Horse Shopping Do's & Don't's | Advice from the Adult Amateur Equestrian

By: Megan DeLisle
I thought I had everything in my life somewhat under control, finally. That is, until I came home with this preposterous idea I never thought my husband would give the ok too. Somehow I managed to marry the sweetest guy in the world, however, and he forced a smile on his face and said “sure honey,” and here I am, sucked into the fascinatingly frightening world of shopping for a horse.

Of course, it is never as easy as it sounds, especially when you are on a small budget and are about 2 hours from the closest equestrian hub. I have probably requested videos of over 20 horses at this point and have sent my trainer countless messages that fall along the lines of, “He’s cute, right? Or am I wrong? Tell me if he’s cute or not.” Thankfully, my trainer is also a very close friend so she lets me get away with the childlike demeanor as I flip through countless ads on DreamHorse. This isn’t my first time shopping for a competition horse, so I know the heartache that can come along with a perfectly edited sale video or showing up after a 3 hour car ride to find a horse so lame it can’t even walk without tossing its head. With our selection of horses nearby being so limited, we are planning a trip to Kentucky to shop around and see if we can find my new partner in crime in the horse capital of America. However, as I skim ads online and post ISO ads on Facebook Groups hoping to line up several prospects to stop and try, I find myself growing frustrated with the quality of ads placed online.

As an English major raised by a salesman, I pride myself on my ability to advertise a product professionally. Throughout college, I filmed several videos for friends to use as sale videos and spent hours teaching my horse “the pose.” I learned the lingo and grew to be able to decipher an ad worth its weight in gold and an ad full of….for lack of better words and for internet censorship we will go with ‘manure.’ Emerging back into the market, I am so thankful for the struggles I had my first time shopping because it taught me what to expect from both my budget and the horses I would see.

In order to try and better prepare my fellow Adult Ammys for the exciting, yet gut wrenching process of horse shopping, I decided to compile a list of Do’s and Don’ts while horse shopping!

