List of 10 do’s and don’ts for making horse buying more pleasant for buyer’s and the seller’s.

We will  provide a list of the top 10 do’s and don’t s for Sellers shortly. Buyers here is your chance to participate. email jeff.johnson@impulsionunlimited.com with your do’s and don’ts

FOR Buyer’s

• Do talk to the owner/agent honestly about your needs, abilities, contingencies, time frames, and only shop within your budget.
  • • Don’t lie either by omission or otherwise about your purchasing intentions, budget, skills, and riding abilities or other issues you know they really should know.
• Do always be respectful of the other person’s time.
  • • Don’t be a demon buyer, window shopper, video collector, or video critic in person or on the internet.
• Do Make an appointment
  • • Don’t stop in unannounced and be put out that the seller doesn’t drop everything for you.
• Do Confirm you are coming the day before.
  • • Don’t leave the owner/agent wondering if you are still coming.
• Do Be on time and call again when you are 30 minutes away or as soon as you know you will be late.
  • • Don’t leave the horse braided standing in cross-ties for an hour and the owner wondering, and not getting their other horses worked while you take a detour for lunch or decide to sleep in.
• Do Upon arrival, start with a compliment and thank the seller up front for their work preparing the horse for you to view and or ride.
  • • Don’t come onto a farm with a chip on your shoulder looking for fault in the horse, the facility, the fencing, the footing, etc or thinking negatively based on another experience.
• Do Be friendly and open, SMILE
  • • Don’t think of a buying a horse as the time for you work on the perfection of a poker face.
• Do, If you feel the need to ask questions about the horse ask them. If you are otherwise interested and suspect an issue be sensitive and diplomatic but ask. Guesses are usually wrong anyway.
  • • Don’t use the test ride as an opportunity to be a training critic, riding critic, or play amateur lameness veterinarian if you decide the horse isn’t for you. (save it for the car then forget it)
• Do Give truthful answers to questions you are asked.
  • • See Don’t number #1 above
• Do Tell the seller your next steps, a time-line and follow-though by being good to your word
  • • Don’t say you need to think about it if you know it isn’t right, tell them you really like the horse and will call if you aren’t going to, or otherwise lead the seller on; or ask them to hold the horse for you without a contract and a deposit pending an agreed next step.