If you are going to buy a horse or pony, remember that you are taking on a significant responsibility. There is a lot of knowledge, time, and money required to maintain a horse. You will have to groom, exercise, feed, and care for your horse, or pay someone else to do it. It will take time to travel to and from the stable, if you cant keep your horse or pony on your own property. Also, costs of horse ownership are high and include shelter, food, medical care, riding equipment, riding lessons, and shoeing.

Why Buy A Horse or Pony?
The first step in buying a horse is to determine why you are buying it. Is it for your child to ride or the whole family to enjoy? Take some riding lessons beforehand. A stable will be only too happy to let you feed, water, and brush horses, as well as muck out the stalls, for practice. This will give you some idea of what is involved in horse ownership and help you to decide if you are buying for the right reason.

Plan Ahead
Learn how to assess a horses age and health condition or hire someone to help you.

Before buying a horse or pony, decide where you will keep the animal and how much it will cost if a stable is involved. Livery fees can rapidly add up to more than the horses purchase price. If you are going to keep the horse on your property, be sure you have met any local regulations and have an adequate stable, including heat for those bitter winter months.

You may need riding lessons and will have to ride in an indoor arena during the winter. This costs quite a bit.

Be sure you know how and what to feed your horse.

Research equine illnesses and their symptoms so you will know when veterinary care is required.

Be sure someone is available to shoe your horse.

What Kind of Horse or Pony Should You Buy?
Buy a horse that suits the personality, experience, and style of the person who will ride it. Nervous riders need a calm horse. Children need a pony that will not bolt. An experienced rider will want a horse that responds quickly to commands. A horse that has some training is pretty much essential for a first time buyer.

Decide if you want to ride on level ground, learn to jump, or go hunting, trail riding, or show the horse.

Where to Buy a Horse or Pony
In some cases you can look for a horse at a stable where you already ride or consult a riding instructor. classifieds.co.uk has many horses and foals on offer from reputable horse breeders and private sellers who may have a suitable animal for you or may be able to refer you to someone who does. Do bear in mind that if you buy from a private owner, you have little recourse if issues occur at a later stage.

Checking the Horse
Before you buy a horse, you should consult a knowledgeable owner or trainer. Take this person with you to observe the horse, preferably outdoors in sunlight. Does it look hangdog? Does it prance or shy away while being saddled? Does it seem nervous or antsy? Does it kick or try to bite? Unless you are a seasoned owner and are prepared to do some serious training, dont buy a horse with bad habits like these.

Always ask the owner to ride the horse first. Watch closely. It shouldnt dance, toss its head, or fight the bit. It should walk, trot, and canter smoothly. Having observed the horse, if you feel comfortable with its behaviour and your riding skills are up to it, you can then ride it. Observe its behaviour again and give various commands as you ride.

Try to arrange a seven to ten day trial period before finalising your purchase. Have the animal checked by a vet before purchasing it. The vet will check its:
  • age
  • general condition, including alertness, eyes, ears, heart, lungs, digestive system
  • skin and coat
  • musculoskeletal system legs, conformation, feet, shoes
  • body for parasites.
Conclusion
Remember, a horse or pony is a living being whose life is in your hands. The costs of horse ownership are significant so be sure that you can meet this financial commitment on an ongoing basis. Also be sure that you have the time to care for your horse properly. Once you have found the right animal, you should enjoy a long and incredibly rewarding partnership.


