Buying a mare

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Miss_Fortune

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If youve seen a mare that has caught your interest, what questions would you ask? I have seen this mare a couple times but never for more then a minute or two. She is the sweetest thing ever! She is the first one to come up to you & she will not leave you alone. She is almost 10 yrs old, bay roan & has three stockings, a bald face & one blue eye. She has long legs & a long neck & is a "B". She is built to be a halter horse but has never been shown. So what questions would you ask? I have already asked a few but I cant think of many more, im sure im forgetting something. thanks for your help.

Lorna
 
heres a few that come to mind

health history---has she ever colicked, foundered, etc etc

foaling record

pedigree

bite if you havent seen it

vaccinations

worming
 
Did she have to HAVE intervention to help deliver the foal?

Did she have any infections /problems after delivering the foal- any health problems - does she HAVE to be given any special supplements to maintain good health (other than normal)?

Did she have enough milk for the foal to nurse until reasonable weaning time?

Has she had problems with colic?

Is her weight hard to maintain during pregnancy & nursing?

Very important - How many LIVE foals did the mare have? Years ago I knew someone that bought a horse locally & was told that his mare had all buckskin foals. Years later when he could not get a live foal he was informed from someone other than the seller that all but one were dead foals.

Does the mare have to be given regumate to maintain her pregnancies? Having been through that with a mare that we bought from a local breeder we soon learned that regumate does not always result in a live foal.

Does she have any foals so that you can see how they matured? Very important if you are going to breed & sell quality foals.

Best of luck if you buy her.
 
What are you looking to do with her? For instance if you want her for a broodmare you would want to know her foaling record, does she foal every year??? Is she on regimate (sp)? Does she have a thyroid problem. Does she have problems foaling? Does she come into heat regular? Depends how honest this person is too, to get honest answers.
 
Well I wasnt planning on breeding any time soon. She was exposed though & a vet will be out there the 26th. I dont feel I am ready to breed & I also dont feel I know enough about all that. How ever if she is bred I can get help & the woman I may buy her from is a close friend who could help me with any questions or problems I have. I really want a mare I can be competitive with in the show ring. Id eventually like to breed her. Thanks for all the great questions. Anymore would be great!

Lorna
 
If what you are looking for is a show horse and not a broodmare then I would really look at conformation. If you are not up to speed on conformation then I would have someone who"s opinion you respect look at the horse. I would also want to know what everyone has posted for future reference when I decided to breed her. I have mostly done halter horses of various breeds so conformation is not a problem for me and I can look through hair and dirt if necessary but I want the horse that stands out in a herd of horses with a look at me attitude. My friend Sandy (sedeh) has a very nice mare that she hadn't even considered and we didn't see up close up but across the pasture she caught my eye and we went back and looked at her closely and she bought her. If there is a special something about a horse that is out of condition, fat, hairy but makes you look twice, just think what that horse will do once you get them in show shape.
 
Whether I want her for breeding, driving or showing at halter, one of my first questions is "what kind of movement does she have". Mind you, you can't always go by the answer you get on that one--your idea of good or floating or high action might be quite different from mine--and often times the seller doesn't even know how the horse moves, really, because he/she just hasn't paid any attention at all.

And, even if the seller offers to put the horse on the longe line or chase it around the pasture, you don't necessarily see the horse's true movement.

But, I always ask!
 
I think the first question I'd ask is "Is she for sale?" LOL
 
I'm with Virginia, "is she for sale"
laugh.gif


BUT, you say you want a show horse that can eventually be a broodmare -- you've seen her a couple of times but, only for a minute or two each time. You describe a delightfully friendly horse & must feel her to be pleasant to see.

AT NO TIME have you said that you took the time to check her conformation. Now that is important for both of your "wants" -- show & breeding -- critcal even
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If I were you, I'd take a hard look at her form, then her movement and if you still thought what you saw was "show & breeding quality" ask if she's for sale. THEN ask all those other important things, but only then.
 
I was assuming you wanted her for a broodmare.... If she is for sale, is there someone knowledgable in your area to check out her conformation for you. I am not saying the owner does not have that ability but sometimes owners are barnblind. Also if the owner has never shown or has not been to any sanctioned shows in the last few years they may be surprised at how much the quality of show horses have increased............................. If it is a show horse that you are seeking, then it would be worth while for you to take your time to learn about conformation. It is expensive to show & if you are going to put out the money you surely don't want to have to start over again when you realize the one you bought just doesn't cut it......................... We started out in 86 with a $5,500 filly bought from a farm that we assumed would be glad to help us newbies get started on the right path - free advertising for them right. Not! We were assured that our filly was top quality etc, etc but we soon learned otherwise. We started watching the horses that were winning, talked to the exhibitors, learned more about conformation, bought a few more & we soon were also in the ribbons................. Just remember, a quality show horse will be a quality broodmare.
 
Thanks for all the great questions. The mare is for sale thats why I was asking. I wanted to make sure I didnt forget anything.

Thanks again

Lorna
 

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