Gypsy Horse Magazine

It can be great fun to buy a horse. Many people however end up making mistakes as they are so eager to own a horse. I wrote this article to help you successfully buy your first horse.

Firstly, it is important that you know what type of horse you are searching for. Do you want to breed from this horse, compete or just have it for a nice bit of hacking and arena work? One of the most common mistakes first time horse buyers make, is that they do not know what they want and end up getting a hot-headed racing horse instead of a bomb-proof all-rounder.

You can find your new horse in a multitude of venues. Livery yards and riding schools often sell horses as do breeders and private horse owners. Although markets are great places for acquiring discount prices, they should be avoided by amateur buyers as you don’t get to spend much time with each horse before making your decision.

Don’t be afraid to ask a more experienced friend or professional trainer how to buy a horse. They will give you an objective view on the horse and make sure that you are not being scammed in any way.

Once you have found a horse that looks promising, there are a number of things you must do before any money is being exchanged. Inquire as to the number of owners the horse has had in the past since this a large number of owners is a red flag. Also asking for documentation of birth and breed is a necessary pre-sale task.

Always have a veterinarian check out the horse you intend on buying before making your purchase. Although having a vet come and do a checkup will cost you money, it could save you thousands down the line.

Most buyers will let you take the horse home for a week or more so that you can make a good decision. By doing this, you will get to know the horse properly and to make sure ‘it does what it says on the tin’.

Once you’ve finally chosen a horse to buy, you will need to do some price bargaining. You should always ask what equipment you will get with the horse as these might be useless to the seller but save you a lot of money in the future.

There are numerous items that are thought of as equestrian horse tack, including the breastplates, bridle, girth, halter, harnesses, lead ropes, martingale, saddle pad, and stirrup.  However, the saddle in all probability is the largest and most expensive tack investment you will have. 

 
Getting a used dressage saddle will greatly cut the amount you will have to spend and will regularly permit you to have a better quality piece than you could in all probability afford if you were limited to getting only new items. There are on the other hand, things you should keep in mind if you are going this way.

Do your homework. Select in advance the make and model names of the saddle you would like to have.  Go to forums and blogs for the opinions of others who have or have had the make and model saddle you are interested in. Talk to friends and acquaintances who might know something about the saddles you are interested in.  Its not possible to be sure you’re making the best saddle choice, however by discussing the one you have chosen with those who have owned them in the past you will have a better idea. 

Get the information you need. Once you begin your search, you will want to know the age, condition, flap length, seat size, tree size, and any other distinctive features of the saddles you find. If a seller does not make available these facts, move on to another saddle.  If you are purchasing online, you will want photos of the saddle from each imaginable perspective.

Compare pricing. There are a lot of saddles available for purchase. The seller needs buyers more than the consumers needs any one seller.  So the pressure should be on the seller to provide the information you need to make your decision and to have his saddle valued competitively. If you are bidding online for a saddle, make sure the seller has a rating of 98-99% and has a number of past auctions.

If you are looking for used equestrian horse tack visit http://www.equestrian-accessories.com/.

The majority of the modern horse stables nowadays utilize rubber flooring which can be purchased in rolled sheet form. This type of flooring is referred to as interlocking rubber mats that means the pieces interlock together firmly to be able to form the floor. A custom stable flooring option is made possible since you can cut the mats to fit to the place you want them on.

For people who wish to go eco-friendly, rubber flooring seems to be the the responsible choice to make. Since manufacturers created these rubber mats out of recycled rubber from tires.

Below are some of the reasons why you should consider using interlocking rubber mats:

Interlocking rubber mats are very easy to install. All you have to do is roll them out or interlock the mats and you’re on your way. You won’t need any kind of adhesive to set this up. The mat forms a suction seal of its own to establish itself on the space it is covering.

Yet another benefit of this rubber flooring is being portable. If you wish to move it from its place to another, just take it apart by unlocking the rubber mats.

Now if you’re wondering that comfort will be sacrificed, reconsider that thought. Most interlocking rubber mats provide padding so they are excellent for horses that suffer from arthritis.

Despite the fact that interlocking rubber mats can be more costly than regular rubber stall mats, they’re lighter in weight therefore much less difficult to wash.

Interlocking rubber mats are durable, since it can withstand harsh climate conditions such as the heat of the sun and constant rain. They usually last about seven years before they start to crack up at the edges.

Whether it’s your very first time to construct your horse stable or thinking of rebuilding it, using interlocking rubber mats is definitely the best choice you must make since it is environmental friendly, long lasting, portable, and best of all provides safety and comfort for your horses.

