Negotiating When Buying a Horse

It’s taken some time and thought, but you’ve finally found the perfect horse for you. After many visits and vet exams, you’re ready to take the leap into buying a horse. But first you have to consider the price, and whether you can or cannot negotiate. 

Buying a horse can be hard, emotionally and financially, but taking the time to research and consider your decision can make it a much easier process. Before you start talking prices with an owner, read how to approach the pricing situation correctly so that you come away with the right horse at the right price.

How to Negotiate

You know what the seller is asking for the horse, but is the price negotiable? While not all owners are willing to negotiate on a price, some are. Be honest with an owner and ask if they are willing to negotiate before you start calculating a price that you deem fair for the horse. 

If the owner is receptive to negotiation, than you can start considering all the factors of the horse and come up with a number that you are happy with. When it comes to negotiation, the consensus is that a 10 to 20 percent reduction in price is generally a reasonable offer. Asking for a much larger discount from the owner at the last second can be seen as a waste of the owner’s time, as well as your own, so tread carefully when negotiating.

How to Price a Horse

When it comes to pricing horses, consider the horse’s age, height, experience, potential, soundness, and rideability. By now, you should have had a vet look over the horse. If the vet has raised any concerns you are cautious about, then keep those in mind when pricing the horse. Other interested buyers in the horse may affect the price you can ask for. 

If you have found the horse that matches everything you’re looking for, then try not to get too bogged down in the price. Chances are that the horse of your dreams could very well be the same for someone else. So move quickly while preparing an offer if it is a horse you do not want to lose out on. Timing can often be essential when dealing with horse buying and selling.