Red Flags When Buying a Horse: Watch Out for These Signs!

Buying a horse is a significant investment. In addition to the upfront cost of purchasing the horse, you’ll have ongoing costs for feed, board, training, and medical needs. These costs can add up to thousands of dollars over a horse’s lifetime. Therefore, you’ll want to choose the best horse for your needs to prevent regret, unexpected issues, and anxiety about finances. This list of red flags when buying a horse will help you steer clear of horses that aren’t right for you.

Red Flags When Buying a Horse: Start With Your Deal Breakers

Every horse buyer is different. Some people buy for companionship and fun, while others dream of competing and rising through the ranks with their horse. Some folks want quiet, well-trained, and obedient horses, while others are rearing to take on a project horse that challenges and pushes them. Certain buyers are driven by emotion, and others are led by logic. No matter who you are, it’s key to identify your deal breakers before you start shopping. Identifying deal breakers allows you to:

• Narrow down your list of potentials: Horse shopping can be overwhelming. Chances are that even in your local area, there are hundreds if not thousands of horses for sale. Without a list of deal breakers, you won’t know which horses to rule out. Narrow down your list by looking for certain breeds, colors, temperaments, or training/showing achievements. Further, consult your list of red flags when buying a horse to eliminate horses that could be a poor fit.
• Determine your budget: Knowing your budget allows you to automatically disregard horses that are priced beyond your threshold. Now, if you find a great fit that is close to your budget but not quite there, you may want to keep the horse in the running. Many owners are willing to negotiate on price to get their horse into a good home. You can always bookmark or save listings for higher-priced horses and check on them later to see if the owner has made any price adjustments.
• Reduce analysis paralysis: Naturally, humans get overwhelmed when we’re faced with too many choices. This overwhelm can lead to “analysis paralysis”, a circumstance where we feel frozen by decision-making because there are too many factors to evaluate. When you start your search, cast a wide net. From there, ruthlessly narrow down the list. Ideally, you’ll get to a stage where you’re seriously considering two or three horses at most.

Red Flags When Buying a Horse: What You Need to Watch Out For

We like to think that people are generally honest. Unfortunately, there are sellers who will take advantage of buyers because of desperation, opportunity, or other motives. Therefore, you have to be vigilant when buying a horse. Even if a seller is nice, forthright, and generally reasonable, you should take proper steps (including investing in a pre-purchase exam) to protect yourself.

With that in mind, here are some common concerns to watch out for while horse shopping.

1. The owner can’t produce much information about the horse

The current owner is the best resource for learning about the horse’s condition, temperament, quirks, abilities, and history. They should be able to tell you basics about the horse’s medical history, training, habits, and behaviors. A good owner’s top priority is to find a loving and safe home for their horse. Therefore, an honest owner will reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly without hesitation. They’ll answer questions honestly and won’t shy away from sharing information with you.

Now, there are unique cases where an owner may have recently bought or acquired the horse themselves, so they don’t have much to share. In this case, you can try getting contact information for a former owner or trainer who knows the horse well.

The red flag here arises when an owner seems to deliberately withhold information about the horse. They might dance around your questions, provide a vague answer, or provide false information altogether.

Protect yourself by asking plenty of questions and doing as much research as you can about the horse’s condition and history. Don’t be afraid to ask for other contacts, such as trainers or former owners, to get an accurate picture of the horse’s health and behaviors.

2. The owner won’t let you perform certain tasks with the horse

Dishonest owners may go to great lengths to conceal their horse’s flaws. For instance, you may arrive to find that the horse has already been tacked up and exercised. On the surface, this may seem like a thoughtful gesture. But in reality, as a prospective owner, you should interact with the horse on the ground and in the saddle. Ideally, you’ll get to retrieve the horse from pasture or a stall, groom and tack, ride the horse, untack, and put the horse away. Doing the entire process yourself helps you learn more about the horse.

This item is among the red flags when buying a horse because there are times when an owner may refuse to let you do certain tasks with the horse. Unless they can provide a valid reason (e.g., not riding this time because of a recent injury), you should proceed with caution. Owners may deliberately block you from doing certain tasks if they know the horse will respond poorly.

3. The horse seems dazed or non-responsive

It is shocking to imagine an owner intentionally drugging their horse. However, it happens. A person who is desperate to sell their horse may drug the animal so that it isn’t high-strung, anxious, or flighty. Doing this allows them to pass the horse off as a “kid safe” or “beginner safe”. If you end up buying the horse, you’ll end up with an entirely different animal than the one you tried out.

If you notice that the horse seems dazed, confused, tired, non-responsive, or spacey, pay close attention, since these conditions are not normal. The horse may also seem sweaty or shaky as well if it’s under the influence of drugs.

Obviously, drugging a horse is dishonest and extremely unfair and damaging to both the horse and the buyer. If you are very interested in a horse but unsure about its condition, consider asking the owner if it’s possible to take the horse home for a trial. During a trial, the horse comes to your home or boarding facility and is under your care. You’ll have the chance to observe its behaviors in a different setting and decide if you want to continue with the purchase.

4. No papers for a “registered” horse

Registered horses command a higher price tag because of their bloodlines and the fact that their ancestry is traceable. Prices can soar if a registered horse comes from “good stock” (such as competitive parents that had illustrious show careers or high earnings).

Some owners may try to trick you into thinking that their horse is registered, when in reality, they can’t produce any paperwork to prove it. Registered horses exist on a registry (list) for their specific breed. This means that you can verify the information independently.

If the owner claims to have a registered horse but can’t provide paperwork, proceed with caution. This is a red flag you shouldn’t ignore, even if you don’t personally care whether the horse is registered or not.

5. Inviting multiple buyers to see the horse at once

Next up on the list of red flags when buying a horse: an owner who invites multiple buyers out at once. This may seem like a small thing – after all, perhaps they want to save time or have too many inquiries to keep up with. However, it can be a tricky tactic to encourage a bidding war.

Don’t be afraid to walk away if someone else shows up to your private appointment. At best, this is poor etiquette on the seller’s part. At worst, the seller trying to encourage an unofficial auction.

6. A pushy or rude seller

As a buyer, don’t be afraid to set boundaries. If you show up to a trial ride and the horse is not as advertised, or if the horse makes you feel unsafe, don’t be afraid to speak up. There’s no need to prolong the appointment if it’s not a good fit.

A good owner will listen and respect your boundaries. A pushy or rude seller may try to reason with you, convince you, or make excuses for their horse just to score the sale.

If you don’t feel safe, comfortable, or respected, speak your mind and move on.

7. A seller who refuses a vet check

It is customary for buyers to arrange a vet check to ensure that a horse is healthy and sound. Honest owners with nothing to hide will readily comply with this process. Bad owners, on the other hand, may try to block the check or claim that there’s no need.

It is a major red flag if a seller won’t allow a vet check. Even if the seller’s vet saw the horse recently, you should retain your own vet to get an unbiased opinion. Run, don’t walk, away from a seller that refuses a vet check.

Red Flags When Buying a Horse: Conclusion

When you buy a horse, you’re “buying” the seller in a sense, too. You’ll want to work with someone who is honest, straightforward, and focused on the well-being of the their horse above all else.

Take care to watch for the red flags above so that you don’t end up in a bad situation. To help you make the best choice, consider bringing a friend, parent, trainer, or other trusted person with you to the trial ride. They’ll watch out for your interests and help guide your decision making.