Maybe you weren’t aware there was a checklist for buying a horse, but now you know. Whether this is your first horse buying experience, or you’re a seasoned horse buyer, it’s important to have a list of things to check before you purchase a stallion. Make sure you consider these five things before buying a horse!
Risk
The first thing you’ll need to do is assess the level of risk. Pre-purchase medical exams are vital in your purchasing decision. You need to evaluate the horses’ ophthalmological, neurological, dental, podiatric, cardiological, and radiological health. Hiring expertise in horse examinations is always a good idea. These exams allow the buyer to evaluate the amount of risk they are willing to absorb. The purchasers’ level of comfort makes each deal-breaker unique to that buyer.
Experience
There are many pitfalls of purchasing a horse, that’s why the purchasers’ experience is so important. Horses are prone to injury by nature. Something as small as whether the purchaser has a farm will affect the horses’ amount of downtime. A more experienced horse is good for new riders since these horses have been around the block.
Farm or Board
Deciding whether to board your horse or keep it on a farm is usually a simple decision. Unless you or someone you know owns a farm, chances are you’ll board your purchased horse. Older horses are usually recovering from an injury or chronic illness. These horses need more downtime to rest, which is why farms have better living conditions.
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Future
If you intend to resell your purchased horse, make sure you invest in a set of standard films to get good radiographs on that horse. This is important for any horse intended for resale to make it easier to sell them. These radiographs run diagnostic tests that may uncover a condition the horse has, making them worth the investment.