Hi Charlotte,
So you are going to be a horseowner soon, congratulations!
What you should think about is that since you are not very experienced, you need a horse that is. Choose one that doesn't need to learn very much anymore, maybe even an older one.
You can learn a lot from an experienced horse.
Taking a vet with you is not a bad idea, he'll be able to see if the two of you match and check for health issues etc.
Monty has a dvd on choosing the right horse, it's called " the perfect match", it could help you a lot to watch this, before deciding on the horse you're going to see tomorrow.
Sleep over it, and think through all aspects of ownership, so you'll make the best choice.
Exciting! Will you keep us posted?
Miriam

Congrats! It's a big step, but a great one!

Check the feet! You have no horse without it's hooves! I don't think you need a vet, but it's a great idea if you have that option for sure.
If not, look at healthy hoof pictures to get the idea. Also if you know how to ride, get on for sure, try and get a good "feel" for things.

Hi, wonderful news. Please please be careful. As a horse trainer I can tell you too many tales of people who have bought the 'wrong' horse, some of them with awful consequences. However, I don't want to be doom and gloom so I have a few tips :-)
1. Get a full vet check with a written report. The vet is not going to suffer from 'falling in love with it' and if problems arise later and you need to come back to the owner you have evidence. Its also a good negotiating chip (like buying anything) and you may get a price reduction if there are a few little things here and there - this can be offset against the cost of the vet.
2. Make very very sure that the horse you get is the one you see (if delivered later) and ask to see the passport (i applicable - different rules in different countries) on the day you see it. You'll be surprised how often horses get 'switched'/false passports
3. Ask to see the owner ride it - if s/he is reluctant and does not have a VERY good reason for not doing so walk away - if they won't ride it why would you (unless they have told you its a 'project horse' which I wouln't recommend as a first horse)
4. If its already in the stable ask to see it being 'caught' in the field
5. Ask to see the horse working loose on longlines at all gaits - if they single line lunge it watch or any disunited canter. If they claim the horse jumps, ask to see.
6. don't put money down on the day, ask to think about it for 24 hours - this gives you breathing space so dont take your money with you, dont panic if someone else is interested in it. If someone else buys it so be it, there are plenty more, better than you regretting the decision.

I could go on an on about this but I think thats enough for now :-) Please let us know how you get on, I hope you ind the partner of your dreams.

Viccih1 has given you some excellent advice. I would never buy a horse without a vet check - they can spot things that even experienced horse owners cannot, and will be able to provide unbiased detached advice on whether the horse is going to be suitable for the purpose. Ask a lot of questions about the horses previous history. Miriam's advice about choosing an experienced horse is also good, new owners often think that they and the horse can learn together but you may have heard the old saying "green and green make black and blue". A schoolmaster horse can teach you a lot and be an amazing confidence giver, and an older teenager horse will still have many years to give. It's an exciting time for you - the right horse is out there somewhere!

