What Are They Thinking?

Everyone seems to think shopping for a horse is like shopping for apparel, either go cheap (like Wal-Mart) where the clothes are inexpensive and made God knows where by God knows whom, or go to the mall store and pick designer (and pricey) clothes to show your ability to pay the high price.

Well reguardless of price a horse:

Needs to eat (what does a bag of feed cost at your local store?)
Needs shelter, and possibly a blanket or two.
Needs Veterinary care.
Needs dental care.
Needs hay (not cheap anywhere these days)
Needs Farrier care.
Needs a saddle that fits, and all the tack.
ETC

So when looking for a horse, most people are looking for one who can carry them, wherever they want to go and do whatever they want to do.

Heck the payment per month on a well kept horse would lease a Mercedes and you should get your money’s worth, however I have encountered just the opposite with horseowners lately. The horse that they bought is just not matched to the human or to what the human wants to do, and the two UNIVERSAL responses to “Why did you buy this one?” are either “He was cheap” or “He was pretty”.

 

In most cases it’s “he was cheap” most horses today cost about the same as the saddle on their backs, not that a bargain is a bad thing, everyone wants to get a good deal, but first make sure the horse is something that will suit your body and riding style, THEN BARGAIN.

 

How many of us have boots in the closet that we never wear because they were on sale, then we figured out how uncomfortable the sale boots were and left them in the closet. The good news is that boots in a closet do not require daily care, but a horse does.

 

Two weeks ago I was on a ride where a rider was hand carried out on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance because her “bargain” horse did not have the muscle mass to carry her and her saddle and her saddlebags up a mountain. Less than 20 minutes later the ride stopped again because the pretty black and white paint argued at the wrong time and took a tumble with it’s rider, hurting the horse and breaking the riders collarbone. Anyone who has ridden for awhile can remember some stories of this type.

 

My point here is simply DON’T BUY ON PRICE OR COLOR. Find a horse that suits your physical makeup and the type of riding you want to do, then find a temperament that works for you, and only then start looking at colors or bargaining on price.

This might just keep you alive,
Rick Stowers