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Buying A Horse Information and Videos
Buying a horse is an exciting experience! It is easy to get caught up in the moment and not take into consideration the responsibility of owning a horse. I know from first hand experience that it is critical to be patient in order to find the right horse for you.
Below you will find helpful tips and video links to aid you in buying a horse. You will find demonstrations on how and where to buy a horse, conformation, settling in, horse behavior, age and gender considerations and more!
My eight year old daughter and I actually looked for close to two years before we found her dream horse!
It may not take you that long to find the right horse, but I mention it because if we hadn't waited for what we wanted, we wouldn't have found our beautiful girl Katie (left).
So the lesson here is to be patient. It would be tragic to bring your horse home and it turn out to be a bad experience for both you and the horse! I created this page to help others have the greatest first horse experience like we did!
Why did it take us so long to find her you may ask? Well, my daughter is small and young, but she is a very good rider and has been riding horses since she was three.
We wanted a horse that would challenge her at her riding level, but be safe enough because of her size. We decided on Katie because she has a wonderful, willing, and calm manner, but she challenges Trinity to continue perfecting her riding skills. We also chose her because she can ride both Western and English and her age was perfect at 13-she had been there and done that so nothing much bothers her.
We Found Our Horse On Equine.com!
Buying A Horse: So here are some tips that helped us in choosing our first horse:
Be honest about your riding skill level and don't buy a horse that is too much for you.
Do not buy a young horse for a beginner or young person.
Think about what you will be doing with your horse-trail, English, Western, jumping, etc. and buy a horse that can perform the type of riding you need.
Do not buy a horse the first time you see it-try the horse a few times or even ask for a trial or lease.
Be sure you can afford the costs of upkeep for your horse once you bring them home.
Enlist a trainer or a horse savvy person to help you when looking at a horse.
Always have the horse checked by a veterinarian before you buy.
Don't get caught up in the color of the horse-it is not the most important thing.
Here is a short video of my daughter Trinity and her horse Katie the day we brought her home on Mother's Day!
Considering Expenses
Remember that although horses can be very expensive, it is not only the initial cost of the horse that you must consider! After you bring your horse home, they will need boarded, veterinarian care, farrier services, wormed, and riding tack at a minimum. Horse tack alone can cost thousands of dollars depending on what you will be doing with your horse. It is important to understand these costs before you buy a horse.
Do you have to be wealthy to own a horse? The answer is no; our family is far from wealthy, but my daughter does without a lot of things so she can have her horse and of course she wouldn't have it any other way:)
Boarding Your New Horse
If you are buying a horse for the first time it is very helpful to have your horse boarded, preferably where you will be taking lessons. Your trainer and other boarders can be a real blessing and a wealth of information if you encounter problems or just have questions.
If you do have a place at home to keep your horse consider the following: how would you handle an emergency with your horse, would you know what to do if your horse got hurt or sick? It is a good idea to make plans ahead of time in case things occur.
Bringing Your Horse Home
After you have bought your horse and bring him/her home it is time for the fun to begin! When we brought Katie home it was the best day ever for me and of course Trinity. We let her get settled in to her stall and Trinity spent time with her for an hour or so. Then later in the afternoon, she took her out and walked her around the arena to get to know her surroundings.
Trinity rode her the next day and things went perfectly! Katie seemed to be very content and they got along great together. They did so well together that they were showing after one month of being together and winning ribbons! Below is another video of the two soon after we brought her home.
Buying a horse should be the best experience ever; be patient, consider the costs, enlist professionals for advice, always take a second look, choose good conformation over color, choose age and experience over young and inexperienced, and make sure that the horse you choose is the perfect horse for you!
My eight year old daughter and I actually looked for close to two years before we found her dream horse! 