Horse Shopping Do’s 

• DO have a professional help you along the way. It is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that is horse shopping, but trust me, pretty is as pretty does. Have someone who can watch the horse move from the ground as you take them around that can give you another perspective on each horse you try. Also, riding random horses is nerve wracking and you definitely want to ride that horse like you would want to at home, if they are capable of it. If your goal is to jump 3ft. and that horse has schooled 3ft. before, guess what? You need to jump 3ft. with him/her. Having a familiar face that can keep you calm and guide you along as you ride will definitely help with the nerves, which we all know can kill a ride in a heartbeat. Also, have a list of questions that your trainer will ask in regards to the horse prepared beforehand. It is so easy to forget about all the details as you are caught up in the moment. Someone needs to ask about their health and veterinary care, does the horse stay shod, has the horse had any past injuries, what kind of rider rides the horse currently, where did the horse come from before this? Having a professional there to ask all the questions and truly understand the answers (or understand the hidden meaning behind the answers) can definitely help the process!
• DO know your budget and stick there. For instance, I am shopping in the low-mid four figures. Quite a small budget in Hunter-land where horses can cost double what my house appraises for. With my budget, I know I am looking for a prospect, something that is naturally an attractive mover, has a good, sturdy build, and has potential for growth. Something that has schooled 2ft. or at least crossrails and has been off the farm is a total plus for me. I want a horse that is the same creature in the stall as he is in new surroundings. If you even start looking above your budget ‘just for giggles’ you will get your heart broken. I promise. Just go online and filter your search results for horses only in your price range to avoid trying something you cant afford. 
• That being said, DO know your limitations as well. When I first started talking about getting another horse, I knew I would need a project of some kind to be able to attain my goals of entering in the rated shows. But, how much of a project did I want? We looked into OTTBs straight off the track for about a month before I decided that while many of them were AMAZING prospects, they were too much of a project for me. Plus, I wanted something user friendly that my barn could use in the lesson program on days that I am not able to ride. So I decided that something started was a good start for me at this time in my life. Know what you can and can't handle and don’t push it. There was an OTTB I had my eyes on for several weeks and then his price dropped and for a whole day I lived in la-la-land thinking I was going to buy him off the track and he would be perfect and we would all live happily ever after. That is, until my coach sat me down and explained to me truly what to expect with a newbie straight off the track and talked to me about my goals. I wasn’t willing to accept a year or so away from the show ring as I worked with my new OTTB on the basics, so I tossed that dream down the drain and started new.
• DO be picky. Don’t just settle because you want a horse. The first time I shopped, I was so frustrated I was near giving up, or worse just picking a horse just to have one. Make sure that the horse that you choose fits you, both physically and emotionally. Currently, my lease horse Oliver is a gorgeous 17 hand TB…..the problem? I am 5’2. If I were a little stronger, we could make it work, but truly I need something a little more in the 16 hand range to be a good fit for me every day. Thankfully, Oliver is the sweetest, kindest horse in the barn and has a forgiving soul, which is what I want and need in a partner. If you like them spunky, don’t settle for a quiet one, or vice versa! Find the one that compliments you and go for it.
• DO ask for a trial period. This is a dying stipulation, which breaks my heart, but it never hurts to ask. Most common trial periods will require a check for the full amount up front in order to allow the horse to leave the property plus a contract of some sorts that states the horse will return in same condition that it left the farm. Make sure that you and the seller go around the horse and do a visual inspection prior to loading him/her in the trailer and you both need to sign a paper with your findings to protect both parties. I hear so many sellers argue against trial periods, “you don’t get a week with a new house or a new car!” But, your new house or new car aren’t going to try and kill you the minute they get away from their familiar setting. I am giving first priority to horses that will be allowed to go out on trial as I shop this time. I got to trial two horses the last time I shopped and I am SO THANKFUL I did. I brought home this beautiful palomino mare one time who was perfect at the barn but the minute she came to our facility she got nervous and jittery, which at the time was not a good combination for me. I was all nerves as I rode her and she wiggled around the arena. One ride and we knew, it was time for her to go back home. And if you can't have a trial period, if it is feasible for you to do so, see if you can come back multiple times to ride the horse. Are there pastures available you can ride him/her out in to see what they are like out of the arena? If so, take them out and see what they are like without the comfort of the fence surrounding them. Get the most out of your time with them if you can’t take them on trial. This is a big purchase and you want to be sure you are confident in your decision. 

