Horse enthusiasts are advised to be wary of unreliable sellers who are lurking around looking to deceive buyers.
Acquiring a good horse is a complicated venture, especially for new buyers and those whose knowledge of the field is limited.
It is therefore very necessary to be watchful in dealing with your potential buyers when choosing a horse to own.
To assist consumers in this undertaking and to help prevent incidents of deception and scam, we have outlined a few things to consider when making this purchase.
As a general rule in any purchase transaction: never trust your impulse.
Do not quickly believe the seller's sweet words; check that they are not only saying these things in order to convince you to close the deal.
And do not get too carried away by the horse's appearance.
With animals, first impressions do not always last.
Make a list of the important details that you need to know about the animal so you do not miss out any point when gathering this information, which may include the overall condition of the horse, its movements, behavior and alertness as well as its age and health.
Watch as your dealers answer your questions.
If they are hesitant to provide direct answers to your queries, they must be hiding something.
Do not trust dealers who are not honest about the history and important facts about the animal that you are trying to purchase.
A trustworthy dealer has no problem agreeing to a second visit, which is necessary so that you can check if the horse's behavior is still the same as when you first saw it.
With only one visit, you will not be able to tell if the horse is manageable when saddled.
If the seller doesn't want a second visit, do not proceed with the transaction.
If you have contacted the seller through an auction, do not close the deal unless you have made an extensive research about the horse that you are buying, whether through research or by asking around.
Animals that are bought on auction need to be transported to the area where the buyer is located and may behave differently as a result of a long trip or of the tranquilizer that was used to keep it calm while travelling.
It is also good to have the horse checked by a vet for its health condition as well as to see if there are any parasites in its body.
If you have found the potential horse that meets your preference, one final thing that you need to do is to have a trial to see how it performs.
The seller can ride it first so you can take a look.
Once safe to ride on, have your own feel.
If the animal still interests you, ask if you can take it home for a few days of trial so you can try to form a bond together in a more natural set up.
Also it is very helpful that you bring an expert along when you look at the horse and before you make any payment.
This person should be someone whose opinion you can rely on in basing your decision.
The presence of a pro will give your seller an impression that you know what you are doing and would have second thoughts about trying to deceive you.
In summary, in order not to be victimized by scammers and unreliable sellers, it is best to check thoroughly and think wisely before deciding.
This way, you can be sure that your horse is a good investment.