Hi Charlotte - how exciting this is for you! Congratulations on your decision. As you have already gathered from the great advice given above - now the hard bit starts. It is so hard to buy a horse - I think even harder in Australia where we have no passport and so many owners selling horses tend to be less than honest. It is so easy for horse owners in Australiato have a supply of Butalone Granules on hand (pain killer) and to administer this to a horse prior to the purchaser arriving. I always have a supply of this as I need to give it to Ouyen prior to riding her and recently Chester too for his founder. It really masks pain very effectively. Great points given to you by Vicchi1. Experience helps but even experienced horse people can be caught out when purchasing horses. Like Emlaw I would certainly have a vet check your horse out - this is so important as they can pick up so many things that you may miss. Temprement, hooves, legs, back and eyes are all so important and a vet can help out here. Once you find a horse you think will suit you then spend some time making the final decision. It is good to check it out a couple of times if you can and don't be put off by the threat of someone else wanting to buy it. Yes that may happen but there will be another one waiting for you. After your first visit an unexpected visit could be good - a genuine seller would not be put off by you dropping in to see their horse unexpectantly. Despite my experience I have always been a bit too hasty and paid the price for doing so. If you can possibly have the horse on trial for a week or so then that is a great way to make sure this is the horse for you. Totally agree with Miriam's advice - your first horse should be experienced and bomb proof. Some young horses are amazing but in general age helps and I would be inclined to look for one at least 10 years old. If you can't take a vet with you then try to take a friend who is an experienced horse person as then they may be able to help you ask all the appropriate questions. I had a young neighbour who ended up buying 3 absolute horror horses, one after the other, as her parents who knew nothing about horses would just decide the horse would do despite their daughter's qualms -the sellers were on clover! I helped her try to re-train and ride them but it was scary. To my horror her Mum sold two of them to other unsuspecting buyers for twice what she had paid for them. I guess at least the many voluntary hours I put in to re-train them may have helped. If the horse doesn't come with a passport then try to find out as much about its history as you can and make some notes of this - knowing its past will help you understand it better. Like Vicchi1 I could go on and on but please do not let us put you off. Owning your own horse can be such a special, wonderful experience so well worth the challenge you now face. Remember every horse is different even within breeds but breeds make some difference too. Think carefully about the type of horse you want and what you wish it to do with it. Check out all the different breeds too and their characteristics and think of which breed or cross breed may suit you best. Good luck, stay focussed and do keep us all in touch with your progress.

Charlotte - another thing you might want to do is turn up a wee bit early for your first visit to the new horse. That way you may be able to see how easy it is to catch in the paddock, or how well it stands to be tacked up. If you arrive on time and the horse is already tacked up and has been previously excercised it could mean that either the owner is super efficient or they have something to hide. Of course there are many honest sellers out there who only want the best for their animals, so please don't be put off by some of the warnings given here. Just take your time and as Maggie says, stay focussed and take an onjective view and you will be fine.

Thank you everybody for your input!! I really feel so much better about it :)
About the age: he is 12 years old.
The breed: he is an arab - would that breed be to highly strung for a first horse, or would his age make him a little less frisky? He is very well schooled, and does jumping and has done western (which i want to start)
The appointment to see the horse has been put off for now but i will keep in touch when i do see him. Thank You again - wonderful advise
Charlotte :)

I'm an Arab lover :) yes some Arabs can be more frisky or "hot", but in my opinion, it comes down to the individual horse's personality and how they have been trained and handled.
Everyone has already given you heaps of great advice, so I won't drone on, but just briefly add my rules when looking at a propective new horses's personality are: do you feel safe around and when riding this horse? And go to see the animal more than once, drop by unannounced or early for reasons stated already by others. Good luck and can't wait to hear how you go!

Although I am not an Arab fam this fellow sounds as if he maybe suitable for you. For western riding you need a very responsive, sensitive horse so an Arab fits this criteria well and his age is appropriate. An experienced western ridden horse can be quite a challenge to ride if you have not ridden western previously. My Nicky (thoroughbred) was western ridden before her young owner purchased her. She is just fabulous to ride loose reined on the roads - western style with very little leg contact. However she becomes quite a handful to handle for inexperienced riders if they jam their legs onto her as she just wishes to take off. She was hopeless at dressage too but now she is older (19 years) and I am persevering she is learning so quickly and accepting leg contact better. However she still needs an experienced rider and sometimes she is still a challenge for me as I am not western trained. Last rally she became excited as the other horses were leaving so I turned her away but used too much leg - she just started spinning like Chorme does! I would love to see an experienced western rider on her. Try to learn as much about western riding as you can prior to riding this fellow - naturally watch his owner ride him first. Just one query re the reason why your appointment to see him has been put off - that maybe something you need to check out.

Arab's have a reputation as being 'hot' and hard to handle, which can also be translated as highly intelligent and not tolerant or easily forgiving of harsh treatment. But as with any breed they are all different, and as Rahni says, a lot depends on individual breeding, temperament and handling. If the horse is well trained and experienced then there is no reason why an arab cannot make an excellent first horse. They tend to bond well with their owners and are very versatile, plus they are also very beautiful to look at!