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Classified Ad Results  ( 1 to 20 of 53 ads found )
30 June 2008
Good in traffic, box,shoe and clip. fantastic jumper, would easily affiliate with the right rider. has been ridden by a novice in school but would suit confident teenager/adult as forward going and fun with lots of potential. hacks out alone and in company reguarly, lo. .
£2,900
WR11
29 June 2008
15. 2hh coloured mare, 12yrs. ideal confidence giver, turns her hoof to anything. done pc, xc, sj, dressage, hunted, side saddle etc. hacks out, very good in traffic, you can lead a pony off her. good to box, shoe, clip etc. never sharp or mareish, genuine sort hard to . .
£1,600
DE45
27 June 2008
Welsh section a mare,9rs old . 11. 2hh pure white with long flowing white mane. hasnt been ridden for sometime as daughter as out grown. has been used for showing and is always placed. great to load/farrier/dentist/travel and is great with other horses. only selling due to n. .
£450
ST8
25 June 2008
Connemara grey gelding 11yrs old 14. 2hh (147. 4) height justification certificate. competed in dressage, cross-country & is bsja registered grade jc notional £358. 00 jumps everything, fast against the clock 100% to catch, shoe, box & traffic no vices. need. .
£5,500
KA5
24 June 2008
Beautiful bay roan filly born may 2007. unusual colouring could well spot out in the future. handled every day, beautiful nature, gorgeous floaty paces had tetnus blacksmith etc passport applied for. lack of time and too many horses forces extremely sad sale. .
£1,400
WR15
23 June 2008
Blue roan stallion reg spsbs 4yrs old £650. skewbald mare reg spsbs 5 yrs £650 no lami or sweetitch mare has been running with stallion,giving up breeding phone 02392266610.
PO7
21 June 2008
Visit www. englishponies. co. uk for a selection of newforest and native ponies for sale from foals to competition. prices, photos and contact details are on the website. .
TF6
17 June 2008
15. 3hh 2y/o tb gelding, very easy in everyway, riding nicely, very quite and easy in everyway, good in traffic and with other animals and children, a lovely horse with a bright future, real quality character who will make an ideal teenagers horse. full passport. .
£1,000
DN6
14 June 2008
Dark bay colt born june 2006 by pre romero xxv out of the thoroughbred race mare, little mouse. superb temperament and excellent paces, with a fantastic turn of foot. reasonable offers will be considered over £2,000 contact mrs susan donoghue tel: 01474 824526 or. .
DA11
12 June 2008
Brown & white cob gelding rising 2 good to catch, box, nice markings will make approx 15hh quality ride & drive handled by children quiet temp lives out wormed and passport £850.
£850
Dark bay to black filly rising 2 will mack approx 14hh lives out good to catch,farrier,box, handled by children quiet temp wormed and passport £400.
£400
10 June 2008
Very nice looking colt easy to handle ect make a good pet or compaion ect bargaing must sell.
£250
BD12
09 June 2008
For sad sale my lovely 17. 2hh 16 years young dutch warmblood with pappers, has done everything but he excels at dressage. a dream to ride from the novice to the more experinced. 110% shoe box clip, jabs upto date wormed and shod, comes to call from the field, is a joy . .
RM15
14. 2hh 5 yr old mare,has bred a filly foal,now ready to break to make a super fun allrounder,lovely natured,great to catch ect,follows you in the field for attention!sadly no time to bring on,was backed at 3yrs then foaled and been turned away since,started to lunge/lo. .
£2,000
HU12
06 June 2008
Visit www. englishponies. co. uk for a selection of ponies for sale from foals to competition. photos,location and contact details are on the website.
TF6
05 June 2008
White mare 14 years forward going good mannered good for farrier box and kind, not novice ride as typical highland strong but fun and very safe jumps like a stag! and is very keen ideal mother and progressive teenager ride. excellent in traffic, and excellent with all. .
£1,500
RG7
Chestnut mare 18 years old,13. 3 had 1 foal as a 4 yr old,good to shoe,catch ect no vices ,sale due to no rider as no time anymore. lives out. only genuine people please needs kind loving home. good temprement. lives out mostly. .
£1,000
SK17
04 June 2008
9 year old grey mare, bred two beautiful foals but bombproof hack before this. lovely kind sweet nature and very easy to do in all respects. passported with fjord society. sad sale due to pregnancy and loss of grazing £1250. 00 ono betty 07779217867 .
£1,250
S21
Gelding, bay 4 years 14. 2hh, neo was proffesionally backed last year and has been turned away for the winter. he is very correct and straight and is of true stamp. he is sadly for sale due to lack of time and money. he is very friendly and well handled. he is a serious. .
£1,600
S21
Dark liver chestnut, 3 whites, stunning colt foal, registered with section b society to make a full up 13. 2 lovely kind nature, moves for fun, wormed and passported. loss of grazing forces sad sale £500. 00 ono betty: 07779217867 .
£500
S21
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