| It isn't like going down to the candy store and picking | | | | through the newspaper or at an auction. It would be |
| out what you want. Neither is it like going to a pet | | | | better if you were to frequent horse events or shows |
| store and buying the gold fish or the pretty little kitten | | | | and ask around there. Here, you might get a good |
| that catches your eye. Buying a horse is serious | | | | horse where the owner who is very competitive has |
| business and you need to be aware of it before you | | | | just graduated to a flashier, faster horse and the old |
| go out and get one. Getting a horse is just the first | | | | horse could still be very dependable and great as a |
| step to a lot of care, expense and time. So let's first | | | | first horse for you. Once you kind of decide on a |
| take a look at what all can go wrong with a horse so | | | | horse, don't be impulsive. Ask around a bit about |
| you get a clear picture of what you're in for. | | | | shows, events or competitions that it has entered. |
| First of all, horses eat a lot and you also need to be | | | | Many tend to observe horses and will tell you if it has |
| prepared to spend a lot on their grooming, bedding and | | | | a bad temper or tends to balk at the popular jump at |
| tack. Besides this, you also need to have them shooed | | | | shows - the chicken coop. Maybe the grapevine could |
| and make sure they get their vaccinations. But what is | | | | even tell you whether the horse is healthy or not. Don't |
| most important is how to buy yourself a good horse. | | | | be in a hurry to hand over your cash. |
| For that, let's do a process of elimination. Don't buy a | | | | Then it's time for the vet. Let him test the horse's |
| bad tempered horse as chances are he'll always be | | | | hearing, teeth, eyesight and heart. He can even tell you |
| that way. Some bite, crib, kick or chew the edge of | | | | how old the horse is, approximately. He will also inspect |
| the stall. Some are not trained and though they might | | | | the horse's hooves and legs, looking for leg splints, |
| just be okay on the basics, they would still be green | | | | swollen hocks or thrush. Now thrush, a hoof infection, |
| broke which means that though they might let you put | | | | can be dangerous and usually occurs when a horse |
| on the saddle, they would not be able to follow the | | | | stands in wet, dirty bedding for a long time. |
| signals a well-trained horse should know! Check the | | | | Then, last but not least, you have to make sure the |
| horse's health as well. If the legs and hooves aren't | | | | horse is a good fit as far as you are concerned. You |
| strong, all the horse could perhaps manage would be a | | | | could tack him up just so you know if he has any bad |
| slow walk around a ring carrying a child and not a fast | | | | habits, then mount him and go through the paces. Keep |
| gallop on a race track as you had fondly imagined. | | | | an eye open for flaws like not obeying commands or |
| After all that, it's time to look at the positive side. You | | | | not being able to change leads. True, some habits can |
| need to find the horse just right for you - so how do | | | | be corrected by a trainer but there's nothing like getting |
| you do that? Be cautious when you are buying one | | | | a trained well-behaved horse for the first time. |