Equine Excellence

The Items on the left hand menu can all be found for sale on eBay by clicking on them.  I hope that the list includes something for everybody.

 

  

Below are a few words about buying a horse.  I hope those of you just considering buying one find this useful.  Please use the menu to find other notes I intend to add from time to time.  I have already started with a brief guide to grooming.

 

 

Buying a horse Tips

 

Owning a  horse is a big responsibility.  Unless the horse is kept on the owner's property, travel time to and from the stable must be considered. 

 

Before buying a horse for their children, parents would be wise to reinforce the child's commitment.  Give your child the opportunity to participate in supervised care of a horse for a month or two. 

 

If the youngster "sticks" with the chores of horse ownership, he or she is probably responsible enough to own one.  Before you purchase a horse, decide where you will keep the animal and how much it will cost. 

 

A nervous, fearful rider should have a calm horse that will not react in kind. 

 

A child should not have a horse or pony that will bolt. 

 

An experienced rider will want a sensitive horse that responds to the slightest commands. 

 

Before you decide to buy a horse of your own, you should already have some riding experience or have taken riding lessons.  Once you understand your riding abilities and limitations, you will be in a better position to choose a horse with a temperament that will suit you. 

 

"English" riders may want a purely pleasure horse for riding "on the flat."

 

Other "English" riders may want a horse that will jump, or even one that can be taken on the hunt field. 

 

Whichever style of riding you prefer, it is best if the first horse you buy is already "schooled."

 

First-time horse owners should avoid younger animals that require a lot of training.  An older horse that already has the skills you need is usually a better buy for the first-time owner and younger rider. 

 

A good place to buy a horse is the stable where you ride or plan to keep the horse.  Riding instructors are also good agents for locating a suitable horse since it isimportant to them that their students do well in competition. 

 

Generally they want to see their animals well placed and will make every effort to provide a horse you can enjoy.  Here you have little knowledge of the seller and little recourse should the horse purchase prove unsatisfactory. 

 

When going to look at an animal, the first-time buyer should be accompaniedby a knowledgeable horseman or horsewoman.  Observe the horse in the stall and pasture, and how it behaves when someone is loading, hauling, and catching the horse. 

 

Look at the horse's eyes and ears and general manner when it is brought out.  Watch the owner saddle up the horse.  Do not buy a horse with bad stable manners. 

 

Ask the owner to ride the horse first, and to take the horse through its gaits, the walk, trot, and canter.  If you are buying a hunter or jumper or other specially trained horse, ask the owner to demonstrate. 

 

If you and your adviser are satisfied that the horse is safe for you to ride, only then is it your turn to mount.  Try out any special skills that the horse has.  This allows the buyer to have the horse and see if the two are really compatible. 

 

Even if you fall in love with the horse, do not buy it before the animal has been thoroughly examined by a veterinarian with experience in performing purchase examinations.  Long-time horse owners almost always have a veterinarian examine any animal before purchase and first-time owners should certainly do so. 

 

 After you have purchased your horse, your veterinarian is your best source for information about vaccinations, parasite control, and other routine health matters.

 

As well as emergency medical care.  One final point that all horse owners, beginners and experienced, should remember is that a horse is a living being whose life and welfare is in your hands.