Buying Your First Horse: Houghton Country's Top Tips | Help & Advice | Houghton Country

The time has finally come and you are ready to buy your first horse! This is a hugely exciting time for anyone who is horse-mad – you may have spent years waiting to be able to look for your first horse and are sure to have your matchy matchy colour scheme and activities for the months ahead planned. It is very important, however, not to rush into the purchase of your new horse – most buyers will view several horses before they find the right one, and it is rare the first one you go to try will be the most suitable one. Sometimes finding the right horse can take months. Remember that a horse is a huge commitment and once you have bought them, you may not be able to easily sell them on if you change your mind, so taking your time in finding the right horse for you is very important. Here are our top tips for making sure that you give yourself the best possible chance of making the most of the viewing and finding your perfect partner!

First-time horses should be quiet and laid-back in their temperament – there should be no signs of aggression or sharp, reactive behaviour. You will not want a horse that bucks, bolts or rears as these horses are not suitable for novices. Don’t dismiss older horses - an older horse that has been there and done it is likely to give you years of safe fun, whereas it is difficult for a novice rider to teach a young, inexperienced horse, and young horses can be unpredictable and more likely to look to their rider for confidence. Native breeds are a popular choice for riders who are beginning their time as a horse owner. Breeds with a lot of blood such as thoroughbreds and warmbloods can be more unpredictable, and so, to stereotype, are usually less suited to a novice. These are generalisations, and there are of course many exceptions, with some warmbloods proving very quiet and rideable, and some natives proving dangerous even to experienced riders. Athletic horses bred for top sport are however generally best left to more experienced riders.

You wouldn’t go to view a car without taking someone knowledgeable with you for advice, and the same applies to viewing a horse. The person you choose to take with you should be able to objectively assess the horse’s temperament, conformation and soundness, with enough experience to detect aggression, unpredictability, lameness or signs of pain or common conditions such as ulcers. If you regularly have lessons from a qualified riding instructor, they would be the most suitable person to ask to go with you, and be prepared to pay them for their time. If not, a knowledgeable friend or family member may be able to help.

You are bound to be excited and may have already fallen in love with the horse advertised, and it is up to the person accompanying you to be realistic about whether this is the right horse for you. Don’t be disappointed if the horse that seemed perfect ends up being unsuitable - it is common, for example, for a horse that is young, inexperienced or bred with a lot of blood to be a little too much for a first-time buyer. It is also important that the horse enjoys the same activities as you – if you enjoy hacking, a horse that has hunted a lot or hacks alone and in company will likely be more suited to you than one that has never been ridden outside of a school. Sadly, there are many horses advertised for sale that have undisclosed veterinary issues. If you are not experienced in dealing with lots of different types of horses with various issues, the signs can be easy to miss, but a more experienced instructor or friend may spot subtle signs of common conditions.

Even experienced riders like to take a friend with them to help them view the horse and advise!

It is not uncommon for a potential buyer to arrive at the yard to find the horse they are viewing already brushed, tacked up and ready to be ridden. They may even already have a rider on warming them up or the horse may clearly have been worked, and be blowing or sweating. While this may be a completely genuine attempt from the seller to save time, it can be a red flag. You will need to see the horse without tack on to check their condition, and the process of grooming the horse and tacking them up can reveal a lot about a horse. If they are biting, kicking and tail swishing when the saddle goes on, for example, this can indicate back pain or ulcers, and will be something you want to question. If the horse is sweaty when you arrive, this means it has already been worked, which can be a way of the seller taking the edge off a sharp horse or loosening off stiff joints – again, you will want to question why the horse has been worked before you had a chance to see them.

Some sellers are happy for you to get straight on yourself, but it is advisable for you to be able to watch the horse be ridden by someone else first. It may be, for example, that the horse is not as described under saddle, and you are risking an injury to yourself if you get on a horse that could buck, bolt or rear. Watching someone else ride the horse also gives you opportunity to look for subtle signs of problems that you may not feel when on the horse, like stiffness or signs of discomfort. 

With the permission of the seller, it is a good idea to take some videos of the horse being ridden by someone else and by you. You can look back at these videos to ponder your decision. Showing knowledgeable family members or friends, and your instructor if they are unable to be with you, is also a good idea. Watch these videos not only looking for lameness or signs of discomfort, but also whether you look like a well-suited pair. ... Not to mention these videos will make a lovely memory of your first meeting in years to come if you do decide to buy the horse! 

You will get a truer sense of the horse for sale if you go to meet and ride them more than once. Whereas you may have ridden in the arena on your first visit, you may wish to jump the horse, ride in an open space and/or hack them out on the second. Most sellers will be happy for you to come a second time, but bear in mind that the horse is usually not taken off the market until a deposit has been taken or the full purchase price agreed has been exchanged, so you will likely want to arrange this second viewing quite quickly after the first. Again, you will want to see the horse being groomed and tacked up before you ride.

So you are convinced this horse ticks all the boxes to be your new best friend! You have looked for signs of lameness or discomfort throughout the viewing process, but the best way of getting real peace of mind is asking a vet to perform a vetting before money is handed over. This vetting rules out any physical problems likely to cause you financial and emotional stress, and gives you confidence that the horse is suitable for what you are wanting to do together in that vet’s opinion. 2 stage and 5 stage vettings are available, with 5 stage covering a full health check and 2 stage offering a more basic health check at less cost. If you plan to insure your horse, many insurance companies require a 5 stage vetting before they will offer you a policy, especially if the horse is worth a significant amount of money. Be mindful that anything found in the vetting will go on the horse’s clinical history and must be disclosed to the insurance company, who will then not cover the horse for anything they deem to be associated with these findings. It is important that you choose the vet who carries out this vetting, rather than the seller using a vet of their choice, as it is not unknown for a seller’s vet to overlook clinical signs in favour of the sale. The seller should be open to you having the horse vetted using a vet of your choice. If the horse does not pass the vetting, it is up to you whether you still want to buy them, and this is a conversation to have with the vet. Many buyers will expect the seller to drop in price depending on the findings of the vetting.

With the nerve-wracking vetting out of the way, it is time to arrange getting your new horse to their new home! It is common for the seller to deliver the horse if they are able, although this may come at an extra cost, or if you do not have transport yourself, you can hire a professional horse transport company to collect and deliver them. Before your new horse arrives, check out our What Do I Need to Care for My First Horse? checklist to make sure you have the essentials covered. If you will be based on a livery yard, there will be plenty of people around to help you should you need advice, and working with a good instructor or coach to develop your new partnership is recommended. Joining your local Riding Club will help you to get out and about, make new friends and start having fun together!

Finding your perfect equine partner can seem like a minefield, but once you do, years of companionship, fun and sport await! Our best advice would be to go with your gut – if something seems amiss or you just can’t visualise yourself with this horse for the rest of their life, trust your instinct and continue your search. We promise the right one is out there!