Those who are seriously interested in horses may want to leave their regular jobs and instead, make a living out of the hobby that they surely love in time. The idea of owning a horse stable yard plenty of horses, and also boarding other people’s horses, is appealing to all horse enthusiasts. To be able to construct a horse stable which will not simply help keep horses healthy and pleased but also sustain itself financially, there are a few essential aspects to take into consideration.

Learn more about stall mats for your horse stables at http://www.stallmats.org.

The terrain. When establishing a high quality horse stable yard, the most important aspect would be the amount of land that can be built upon. In fact, land is the limiting factor to what exactly could be constructed, and the more grazing space available the better. Twenty-acre land is a good size for a small horse stable yard, but many would want to keep horses on less. With this land size a stable block can be constructed which can keep around ten horses at the start, or as much as 20 for more professional yards, and there will still be plenty of space to establish an arena plus several pastures.

The stables and barns. The stables themselves come in a variety of styles depending on type of stable yard and personal taste. They need to always, however, be durable, thoroughly clean, just right for horses to lay down in, and also well ventilated. With regards to the location, other factors such as warmth, should also be taken into consideration. There are many other options, such as flooring, which should be dealt with. The more time, money, and better planning is put forth into the establishment the longer they will last and people will be willing to pay much more to keep their horses in the horse stables.

The arena. Depending on the style of stable yard the riding school will need to serve different purposes. In any, The size of the yard and its flooring are essential. The larger sized the riding school the more useful it will likely be, it will also take a lot of time and money to retain though. An excellent flooring made of sand, fibre and rubber caters to quite a few uses as long as it is not too deep. Many companies globally offer excellent footing that is good for just about all disciplines, from racing to dressage, that may as expected come at a price. The initial expenditure of a supporting and nicely draining surface will pay eventually as horses will endure fewer injuries as a result of poor footing and it will attract horse owners.

The waste disposal. A muck heap should be put near enough to the horse stables to be convenient but must also be far enough away to keep the horses healthy. Arrangements should also be made to be able to have the manure collected; this can often be carried out by a local farmer who can utilize the manure as fertilizer.

To be able to build a stable yard that can last quite a long time without needing to be reconstructed, keep horses happy, and also make a living out of it, several important features must be considered.

Choosing the perfect stall mats for your stable yard is also important. Make sure you have all necessary details about stable mat before you get started in building your very own stables. Get more info at http://www.stallmats.org.

Coming to you, a beauty to behold – the Friesian horse straight from the province of the Netherlands.  These horses which were once in tremendous demand for warfare are graceful and nimble for their size.  Once facing extinction these horses have returned with vengeance.  Should you wish to purchase a Friesian there are definitely some things that you are going to want to know.

These horses (like any other) have been subjected to a great deal of ‘cross breeding’ throughout the years, so if you are looking for a ‘pure bred’ then you are going to want to keep a few things in mind.  

If you reside in the US then you are going to want to belong to the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA), and then straight to the Netherlands to register with the KFPS.  All registered horses will either have a tongue tattoo (before the 1999 year period), and more recently the horses were given a microchip.  Some older horses may have to be checked for both.  The tattoo, or the chip must be matched to their passport, and unless you have all of the proper paperwork – the deal should be off right there.

Determining whether a Friesian is a ‘good’ investment or not is going to take so work.  Horses that come from a first, second or even a third premie studbook will be of a better standard.  There are also “training day inspections” that you can attend (and should) which will offer you a lot more information.  Additionally, if the horse was a ‘premie’ grade, you’ll need to know if this was recent, when it was a foal, or as an adult

Like with any living breathing purchase you want to make sure that it is in good health.  In the Netherlands the horses where generally used for farm work and their health was not always a main concern.  Demand a check from a veterinarian prior to the Friesian sale to ensure you are getting a great horse!  Overworked horses will show signs on their hooves.

Some items that you should check for include; worms, aortal ruptures, hooves for unreasonable wear, as well as male castration.  Other areas of concern, would include; mud fever, heel mites, skin conditions and stomach problems.  

Remember when you’re buying a Friesian (under the age of 3) they are much different from other breeds, so when someone tells you that their Friesian is ‘saddle’ trained, a red flag should go off.  A Friesian may have ‘limited’ experience with a saddle, since at that age a Friesian is still considered to be a baby.  It should (will) take you a fair amount of time and effort in order to get your new ‘baby’ where you want them to be regarding saddle riding.

When you purchase a Friesian you want to be certain you are getting the absolute best.  Do not be afraid to ask for a second opinion on the horse’s health.  Make sure that you know everything there is to know about the breed and the particular horse before you put down a deposit. Please see; Friesian Sale

Once again buying a Friesian is not like buying any other horse.  The ‘average’ price is approximately $6,500 and can step up to $125,000, and even up to $1,000,000+.  At these prices it gives a new meaning to the term “doing your homework”.