How to Buy a (Gaited) Horse

We get a lot of questions about gaited horses that are for sale in the State of Arizona.  We are more than happy to refer you to people that we know that have horses for sale.  All of the horses on our For Sale pages are horses we either know personally or we know the people selling the horse and we trust them to be honest with their buyers.  However, we thought it would be helpful to provide a page on our website with some of the information that we repeatedly find is true about buying a horse.  This information talks about gaited horses specifically, but much of the information can be applied to any breed.  Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this information!  New information is in red text!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: KNOWING HOW TO RIDE A HORSE

 

The first thing I always ask someone when they ask me where to buy a gaited horse is what kind of rider are you?  The reason I ask this is because the majority of people who contact me are beginner riders, as in they've never had lessons before and have only ridden on those group trail rides, where you pay too much money for an hour to sit on a horse that doesn't go any faster than a plod and doesn't deviate from the direction the horse's rump in front of it is going.  They have heard of how smooth gaited horses ride, and remembering how sore they were after that hour on the trail nag, they don't want to experience that soreness again.

 

If you've never had lessons before, I HIGHLY recommend taking some. Primarily, this is for your safety.  A horse is a living creature, and therefore it has a mind of it's own.  Even the most "bomb-proof" horse can have a bad day, and you need to know how to ride in order to deal with that bad day.

 

It's also for your own financial security.  The majority of people who have never had lessons who buy a horse and jump on it end up having to spend a lot more money in the long run.  They realize they don't know what they're doing, so they decide to get lessons.  Then they realize that their horse isn't at a training level that they can handle, so they hire a trainer.  Then they realize that the trainer they've hired doesn't know how to work with a gaited horse, so they have to find another trainer.  The cycle continues, and in the long run I see a lot of horse owners get frustrated and sell the horse for a lot less than they bought it for because the horse has not had consistent training and isn't easy to handle anymore.

 

If you've never ridden a gaited horse before, be sure to learn how to ride one before you buy one. Gaited horses do not always gait perfectly under saddle.  The reason why is the same reason a person doesn't walk the same when they put a backpack on: it changes their center of balance and they have to shift to compensate it.  So, a rider has to be able to show a horse how to perform the gait correctly under saddle.  If you don't know how to do that, then you will probably end up frustrated because your horse isn't nearly as smooth as you think he should be.  If your horse already knows, then you need to learn the cues he knows in order to keep his performance consistent.

 

Click here for information on trainers and lesson instructors in Arizona.  We highly recommend the folks on this page--we can give you more information on them if you need it.  You will save yourself a lot of heartache in the long run if you take this route!

 

Q&A: EVALUATING A GAITED HORSE FOR SALE

 

These are the most common questions that I get when people ask me about buying a gaited horse for the first time.

 

Q: How much should a gaited horse cost?

 

A:  A good, solid, well-trained gaited trail horse will cost you between $3,500 and $6,000. Many people are shocked by that dollar value associated with a horse.  They expect they won't have to pay more than $2,000 for a horse because their brother's friend's daughter was able to get a old ranch horse for that price, and she can jump on the horse bareback with just a halter on and ride around for hours and hours with no problems.

 

There are many, MANY factors that go into the price of a trail horse that I won't begin to go into here.  But this is the kind of trail horse that I expect to cost $6,000.

 

1.  He's registered with a recognized horse association or organization.  For Tennessee Walkers and Spotted Saddle Horses in particular, those registrations are usually the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association and the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association.  This is important because it serves as a form of identification in case your horse is stolen, and if you have to sell him in the future he will be worth more money.

 

2.  He stands still to be groomed, bathed, shod, saddled, bridled and mounted.

 

3.  If something on the trail startles him, he doesn't jump away, turn and bolt, buck, or rear.  He might raise his head quickly, jerk slightly, or stop in his tracks, but all of that is okay.

 

4.  He listens to all commands no matter what.  If the rider asks him to stop, he stops.  If the rider asks him to gallop, he gallops.  It doesn't matter if a giant horse-eating dinosaur is in his path: the horse will wait for the rider's instruction before making a decision on his own.

