Now that we've discussed the basics regarding how to buy a horse in my last article entitled, "How To Purchase A Horse', it's time to hone your skills and get real picky about what may be one of your biggest financial and emotional investments.

So, let's say a "Horse for Sale" ad has caught your eye. What do you do now? Well, hopefully you have a checklist in your hand - or at least a note pad - in order to write some things down.

Jot Down Key Questions/Points

Write down notes to yourself about the ad. Be sure to include any questions the ad brings to mind; such as what it left out, or what was not understood in the ad. Once you make the phone call and get visiting you may forget to bring these questions up if they're not written down in front of you as you're talking with the seller on the phone.

Find Out A Bit of History

Find out if the horse has or has had any soundness issues, find out if the horse is up to date on worming, shots and vet checkups. How often does the farrier come to trim his feet? Is the horse shod? Find out the general disposition of the horse, who has ridden it, and why it's for sale.

NOTE: The checklist I suggested to you previously (also available on the Horse of Course website) is wonderful to use for all sorts of questions. I strongly suggest you use it or something similar.

Keep in mind the seller wants to sell the horse and, therefore, is going to market the horse the best way they can. Most sellers are honest and ethical, but that doesn't mean they will tell you everything about the horse unless you ask. They may forget to tell you something. An issue that is minor to them may be more concerning to you, so be sure to ask lots of questions. Honest sellers don't mind.

A perfect example of this would be a horse whose ears cannot be clipped because he jumps and reacts badly to the sound of the clippers. An owner who never clips his/her horse would not be concerned with this and would likely not even think to bring it up to a potential buyer. The potential buyer may want to compete with the horse in various shows and will expect the horse to receive the clippers well. If this question is not asked by the buyer it will not get answered until the day the horse is approached with clippers and reacts badly to them.

The Pros vs. The Cons

You can never get too much information on a horse, so ask away when you have the seller on the phone. Find out everything you can. If the negative answers outweigh the positive ones leave the horse alone and continue your search.

If the conversation leads you to believe this is a horse worth going to look at, congratulations you have passed the first step in how to purchase a horse! Now schedule a visit, and make sure you bring your checklist/notes and a savvy horse-person with you.