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7 Red Flags When Buying A Horse
When buying a horse there are many things to take
into consideration. To help decide if a horse will be a bad buy try
these 7 red flags.
1 - Seller reluctant to answer questions. When you ask questions about
the horses history or faults look for some simple signs that may
indicate lying (or bending the truth). Avoiding eye contact, changing
the subject or only half answering the question.
2 - Feel pressured by the seller. If the seller
seems to be pressuring you ask yourself why. Generally people selling
a good horse are keen to see the horse go to a good home not just the
first person who comes along. From my experience a seller like this is
hiding something.
3 - Horse nervous or touchy. A horse that is touchy
around the head is that way for a reason. Some horses do not like
being touched as much as others but it can also be a sign of at some
stage the horse has been hit around the head. This can generally be
fixed but takes time and patience.
4 - Horse needs lunging before saddling up or
riding. If the seller insists on lunging the horse before saddling up
or riding ask why. It could be something as simple as the horse not
being exercised as often as it should and still being fed as if it
were. Whether this will be a problem depends on your riding experience
and purpose for the horse.
5 - Horse is pushy. A horse with bad manners that
pushes into you when leading or tries to drag you around can be
dangerous. A horse is a large and strong animal and should be taught
proper manners when young. If a horse has missed this basic education
it makes you wonder what other basic education it has missed out on.
6 - Seller avoids riding the horse or appears
nervous riding the horse. The seller should know the horse and if they
are nervous it could indicate something is up. Have they had a bad
experience with this horse? If they appear nervous put them on the
spot and ask why.
7 - Signs of sedatives being given to horse. This
is an old trick but unfortunately some people still do it. It is hard
to pick up with a strange horse but some signs to look out for include
the horse appearing listless, drowsy eyes, and of course you can
always sneak a peek in any nearby rubbish bins for evidence.
When looking for a horse to buy do not ignore
anything that appears out of place. Keep your eyes open for red flags.
Write a list of things you want in a horse and a list of negatives
that you do not want in a horse. After looking at a horse mark of all
the positives and negatives and compare them. The more horses you look
at closely the better you will become at picking the 7 red flags when
buying a horse.
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