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Show horse seems like a -well trained horse on its home ground, it may change its personality when it gets to its new home. It takes time to adjust and you may have a couple of spills adjusting to each other and new surroundings. sur-roundings. This is usually just' temporary but it is important that you come out with the "points" ' in your favor. Do not be in a hurry to buy! By Linda Offret but wnen you are talking about $300 or more it is worth it to insure your investment. Be sure the veterinarian sees the horse ridden in each of his gaits. A few more things to notice about where the horse is kept now are: Is there a lot of commotion going on? Are there dogs running around? Are; the fences mediocre or worse? If the answers to these questions are yes your horse will probably do real well in taking care of himself and accepting a new environment. environ-ment. Children, dogs, noises around horses help to condition condi-tion a horse to life. If the horse has had a lot of exposure, then your job will not be as hard. Good "horse sense" in a horse is important. , ; There are a few more things to jremember. . The cheapest part of the horse is the purchase price. The idea of buying a young horse for a 'I child so they can grow up together is wrong and a dangerous one; it may work with dogs and cats but not with a big horse. Be sure you find out what diet the horse is used to and if the horse has had his regular vet work, shots and worming. How are you going to get the horse home? Last but not least, remember even though the In my last column I discussed buying a horse, the things you should consider con-sider before purchasing. In this weeks column I want to help you look for a horse to buy. Where do you look for horses for sale? The best places are: 1) Breeding farms where j they raise a particular breed 2) Reputable boarding stables 3) People who have horses and are good with them and to them (friends) 4) Livestock section of your local newspaper 5) Your local large animal veterinarian The order listed is no indication of who to go to first or last, it is just a list. As was mentioned before, you should take someone with you who is knowledgeable about horses. - Lets assume you are at an address listed in the classified classi-fied section of the newspaper, news-paper, looking at a horse for sale. The' following things are important for you and your friend, who is experienced experien-ced with horses, to notice. 1) Was the horse caught . when you arrived? If it was r this may indicate that is hard to catch. Be sure, before you buy one that is tied when you arrive that you have 1-the opportunity to turn it loose ; and catch it. You really don't want one that is hard or nasty to catch. 2) Was v the horse tied when you arrived. If so, this . jcould be a .good' sign, Indicating the horse is taught : 1 to tieIf therope is filmsy and the horse is still there . chances are he is "broke" to tie. If the rope looks as if it would hold a Sherman tank (and the halter, too) the horse may be resistant to tying. You should determine this before you buy the horse. , . ., .-.;; 3) Was the horse saddled and bridled when you arrived? arriv-ed? If so, be sure you unsaddle and take the bridle off, too. This will give you a chance to see how the horse reacts to being handled by someone else and also an" opportunity to see what the "whole" horse looks like. 5) Notice' whether the horse uses a ; bosal, hacka-more hacka-more or bit and find out what other kinds it can be ridden with. 6) Ask the owner about the horses' feet, who trims and shoes the horse; Ask the owner to handle each foot, and then you do it, too. 7) Find out who the owner uses tor veterinary work on his horses. 8) Have the owner ride the horse (believe it or not, I found an owner who would not ride the horse and did not bring someone with him who could) Needless to say, I did not ride the horse, either. The horse is still for sale, ; too. 9) The horse should walk, trot, lope (canter) and stop nicely. It is also nice if it will back up. Notice how the horse carries it's head; is it high and out of control? Or is it real; low? It should look in proportion to the rest of the body as far as carriage. Does the owner ride with a tight rein, loose rein and are his legs gripping the horse or hanging loosely? 10) Does the horse work quietly or does it charge out of control. It should work quietly and understand what it is supposed to do. 11) Do the horses . legs seem to reach and flex well, or does it seem stiff and jerky? Does the horse stumble? stum-ble? Does, the horse interfere inter-fere by hitting one hoof against another? You will hear a "knocking" sound if the horse does it. It is seen often in the trot and canter. If you' hear it you should examine the horses fetlock and pastern area for sores and scar tissue. There may also be bone bruises. A good horseshoer over a period of time should be able to correct this. 12 Does the horse veer or try to get somewhere it shouldn't, like to a gate, barn or just out of the riding .area? ' 13) Does the horse seem lazy and unresponsive to the riders cues? ; 14) Get on the horse yourself and do all the things mentioned that the owner did. Did the horse stand still while you mounted or did he try to bolt or otherwise move away? A good horse should stand. 15) Try to find out everything you can about the horse before you buy it. Such as: how long have they had it, whom did they get it from and why do they want to sell it now? In this list of things to notice about the horse you may buy you are bound to get a couple of negative points about the horse. But don't be discouraged; talk it over with your friend and find out if your friend thinks they are too serious to overcome. Also, consult the veterinarian the owner mentioned men-tioned and get his opinion about the health and future of the horse. Have it examined for any current problems. If necessary, give the owner a small deposit to hold the horse if you really like it. This will assure the owner that you are interested and you can seal the deal when the veterinarian gives his ok. The veterinarians call charge is about $10 to $15 |