarding, Feed, and Waste Removal
If you cannot accommodate a horse on your property, research local boarding options. Understand the costs and services provided, including feed and waste management, to ensure they meet your standards and budget.
Tack and Supplies
Acquiring the right tack and supplies, such as saddles, bridles, grooming tools, and protective gear, is vital for both the horse’s comfort and the rider’s safety. Prioritize quality and suitability over price.
- A 7-piece assortment of grooming essentials in a durable nylon tote bag for easy organization and carrying
- Includes a comb, hoof pick, palm held curry comb, palm held face brush, mane and tail brush, dandy brush and sweat scraper/coarse curry combo
- Comfortable webbing handles, and an adjustable, padded shoulder strap
- Other features include a convenient top drawstring closure, plastic feet that protect bottom of bag, a flexible retaining strap and comfortable webbing handles
- GREAT TASTE GUARANTEED – If your horse does not find our Bite-Size Nuggets irresistible we will refund your purchase.
- GREAT VALUE – Over 300 horse treats per bag!
- PACKED WITH VITAMINS AND MINERALS – Packed with vitamins and minerals in each treat.
- POCKET SIZED HORSE TREATS – Small size is great for rewarding and training!
- APPLE FLAVORED TRAINING TREATS – No horse can resist yummy apple flavor!
- WORLD’S #1 PATENTED GROOMING TOOL: SleekEZ horse brushes for shedding is the perfect horse deshedding tool for your horse supplies. It is an essential horse comb/ cattle brush for all pet supplies &...
- EASY AND FAST CLEANUP: SleekEZ deshedding grooming tool also works great as a carpet rake & pet hair removal tool for cars, couches, blankets, beds, and more! Its innovative design ensures that hair...
- PAINLESS AND ENJOYABLE: SleekEZ helps grab at the tips of the hair to extract from the skin without painful tugging. Works as a cow scratcher, shedding blade for horses, goat brushes for grooming, and...
- ALL ANIMAL TYPES: Works as a livestock scratch brush, horse grooming brushes, large dog brush for shedding, curry brush, cow brush, horse shedding blade, goat scratcher, horse shedding tool. It is an...
- GREAT GIFT: A must have for horse grooming tools, grooming kit for horses, horse care, & horsehair brush. Give as a gift for horse accessories for real horses, horse tack supplies, curry comb for...
- Straw covers cap accessories compatible with stanley cup tumbler 30 & 40 oz.
- Designed inspired by cowboy hats, this straw topper is so unique and distinctive.
- Food grade silicone material, BPA free, dishwasher safe.
- Black, white, pink, brown, 1 set of 4 colors, match as you like.
- Due to its unique style, it is a good choice whether for your own use or as a christmas gift.
- Enhanced Grooming Experience: Our pet grooming gloves provide a unique and enjoyable way to groom your pets. The soft silicone tips gently massage their skin, promoting blood circulation and relieving...
- Easy to Use: The gloves are designed to fit most hand sizes comfortably. With these gloves, grooming becomes a breeze. Simply put on the gloves and run your hands through your pet's fur.
- Versatile Cleaning Tool:These grooming gloves can be used for various pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, and more. Whether your pet has long or short hair, these gloves are suitable for all coat...
- Durable and Easy to Clean: Crafted from high-quality silicone, these grooming gloves are built to last and withstand repeated use without losing their effectiveness. When it comes to cleaning the...
- Satisfaction Guaranteed: We stand behind the quality of our pet grooming gloves. If you are not fully satisfied with your purchase, please reach out to our customer service team, and we will gladly...
- 【Material】Our Riding Crop for Horse is made of PU leather, strong and durable
- 【size】The horse crop length 18inch(45cm), will not cause you inconvenience while riding
- 【Multifunction Horse Whip】The riding crop for horses great is for daily training, and jumping racing
- 【Classical Design】The horse whip with ergonomic design, exquisite hand-woven texture, and non-slip handle is easy to hold and operate
- 【Best Gift】The riding crop for horses is best gift for friends and family who like horses
- 【Necklace Meaning】This lucky horseshoe will invite good fortune into your life. Wear your necklace as a reminder that the more you believe, the luckier youll be.
- 【Inspirational Message Card】 Start with a good quality greeting card to show that you value your lover, family, best friend and more. We hope everyone get the best wishes and the sincere words...
- 【Size】Chain length 16.5in +1.9in and fashion necklace for women jewelry. Match with suitable apparel for different occasion.
- 【PERFECT GIFT IDEA】Packaged with a love heart envelop, horseshoe necklace as a sweet little accessory gift to get for your lover, family, best friend and more.
