Equine animals and equestrian goods

Please note that these guides do not constitute legal advice and any information provided in the guides should not be construed as legal advice or legal interpretation. We do not accept any liability for any loss caused by your reliance on this guide.

The DoneDeal Guide to buying equine animals and equestrian goods

What you need to know about buying a horse/cob/pony

Do your research

  • Get advice from someone you can trust who has experience in buying a horse or pony
  • Have a good idea of what you are looking for before you go to the seller’s premises
  • Always go to the seller’s premises when viewing (do not meet elsewhere).
  • Know the lingo - cobs are small horses or large ponies by the way  

What owning a horse/cob/pony involves

What is the horse for?

  • If the horse/pony is for leisure riding, make sure it is quiet and experienced. Don’t go for a young or inexperienced animal
  • What is your level of riding experience? Do not bite off more than you can chew by buying an impressive horse that may be too much for you as a leisure rider.
  • What has the animal done? What level of equestrian discipline will you be partaking in: showjumping, eventing, hunting or simply hacking for leisure? There are usually videos and photos to back up a horse’s competition/activity record

Expenses

  • Horses and ponies are expensive to keep
  • Before you purchase make sure you have somewhere to keep the animal. In summer months they can live outdoors but in the winter months horses need to be stabled at night during cold weather.
  • Livery (keeping the horse at a yard) can cost from €70 per week for ‘DIY livery’, where you must muck out and feed the horse, to €100-120 per week for full livery, where the livery yard looks after everything
  • If you have your own facilities, remember you will also have to pay for: bedding (straw/shavings) at €10-20 per bale, lasting about a fortnight; hay/haylage at €20-30 per round bale, lasting about four weeks; and horse food at €10-15 per 20kg, lasting for one to two weeks. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of getting a farrier to shoe the horse every six to eight weeks (€50-70 for four shoes). 

Equipment

  • For leisure riding, you will need the basic riding equipment of a helmet, back protector, riding gloves and jodhpurs as well as tack for your horse – bridle and saddle – and a headcollar and leadrope for daily handling
  • You will also need indoor and outdoor rugs for your horse to keep it clean and warm.

Time

  • You will need to allocate time every day to look after and/or exercise your horse. Allow two to three hours daily for the mucking out, exercising and feeding regime
  • Remember, once you own a horse they have to be looked after every day (unless at grass in the summer months). Horses are creatures of habit and only benefit from a structured routine
  • A horse can live up to 25 years and far beyond in many cases. Be prepared for many years of looking after your equine. They will depend entirely on you, as their new owner.

Contacting and meeting a seller

What’s in the ad?

  • What is your price limit? Remember, sellers are often seasoned dealers so be sure not to be swayed on price
  • Is there a price on the ad? If not, be sure to ask what approximate price the seller wants; this will eliminate any time-wasting
  • Phone beforehand and ask any questions that are not covered in the ad.

Cut down on time-wasting

  • Arrange a suitable time to go to the seller’s premises to see the animal to help with your buying decision
  • Try not to waste each other’s time. If the animal is unsuitable do not be afraid to say so, there are plenty more equines for sale.

Viewing the animal

  • If you are buying a pony for a child, make sure to bring the child with you when viewing
  • It would be advisable for the horse/pony to be ridden as a trial when you see it. This is always at your own risk, so be sure to bring your safety gear (helmet, back protector, boots, etc).

Important things to check

Condition of the animal

  • Is the horse well looked after? Has it been vaccinated? Does it look healthy? Has it been wormed regularly (this is very important in equines)?

Veterinary

  • Horses will sometimes need veterinary attention. This can range from simple vaccinations to more serious assessments of lameness or ill health, for example
  • Before purchase, the horse may need a full veterinary examination. This costs approximately €100
  • A full veterinary exam is only necessary if the horse is to be used in competition and needs to be sold on again at a later stage. Ponies and cobs for leisure riding will generally not need to be examined before purchasing.

Official documents and paperwork

  • Make sure the animal has an identification document/passport book. These are now a legal requirement in horse ownership. If the horse has no ‘book’, it is possible to get one from Horse Sport Ireland but it will be an additional expense for you after purchase
  • Make sure you fill out the Transfer of Ownership form (available to download for free on www.horsesportireland.ie). Note that the transferral cost of €40 will need to be covered by you as the new owner.