Thanks MaggieF - thats very interesting about the experienced western horse. i don't think this fellow is that experienced :) i will let the owner ride him first, and don't worry - the appointment was canceled because the lady who was coming with us to have a look could not anymore: she dislocated her finger falling off a horse and cannot drive. :) P.S. do you think a western saddle would fit a arab?
Hi emlaw - i have heard that about Arabs being 'hot', so i was hesitant and was thinking maybe a quarter horse would be better since i want to western. but there are no QH for sale and this one is well schooled so ill go and look at him and see how he is - but i am quite open to any breed, as long as it fits my requirements :)

Hi Charlotte I got my first horse last Sunday and it's geat I was like you not sure what to look for but i read articles and spoke to people that had done it before. when i went to see him i thought my gut instinct would tell me which it did he was lovely quiet, friendly and the owner was willing to leave him out so i could see her catch him, then she groomed him and tacked him up, we walked round with him for a bit he's only 3 so just broken. I got to sit on him we chatted and i'd written down questions to ask like is he passported, when did he last have his feet done, is he vaccinated you'll have your own questions you want to ask. we put down a deposit until we could arrange transport and he came home on the sunday. it'a an adventure and a challenge all at once and a bit overwhelming but i don't regret my decision and i love my new friend. all the best to you I hope you find what you are looking for . :-)

Re: saddle question...... I havent ridden western only English, but i am sure the same would apply. Just be aware that a lot of mass produced cheaper saddles can be rather narrow in the tree. I found when fitting a saddle to my anglo arab ( 3/4 arab, 1/4 thoroughbred) , that she was very wide and end up needing a saddle that was designed for warmloods lol. I spent almost as much on the saddle as i did buying the horse! It was 110% worth it though as she and i were more comfortable. So always get a saddle fitted propery and im sure a wastern saddle will fit an arab.

Just a bit about my arab experience.....i bought mine as a 3yo. When i picked her Got her she was very green and had just been started under saddle. She was curious, flighty and very intelligent. Even though she was as gentle as a lamb to handle on the ground, i wouldnt have put a child on her. But after lots of riding, exposure to different places/experiences and after she got to know me, she was a dream. My eldest 2 had their first ridding lessons on her and she seemed to understand that they were little and that she needed to be extra careful.
Basically i think arabs are very miss understood. Its my belief that an arab who is misstreated is less forgiving than a lot of other breeds and perhaps that is why they have the reputation that they do.

Hi Nick & Monti - all the best with this exciting new venture similarly to Charlotte when you finally find your horse.

Hey! Congrats Nick & Monti - hope everything goes well for you, you must be sooo excited! Good idea to write the questions down - will do that :) Thanks Maggie - what breed of horses do you own? the horse on your pic looks so cute :) P.S. does anybody know of good websites to advertise a horse on? i have a friend wanting to sell her 4yr old gelding (TB) and maybe her 5yr old mare (TB). BTW she lives in Gauteng (South Africa) :)

And Rahni - that makes sense about Arabs being miss understood. i just hope i know enough to not mistreat him in any way. Would letting him sleep outside be a mistreatment?? i know they have quite thin skin. and do they need a special type of food? :)

Arabs eat the same food any other horse eats, but they could be easy keepers, so easy on the oat and lush grass. ;)
Make sure to ask the seller what/how much they feed the horse. Try to get the same hay and forage - if possible, buy from the seller of the horse - for at least a month's supply to make the change easier on your new horse.
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As for the skin being thinner than normal, I'm not sure, but we have Arabs here in Sweden that stays outdoor all year round and they do very well and get thick winter coats. :)
It's never a mistreatment to let a horse stay out during the dark hours (they really don't sleep all that much in a field at night if there is grass to eat) unless of course the weather is really foul - in which case a rug, extra hay + water, and a wind shelter might be needed. You have to look at each particular horse and see what it needs. (There's also another thread here about rugs etc.)
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Wish you all the best of luck with your new horse.
Before you buy one, may I recommend buying a couple of really good books on feeding, stable management and horse care? They're invaluable to any horse owner, new or old, and will come in handy for many years.