- Usually given for anniversary, for her birthday, Valentines, Christmas, Thanksgiving Day and more.
- Unique Design: Exquisite handcrafted equestrian macrame wall hanging that seamlessly blends traditional weaving techniques with modern design elements, creating a captivating artistic centerpiece for...
- Handmade Excellence: Each piece is meticulously woven by skilled artisans, showcasing their craftsmanship and passion. This ensures that every artwork is one-of-a-kind, exuding true artistic value.
- Premium Materials: Made with high-quality cotton ropes and sturdy wooden materials, ensuring the durability and tactile appeal of the equestrian macrame wall hanging. Carefully selected materials...
- Distinctive Charm: The fluid lines and intricate knots combined with equestrian elements give this macrame wall hanging an elegant and contemporary feel. Its refined and unique design effortlessly...
- Interior Decor Accent: Elevate your living room, bedroom, study, or hallway with this equestrian macrame wall hanging, adding warmth and personality to your space. It also makes a unique gift choice...
- VERSATILE GROOMING TOOL: This multifunctional grooming instrument is essential for pet owners as it ingeniously fuses the features of a scrubber, a bathing brush, a massager, and a shower. This...
- PREMIUM-GRADE QUALITY: The equine bath brush, made from premium 100% silicone, provides enduring, flexible use, and delivers a thorough cleanse for livestock's coat and skin. Its high-grade material...
- ALL-IN KIT: This innovative bath brush with shower includes a 3-foot heavy-duty hose with included adapter for a garden hose for ease of use. Whether it's for horses, livestock, or a big dog, this...
- RELAXING BATH: Designed with adjustable high and low settings, the washing brush for pets, such as horses, allows you to control the water pressure for a relaxing yet thorough bath. Whether your horse...
- THE JOY OF GROOMING: Find the perfect balance between thoughtfulness and practicality with the Aquapaw Equine Bath Brush. An ideal gift for your four-legged friend, it enhances the grooming experience...
- Easy to Use: the horse bling accessory clip is remarkably easy to install and remove; With the wrap cloth of hair clip being brown in color, it easily blends with horse's fur, creating a natural and...
- Ample Size and Quantity: each hair tinsel clip is about 18.8 inches or 47.7 cm in length and 1.5 inches in width, designed thoughtfully to fit well and to provide a visual impact; This package...
- Wide Application: whether it's a skillful competition or a joyous celebration, a grand wedding or a vibrant party, these hair accessories can elevate various occasions; Not just limited to horse...
- Robust PET Material: made from PET material, these bling accessories exhibit a robust construction; They are designed to withstand the wear and tear of consistent usage, promising a long lifespan;...
- Ideal Present: the horse bling accessory makes an ideal present for bridles, horse lovers, friends and more; This accessory can be truly gift worthy; With an appeal and a visual impact, the accessory...
- 【Horse Stickers 】: 100 pcs horse themed stickers, using different elements to create various horse scenes, expressions and actions. They are cute, cool, and powerful.
- 【Well-made Horse Stickers】: High-definition printing, die-cut, matte finish, comfortable to touch, and strong adhesion. Cool horse stickers are not afraid of water and sunlight, and can keep the...
- 【Cool Horse Decorations】: Horse stickers are self-adhesive, easy to stick and reposition, and perfect for personalizing laptops, tablets, water bottles, handmade cards, crafts, mugs, and more;...
- 【Horse Stickers for Kids Teens Adults】: All of these horse stickers have no inappropriate content and are friendly to kids and teens. Horse stickers can add a personal touch to a variety of items.
- We are committed to providing premium stickers. If you have any questions about this horse sticker pack, please feel free to contact us.
Transportation
Transportation is an aspect of horse ownership many overlook. Whether for moving the horse to different locations or attending competitions, having access to or arranging suitable transport is essential.
If you love trail rides, be sure to check whether your destination allows you to bring your horse in and park your trailer and what the rules are for trail riding where you’re going. For example, Big Bend National Park in south Texas is great for camping as a horse owner because it allows horses on its gravel roads and in limited areas in the Chisos mountains. However, you could not bring your horse on pavement in that park.
Taking a “Test Ride”
Taking a “test ride” can provide valuable insight into the horse’s behavior, gait, and compatibility with the rider. It’s an opportunity to assess firsthand whether the horse meets your expectations and requirements.
Thoroughly examining these considerations before you buy a horse ensures that you are well-prepared for the responsibilities and joys of horse ownership. Doing so will help establish a rewarding relationship between you and your horse, grounded in mutual respect and understanding.