Page 58 • MARCH 2011 • PACIFIC COAST JOURNAL Ride and Slide with Bill Buying and Selling Well the weather is warming up, in
some parts of the country anyway, and it is a great time to get outside and ride. It is a time of year where people look at getting a horse or a new horse. For horse lovers, it is an exciting process and can be overwhelm- ing. There are a lot of horses out there and with the economy the last couple of years, some good deals. But there is also the process of sorting through the horses for the one that is right for you. You need to find one that is going to suit your purpose and riding ability, in your price range and is sound and healthy.
Finding the right horse With modern technology we have a
variety of avenues for researching horses for sale. The internet is a wonderful tool to find horses if you are shopping or advertise if you are selling. There are a lot of web- sites that specialize in just marketing hors- es. You can research horses in relation to their history, earnings, pedigree and all sorts of information. You can see photo’s of the horses straight away and even watch a video of the horse before you even make any contact. If you don’t like a horse move to the next. If you do, you can move for- ward with a little confidence that the horse is worth your extra investigation. Now if you are looking at marketing a
tage. The first thing I look at is the picture. Do I like the look of the horse? So if you are selling make sure you have a good pic- ture. I see some ads where the horse is standing at a funny angle or the legs are in a weird position. A bad photo can make a good horse look unattractive or a good photo can make an average horse look bet- ter than average. If the horse is a reiner and I have a stopping picture, I will use that. If I am using a side profile picture, I am par- ticular about having the legs so that the two closest to the camera are square to the body and the two away from the camera are a lit- tle inside them. That way I can see all four legs and the horse looks proportional. I will also take multiple photos from different angles to find the one where the horse looks its best. I’m fairly tall so I will often lower myself a little to have the camera level with the horses body. This seems to produce a more realistic picture of the horse. And of course, try to get the horse to prick his ears. I will also make a video of the horse
and post it on youtube. That way I can refer potential purchasers to the video. It is a great marketing tool and free.
Making contact Once you have found a horse and you
contact the owner or agent don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is your chance to find out if a horse is going to suit you and if it worth the test ride. Purchasing a horse is a big decision, with a lot of money involved in both purchase price and ownership costs. If a horse is not going to suit you, move onto the next one, even though you may like its pretty mane. As an agent selling horses, if my horse is not what you are after, just tell me. You are not going to hurt my feelings. I realize it is nothing personal. If you tell me what you don’t like about the horse, I may know of another that may suit. Your goal is to satisfy yourself and make yourself happy with the purchase of the horse.
horse, use the internet to you fullest advan- We all want a pretty horse but most of all
Bill Norwood grew up showing all around horses in his native Australia. Competing in classes ranging from halter to reining and everything in between, he won 10 National Championships. He came to America in the late 90's to ride reining horses. Success has followed with NRHA Limited Open Futurity Championship, NRHA Open Futurity finalist, NRHA Intermediate Open Derby Res. Championship, NRBC Intermediate Open Finalist and numerous other titles. His NRHA earning exceed $72,000. He operates Norwood Performance Horses in Murrieta California with his wife Kelli and children Austin and Ella. For more information go to
www.norwoodperformancehorses.com
the horse must suit your purpose and riding ability. Pretty is as pretty does in my book. Don’t get me wrong, I do love that in a pret- ty package too but the horse must suit the purpose your bought him for. When look- ing for the horse you also need to have clear understanding of your riding ability. If you are just starting out in horses or a specific discipline, get yourself some professional advice. A few dollars up front for a profes- sional opinion can save you the problem of owning a horse that is not suitable for you. Once you have contacted the seller and
like what you hear, arrange to go and see the horse and try him. Personally I like to see the horse in his stall when I arrive. That way I see how he is in the stall, how he comes out and what he is like to saddle. Is he stiff coming out of the stall or cinchy to saddle? I want to minimize any unwanted surprises if I buy the horse and take him home. If he is already saddled and leg wraps on when I walk in the barn, I always question if they have ridden the horse already. Again if you are new to horses or the discipline, seek assistance from a pro- fessional. If you are going to try a horse for a specific purpose, then you need to try the horse at that. If you are buying a reining horse, then ride him in the arena, doing reining maneuvers. If you just want the horse for going down the trail, take him down the trail. Know what you are buying.
Vet check or not Personally I always recommend peo-
ple get a vet check. Now as to the extent of the vet check may depend on the cost of the horse and intended purpose. I don’t knowif I would do a $2000 vet check on a $5000 trail horse but a $100,000 reiner, I would want to know if it had a pimple on its butt. No matter the cost of the horse I recom-
mend a vet check. Any amount of money for a horse you cant use for your intended purpose is too much. There is not just the purchase price to consider but also the ongoing maintenance and ownership costs or resaleablity. When chosing a vet it is important to
use one experienced in the breed or disci- pline of horse you are buying. When look- ing at a trained horse they may have some changes going on from their physical work in the past. Some of these wont affect what you want to use him for, some may require maintenance and some may make him unsuitable. An experienced vet will be able to separate these for you and also alert you of any conformational concerns in relation to the suitability of the horse to purpose. Vets don’t pass or fail horses in veteri-
nary exams. Their job is to advise you of the physical and health condition of the horse and it soundness. Anything abnormal they find they will advise you of such and implications of such for the expected use of the horse. It is then your decision from this whether to buy the horse or not. If your happy with the results of the
vet exam and decide to buy the horse I hope you enjoy what is one of the greatest ani- mals on earth. If at any point in the pur- chase, whether it be trying the horse or even after spending money on a vet exam and the results are not what you want, walk away. For me there is nowhere I’m more at
home than on the back of a horse. For everybody thats want to ride a horse there is one suitable but it can take some searching. Never be in a hurry. Know what you want and be prepared to do some looking. I will close this month with a quote fromWinston Churchill, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Ride, slide and have fun.
Oakdale, Ca
Specializing in Reining Colt Starting
TRAINING • SALES • BOARDING *Non ProsWelcome*
Lisa Macauley (209) 765-1676 • Email:
lmacauleyreiners@hughes.net
ELVIS’S 1ST
NMSU Truckin Chex BORN, 1ST
TO SHOW, 1ST CASHIN NU CHEX 2006 CRCA Non Pro Futurity Champion
Amateur Fut. Champion • Stallion Stakes Fut. Champion Reno - Snaffle Bit Futurity Amateur 6th Place
Fee: $2,000 LFG Shipped Semen Available
(520) 906-4852 Tucson, AZ. •
kevin@dakotacom.net
TO WIN
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