Transport

  • You will need a horsebox to transport the horse from A to B (see our transport section).

What you need to know about buying a horsebox

Do your research

  • There are many types of horseboxes for sale, so make sure you know what you are looking for
  • Will you be using the horsebox frequently or just occasionally? Maybe you have a friend with a horsebox that you can borrow (see our equine notice board).

Types of horseboxes

There are horseboxes that:

  • carry two horses (double horseboxes)
  • those that carry one horse (single horseboxes)
  • and many different sizes of horse lorry for carrying anything from three to six or more.

What’s in the ad?

  • What is your price limit? Remember, sellers are often seasoned dealers so be sure not to be swayed on price
  • Is there a price on the ad? If not be sure to ask what approximate price the seller wants, as this will eliminate any time-wasting
  • Phone beforehand and ask any questions that are not covered in the ad
  • Does the ad have good-quality photos of the horsebox? If not, ask plenty of questions when arranging a viewing.

Seek advice

  • Ask someone experienced for advice and bring them along when viewing the item
  • Do you have your towing licence? This is a legal requirement in Ireland when towing certain weights.

Arranging to view

  • Always arrange to meet the seller at their own premises when viewing the horsebox
  • Ask plenty of questions about the horsebox. What age is it? Did they own it from new? Where did they purchase it? Try to make sure that the seller is trustworthy by asking various questions
  • All modern horseboxes have identity codes on their tow bar/hitch area so check that this has not been tampered with.

What to look out for

  • Is the horsebox in good condition?
  • Are its tyres in good order?
  • Most horseboxes have rubber matting on the floor – is this in good condition?
  • Check both inside and outside for any damage or to make sure that it has its partition (in the case of a double horsebox) and the front and rear bars for transporting the horses.

What you need to know about horse driving equipment

Seek advice

  • What do you want to buy? There are many types of driving equipment
  • Seek advice from someone you can trust and bring them along when viewing the equipment.

What are you looking for?

  • There are a number of types of driving carriages which can be pulled by a horse
  • There are traditional traps and carts (usually wooden with wooden-spoked wheels) that can carry approximately four people
  • There are also more lightweight ‘sulkies’ for trotting races. These tend to be made of a lightweight metal with two rubber-tyred, spoked wheels and generally carry one person.

What’s in the ad?

  • What is your price limit? Remember, sellers are often seasoned dealers so be sure not to be swayed on price
  • Is there a price on the ad? If not, be sure to ask what approximate price the seller wants as this will eliminate any time-wasting
  • Phone beforehand and ask any questions that are not covered in the ad.

Tack

  • For horse-drawn activities, you will need more than the usual riding tack
  • You will need specifically designed tack: a blinkered bridle with a driving bit and long reins; a collar; a straddle; and hames for attaching the shafts of the drawn vehicle to the horse
  • Horse-drawn activities and carriage driving need a high level of expertise and should not be attempted without prior knowledge or under the supervision of a knowledgeable carriage driver.

What’s in the ad?

  • What is your price limit? Remember, sellers are often seasoned dealers so be sure not to be swayed on price
  • Is there a price on the ad? If not, be sure to ask what approximate price the seller wants as this will eliminate any time-wasting
  • Phone beforehand and ask any questions that are not covered in the ad.

Photos and videos

  • Are there good-quality photos and/or videos in the ad?
  • Ask any questions that are not covered in the ad when you phone to arrange a viewing.

Be aware

  • Who are you buying from? Are they trustworthy?
  • Arrange to view the horse-drawn vehicle at the seller’s premises
  • If there are horses there, are they healthy and in good condition?
  • The use of lightweight trotting sulkies on roads is highly dangerous and the ISPCA is working to introduce bye-laws under the Control of Horses Act to combat this.

What you need to know about buying equestrian equipment

What type of equipment?

  • There are many types of equestrian equipment for sale
  • Use the search tool to narrow down what you are looking for on the DoneDeal site.

What’s in the ad?

