# buying your first horse



## x clo x (Feb 24, 2012)

Just wondering if anyone can help.

im hoping this year to buy my first horse. i ideally want my shire, but i dont need help with buying one of those its the next bit i need help with.

My OH rides out with the hunt and has a horse, as does his mum. its something i would like to get into.

I havent ridden in years, and am going to have lessons to get back into it and get jumping and confidence up.

i would like my own horse, but have no real idea where to start with lighter horses. My OH said i need something around 15 hands, nothing bigger than 16 anyway. 

i look in the ads in horse and hound magazine but havent got much further. i dont want to be spending loads and loads, and have seen some for sale in there for £20,000!! 

any suggestions or just general help would be much appreciated as i am totally clueless!


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## Baileys Blind (Jan 23, 2012)

There's loads of places to look - FB has some good pages - horses for sale, there's also loads of websites horsemart, preloved, horse exchange, causes for horses is a rehoming site that have some nice horses on. You don't need to spend £20,000 on horse that would do the job you want, there's some beauties out there for around the £2000 mark  

My only advice would be to look at a loan with view to buy (lwvb) or arrange a trial period, as you want it for a specific reason - hunting - and you need to be comfy with it too, they can take a while to settle in and any issues start to show. 

Good Luck


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## freckles (May 8, 2008)

As with the other poster, you dont need to spend 20k to buy a horse, its a buyers market at the moment, 1-2,000 will buy you a decent horse, and lost for sale on FB and other places. Work of mouth is also good, not every seller will loan, even with a view to buy, but you could also long term loan.

As for a shire... big horses need big rugs, and it can be harder (and more expensive) to get X larger size tack, and well as shoes (if shod, mine are all barefoot) you could easily buy a 15-16hh cob, if you are looking for something on the chunky side...

And most important IF you do buy, take someone with you with experience in horses, and make sure you get it vetted!


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## reallyshouldnotwearjods (Nov 19, 2012)

what I could do with 20k (now dreaming) plenty of good horses out there for good money as the markets so slow x my 5th horse (16.2 grey mare 13, medium weight TB) has just cost me nuffink!!!!! coming on the 1st Feb x 

my tips x
1. take your time
2. arrive 30 mins early
3. view at least 3 times (try to visit once unawares)
4. if its too good to be true, well.........
5. dont buy tack etc. 9-10 times it does not fit anyway or is wrong, and you can pick it up so cheaply (new leather bridle with hunter style cavesson £25)
6. research x
7. Google horse and owner, you will be surprised!

this is ontop of the obvious, confirmation, movement and handling


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## RachJeremy (Sep 14, 2012)

Well, one thing i would say, is don't go by the advert. They're are plenty of good horses for dirt cheap... Try looking on other places not just horse and hound. Horsemart.com is quite good. As is horsequest. 
Other magazines aswell, i think there is a mag out there just for sales!

But always go and look at the horse! Or contact the owner if they're too far away and ask for more photos and/or videos via email, so you know if it's worth taking a long journey to see the horse. I would always see a horse more than once, and on the final deciding visit on horses you're more keen on, get a vetting! The vetting won't determine whether or not you buy the horse, but it will point out anything wrong with it, and if the horse is doped you'll find out, as you don't want to end up with someone that's been doped to behave... That happened to a friend of mine, he went to buy a TB youngster for himself and found a bay that would of been perfect for his cousin who was with him and learning the ride, he tried it out and it was dopey as a donkey, got it home and within about a week or so the horse got aggressive and unrideable! He only paid £400 for him, so he didn't complain and started working on him to stop it, but still... It happens!

Good luck finding the right horse


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