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What Questions Should I Ask?

1K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  FutureVetGirl 
#1 ·
Ok... so... in the next few months, I'm wanting to start questioning about different horses, both in rescues, in sales, in auctions, etc. Here's the list of questions I have so far, any tips of different ones/better ones I should ask? I can't find my book that has all of them in it... >_<

1. All the basics, size, age, breed, gender, etc.
2. Is the horse UTD on all vaccinations, wormers, tests, coggins?
3. What is the horse trained to do? Can he/she W/T/C smoothly?
4. Is the horse trained in both English and Western, or just one?
5. What kind of feed does the horse get?
6. Does the horse need any special supplements in his/her feed?
7. Does the horse have any medical problems (big or small) that I must deal with?
8. How many known owners has the horse had?
9. Did you train the horse? Or was it done by a professional trainer?
10. What methods of training were used? Natural Horsemanship? Patience in breaking in? Rough methods?
11. Has the horse been to shows? Has he/she competed? What did he win/how did he react to the whole situation?
12. Is the horse easily spooked?
13. How is the horse around small yappy dogs and loud little kids?
14. How does the horse react around cattle?
15. Is the horse out in pasture year-round, or in the stall most of the time? Can the horse live in pasture 24-7?


And... after that I just can't think of anything else... any suggestions? I honestly don't think that I'm asking enough... so far I haven't sent anything in... but I would LOVE to know some more questions that I can ask...
 
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#2 ·
FutureVetGirl said:
2. Is the horse UTD on all vaccinations, wormers, tests, coggins?
I think you need to know if the horse has always been regularly wormed. Our trainer recently lost his best horse. Her first owner didn't worm her as a baby. She must have had blood worms. This caused a build up of scar tissue around the mesenteric artery. She had several bouts of colic over her lifetime. She died this spring because her first owner had not wormed her regularly.
 
#3 ·
I would ask about soundness issues
If and when was the horse last trailered?
Do they stand on crossties? Bathe? Clip?
Where is the horse in his current herd?
Can the he be turned out with other horses? mares? geldings?
Can he be turned out alone?
Mare-ish?
Does the horse jump fences?
Can the horse open doors?
Up to date on their dental work?


If you are planning to jump ask if they jump boxes, flowers, water, roll tops ect...
In addition, I always get a drug test done.


Edit:
Has the horse been off property? If so how did they react?
 
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