Here are a number of questions you should consider asking the vendor when buying a horse or pony.
Which questions you need to ask will depend entirely on the job your horse or pony will be doing. However it's good to get an all round view about the horse or pony so that you can make a good judgement about how you feel about this particular horse or pony. After all you will be spending a lot of time in each others company!
These questions are obviously just a guide and you must use your own judgement as to which you choose to ask.
Health History
| Is Horse or Pony ... | |
| - Up to date with it's vaccinations? | |
| - When are the next vaccinations due? | |
| - Open to any vetting? | |
| Has your Horse or Pony .... | |
| - Been de-nerved? | |
| - Had colic surgery? | |
| - Been Hobdayed? | |
| Does the Horse/Pony suffer from any Allergies? |
Vices
| Does this Horse or Pony have any vices? Such as .... | |
| - Windsucking | |
| - Crib Biting | |
| - Weaving | |
| - Head Shaking | |
| - Box Walking |
Manners Around The Yard
| In the field... | |
| Is the Horse/Pony easy to catch on its own? | |
| Is the Horse/Pony easy to catch with company? | |
| Shoeing | |
| Has the Horse/Pony ever been shod? | |
| Can a Farrier shoe the Horse/Pony on his own? | |
| Has the Horse/Pony ever been hot shod? | |
| Clipping | |
| Has the Horse/Pony ever been clipped? | |
| Can you clip the Horse/Pony on your own? | |
| Can you clip it's head on your own? | |
| Does the Horse/pony need an extra handler for clipping? | |
| Does the Horse/Pony need any mild sedative for clipping? | |
| Does the Horse/Pony need a full sedative for clipping? |
Loading and Traveling
| Will the Horse/Pony... | |
| - Travel in a Horsebox? | |
| - Travel in a Trailer? | |
| - Load on its own? | |
| - Travel on its own? | |
| - Load into a Horsebox? | |
| - Load into a Trailer? |
Hacking Out
| Will they hack out sensibly on their own? | |
| Will they hack out sensibly in company? | |
| Is the Horse/Pony quiet in all traffic on its own? For instance with vehicles such as.... | |
| - Bicycles? | |
| - Cars? | |
| - Tractors? | |
| - Lorries? | |
| - Motorcycles? |
Competition History
| Has the horse/pony competed? | |
| - At what level? | |
| - What results have been achieved? |