I Want A Horse!
Step 2 - Your Wish List
"I want a horse" - it is easy to buy any old horse but much skill is involved in buying the right horse. Perhaps you have an image in mind of the kind of animal that will make your horsey friends sit up and take notice as you trot proudly through the town! 
Now is the best time to sit down and make a list of your preferred "do's and dont's". We call this your "Wish List". If your ideal horse were a person - what would his CV look like? Take time to consider what you need from your horse in terms of safety and practicality.
It is also advisable to keep an open mind. Remember - in the words of Mark Rashid "a good horse is never a bad colour" Horse ownership and riding is all about enjoying yourself. Your main aim at this stage is to buy a horse that will help you to increase your confidence and riding ability. There is no such thing as the perfect horse - but there is such a thing as the horse that's right for you!
We have listed the main considerations below and recommend that you make notes of your requirements next to each one.
Of course, you will also have personal preferences. For example, colour choice and model (much like buying a car!) are often a matter entirely of personal taste.
Tips and Advice
Before you make your list, ask a horsey friend or your instructor for their honest assessment of your riding ability and horse knowledge. Be prepared to hear that you are not John Whittaker or Zara Phillips. A real friend will not want you to be injured because you think that you are capable of riding anything. This is the best barometer by far and is a good comparison with your responses in our
Horse Ownership Quiz.
If this is the first time you are buying a horse, it is advisable to aim for a horse that has been ridden by a competent person regularly with some exposure to a variety of activities such as hacking, showing or hunting.
Horses that have been around a bit and seen lots of different things will generally be less likely to react unpredictably in unfamiliar surroundings and take most things in their stride.
It is highly recommended for less experienced potential owners, that you do not even consider youngstock (so - cute cuddly foals are definitely out for the time being). You also should steer clear of stallions (too likely to overpower the less experienced handler) or horses that have been "turned away" or left out at grass unridden for any length of time.
Don't discount older horses - we know of many happy riders who have purchased teenage horses and ridden them well into their twenties. An older horse who has seen it all before will often make an excellent mentor for an inexperienced rider.
Now - here comes the Wish List!
Say to yourself "I want a horse and my horse would need to be..":- Price minimum/maximum
- Breed first choice/second choice
- Height minimum/maximum
- Age minimum/maximum
- Colour preference
- Mare or Gelding
I want a horse that is quiet,non-competitive and safe when:(more than one of the factors below may be relevant to you)- Riding in heavy traffic (including lorries, buses, motorbikes,etc)
- Riding near roadworks, schools and built-up areas
- Schooling in the menage or arena
- Riding in open countryside
- Riding in company and alone
- Being ridden by novice riders
- Being ridden by children
- Being ridden on the lead-rein
I want a horse to have the following personality/behavioural qualities: - Bombproof in all traffic
- Excellent stable manners - even with children
- Good with farrier (even if unshod)
- Easy to catch from the field
- Used to dogs, farm animals and machinery
- Non-aggressive at feed times
- Easy to load onto a lorry or trailer (or both)
- Willing to be clipped, and stand patiently to have mane/tail plaited or pulled
- Stands still to be mounted and only moves off on command
- Non-aggressive with other horses in a herd environment
- Responsive to leg aids and or voice commands
- Forward going but with good brakes - sometimes referred to in advertisements as a "push button ride" (although this might not be suitable if this is your first horse)
- Does not bite, kick, rear, nap, bolt or spin when ridden or being handled
- Does not "hot-up" at larger gatherings, such as showgrounds, hunting meets or riding club events
In addition, if you are buying a child's pony (who would of course be supervised at all times by a responsible adult) you need the pony to be able to: - Stand patiently to be handled by children
- Be capable of being led by a child without tanking off or getting strong
- Wait for commands and not barge, rush ahead or hang back
You have now built up a solid framework of your "ideal" horse or pony to use as a benchmark when shortlisting possible horses to buy. It is of fundamental importance that you refer to your Wish List frequently from this point forward. Do NOT become sidetracked away from your key requirements Doing so will result buying a horse purely on emotional factors ("he has lovely eyes and I just fell for him" might translate in practice to "but is a complete lunatic whenever he is in traffic".) Your safety (and the safety of your child if you are buying a child's pony) is PARAMOUNT. Let's say you have now found a number of horses that fit the bill. It's time to move onto
Buying a Horse - Step 3 to Try Before You Buy!
Click on
Buying A Horse - Step 1
if you would like to review this information before moving to Step 3
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