Charlotte -arabs are bred for desert conditions, and are actually very hardy despite their delicate and elegant appearance. They can withstand extremes of temperature very well as it does get cold at night in the desert. Their bone is also very dense and they are able to carry a high ratio of weight - just look at endurance horses, they are almost always pure or half bred arabs. An arab can happily live out 24/7 providing they have the correct feed regime, water and shelter. The only thing arabs often do not like is very damp and cold weather, but even in those condtions an arab can live out with a good rug if necessary. It is true that they are often misunderstood, which is what I was trying to say when I said they have a reputation as being 'hot' - they simply do not tolerate heavy handling and as Rahni says they are not easily forgiving of mistreatment. The fact that you are here on the forum asking some good questions tells me that you are obviously keen on non violent horsemanship, so I do not think you will have much trouble. I have ridden some wonderful arabs over the years, a well schooled arab is a joy to ride as they are very light on their feet. And regarding saddles - just be aware that many are quite broad in the shoulder, as has already been mentioned here please do make sure that you get a well fitting saddle - it is so important!
Best of luck - it is such an exciting time for you.

Emlaw.......I love that saying; not heard it before - I am going to shamelessly pinch it and use it!!! ;-) "green and green makes black and blue" - says so much!

It's a good saying, isn't it? Says a lot in few words!

Emlaw - That saying is soooo true!! I had a friend who made that mistake. I Forgot about Arabs live in deserts! i have a few stalls that ill leave open in the winter with water and hay. thanx for the info on that breed everyone! i really understand them better now. They are really beautiful and they're quite similar to 1 of my favorite breeds: the Akhal-Teke, although i think i am beginning to prefer Arabs :)
And Kicki - good idea about buying food from the owner ( I have heard that some horses get colic over sudden change in food). And i have a few books passed down from my Aunt (who used to be a pony owner) :)
I will let everyone know as soon as i can see this fellow :)
Thanx again!!!!

Hi Charlotte - I have really enjoyed the info you have had here. The horse in my photo is my Trickortreat (Tricka) born on Holloween now almost 7 years ago. She is mostly quarter horse with some stock horse and given her nose perhaps a little bit of Arab. She has given me huge pleasure ever since she was born. Raising her, training her and finally 'starting' her have all been so much fun and all the first time for me from scratch! I didn't start riding her until she was four as I was still working and contemplating who to send her to. So pleased I finally decided to give up work and do it myself! She was doing so well until just over 18 months ago when she shyed badly,slipped on the wet grass and tipped herself over onto her back on top of her saddle. It was one of the most frightening moments in my life as I thought she had broken her back as she was slow to stand up - she was totally shocked by the experience as I was. She has had a sore back ever since and I have had a series of experts check her out. I have ontinued to ride her weekly but I have been babying her ever. Most recently my vet confirmed that her two vertebrae behind her saddle were damaged. He feels if she strengthens her muscles with more riding - at least 3 times a week with hill work whenever possible she will improve. So far that has not happened but I am trying to ride her at least a couple of times a week and once the weather improves we will get serious. Currently I am just riding her with her neck stretched down on a free rein, doing trot poles and only brief canters. Once the weather improves and we get serious we will start going hill work as the vet suggests. Unfortunately the ground is really wet and boggy at present and when she feels good she flies around the paddock which usually ends up with her being sore again. In addition to Tricka I have a thoroughbred mare, Nicky, a warmblood, Ouyen, a quarter horse, Uggs, and a shetland, Chester. So quite an assortment. Previously I owned a standard bred/quarter horse cross who was a total darling - bought him for my daughter as a 12 year old and he lived with us until he passed away at 29 years.

