Also, as my farrier/bar owner says whenever we talk about bringing home a new horse, “make sure it’s feet are decent!” that will save you a ton of money down the road!
What worries me about your situation is whether you have any knowledge of how fragile physically horses really are. For instance, horses need to be “warmed up” before your work them and cooled down afterward. A horse can colic and be in serious, if not fatal trouble within hours. Be sure to get some knowledge about horsey illnesses, feeding requirements, and what you can or should do before calling a vet. Horses are not like autos that can be parked and left alone safely for days or weeks. They take lots of care and attention before and after your ride. Maybe somebody here can suggest a comprehensive manual on horse ownership. Make sure you read it through and want to commit to this level of care before you buy.
Depending on how much your horse costs, you may want to consider insuring him/her.
[QUOTE=Frosty M;7677194]
What worries me about your situation is whether you have any knowledge of how fragile physically horses really are. For instance, horses need to be “warmed up” before your work them and cooled down afterward. A horse can colic and be in serious, if not fatal trouble within hours. Be sure to get some knowledge about horsey illnesses, feeding requirements, and what you can or should do before calling a vet. Horses are not like autos that can be parked and left alone safely for days or weeks. They take lots of care and attention before and after your ride. Maybe somebody here can suggest a comprehensive manual on horse ownership. Make sure you read it through and want to commit to this level of care before you buy.
Depending on how much your horse costs, you may want to consider insuring him/her.[/QUOTE]
yes i do at least have some knowledge of how fragile they are. the barn i’m at seems very considerate of the horses and has explained things like warming up & cooling down. i could probably read up on horse illnesses though but since i’m boarding at knowledgeable barn i think they could keep an eye out. i’m pretty careful about paying attention to the horse and spotting any issues. i even pointed out the smallest scratch to my trainer lol. i did pick up a few horse-y books at a book store the other day. will try to find some sort of horse keeping manual on amazon, thanks!
yes i am considering insurance and i will be researching it.
[QUOTE=chicamux;7676255]
Do not buy the horse from or thru a horse “Professional”. Yes, there are professionals who are honest but the horse will most likely cost you more and because the Pro needs the sales to make a living there are just way to many iffy things that can be going on.
Be sure your trainer doesn’t have something to gain from pushing you towards a certain horse. Like, they really need more lesson horses but really want to just use boarder horses instead of buying the horses themselves.
Or, they are getting a percentage of the sale from the seller or seller’s Pro.
Or, the horse they suggest is one that they can make money from because it will need additional training, extra lessons, etc.
chicamuxen[/QUOTE]
interesting, i didn’t really think the trainer couldn’t be trustworthy. who could i bring with me to see a horse besides a trainer? i do have an aunt who is very horse knowledgeable (she went to college to be a trainer) but is in poor health, i’m not sure she could come look with me.
should i be looking for a horse or do i let my trainer look? i thought the trainer would look but if i possibly can’t trust the trainer, should i be looking? even if i trust the trainer, should i be looking myself anyways? i’ve been looking on CL (mostly out of curiousity still deciding if i want to buy for sure), i’ve found a few that sound good in theory, if i’m interested do i then let my trainer know or should i ask some questions first? not sure on the protocol lol.
I would say you can bring the trainer for a professional opinion and an extra set of eyes on the ground etc. But remember it will be your horse so make sure it’s something you like and feel comfortable around and on.
[QUOTE=gymangel812;7677514]
should i be looking for a horse or do i let my trainer look? i’ve been looking on CL (mostly out of curiousity still deciding if i want to buy for sure), i’ve found a few that sound good in theory, if i’m interested do i then let my trainer know or should i ask some questions first? not sure on the protocol lol.[/QUOTE]
The parts of your reply that I bolded are what concern me.
If you are really going to buy your first horse the “protocol” with your trainer should have been discussed way in advance. Every trainer is different.
Do they work on flat fee? Commission? Hourly rate?
She/he may also have a network of people who can provide this kind of mount or say, I don’t have any in my barn but so and so down the road might.
The other part that I find concerning is that you are looking on CL for a first horse. Usually great first horses do not come from CL. (Yes, I am aware that there are great horses on CL but you need to have a certain level of experience to weed out the others). Perhaps this is area dependent but in my area CL is a not an easy place to find a suitable first horse or really any horse.
So please sit down with them and iron all this stuff out. 
