THREE THINGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BUYING A HORSE

The world of horse buying is interesting and sometimes surprising.  The process would seem, on its face, to be relatively simple.  One determines the breed of horse in which they are interested, finds said horses, looks them over, makes a decision based on appearance and health, and then buys the horse.

It seldom, if ever, actually works that way.  Instead, horse buyers encounter a host of options.  Should they buy from friends, ranchers recommended by their riding instructors, horse dealers, at auction, through newspaper advertisements or by horse shopping on the Internet (and, yes, that is possible these days)?  Should they buy before taking lessons so that they can learn along with their horse or should they first learn the ins and outs of life in the saddle?  It really is a complicated environment.  To prove that point, let's look at three things you probably didn't know about buying a horse.

Quiet Horse Dealers

Did you know that a horse dealer isn't required to tell a buyer anything about an animal under consideration?  It's true.  There is no standard of voluntary disclosure to which horse dealers are bound.  The old Latin concept of "Caveat Emptor" (buyer beware) echoes loudly throughout the horse world.  Dealers are required to honestly and accurately answer questions posed to them by potential buyers, but there are no requirements for any proactive disclosure of important information.  In other words, if the buyer doesn't ask, the dealer doesn't have to tell them!

Horses are Cheap

Well, not necessarily.  Some horses are actually unimaginably expensive.  However, most first time horse buyers are surprised to learn that the cost associated in the actual purchase of a horse is usually considerably less than the subsequent annual costs related to caring for the animal.  People often think of horses as being expensive.  In reality, that is not necessarily the case.  It is true; however, that horse ownership can run up a substantial bill.  The indirect costs of owning a horse are usually much higher than the animal's purchase price.  In relative terms, horses are cheap!

Buying an Education

First-time horse buyers shouldn't just be looking for a horse they can ride and upon which they will feel comfortable.  They should also be looking for a horse that can teach them.  We generally think of the horse/owner relationship being one in which the owner does the instruction, training the horse to respond to commands and direction from the saddle.  That isn't really the case.  A smart first-time buyer will actually look for a horse that is slightly more experienced than he is or she is!  This allows the buyer to learn from the horse and makes the rider's experience far more enjoyable.  A forgiving, understanding horse can actually teach a first-time buyer far more than the buyer can ever teach the horse!

These three examples demonstrate just how surprising the horse buying process can actually be.  You probably weren't aware that dealers didn't have to tell you about a horse's weaknesses, past mishaps, or questionable health.  You may not have known that most horses have a purchase price that falls under the cost of maintaining the animal for a calendar year.  The idea of a horse teaching its owner might have seemed very unlikely.  However, all three of these observations are true, proof that there is more to buying a horse than what meets the eyes.

This makes purchasing a horse for the first time a somewhat intimidating process.  A novice may feel intimidated by the process and may carry with him or her the fear that there is more to every step along the way than what is readily apparent.  Those concerns are well founded.  There is a variety of "tricks to the trade" that a first-time buyer may not know.

This is why first-time horse buyers should never enter the marketplace without first availing themselves to solid information and guidance about horse buying.  Anyone considering the purchase of a first choice is obliged to do initial research and to invest in informative materials, as well as personal experiences, that will make the buying process less surprising and frightening.  The result tends to be a more comfortable experience and wiser decisions.