 

5.  He can only be ridden two or three times a week and doesn't have to be re-taught everything each time.  You can even go for a couple of weeks without riding him and when you ride him again, it's like you never got off his back.

 

6.  He pays attention to the trail and his rider--NOT the horses around him.  If the horses around him are bolting and running because a paper bag fluttered across the trail, he is standing still and waiting for instruction as to what to do next.  He might be a bit anxious and might dance a little bit, but when asked to stand still, he does.

 

7.  He can go out by himself without fussing or calling excessively for his herd mates.  He understands that even though he has to go out, he will come back home eventually, so to just be patient.

 

The bottom line is that as a buyer, do you feel it's worth it?  If you don't, consult several sources to help you decide if the horse is worth your money and time.

 

Q:  I want a black and white/palomino/buckskin/<insert desired color here>.  Do you know of anyone who has one for sale?

 

A:  As a beginner rider, you need to forget about color and focus on the capabilities of the horse. Don't worry--I COMPLETELY understand the desire for a horse of a certain color. Who hasn't marveled at the glistening coat and flowing mane of the Black Stallion as he raced across the sand?  Who doesn't love the idea of their very own palomino, just like Trigger?  Who hasn't admired the stark chiaroscuro of a spotted horse's coat?

 

One problem that many people can run into is when a seller is pricing the horse based solely on it's color and producing abilities and not on it's training level or capabilities.  For example, a seller may have two horses for sale.  One is a 2 year old sorrel gelding with 3 months of saddle time.  The other is a 2 year old buckskin mare, also with 3 months of saddle time.  The gelding is priced at $2,500 while the mare is priced at $5,500.  A buyer may automatically think that the horse that is priced higher is the better behaved horse.  Unfortunately, in this situation, it probably isn't.  When two horses of equal age and training levels are priced so radically different because of their sex or color, then you would be wise to question this situation and/or look for another horse.

 

There is a wonderful saying floating around out there: a good horse is never a bad color. Look at your wants versus your needs.  As a beginner rider, you NEED a safe, stable mount, no matter what.  Otherwise, you could get hurt.  So, that dappled gray with the white mane and tail may look gorgeous, but if he's dancing around wild-eyed as he's being saddled, he's probably not the horse for you.  Think of color as the cherry on top of the nuts on top of the whipped cream on top of the ice cream: if you've gotten all of the traits you need and want in a solid trail mount and the horse is pure white like the unicorns in your dreams, then you can consider yourself extremely lucky and grateful.  Amazingly, your needs and wants have been met.

 

Q: Don't I have to get a gelding?  My friend says they're the safest to ride.

 

A:  No.  Don't buy a stallion, but don't rule out a mare, either.  Mares can be temperamental, it's true.  Unlike a stallion, it is not so easy to get them "fixed."  The cost to have a mare spayed is huge because it's such an invasive surgery, unlike castrating (gelding) a stallion, which can be done in the field with minimal pain medication and antibiotics.  So, a mare's female hormones can get in the way of her being ridden--she can be more concerned about what horses are around her than who's on her back and what her rider is trying to say.  During her heat cycle, she can be very much like a woman with PMS--hard to deal with and, to put it bluntly, bitchy.

 

Unwanted mare behaviors.  Unbeknownst to most people, the stallion is NOT in charge of the herd.  The alpha mare is.  While the stallion protects the herd, the alpha mare calls the shots, telling horses where to go, disciplining young horses, and designating what mares can breed with the stallion and when.  Mares that aren't alphas will gravitate toward an alpha mare because they are looking for reassurance.  Some alpha mares can be wonderful trail mounts because they see their rider as part of the herd, and therefore they want to protect her.  Some mares that aren't alphas are also great trail mounts because they have bonded to their rider and will calmly wait for the rider to tell them what to do because they are looking for guidance.  These are reasons why the Pony Express only employed mares—they wanted the intelligence, stamina and leadership prowess of the mares to be able to quickly and efficiently get the riders to their destination.

