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    The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse
    The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse
    The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse
    Ebook193 pages1 hour

    The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse

    By Lesley Ward

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    About this ebook

    Experienced equestrians cover the fundamentals of horsemanshipt - from buying and caring for a horse to getting the most out of tiem in the saddle. Complete with step-by-step instructions, full-color photographs, and helpful glossaries, these trustworthy little guides help riders establish and maintain rewarding relationships with their horses.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCompanionHouse Books
    Release dateMay 1, 2012
    ISBN9781937049447
    The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse
    Author

    Lesley Ward

    Lesley Ward is the editor of Young Rider magazine and has written several books on horses, including Let’s Go to a Show and Your Happy and Healthy Horse. Lesley enjoys eventing and trail riding her three horses, Gracie, Murphy and Jasper, and loves spending time with all of her animals on her farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

    Read more from Lesley Ward

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    • 4/5
      A bit outdated, but this is still an informative read. Quick and easy to understand.

    Book preview

    The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse - Lesley Ward

    image1

    The horses in this book are referred to as he or she in alternating chapters unless their gender is apparent from the activity discussed.

    The photographs on pages 60, 64, 65, 68, 70, and 71 courtesy of © Bob Langrish

    Text copyright © 1998, 2003 by Lesley Ward. Previously published in a larger format in The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse.

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of I-5 Press™, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

    Ward, Lesley.

      The horse illustrated guide to buying a horse / by Lesley Ward.

    p. cm.

      ISBN 1-931993-16-5 (hardcover : alk. paper)

     1. Horses. 2. Horses--Buying. I. Title.

      SF285.W25 2004

      636.1'0029'7--dc21

      2003014034

    I-5 Press™

    A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC™

    3 Burroughs

    Irvine, California 92618

    Printed and bound in Singapore

    10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

    Acknowledgments

    I would like to thank the following people for their help with this book: Marian Abe; Chris Avery; Pat Bailey of The Club, San Juan Capistrano, CA; Sharon Biggs; Jane Butteriss; Liz Ericson; Jane Frusher; Pat Fuchs; Paula Grimstead; Moira C. Harris; Alex and Kelly James; Denise Justice; Laura Loda; Julie Mignery; Carol Nelson; Jennifer Nice; Sherry Pasqual; Annette Slowinski, D.V.M.; and finally my father, Alan Ward, for his excellent editing skills.

    Contents

    Introduction

    Chapter 1: Are You Ready to Own a Horse?

    Time

    Money

    Evaluating Your Horse Experience

    Leasing a Horse

    Lease Agreement

    Chapter 2: The Search Begins

    Newspapers and Magazines

    Tack Shop Bulletin Boards

    Riding Schools

    Dealers

    Auctions

    Rescue Groups

    Want Ads

    Chapter 3: What Kind of Horse Is Right for You?

    Age

    Size

    Sex

    Personality

    Price

    Color

    What You Plan to Do with Your Horse

    Chapter 4: Which Breed is Right for You?

    American Quarter Horse

    Thoroughbred

    Arabian

    Morgan

    Appaloosa

    American Paint Horse

    Tennessee Walking Horse

    American Saddlebred

    Warmblood

    Cross-Breed

    Chapter 5: Finding a Horse

    Get on the Phone

    The Visit

    Questions, Questions, and More Questions

    Chapter 6: Trying Out a Horse

    Handling the Horse

    Tacking Up

    Observe the Horse Being Ridden

    Your Turn to Ride

    The Horse’s Specialty

    Trail-Ride Test

    Decision Time

    Chapter 7: The Veterinary Pre-Purchase Exam

    Exam Day

    The Examination Form

    Chapter 8: Home Sweet Home

    Where’s the Horse Going to Live?

    Transportation

    Insurance

    Handing over the Money

    Welcome Home

    Riding Your New Horse

    Have Fun

    Bill of Sale

    Resources

    Glossary

    Introduction

    You may remember the first time you got on a horse’s back. Didn’t it feel great? You probably decided then and there to own a horse of your own one day. A few years have passed since then, but the desire to own a horse didn’t go away, so why fight it?

    The Horse Illustrated Guide to Buying a Horse helps you decide if owning a horse is really for you. You need to think carefully about whether caring for a thousand pounds of responsibility fits into your lifestyle.

    If you decide to go ahead, be prepared to shop around. It takes time and effort to find a suitable animal. Beware—there are equine lemons out there, and even horses whom many consider to be good may be unsuitable for a first-time buyer. You may have to look at a lot of horses before you find one you really like.

    Remember, a bad horse costs just as much as a good horse to feed and shoe. Be sure the first horse you buy is the right one for you. It’s no fun having to sell an unruly or unhealthy horse a few months after you have bought him, and it’s likely you’ll lose money and time in the process. It’s not always easy finding a suitable horse, but this book helps you make the correct choice.

    Once you’ve found that terrific horse, you won’t have to watch the clock, count precious minutes left in your riding lesson, or hand over a much-loved horse to his owner. You’ll be the boss. Realizing that you’re actually the proud owner of a horse is an amazing feeling, and it won’t be long before you’re doing the things you enjoy: improving your riding skills, jumping over fences in competition, or trail riding through the countryside.

    So what are you waiting for? Start reading. This book will make your search for a horse as stress-free as possible. The perfect horse is out there somewhere, waiting for you to give him a good home.

    Are You Ready to Own a Horse?

    Before you start searching for a horse, think about how much of a commitment you can make. Owning a horse takes plenty of time and money. If you have a high-powered job and work eighty hours a week, do you really have the time to look after and ride a horse? If you don’t have a regular income, are you able to support an often-expensive hobby?

    Time

    Ideally, you should be able to visit your horse at least once a day and ride him several times a week. If he’s going to live at your home, you or someone you know should check on him more frequently. It takes only a few seconds for a horse to injure himself in a paddock or out in a field. And even if your horse is going to live at a boarding facility, you still need to have a close look at him at least once a day. Boarding facilities can be busy places, and although the staff may promise individual attention, no one looks after your horse quite like you do.

    For health reasons, a horse needs to be groomed several times a week, have an occasional bath, and get a reasonable amount of exercise. All of this adds up to several hours a week. Do you have that time? If you keep your horse at a boarding facility, you also have to add on the time it takes to get there and the time it takes to get to work. If you already own a dog or cat, you know that keeping him or her healthy and happy takes a lot of time and effort. It’s the same with a horse, perhaps even more so.

    Still, if you truly want a horse, most obstacles can be overcome. If you keep your horse at home, you’ll get used to getting up at 6:00 A.M. instead of 7:30 A.M. to have an hour to spend with your horse before work. Your workmates will get used to your changing out of riding clothes in the office restroom. And if you have children, they’ll quickly learn that your four-legged child needs your attention too. Think about how you’ll fit your new

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