By Olivia Reese
This article received an honorable mention in the 2023 GMO Newsletter Awards for first person experience articles for GMOs with 500 or more members. It appeared in the March 2023 Georgia Dressage and Combined Training Association Newsletter, Collected Remarks.
I love horse shopping. It’s an exciting time for a rider to look for their new best friend, their partner in crime, and teammate. This month I helped two clients on their search for their new long-term partners and it was a good reminder of some things we all should keep in mind when looking for a new horse.
1. Know what you’re looking for.
The first thing that I have clients do is really think about what they want from a new partner.
Buying is very similar to choosing a significant other: we’re all going to want something a little different. Do you want a partner that wants to hit the gym with you? Go on long hikes through the woods? Stay in and watch movies? A little bit of everything? Being able to tell sellers “I am looking for a horse that can do lower-level dressage, pop over some 18” jumps, and trail ride without a buddy” will really help narrow your search. Be realistic about the level you’re currently at and where you would like to be. While you may want to ride in the Olympics, if you’re currently struggling to ride the canter, it may not be appropriate to purchase a horse that is more suitable for a professional.
Good sellers should be able to immediately tell you if the horse that they’re advertising is what you’re looking for.
Know what situation you will be bringing your horse home to. Will you be doing most of your rides alone? Will the horse be going into full training with your trainer? Will you have ample turnout or is your turnout situation smaller? Will your new horse be going out with a group or individual turnout? All of these are things you need to be able to communicate to the seller and take into consideration as you’re shopping.
2. Don’t go at it alone.
Even if you’re an experienced horse person, a second set of eyes is always a good idea. Prior to going to see horses in person, show the videos to your trainer and your experienced friends. An experienced horse person can tell a lot from a video that can help either rule out a horse or give you an idea of things to look for when you try them.
Take a friend or trainer with you when you try the horse. I like to go with my clients and sit on the horse first. I can quickly tell my client if a horse is going to be a good match. If nothing else, have your friend video your ride on the horse so you can review it when you leave.
Include your vet! Most vets are willing to look at videos for you if you think the horse may have something going on, and they’ll definitely review any x-rays that the seller has available prior to a PPE. This is a great baseline for you to start your PPE with and they can tell you if there is any further imaging they think would be beneficial to your decision.
3. Listen to the seller.
The seller knows the horse better than you do. If the seller tells you that the horse needs to be ridden consistently to ride their best, take that into consideration. They say the horse needs regular turnout? It may not work well at your barn that only has a hot walker. Horse will need to have their hocks injected? You’ll need to account for that in your expected costs.
While there are dishonest sellers out there, I’ve found that most sellers are really just looking for the right fit for their horse. Listen to them about what the horse is used to. Ask questions. Tell them exactly what you are looking for and really listen to if they think the horse would be a good fit for that situation.
4. Don’t be afraid to *politely* speak your mind.
A client and I went down to Wellington last week to look for a dressage horse for her. We had clear specifications that we communicated with all the sellers:
First priority: We needed a horse that was very safe both on the ground and in the saddle (client has a young daughter that is learning to ride and while we weren’t expecting the horse to be the daughter’s horse for quite some time, daughter will be around the horse frequently).
Second priority (more flexible): The horse needs to be solid first/second level, with the potential to go higher. This client is looking primarily for a horse that she can enjoy riding and taking lessons on, but as this is going to be her long-term partner, and she’s a talented AA, we want something that can continue to grow with her.
Budget: We had a generous budget to work with but were very clear with what the max of our budget was.
We found some specific horses that we scheduled to go see while we were down in Wellington, but we also scheduled to go to a trainer that had multiple horses for sale. While we were clear that our rider was currently riding first/second level, I was amazed at the number of horses we were shown that were brought out in a double bridle AND out of our price range.
After the second horse was brought out in a double, I pulled the trainer aside and iterated what our horse shopping needs were. It wasn’t fair to her, or us, to continue spending time showing us horses that were either too hot or out of the price range for my client. We ended up agreeing that she didn’t have anything on her current sales list that would meet our needs and we left to hit a tack store before our next appointment. We were able to do some shopping, and she was able to rearrange her day instead of showing us horses we knew we wouldn’t be buying.
**If you don’t feel safe getting on the horse that you’re being shown, it’s pretty good odds that it is not the horse for you. Don’t risk getting on and getting hurt. You can politely tell the seller that you don’t think the horse is a good match, thank them for their time, and leave. You’re not doing anyone any favors by getting on a horse that scares you.
5. Try horses that might not be the “perfect fit”.
On the same trip to Wellington, we last minute fit in a horse that we may not have considered otherwise. We were ideally looking for something in the 8 – 14-year-old range, but this trainer had a 4-year-old he thought could be a good match.
After a thorough discussion about the differences between buying a young horse vs a more experienced horse, we decided to go ahead and try her. Turns out, her sweet, safe and willing attitude put her in as a top contender in our search.
6. Don’t skimp on the PPE.
A Pre-Purchase Exam is a fact-finding mission. I tell all my clients that most horses are going to require some sort of maintenance in their life. What’s important in the pre-purchase is to know exactly where the horse is physically at this time, what could potentially come up, and how much maintenance you are willing to and able to provide a horse.
When scheduling a pre-purchase, let the vet know exactly what level of work the horse will be doing. A high-performance horse is going to have different needs than a horse that is going to be lightly ridden once a week.
Be prepared when the PPE is being performed to pull x-rays. Does the horse flex slightly off? Better to pull an x-ray now to know exactly what you are dealing with versus finding an issue later when you bring the horse home. Some issues can be fixed with strengthening, some require injections or surgery. It’s important to know exactly what you’re getting into and how much maintenance you are willing to provide prior to making the commitment.
Before committing to the horse, show the PPE and the x-rays to your regular vet. Get a second opinion on whether they think the findings are something manageable.
For me, findings on a PPE don’t always rule out a horse. I’ve seen several horses that had a less than perfect PPE go on to be incredible horses but arm yourself with the knowledge to help your horse be successful and create a game plan with your regular vet on how you’ll manage the findings.
Good luck in your horse shopping ventures!