 

With these facts in mind, watch a mare's behavior when you try her out.  When another horse walks by, does she whinny frantically?  When she's in her stall and the horse in the stall next door walks close to her, does she swing her head around and lay her ears back at the horse?  If she's in heat when you see her, is she frantic, pawing at the ground or rubbing her rump against her feed bin?  These could be signs that she basically has a mindset that does not include her rider, and most likely she isn't going to pay attention to you if you're a beginner rider.

 

Unwanted gelding behaviors.  Some of the most difficult horses I've ever worked with were geldings who were either proud cut or cryptorchid.  "Proud cut" means that the testicles were not removed in the process of castrating--merely the vas differns were cut, like a vasectomy on men.  "Cryptorchid" means both testicles have not dropped into the scrotum, so when the horse was castrated, both testicles were not removed.  In both instances, the testosterone is still present and is going present a problem because the horse has no way to release the excess of his hormones.  Many times, proud cut and cryptorchid geldings act a lot like stallions, sometimes even more so where they're pushy and unpredictable.

 

Remember: some of the worst accidents in the history of riding horses have happened on the back of geldings.  For example, Christopher Reeve's accident happened because his gelding balked at a jump.  While a situation like that wasn't malicious or the gelding's fault, a rider can become lax and not pay as much attention to their horse because he's a gelding and they aren't having to worry about him being "hormonal."  Overall, a rider should be paying attention to the horse at all time.  Bottom line: Just because a horse is a gelding doesn't automatically mean he's safe.

 

Q:  I want to find a young horse so we can grow old together.  Where can I find one?

 

A:  You can find them all over, and sometimes for a lot cheaper than an older horse.  However, if you're a beginner rider, 9 times out of 10 a young horse isn't going to be safe for you. I have only run into 3 horses in my lifetime that were younger than 4 years old that could be trusted with a beginner rider.  It wasn't because they were necessarily highly trained--it was because they were level-headed, obedient horses when someone was on their back, no matter what level of riding that person was at.

 

A young horse can be very well trained by an excellent trainer, but what they lack is usually experience and the ability to remember all of the things they've been taught.  Learning how to be ridden is just as complex for the horse as learning how to ride is for us.  So he will need time and years to get experience and know-how under his belt.

 

However, it's still important to beware: even an older horse can have bad habits that have been ingrained into him.  Or perhaps the older horse has been a show horse all his life and now is being retired to being a trail horse.  For example, I have a friend who had a 19 year old horse that was formerly used for mounted shooting.  The friend bought him to use him for trail riding and because he was a palomino (an example of when buying for color isn't the right thing to do).  Unfortunately, the horse hadn't spent a lot of time on the trail, so as soon as he was mounted, he wanted to run.  This is what he'd been taught--that when someone was on his back it was time to go fast and run the pattern that the mounted shooting requires.  Riding out on a trail at a slow walk was completely foreign to him among other issues, like following the horse in front of him and paying attention to the terrain.  It took a lot of patience and groundwork to get him to a point where he wouldn't be anxious and ready to run whenever someone got up on his back.

 

A good rule of thumb for a beginner rider is that if the horse hasn't spent at least the last couple of years consistently out on the trail, then most likely he doesn't have much experience with what happens on a trail ride.

 

INTERPRETING A HORSE FOR SALE AD

 

These are common phrases and words used in ads for horses for sale that I think attract beginner riders.  Including them here doesn't mean you shouldn't consider the horse.  These are just interpretations that I have found to be true in many cases.

 

Overall, if you have never bought a horse before or are a beginner rider, take an experienced horseperson along with you when you go to meet the horse, preferably a trainer or lessons instructor, so you can get an honest evaluation of the animal and its personality.

 

BOMB PROOF.  The best thing to remember is this: NO HORSE IS EVER BOMB PROOF. If the seller says the horse is bomb proof, I want him to walk up to that horse with a bomb in his hand and when that bomb goes off, I want that horse to stand perfectly still without batting an eye.  Sounds silly?  Sure.  But it's something that every rider should consider.

