No one wants to come home with the wrong horse. It's important to know the red flags when buying. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dishonest sellers that lie about their horses. They may say how healthy, sound, and quiet the horse is, only for you to discover they were drugged or excessively exercised beforehand. This advice can help you avoid a potentially nasty situation!

Top Red Flags When Buying a New Horse

1. No vet checks allowed: Run! If the seller won't permit a vet check (at the buyer's expense), then they are likely hiding something. You should also be able to select any vet you want.

2. Sweaty horse: It's wise to look at the horse's saddle and girth area. Are they wet with sweat? It could be an indicator that the horse was worked before you got there. The seller may have wanted to calm down a high energy horse. Proceed with caution!

3. Horse is saddled: The horse could of been saddled ahead of time to hide their various saddling vices like kicking out or biting. Furthermore, the seller may be covering up a scar or flaw. Always ask to watch the horse be saddled. You can learn a lot about them this way!

4. Facility is questionable: Is the stable clean and organized? Do the other horses look healthy? Be wry of barns with skinny or sickly looking horses. You don't know what the horses could of been exposed to. The last thing buyers want is to buy a horse with strangles or some kind of fungus.

5. Handshake deals: Red flag alert! Some people may be old school, but it's wise to have everything written on paper and signed. Don't give a down payment without a receipt. And make sure any agreements are clearly spelled out in the contract.

Don't let what is supposed to be a happy time turn into a nightmare of an experience! Horse shopping can be fun if you avoid these red flags.

Check out these: 20 Questions To Ask When Buying A Horse!

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