Hi Maggie - Sorry to hear about Tricka! (Such a cute name!) I really hope she gets better soon! were you on her when she fell? Sounds like you've got a really pretty herd of horses! And All Cute Names! Where do you live? I want to move to Virginia - (i currently live in South Africa) - and be a Equine therapist/horse-whisperer :)
Thanx Maggie :)

Thanks Charlotte - I was on Tricka when she shyed but I came off before she fell. Perhaps if I had managed to stay on she would not have fallen over. I love all my horses dearly so am unable to sell them once I own them. They are beautiful - unfortunately some have permanent leg injuries and can only be riddem spasmodically. I have them all on my 5 acres at present so that is a challenge. I live on the outskirts of Melbourne in Australia. All the very best with your desire to move to Virginai and I do hope you fulfill your future dream! Sounds great! Looking forward to the outcome with your Arab. One of the horror ponies my young neighbour's parents bought her was an Arab and he helped bias me against them as he was very flighty and naughty. It has been great learning more about them here.

I think it is true that there are a lot of arabs that are considered badly behaved and naughty, unfortunately this is often due to heavy handed treatment and poor training in their early years when they are very young - they do not easily forget and it just causes no end of problems later on (as you found out Maggie, with your neighbours pony). But with correct handling and training they can and do make wonderful mounts, my friend had one and he was so gentle she could put her 60 year old learner husband on him without any problem.
Maggie - you were lucky that Tricka did not fall on top of you, what a horrible thing to happen.

Hi Maggie - What does Spasmodically mean?

Charlotte, when my husband was looking for a horse, he found a site called horseclicks, where people from all over the world sell horses. There were a few he was interested in, but ended up getting one from our farrier, who wasnt yet our farrier. But horseclicks looks like a good place to start. They have horses listed from all breeds, ages, sexes, everything, so sounded like a good place to look.
And I believe spasmodically means occasionally.

Thanks phantommustang - yes spasmodically means occasionally - sorry about that. I do try to ride them at least once a fortnight but my warmblood need butoline granules before I ride her. It is a strange case and only became evident when she was six years old and started to get lame doing circles for dressage. I have had her X-rayed a few times and the only thing that the vets can pick up from the X-rays is that her pastern on her right hoof is a little wide which gives too much flexibility when circling and going down hills. The vet can apparently cut the nerve to the hoof to correct it and now that she is getting older I may consider having that done. She was going to be my dream dressage horse. I purchased her at the Victorian Police auction when she was only two as the police thought that she would not be tall enough for a police horse. She was incredibly quiet and had fantastic hanovarian blood lines and she did grow to just over 16 hands. It seems I have problems getting my horses past six soundly My darling Uggs is also now a bit lame as his heels are undershot on his front hooves. He only started to be lame Christmas 18 months ago after a big hail storm and I initially figured that Tricka must have kicked him during the storm. Unfortunately it is more permanent than that. Natural balance shoes do help him a little and I could ride him more if I had the time! Uggs also used to jump fences when he was young and he had a bad injury from a fence in a neighbour's paddock also when he was six. He hasn't been quite the same since and no longer jumps fences. So three beautiful horses Tricka, Ouyen and Uggs all with problems that occurred in their sexth year of life. I guess I am jinxed (farted)! Three times unlucky! However I am not giving up on Tricka and once spring settles in she and I will be really working hard. I have the physio coming to check her out again next week to confirm the work program.

Thanks phantommustang1 for the site!
Sorry to hear about all your unlucky sixes Maggie! I hope everone gets healed - you must have a good vet.:)

Thanks Charlotte - part of owning horses - they give you so much happiness and rewards but they also give you much sadness and worry. Fortunately for most horse lovers the joy of owning and caring for them outweighs the sadness and grey hairs they cause. Yes I am lucky as I have two great vets who married each other about 15 years ago! They are both so good and great friends too.