 

The term "bomb proof" usually indicates that the horse is not afraid of anything and will calmly deal with any situation.  So be sure to ask what the horse has been exposed to.  Ask if he's heard gunfire up close, seen a parade with banners and balloons up close, been in heavy traffic, seen and dealt with cactus (since you live in Arizona), rabbits, snakes, dogs, large birds, horses pulling carts, wheelbarrows in motion, mattresses on the trail, anything you can think of.  Some horses truly are bomb proof in that when they encounter a new situation, they do not react immediately with their "flight" behavior--they stand and look at the situation and then wait for the rider to tell them what to do.  However, remember that horses still have the flight instinct and it can come into play no matter what.

 

So, maybe the horse doesn't react when the bomb goes off next to him.  But that doesn't mean that he won't spook when a small covey of quail burst from a bush next to him on the trail, merely because it startled him.  Never underestimate the fact that a horse is a living creature with a working mind, and therefore any situation has the potential to be dangerous.

 

BEEN RIDDEN BY KIDS, or BEEN RIDDEN BY AN 11 YEAR OLD KID, or SO GENTLE ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS RIDE HER.  This phrase is usually emphasized by a photograph of said child or children riding the horse bareback with just a bridle or even just a halter on.  Many times the kid is barefoot and in shorts with no helmet.

 

Warning signs should start going up when you hear this phrase and/or see this kind of photo.  Remember: most children at that age are fearless, especially children who have grown up around horses.  They have a strong level of confidence, or they are so eager to ride that it doesn't matter how or when they do it, they are going to do it.

 

Over-confident children tend to want their horse to go as fast as it can as long as it can, and if they fall off they will jump right back on and keep going.  Many times because these children have grown up around horses or have had neighbors who have horses, they don't realize the dangers and the need to keep a horse under control, or they think that because they own a horse then they know everything and can do whatever they want no matter what.  These children also usually have not had riding lessons.  They grew up on horseback and learned by doing it, just as their parents did before them.

 

While it is NEVER theirs or their parents' intentions, over-confident children can actually rewire or ruin a horse. I once bought a young mare that had been ridden by a 12 year old girl.  The girl was very sweet, but a she was also an over-confident and cocky rider.  This mare had a gorgeous canter, and so the girl encouraged it.  She encouraged it so much that the mare learned that there were only two speeds: walk and canter.  I had to retrain the mare to take speed in steps by working her way up to a canter, and I had to work the natural gait I knew she had back into her repertoire.  I do not blame the girl or her family.  The child was just over-excited about having a horse that was so easy to ride, and her parents are very confident of her ability because she has a lot of natural balance and strength to control anything she gets on.

 

Of course, there are children who have been taught to ride properly and haven't rewired or ruined the horse.  So, when you go to see a horse that has been ridden mostly by children, watch the horse's behavior closely, especially if the child jumps on the animals back and takes off.  Does the child immediately ask for a faster gait rather than a walk?  Is the child pulling heavily on the bit, causing obvious discomfort to the horse's mouth?  Is the child riding the horse helter-skelter around the area with no regard to a set pattern?  Does the horse seem listless when he's standing quietly after the ride?  These are all signs that this horse is ridden on a regular basis at speeds and for amounts of time that are more than the horse can handle, and that some bad habits have probably been ingrained in him.  He will probably need retraining by a trainer that can help him learn that someone getting on his back doesn't mean go, go, go!

 

LOTS OF GO, or GREAT PROSPECT FOR ENDURANCE OR TRAIL RIDING.  A lot of times this means that the horse is very fast out on the trails.  It's possible that his rider has trained him to go fast all the time by asking for a fast ride as soon as someone gets in the saddle.  Sometimes people can get so excited about a horse's natural, smooth gait that they encourage it all the time because it's so much fun, so the horse learns that there is only one speed to go, and that's fast.  It's also possible that the horse just enjoys getting out and going fast.

 

This can be a dangerous situation for a rider who is a beginner or who is nervous with a horse that enjoys a fast gait.  A horse that likes to go fast or who is taught to go fast all the time is not always easy to control.  Many times a horse like this has figured out how to ignore the bit, so pulling back with all your might won't have any effect.

 

The solution may be that he simply needs to be lunged or worked in the round pen for 10 to 20 minutes before being ridden.  It also may be that he needs to be retrained to understand that gaiting isn't the only speed there is when being ridden.  This is something that you should consult a professional trainer about because it could take a lot of time and changes to work this particular problem out.

