Before Going to Horse Sales, Consider if You Can Handle the Responsibility - By: Allan Michael Taylor

your own horse can be one of the experiences in your life – provided you're ready to handle the responsibility of owning one. Remember that a horse represents a big commitment in terms of time and money, so if you're not prepared for it you're better off just renting a horse at a stable if you want to go riding. Here are some of the things a horse needs: a pasture where it can run and graze that has no holes, rusty fences and other things that could injure │hurt it; a stable where it can stay at night or during inclement │bad weather; monitoring for illness and injury; and another horse or other animal such as a goat or sheep that will provide it companionship.

Meeting all these needs can cost a considerable │significant amount of money. Full-care boarding │housing for your horse at a stable alone can cost as much as $7,200 a year, while feed, bedding, related supplies and health care can add as much as $5,000 to that total. This is the purchase price, which can set you back as much as $15,000 and the pre-purchase exam, which can cost as much as $1,000. You will also need a saddle, bridle, safety stirrups and helmet. Consider if you can afford │handle all these expenses before you to look for horses for sale.

Once you're ready │prepared to buy a horse, make sure you know the right │correct questions to ask before you go to horse sales or look for horses in classified ads that you can find on Internet │online horse ad sites, specialized publications and your local stables and tack shops. Ask about the age and size of the horse, how the horse was used, if it has been ill │sick in the past and if there are any problems with its conformation. Also ask the owner why they are selling the horse. If they have a video of the horse, ask to see it. If you are satisfied with the answers to these questions, a time to visit the horse. Observe │Watch how the horse behaves in its normal environment and ask for it to be ridden by its regular rider. Bring a knowledgeable individual with you to help evaluate the horse. And always take your time when deciding to buy a horse; never buy one on impulse.

Once you've decided on │selected a horse, or have narrowed down your choices, you should always bring in │hire a vet to do a pre-purchase exam. This exam will not only evaluate │assess the physical condition of the horse but also look at its conformation and, if you want the horse for competition purposes, gauge if it will in a particular event. While you might think of a pre-purchase exam as an unnecessary expense on top of all the other costs you're incurring to buy, house, and maintain │keep the horse, keep in mind that this exam may save you from being stuck with a sickly horse that could cost you more in veterinary bills later.

About the Author

Nick Morgan is a a author for - http://www.TheHorseExchange.com a popular free equestrian classified adverts of horses for sale, horse trailers, horseboxes and equestrian services encompassing Great Britain, Europe and the USA.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Allan-Michael-Taylor/45501

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