Tips for Buying A Pony
So you’ve decided that you would like to own a horse, and you’ve figured out that you would like to start fresh and buy a pony. This is a great idea, and it holds so many benefits. Not only is owning a horse a great joy but raising one is even better.
Today we will be going over a couple tips and recommendations on how to buy a baby horse. So saddle up and let’s get going.
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Knowing Your Budget
Horses are not cheap, especially the young ones. Before even thinking about buying a horse you have to look at all the expenses that come with ownership. So let’s take a brief look at some expenses you can expect to come across.
- Purchase Price: Depending on where you live and where you decide to buy from, prices can go upward into the $10,000 mark.
- Board: Where will you be keeping your new horse? Are you going to be paying for a boarding facility or will the horse be home kept? If home kept will you be hiring someone to feed and take care of the horse?
- Training: When I say training I am speaking about the little horse you just bought, not you. Unless you are a professional, more than likely you will be needing a trainer.
- Farrier and Vet Bills: Every 6 to 8 weeks your horse will need farrier care. This is for trimming and shoes. Along with Farrier bills, you have vet bills. Horses need shots at least twice a year and worming every two months. You can expect to also be paying for unexpected emergency bills as well. You might want to consider an insurance plan in which case this is a monthly payment. Medical bills can quickly add up.
- Equipment and Food: Equipment will be one of the first things you buy for your horse. Grooming, saddles etc. Food, on the other hand, is going to be a recurring payment. So be prepared for this. You can see how the budget is a huge factor. So be sure to do your research for your local cost of owning a horse and then factor in a little extra cushion for unexpected surprises. Once you have the budget placed, let’s move on.
Breed
The breed is going to be the next big factor in deciding how to buy a baby horse. A Certain breed of horses is more quieter and calmer than others.
Some examples are:
- Paint Horses
- Draft Horses
- Quarter Horses
Others can be wilder, and spirited horses such as:
- Thoroughbreds
- Arabians Check
With an instructor and decide which breed of horse will be the right one for you.
Getting a Vet Check Before As the header says, make sure you get a vet check before you do any serious negotiating. Even though you are buying a baby horse, they can still have health issues.
Be sure to
- Hire a vet who has never checked the horse before
- Be present on the day of the exam. You want to hear what the vet has to say first hand. This is an extremely important step when buying a horse because you are making such a huge investment and you do not need any issues arising later on.
Once the vet has given you an opinion, only then should you and your instructor decides whether or not to move forward.
All in all, buying a horse can be very exciting and raising one is an experience you will always cherish. Always be sure to do your research and have your budget right. Owning a horse is a huge commitment and the horse will require a lot of time, especially if it is a pony. Once you have everything in place, I’m sure you will be a great owner.
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