Horse Shopping Don't’s

• DON’T get disappointed when a horse you had your heart set on doesn’t work out for whatever reason. As a religious person, I truly believe that what is meant to be will be and that all things happen for a reason. It is very important that as you skim through ads online that you don’t fall in love with photo. Think of it as online dating, you wouldn’t fall in love with the first swipe on Tinder, would you? (Someone please smack me for even writing that. NOTE: I NEVER USED TINDER.) You need to ‘date’ the horses you are trying, get to know them, ask around, go for a walk with them….ok this is just getting awkward. But you know what I mean.
• DON’T search in areas it is not realistic for you to shop in. I have three set search areas for now: St. Louis, Memphis, and Kentucky. Those are within a safe driving distance for me and will have several horses for me to try when I make the trip. Be sure if you are in Florida, that you are not shopping in California unless you are willing to fly out there to try or to buy sight unseen and trailer the horse to you. Just like searching outside your budget, searching outside the realistic area you can shop in is just setting yourself up for heartache. 
• DON’T be disheartened when you see what horses outside your budget are capable of. This is something I was guilty of the first time I shopped and am guilty of now. My goals are bigger than my pocketbook. What is that saying? ‘I have champagne taste on a beer budget,’ but you know what? Beer is pretty darn good, so make the best of the beer you have. Besides, champagne gives me a headache. Seriously though, there is a sense of pride in seeing what you can do with a horse who has the potential but just needs a little work and something can be said about a person who grows with a horse. Once again, know your limits and pick a horse that reflects you. I promise you wont be let down. Make that $3,000 horse a  five figure horse. Other people do it all the time! Why cant you? So what if Suzie Q has a $100,000 Westphalian/Unicorn Cross that jumps 27 feet! With the right horse and the right amount of time put into its training, you really can have a rags to riches success story. That is the great thing about our sport. If you have the time and a horse with growth potential, you can make it. Look at all these 4* eventers with OTTBs that were under $1,000 off the track and are now at Rolex!
• DON’T mess with shady sellers. If you get this feeling in your gut that something isn’t right you get the heck out of there. When I was shopping the first time, we pulled up at a barn and the owner pulled this GORGEOUS mare out of a stall. I was in love. That was it. Where is my checkbook? Time to sign! That is, until I led the horse down the aisle. The poor thing was so lame her nose was practically hitting her knee as she bobbed her head and jerked her knee. And the owner said, “Oh she rides out of it, it's ok.” My coach at the time gave me this look (she had lots of looks and I could write a book on each one of them). This particular look said, “#@!! NO” but she said we had to be polite and give her a try anyway. I walked two laps on the poor animal before I was almost in tears I felt so bad for her and here comes the seller, rushing up behind me waving her hands and telling the horse to get on, move up, or she would be dog food. It was time to leave at that point. As we loaded up in the truck and thanked her for her time, she knocked the price of the mare by $3,000 in an attempt to gain a quick sale. It was sad and terrifying. Avoid the ones who give you a bad feeling. It’s not worth it. I promise.
• DON’T give your exact budget if the seller isn’t being up front about price. Horse people can, unfortunately, be sneaky and if a seller wont give you the price of the horse (Inquire for Price ads drive me nuts) then you don’t give them your exact budget either. I have seen too many people be taken for every last penny they had on a horse that wasn’t worth half their budget because the seller could take advantage of a naïve buyer -- this goes back to having a professional help in your search. Be honest with your price range, there is usually always a little wiggle room on a horse's price, especially if the seller truly wants to move the horse. Be honest, but don’t get taken. Giving a fair range in which you are shopping ensures yours or the seller's time is not being wasted. And always respect a seller who doesn’t want to budge. Don’t argue, just thank them for their time and go. It wasn’t meant to be. 
• And lastly, DON’T go unprepared to ride. Bring your saddle, bring your gear. Tack the horse up yourself. See what the horse is like in crossties. Be wary of a horse that is tacked up and warmed up when you get there. Is he quirky? Did they have to ride the wild out of him? Do they say he needs lunging first? If so, lunge him. We once went to see a gorgeous palomino paint gelding advertised online as a 2’9” pro, but wouldn’t jump a crossrail with his current owner when we got there. He refused Every. Stinking. Jump. And when we arrived he was already a tacked up sweaty mess, an indication that something had went sour way before our arrival. I didn’t even get on the horse. We loaded up and drug our empty trailer home and after a few tears I was online again, shopping around for the next one to try. Make sure you are comfortable when you prepare to ride someone new, just the comfort of your saddle will make that much of a difference as you try a new horse.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY JOEY! We settled on G.I. Joe for his show name. I'm so very excited for this partnership and to finally own a horse again. #equestrian #Gijoe #ottb #thoroughbred #thoroughbredsofinstagram #theotherjoedelisle

A photo posted by delilmeaganleigh (@delilmeaganleigh) on Jul 25, 2016 at 4:09pm PDT

So be patient fellow ammys! We will make it on our own, in our own time! There is a bigger plan laid out for us and I know that with a little faith we will all make it. That is, unless my hubby cuts me off first. I may have told him we can make money on horses *INSERT CRYING/LAUGHING EMOJI HERE* HAHAHA. How long do you think it’ll take for him to figure out I had my fingers crossed when I said that?

Do you have any crazy horse shopping stories?
​What are some of your horse shopping do's and don't's?