Here is part 2 of our guide on how to buy a horse. You will hopefully find in it some useful advice that will allow you to make the best possible choice.

Pay attention to your first impressions of the environment, the horse, the seller. They all count.

Make sure you can prepare it for the ride yourself. This will give you an idea on his manners and a general impression. Pick out at its feet. Tack it up. Try to assess if it has been worked before you arrived.

It’s a good idea to see the horse trotted up, to check that it is sound. Also check the feet and see how it is shod. It needs to have good and strong feet.

Ask for someone to ride the horse before you do. Ask them to perform a short walk, trot, canter and some jumps. Then try the horse yourself.

If the owner ins’t asking you lots of questions too, that’s a warning sign that they are not interested in the horse’s long term interest.

Look out for simple things, such as a willing temperament and some good manners. These will really matter if you adopt it.

Temperament is almost always more important than anything. It doesn’t matter that the horse with the right temperament isn’t the one you dreamed of. If you have a connection and if there is a fit, that’s far more important than aesthetics.

Ask if you can record the trial. It will help you remember the experience and compare trials.