Advice for buying a horse over the internet

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Buying a horse is a big decision, an immense responsibility and often extremely costly. It takes extensive research and planning before you even consider parting with any money. Firstly, you need to decide which breed gender and age of horse you would prefer, whether you want your horse for riding and how many hands tall it needs to be. Next, you have to think carefully about renting or buying a horse stable and field in order to secure a living space for your horse. Finally, if you intend to ride your horse you will need equestrian clothing and horse tack which are all available from our fine collection at Dogwood, the online specialist for equestrian apparel and horse equipment.

There are various ways to purchase a horse. You may go to a reputable horse auction run by enthusiasts and industry specialists where you can bid for your chosen horse. You may peruse adverts in the local paper, sales advertiser or shop window for horses that need re-homing. You may consider buying a horse recommended by a friend or fellow rider. Or you may opt to go online and scrutinise the array of horses for sale worldwide, in order to find your ideal horse.

Online bargain or lame horse?

There are plenty of genuine dealers out there that buy and sell-on horses honestly and fairly in order to relocate unwanted animals while generating a small profit. However, there are just as many crooks that will grab your money in exchange for a sick or injured animal under the guise of a perfectly healthy horse. These sneaky online dealers tend to lie about the age and/or condition of a horse in order to dupe unsuspecting or inexperienced buyers into thinking they are getting a real bargain.

Don't take a dealer's guarantee for granted

We hear countless stories of people that have been conned out of thousands of pounds for a lame horse. The first rule of purchasing a horse online is to never part with any cash until you have seen the horse. Simply arrange a date when it is convenient to view the horse so that you can check its physical condition, age and temperament to make sure that it is not suffering any traumas or behavioural problems that will interfere with your relationship.

It is not always apparent whether a horse is in good health at first sight, especially to the untrained eye. It is advisable to ask a vet or horse expert from your local riding stables to go with you and check a horse over before making a purchase. Any reputable dealer should allow you to arrange for an independent veterinary inspection to be carried out before you close the sale. If they refuse for you to arrange an independent inspection you should walk away.

If you do not get your horse thoroughly checked over prior to parting with your money you could end up paying out the price of the horse again in vets fees, tests, treatments, and special stabling facilities for a sick horse. There is of course no guarantee that your horse will then be in a condition to be ridden following all the extra expense, meaning you could be stuck with a white elephant rather than a healthy horse.

Checklist for buying online

This should prevent you from being duped by deceitful online horse dealers and make the buying process easier and more secure:

Ask around about the legitimacy of the online dealer
Never hand over any cash until you have seen horse, ask for a viewing and then make an offer
Inspect the horse for disease, general health, age, gender and temperament
Get the horse independently examined by a professional, ask your vet to take a blood test, checking for Bute which can mask potential lameness and any other irregularities
Request to ride the horse a few times prior to purchase just as you would test drive a car
Insist on a warranty period to see how you get along with the horse

Ride your horse in style at Dogwood

Once you have purchased your horse don't forget your Dogwood equestrian equipment and clothing. Our excellent quality horse tack, jodhpurs, riding boots and outwear, available in a variety of colours, styles and sizes will get males and females of any age, fully prepared for any horse riding event.

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