Questions to Ask as You Shop for a Horse

Horse Health and Nutrition For Dummies

Buying a horse is a big deal. It’s a process that deserves and needs some thought and preparation. When you set off on your horse-shopping adventure, arm yourself with the following questions for the seller:

How much are you asking for the horse? Is this price negotiable?
How old is the horse?
How big is the horse? (How many hands?)
What is the horse’s gender and size?
In which discipline is the horse ridden?
Has the horse ever had professional training?
Is the horse suitable for a beginning rider?
Is the horse suitable for children (if you have kids who will ride the horse)?
Does the horse load into a trailer?
Does the horse have any bad habits such as cribbing (biting a fence while sucking in air), weaving (shifting back and forth repeatedly from front leg to front leg), or pulling back when tied?
Does the horse have any medical problems or a history of medical problems like colic, lameness, or allergies?
Why are you selling the horse?

About This Article

About the book author:

Audrey Pavia is the former editor of Horse Illustrated magazine and an awardwinning freelance writer specializing in equine subjects. She has authored articles on various equine topics in a number of horse publications, including Western Horseman, Horses USA, Thoroughbred Times, Appaloosa Journal, Paint Horse Journal, Veterinary Product News, and USDF Connection magazines. She has written five horse books besides Horse Health & Nutrition For Dummies, including Horses For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Wiley), Horseback Riding For Dummies (Wiley), and Trail Riding: A Complete Guide (Howell Book House).
In addition to her experience as an equine writer, she’s also a former Managing Editor of Dog Fancy magazine and a former Senior Editor of the American Kennel Club Gazette. She has authored more than 100 articles on the subject of animals and has written several books on various kinds of pets.
Audrey has been involved with horses since the age of 9. She has owned and cared for horses throughout her life, and has trained in both Western and English disciplines. She currently participates in competitive trail riding. Audrey resides in Norco, California.

Janice Posnikoff, DVM, is a highly respected equine veterinarian with over 20 years experience. She is a graduate of the Western College of Veterinarian Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.