Many people love the idea of buying a horse – there is certainly something exciting about the idea, and it’s often a childhood dream that doesn’t fade away as people grow into adulthood. The issue is that horses are a big commitment, and they’re not cheap either. This is why it’s so important to think things through before you buy a horse to ensure you’re making the right choice and that you’re getting the right horse. Read on to find out what you should consider before you do anything else.
Make Sure The Horse Has Been Trained
Many people who know a lot about horses will tell you that they see this all the time. Beginner riders often choose horses that haven’t been trained because they are cheaper or because they want to do the training themselves. This is never a good idea unless you are very experienced.
Don’t buy a horse that you want to train yourself or send to a trainer. It can take months to train. If it’s not done right, it can be dangerous. Young or inexperienced horses are not reliable. Beginners will be safer and have a better time if they get a horse they can ride as soon as it gets off the trailer; one that has been properly trained in advance.
Consider An Older Horse
You might assume that when you’re buying a horse, you need to buy a young one, but this is not an ideal solution a lot of the time. To begin with, they may not have been trained as mentioned above, but as well as this, their personalities might not be quite developed, so it’s hard to tell whether they’ll be friendly and easy to take care of or if they would be better in more experienced hands.
Buying a horse in its teens or even early twenties is not a bad idea. They will have the experience of being around people, and you’ll be able to see a lot of history about them, including any medical issues, to help you make the right choice in terms of the horse that would be best for you.
Do You Have The Time?
When you buy a horse, you need to think about more than just the cost. You also need to think about how much time your horse will need you to put in. A horse needs care every day. How much care and how much of it is down to you depends on the type of livery you choose, but remember that it’s important for your horse to be with other horses no matter what. If you’re thinking about having horse sheds on your own land, that can be a great option, but you’ll need two horses to be fair to the animals.
When a horse’s natural working life is over or when it can’t be ridden anymore, you should have thought about euthanasia or have a retirement plan ready. To meet the needs of older horses, they often need specialised care to keep them comfortable as their illnesses and diseases get worse.
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