Once you have found the perfect horse! You should organise for a vet to come out and check the horse thoroughly for any problems which may affect his health.
A vet check is not very cheap, but it isn’t a waste of money either. You could save yourself a great deal of money.
The vet will check the horse for general health, obvious signs of injury (whether they are new or old injuries), soundness and conformation faults. The horse will be trotted out to look for lameness or any uneven or unnatural action. You are paying for an expert opinion and the vet will be able to spot things that we can’t always see.
Especially if you have already fallen in love with the horse, and don’t want to see any problems!
Quite often, the vet will find something which he will bring to your attention. Not every problem found will means that the horse will not be suitable for you. The vet will need to know what you want to be doing with the horse after you purchase him, so that he can make a decision about whether what he has found will be a problem. If you are going to be riding competitively at a high level, there will be more stress on the horse than if you just want to ride on the weekends and go to pony club.
Finally, if you and the vet agree that the horse seems suitable and healthy, then you are at the end of the long road to buying a horse, and you can now negotiate with the owners to purchase your new friend.
Good Luck!
