Horse Ownership Commandments

Aka - Guidelines for Successful Horse Buying and Ownership

1. If you do not have several years dealing with a person who is trying to sell you a horse or horse product, assume they are lying. Use the old adage, trust, but verify!

2. Before you purchase a horse, have an independent valuation performed on the horse.

3. Assume a horse product will not work as advertised, so exercise great caution and avoid cheap fixes before you part with your hard earned dollars.

4. Breeding horses is a challenge and a very cyclical market unless you have a championship horse.

5. Understand what “championship” horse means. There are regional champions and national champions.

6. Invest your dollars for the long term and avoid inexpensive, short term solutions. It may cost you more initially, but you will not have to go back in a few years and spend your hard earned dollars again to replace or repair the cheap fix.

7. Horses only understand fear, food, fun and your ranking in their herd.

8. Horses are not pets and you must exercise great caution around an animal that is 1000 pounds or more. They can and will hurt you, either intentionally or by accident.

9. Once a horse understands you are not a predator, each sees you as part of the herd, and will seek to dominate you. You must establish a dominate relationship with all your horses.

10. Horses require care, which means money. Before you buy, volunteer at a ranch or farm and get a first hand experience to care for a horse.

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