Buying a Horse

What you need to know before you go horse shopping.

Most important is the horse you choose is safe and fun!

When horse shopping, keep in mind a good saddle horse is one that is comfortable with a saddle on its back, is gentle in nature, and is in good health. He should have the ability to carry a rider your size, be able to ride for long periods of time, and have a good disposition. Also, keep in mind who in your family will be riding your horse. If you are not the only rider, then you will need to base purchasing decisions with the least proficient rider in mind. If both adults and children will be riding, then the size of the horse will become particularly important. You will need a horse tall enough to accommodate the adults, but is short enough for children to feel comfortable upon.

You want a horse that you can ride now, based on your riding skill. A beginning rider will need a quieter, gentler horse than someone with riding experience. Some horses "spook" easily, have bad habits such as bucking or stopping abruptly, are "spirited" and need to be run to use up some of their energy before calming down--all of which may make these horses unsuitable for you. Other traits to evaluate are if the horse is halter broken, if it is jumpy or fidgety when being saddled, or tries to nip or bite at you.

continue reading... more on Buying a Horse.