There are important things about purchase contract that you should know when buying a horse. You should be aware of what a purchase contact must contain and what your legal rights are.

First, you must understand that when you purchase a horse, you buy it as is. Meaning, the duty to examine the horse prior to the purchase is on you. You cannot sue the seller for any defects gone unnoticed and found after the purchase. However, the as is nature of the transaction can change for the following reasons and situations.

1. If the seller breached the written contract.

Keep everything that has something to do with the horse you are buying in a written contract. If you get a Bill of Sale, be sure that the information is complete. These information should be the name, age, breed, color and sex of the horse as well as other distinguishing factors.

You can only sue the seller if the breach is material or if any of the elements stated in the contract is untrue. For example, you found out that the age of the horse when you bought it was a lot older than what the contract said. This is a cause for legal action because the lifespan of the horse is a lot lesser than you expected.

However, not all breach is material. For example, the Bill of Sale stated that the horse was 6 years old when you bought it when in fact it was only 5 years old. In such case, the law might not find you damaged.

2. If you can prove that the seller made an intentional misrepresentation

A written contract can be overcome if you can prove that the seller engaged in fraud. This can be very difficult because you will have to prove that the seller made an intentional misrepresentation designed to make you buy the horse.

For example, the seller told you when you bought the horse that it is healthy and sound. And then you found out later that the horse has a disease before you bought it. However, it will be difficult to prove that the seller is aware of the disease.

3. If the seller published a false advertisement.

If the seller published an advertisement which contains specific statements that could be interpreted as part of the bargain, you can have recourse.

For example, the ad said that the horse do not have vices. But immediately after purchasing the horse, you found out that the horse cribs or chews wood. This is clearly an example of vice that the ad states the horse does not have.

4. If the seller has a higher, definite obligation to you.

You may have recourse if the seller is also your instructor. This is because as an instructor, he or she has an affirmative duty to help you buy the right horse above and beyond the normal sellers contractual obligations.

5. If the seller is governed by the UCC

If the seller is a merchant, he or she is governed by UCC or Uniform Commercial Code. The Uniform Commercial Code the governing policy of the sales of goods from merchants. The seller can be considered as merchant if he or she makes a regular income with horse transactions.

If the seller is a merchant, the transaction must come with merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. These two are implied warranties that come with the purchase of horse. Regardless of the contract, the horse must be reasonably sound and healthy, and suited to its purpose. But this can only be excepted if done so in writing.

Therefore, in buying a horse, get as much as you can in writing. It is a buyer beware situation, so do not lose your head.

Posted under Horses

Horse training is defined as a wide variety of practices that teach horses to perform certain behaviors when asked to do so by humans. Horses are trained so that we, humans, can manage them.

Horses are also trained for use in horse racing activities and other sports. Licensed medical professionals use them for therapeutic purposes. Some train their horses for recreational activities, police assistance, and movie and circus entertainment.

Horses need to be trained so that they will not harm people as they are larger and stronger than us. And because horses cannot think like humans do, it is our responsibility to think of ways to effectively communicate with them. Training of horses may not be so difficult because they are social animals. Meaning, they are used to following a certain leader.

Aside from being working animals, horses are also prey animals and they have a biological response to acute stress. They have a well developed fighting-or-fleeing instinct, which means that they react to threats by fighting or fleeing. It is our responsibility, as humans, to teach them to determine the appropriate response.

Like most animals, younger horses are easier to teach than older horses, therefore, it is better if horses are handled from a very early age. There are several ways in which horses can be trained. Some use the concept of imprinting, which is the training of foals by exposing them to human as a substitute for the parent horses. On the other hand, some people believe that leaving the young horses for its first few hours or days to allow the foal to bond with its mother is important.

In its first year, a foal is halter broken, which means that it allows a halter placed upon its head. A halter, a headcollar or headstall, is a headgear that is used to lead or tie up a horse. Using a halter, a trainer leads a foal to walk and trot, since it is still too young to be ridden. With the halter, it is also taught to stop on command and to stand tied.

These basic skills are important because foals need to be calm for basic grooming and veterinary care. Foals must also be taught to be caught from a field and be loaded into a horse trailer. They must also be exposed to the noises and commotion of ordinary human activities so that they do not fear noise as well as flapping objects.

The next step to basic training is the ground training, by which young horses are prepared for riding while keeping them accustomed to humans. There are several techniques used in ground training. These are free longeing, longeing, sacking out, and ground driving or long-lining. They are also introduced to saddles, bridles, harness and bits.

The age for which a horse is backed or ridden depends on the breed of the horse and the discipline the horse will be used for. If a horse had adequate ground training, it is easier to be ridden. Specialized training for a particular discipline or set of disciplines should be introduced if the horse has mastered the basic skills under a saddle.

Posted under Horses

If you are thinking of owning a horse, you must be ready to take the responsibilities that go with it. There are lots of expenses involved in it too. You will have to have enough land where your horse can move around or else you will have to board your horse. But most importantly, you will have to provide it with continuous attention and care.

Boarding rates vary from places to places, depending on the local market. One of the things that can affect boarding rates is the source of hay. If the hay is imported from another place, boarding will be more expensive than if the hay is grown locally. When looking for a barn, ask what are being charged and what fees are included and consider the distance of the barn from your house.

Continuous training is also vital as it helps you and your child to avoid having problems with the horse. It also promotes safe practices in the barn. Hire a professional instructor to teach you or your child horse riding lessons. Horse riding lessons can cost between $1,000 and $2,500 a year.

You will have to spend money for your horses trimming and shoeing. Horses hooves grow and you will have to trim or reshod your horses hooves about every 6 to 8 weeks, which may cost between $75 and $125. Corrective shoeing, which is sometimes required to keep your horse sound, can cost even higher.

Another important thing to give your horse is veterinary care, which can cost $30 bucks or so. Even if your horse is not sick, it is still necessary to have it checked up. Twice a year vaccinations, de-worming every six to eight weeks, and teeth floating once a year are the basic routine care.

You might also want to buy a saddle for you and your child that will fit your horse or else, you will end up spending more time and money on a sore-backed horse. Do not buy a brand new saddle because it is not necessary and not recommended. You do not have to buy another saddle for your child until it is outgrown. You might also want to purchase a bridle, saddle pad and bits, which can cost below $750 with a decent saddle included.

You will need grooming equipment and tack such as brushes, hoof picks, fly spray, ointments for small injuries, leg wraps, shampoos, blankets and sheets. If you do not want to haul these grooming supplies out to the barn each time, you can purchase a tack trunk. Ask the professional in the barn for help in getting these things. He or she can provide you with information on where to get cheaper products.

With some horses, you might need to spend money for supplements. Unexpected expenses can also occur. This includes surgery expenses in cases of accidents. You should also have a budget for equestrian tack and equipment replacements.

Posted under Horses