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Buying a horse or pony

April 27th, 2011

3 horses
Have you found Mr Right?
Buying a horse or pony needs lots of considerations beforehand. You need to make sure you have enough practical experience, just reading a book is not enough.
If you have just started riding and not worked around the stables for any length of time, you need to take into consideration that keeping a horse is expensive, and also can be hard work.

Livery
You also need to take an informed decision about livery. There are several types of livery you can go for, but first you need to find a good yard. Make sure that it is affordable, clean, hygienic and that all the horses look fit, healthy, happy and well.
There should at least be an exercise arena, a stable block and lots of good grazing.

Full livery
The most expensive, but also the most inclusive option. It includes full care, feeding, grooming turning out, mucking out, so someone else does everything for your horse and you can just turn up to ride (although doing that defeats the object of horse ownership).

Part livery
This type of livery is not as expensive as full because only the horses basic needs are attended to.

DIY
The best option for experienced people, DIY is just as it says. You do it all yourself!

Grass livery
The least expensive, but also the least practical.
You rent a field and that’s that. You feed, groom, and do everything on this field, which is very impractical in winter or when the farrier or vet comes.

People with fat wallets who are still learning about horse care should go for the first or second option, while those that are experienced should go for the second or third option. The fourth option is not practical.

Viewing
If you have enough practical horse care and riding knowledge, have money to keep the horse and have found a good livery yard you can start looking.
If you are a first time owner it is strongly advised that you go for an older, safe schoolmaster who will look after you. Magazines and recommended horse websites are a good place to start.
Buying from sales is not advised, especially for a first time owner because most of the horses that end up there are there for a reason (undesirable vice, bad back, weak tendons etc). Although nice horses can be found at sales,  it is better to be safe than sorry.
When you have found a suitable sounding horse, it is time to go and view and try it out. Go and look at the horse, groom it, ask about its medical history, ask if vaccinations are up to date, pick up its hooves, check hoof condition,  tack it up, ride it, jump it, do whatever you want the horse for with it.
If the price is reasonable, and the horse is responsive and does what you want, passes vet inspection, and you like it, it is time to consider buying. When you have acquired the right horse, allow at least five days to settle in before work begins. After rest period you can slowly start to introduce work.
Once you have been working gently for a few days you can start to use more advanced  supplying exercises on both reins such as serpentines and loops and later on you can start to work on impulsion and control with lateral work such as leg yielding, shoulder in, rein back etc (only attempt to do these exercises if you have been taught correctly under instruction.

We hope that you now understand the most important things about buying a horse and choosing livery and can now make an informed decision.

Good luck!

Happy searching!

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