 

2, 3 or 4 YEARS OLD and CALM ENOUGH FOR ANYONE TO RIDE.  This is a very difficult situation and one that might take a lot of trial and error on your part.  Very rarely have I seen a 2 to 4 year old horse that not only trusted in their rider but also could be trusted to take care of their rider.  Those horses are out there, but they are EXTREMELY rare, so don't assume you'll be able to find one.  My general rule is this: most horses that are between the ages of 2 and 4 years old are NOT calm enough for anyone to ride, no matter what the rider says.  The reason I say this is not because the rider isn't right.  It's that at 2 to 4 years old, most horses do not have the experience necessary to enhance that calm demeanor.  Plus, if he's been ridden by an experienced rider all his life, that person may not be the best one to judge how safe or calm a horse is.  He has probably learned to trust that his rider will tell him exactly what to do all the time, and therefore he stays calm.  A beginner rider who doesn’t know what to do will confuse a horse that is like this, and the horse could panic and not understand what to do.  Sometimes a beginner rider needs a horse that will help them rather than the other way around.  So, two entities that must rely on each other but don't know how to help the other isn't a good match.

 

If you are seriously considered a 2 to 4 year old horse, then be sure to have a backup plan in place before you buy him, such as a trainer that you know you can rely on to help you with any problems that may arise.  This will keep you confident and give you more incentive to work with your young horse rather than think you have to sell him to solve the problem.   However, do not be surprised if your trainer suggests selling him and finding a different horse.  A young horse just may not be right for you.

 

BUYING A HORSE OFF THE INTERNET

 

With the integration of computers into our lives, a whole new world has been opened to potential horse owners.  It's very easy to go online to websites that provide a medium for people to advertise their horses for sale and learn about what's out there.

 

However, it's best to remember that the internet should only be used as a tool to research horses and make contacts with people who have horses for sale. Buying a horse directly off the internet without physically seeing the horse first can turn out to be a costly mistake.

 

The following link is a wonderful description of what to do if you're considering buying a horse off the Internet.  It was written by the folks at Cedar Ridge Quarter Horses located in Bedford, Iowa.  Please take the time to read this article to help you better understand the process of buying and selling horses from the Internet.

 

Horse-Buying Tips

 

BEGINNER RIDER CHECKLIST

 

Here's a quick checklist for the beginner rider to help you find the right horse for you.  I don't guarantee that this is a complete list or that everything on it will apply to you.  However, it can be a good starting point or just something to help keep you on track in your search.  Good luck and happy gaiting!

 

Before you start looking:

 

1. Establish your riding ability.

2. Take horseback riding lessons, if necessary.

3. Find a trustworthy trainer and/or lessons instructor.

4. Learn about the breed you want to buy.

5. Learn how to ride the breed you want to buy to get the most of his capabilities.

 

When you're looking:

 

1. Learn the market in the area by picking up publications in local tack stores and making contacts with people.

2. Use the Internet as a resource tool.

3. Don't buy a stallion, but don't rule out a mare, either.

4. Don't forget that a good horse can cost more than you think.

5. Don't forget that some people price their horses based on color, not on capability.

6. ALWAYS visit and ride the horse before you buy it.

7. Take your trainer and/or lessons instructor with you whenever you go to look at the horse.

8. Trust your gut: does this FEEL right?  Do I feel safe with this horse?

 

 Horse's capabilities and temperament checklist:

 

1. Registered with a recognized association or organization.

2. Stands to be groomed, bathed, saddled, bridled, mounted, and for the farrier.

3. Does nothing more than stop or jerks slightly if something startles him.

4. Listens to all commands no matter what the circumstances.

5. Can only be ridden two or three days a week and doesn't forget or revert in his training.

6. Can be left for two or three weeks and will still be safe to ride.

7. Pays attention to the trail and his rider, not the horses around him.

8. Goes out by himself without fussing or calling excessively for his herdmates.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE BUT TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN PURCHASING A HORSE.  SILVER PHOENIX RANCH IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF THIS INFORMATION.

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