When You Buy A Horse

I noticed over the weekend that someone, apparently, bought a stolen horse and the real owner was trying to track him down.

When you buy a horse, please ask to see the registration papers and whose name the horse is in. If you have to, call the registry to verify.

Always get a bill of sale that says how much you paid, that the horse is paid in full, description of the horse (tattoos, scars, color, breed, gender, anything like that). I used to put 'As is, where is' on my bills of sale. I did that because I've had horses that hauled fine for me but would act up in the new owner's trailer (like the new owner/rig driver took a corner too fast and the horse scrambled, oh yes, have had this scenario happen to me) and hurt themselves and then the new owner wants to bring them back. Ummmm, no. Once he's off the seller's property, you're on your own!

When you go to look at a horse, if you aren't knowledgeable, then take a trusted horseman along with you. I'm not talking about someone who read a book and talks a good line, I mean a real horseman. As the buyer, you're supposed to KNOW what to ask and look for. The seller is there to sell a horse, not babysit you. That's how so many people get taken on a horse. They think the seller is supposed to fit the horse to the buyer when that's not the case.

Now it's good that a buyer discloses whether a horse is a kid's horse and not try to pass off Widowmaker as a kid's horse. That would probably end up a legal problem. I'm talking about the run of the mill horse sale.

Ask specifically whether the horse kicks, bites, bucks, crowhops, cribs, whatever. Do this with a cynical eye and thought. Now we are talking horses and a horse that doesn't do something with one person may do it with someone else. So you need to be enough of a horseman, or have one with you, who can 'see' the horse for what it is.

Also, you need to know if the horse has been drugged. Check the juglar (sp? nothing looks right when I spell that, sorry) for little pricks or bumps. Check his eyes and gums.

Some states have a lemon law for horses. I'm not sure about Oregon though, will have to check that for yourself. If you can get a set time limit to take the horse home and try him, do so. However, the horse is on your watch there and if he gets hurt or dies, it's your dime. I never liked to let a horse off my place till he was paid for because you never know who is riding or what will happen to the horse once he's out of your sight. So, my basic thing was, you buy him, he's yours from then on.