[QUOTE=gymangel812;7677482]
interesting, i didn’t really think the trainer couldn’t be trustworthy. who could i bring with me to see a horse besides a trainer? i do have an aunt who is very horse knowledgeable (she went to college to be a trainer) but is in poor health, i’m not sure she could come look with me.[/QUOTE]
Ok. Here is what is important with this particular issue.Yes, a little bit of awareness to protect yourself is important, but don’t allow paranoia to keep you from getting the professional help you need. And the extra you will pay in terms of commission will be well worth it when you have a suitable, sane horse.
You are a beginner, albeit one with some limited experience. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy a horse. However, it does increase the importance of working with your trainer to find the right horse for you because she knows more than you do. People who get themselves into trouble in your situation are those that try to do it themselves and go find a cheap and entirely inappropriate horse on facebook or craigslist.
You need to sit down with your trainer and discuss how the buying process will work. Yes, you can expect she will have a commission. Ask her what it is. Does she want to find the horses for you or should you look and then she can pre-screen the horse and go with you to scope out the horses you find. Often it is both. What type of horse does she think you’ll need?
It sounds like you have a good relationship with your trainer and you have started some of these discussions. The fact that she is suggesting an older, been there, done that horse is a very good sign.
If you want to protect yourself on the price, make sure you pay the seller directly for the horse and your trainer directly for pre-agreed upon the commission. Funny business happens most often when the buyer pays the trainer the full purchase price and allows them to handle all the transactions.
i wasn’t saying i was going to get a horse on CL, i was using it as an example. i haven’t said for sure i am going to buy a horse to my trainer, that’s why i haven’t discussed the whole thing with her.
[QUOTE=west5;7678011]
The parts of your reply that I bolded are what concern me.
If you are really going to buy your first horse the “protocol” with your trainer should have been discussed way in advance. Every trainer is different.
Do they work on flat fee? Commission? Hourly rate?
She/he may also have a network of people who can provide this kind of mount or say, I don’t have any in my barn but so and so down the road might.
The other part that I find concerning is that you are looking on CL for a first horse. Usually great first horses do not come from CL. (Yes, I am aware that there are great horses on CL but you need to have a certain level of experience to weed out the others). Perhaps this is area dependent but in my area CL is a not an easy place to find a suitable first horse or really any horse.
So please sit down with them and iron all this stuff out. :)[/QUOTE]
i wasn’t saying i was going to get a horse on CL (although while browsing i do see some that may be suitable [hunting/jumping], i’m not looking at some cheap/free horse), i was using it as an example. i haven’t said for sure i am going to buy a horse to my trainer, that’s why i haven’t discussed the whole thing with her. i’m probably just getting ahead of myself by looking.
I read my post again about trainers and pros and it does sound very negative! If you have an instructor who knows you and your riding skills ask her/him if you can pay them for their time to look at horses with you or possibly locate horses for you BUT discuss that you are not comfortable with them making a profit from the seller. Ask them to be honest with you about whether they know the seller and have done business with them before. I would suggest you just avoid that situation so you aren’t left questoning the situation.
Asking a friend who is a good rider/trainer to look at horses with you and taking ton’s of pics and video’s will help you. Tell the seller that you do not want the horse ridden before you come over. That you want to see it caught, groomed, tied, saddled etc. If I arrive and find damp saddle marks on a horse then I am immediately distrustful of the situation.
I want to deal with the owner/rider, not a trainer who is getting a percentage of the sale. If they avoid answering questions which I often find is the case with the pros then I wonder what I am not being told.
chicamuxen
[QUOTE=gymangel812;7677478]
i could probably read up on horse illnesses though but since i’m boarding at knowledgeable barn i think they could keep an eye out. i’m pretty careful about paying attention to the horse and spotting any issues. i even pointed out the smallest scratch to my trainer lol.[/QUOTE]
As a responsible owner you need to do more than assume your boarding barn will know what is right for your horse & take care of a problem.
Even on a day-to-day basis, you should know if your horse is NQR.
Besides pointing out “the smallest scratch” you should be able to assess it, treat it & know when a vet is needed to do more.
And aside from injuries, you should be able to assess your horse’s health for any sign of illness.
Every owner should have some knowledge of first aid & be equipped with some basic supplies to treat wounds.
Since you’re searching Amazon, look for a book called When to Call the Vet.
Or maybe this one (written by a DVM):
It is up to you to know what will keep your horse healthy, as the primary responsibility will always be yours.