  • What is your price limit? Remember, sellers are often seasoned dealers so be sure not to be swayed on price
  • Is there a price on the ad? If not, be sure to ask what approximate price the seller wants as this will eliminate any time-wasting
  • Phone beforehand and ask any questions that are not covered in the ad.

Safety equipment

  • If you are buying safety equipment (helmets, back protectors) make sure that they are in good condition and not too old, preferably under about five years, as safety standards in equestrian equipment are constantly evolving
  • If you are buying a riding helmet, in particular, make sure it has not suffered any major impact. If it has, it may be damaged so will not be safe to use
  • Ask the seller how old it is, and did they buy it from new?
  • Make sure the helmet/back protector is up to safety standards. Is it kitemarked? You will find this inside the helmet, on the label
  • Make sure the safety equipment is the correct fit or it may not perform properly.

Wear and tear

  • If you are buying a bridle, saddle or leather equipment, make sure it is all in good order
  • Have the leather goods been well looked after? Have they been regularly treated with saddle soap or neatsfoot oil? Are there any obvious signs of wear and tear? Is there any obvious cracking of the leather?

Correct fit

  • With saddles, it is very important that they fit your horse correctly. It may be necessary to arrange a fitting by bringing your horse with you (if this is suitable for you and the seller)
  • Bridles, martingales and breastplates are generally sized pony, cob and full-size
  • Make sure that any equestrian clothing fits you properly or, if it’s for someone else, bring them along to make sure it fits.

What you need to know about buying horse feed and/or bedding

What are you looking for?

  • There are many types of feed and bedding for equines
  • Do your research and ask someone in the know before you go to purchase
  • Bring someone knowledgeable with you when viewing
  • Always view the item for sale at the seller’s premises.

Horse feed

  • ‘Hard feed’ for horses/ponies – coarse mixes, nuts and cereals (oats, maize, barley etc) – can be bought in 20-25 kg bags (approximately €10-15 per bag) or in large bulk orders of varying prices
  • Horse feed is generally sold at co-ops, farm shops or veterinary premises.

What type of feed?

  • ‘Hard’ horse feed ranges in quality, energy and vitamin levels, all of which are detailed on the product’s labelling
  • Be sure not to overfeed your horse/pony. A leisure/hacking animal will only need a low-energy, oat-free 10% protein feed, whereas a competition horse will need a 12-15% protein feed with high-energy cereals
  • It is always important to remember the old equine saying, ‘feed little and often’.

Hay

  • Horses that are stabled or on insufficient grass will need to be fed ‘ad lib’ hay or haylage
  • A round bale of hay costs €20-25 and will last one horse about three to four weeks
  • Square bales of hay cost approximately €3 each and last one horse about five days.

Haylage and silage

  • A round bale of haylage costs approximately €25, but because it is fermented grass wrapped in plastic it needs to be used within one week of opening or it will become mouldy and dangerous to ingest
  • You can purchase small square bales of haylage for approximately €8, which will last one horse about four days
  • When purchasing haylage make sure the outer plastic wrapping has no holes or tears as this causes mould
  • Silage is a further fermented type of forage and costs approximately the same as wrapped haylage, but of the two, haylage is more suited to equine digestion.

Bedding

  • There are many types of bedding for equines: straw, shavings, shredded paper, shredded rubber, rubber matting, etc.

What are your bedding requirements?

  • Straw is generally the most economical type of bedding. A round bale will cost €10-15 depending on how good the autumn harvest has been, and will last one horse approximately two to three weeks
  • Wood shavings cost approximately €6-8 per square bale but you will need two bales to give a good base. You will need one bale per week per horse.

Transportation

  • As with any feeding/bedding type, it becomes cheaper when bought in bulk
  • Some sellers will deliver to your premises in bulk for free, or for an extra charge if buying in smaller quantities
  • Consider whether you could transport the feeding or round bales yourself.

Storage

  • It is very important that hay and straw are stored in a dry area like a shed, otherwise they will be affected by bad weather
  • With wrapped haylage/silage/shavings be sure that there are no holes in the wrapping that could cause mould to develop. They can be stored outside if the wrapping is intact.