A lot of good advice from people here. I think for you working with a trainer you trust will be very important. However, the big thing to that is regardless of what they think it is you who has the final say. Even if the horse seems perfect, if you aren’t comfortable with them for any reason (sometimes it’s not something completely tangible either) then speak up. Stand your ground- if the horse isn’t the one, it’s not. I’ve tried perfectly nice horses for whatever reason were just not “it”. But, when I did find the one I knew right away (who this time around was a mare, and I swore I didn’t want a mare this time but I’m very glad I got her!!!).
[QUOTE=lrp1106;7674221]
Do. Not. Buy. A. Green. Horse. Just don’t. Please don’t.
Ehh… I did. The first one was green, the second one was an untrained 2 year old. I hadn’t been riding long when Mom decided she’s let me have a horse. I had only taken random (poor quality) lessons and did not have a trainer. I traded the first (now well trained and safe for anyone) for the 2 yr old Morgan because I wanted a saddle seat show horse. But, I was a fearless teenager with a fair amount of athletic ability… and I was probably a little lucky in my choice of horses as well as they both were good thinking animals.
ETA: Horses aren’t as fragile as some like to think. I’ve had horses since worming was done via stomach tube by the vet. Everybody likes to fuss about colic. In all honesty, it’s pretty rare IME. I’ve had maybe half a dozen colicy horses in my life- all of them resolved by a dose of banamine and a little walking, but they probably would have resolved on their own anyway. Vet emergency visits? One when I was a teen for my two year old that started bleeding several hours after being gelded, a couple related to foaling, a couple of cuts I wanted stitched up so they wouldn’t scar, and a couple of chokes. Lameness is also pretty much non-existent in my herd except for an occasional stone bruise.
Shakeytails:
Count your horse-owning self blessed.
Colic is not anything a knowledgeable horseowner pooh-poohs.
It can quickly become a Life or Death situation & knowing the signs and What to Do & When can make the difference.
Search some of the colic threads here if you need examples.
I had one who coliced severely enough to require surgery - from which he fully recovered and lived in (mostly) perfect & colic-free health another 20 years.
But I was alone with him in the barn when he showed signs (BO was away at a show & it was around 8P). Got the vet out by 10P - after handwalking 2 hours - vet advised the surgery was needed ASAP.
If I had not recognized those early signs:
- horse just did not seem his usual self after a non-eventful ride
- performed phlemen with no mare in sight/smell
He would have surely died a not-so-nice death.
Another time I got to the barn & found a novice owner in hysterical tears as she had brought her mare in and one hind leg was bloodied from hock to hoof.
Again, no one else around to help her.
I’m no vet, but I hosed off the blood & found just a superficial scrape.
As owner had not even had the presence of mind to clean up then determine what was needed, it could have gone South.
No. horses are not made of spun sugar.
But a little basic knowledge should be mandatory for all buyers.
Step One to Finding Good Horses: Purchase a Thoroughbred. Preferably a chestnut mare TB.
Okay seriously, my personal preferences and kidding aside, I pretty much agree with what everyone else has said. But to reiterate:
- Buy the horse you need now: at your level of experience, don’t go looking for a prospect or project.
- Work with your trainer: Personally I like the “look for your own horse and then have trainer discuss it/come to trials” not the “trainer finds and decides on the horse” type of deal. But that’s me.
-Don’t worry about breed/colour/gender. At all. Find a healthy horse with decent conformation and a good temperament.
[QUOTE=lrp1106;7674221]
Do. Not. Buy. A. Green. Horse. Just don’t. Please don’t.
I totally disagree. As someone who has watched friend after friend buy horses that trainers have recommended that have mileage on them, but “a couple of quirks,” I have to say that a greenie who hasn’t got bad habits would have been a MUCH better bet. It’s not that hard to bring one along.
I’m not sure where all this prejudice against young/green horses comes from.
[QUOTE=gymangel812;7677514]
should i be looking for a horse or do i let my trainer look? i thought the trainer would look but if i possibly can’t trust the trainer, should i be looking? even if i trust the trainer, should i be looking myself anyways? i’ve been looking on CL (mostly out of curiousity still deciding if i want to buy for sure), i’ve found a few that sound good in theory, if i’m interested do i then let my trainer know or should i ask some questions first? not sure on the protocol lol.[/QUOTE]
You need to find someone with no financial interest in the sale.
