The Complete Pre-Purchase Checklist for South African Buyers

Print this checklist before viewing any horse. 30+ items covering temperament, soundness, paperwork, and the questions sellers hope you forget to ask.

8 min read

This is the checklist we wish every South African horse buyer would print, fold into their pocket, and bring to every viewing. It is built from years of seeing what buyers regret — the questions not asked, the corners cut, and the assumptions that turned into expensive mistakes.

Before the Viewing

✅ Define your discipline, height, age range, and budget in writing
✅ Check the horse's listing carefully — note any inconsistencies
✅ Search the seller online — yard reviews, social media history
✅ Ask for recent photos and a short video
✅ Confirm the horse is still available and the price is firm
✅ Bring a knowledgeable friend or instructor
✅ Bring a riding hat, boots, and gloves

On Arrival at the Yard

✅ Observe the yard — clean, calm, well-managed?
✅ Ask to see the horse in its stable first — undisturbed
✅ Watch the horse being caught and led out
✅ Note overall condition: weight, coat, eye, attitude
✅ Check feet condition and shoeing
✅ Look for any visible scars, lumps, swellings

Handling and Tacking Up

✅ Watch the horse being groomed — any sensitivity?
✅ Watch the saddle being placed — any flinching, swishing, or pinning ears?
✅ Watch the girth being tightened gradually
✅ Watch the bridle going on — head-shy?
✅ Watch the horse being led to the arena — calm, willing?

Under Saddle (Seller Rides First)

✅ Watch in walk, trot, canter on both reins
✅ Watch transitions and changes of direction
✅ Note rhythm, willingness, contact
✅ For jumpers: watch over poles and small fences
✅ For dressage: watch lateral work appropriate to the level
✅ Note any obvious lameness, stiffness, or behavioural issues

Your Ride

✅ Walk first — never get straight on and trot
✅ Trot both reins, canter both reins
✅ Test transitions — does it respond to your aids?
✅ Try a simple change of pace or direction
✅ Ride outside the arena if possible
✅ Note: does this feel like a horse you could ride happily for years?

Questions to Ask the Seller

Why is this horse for sale?
Who has owned and ridden this horse?
Has the horse had any lameness, surgery, or treatment?
Is the horse on any supplements, joint injections, or medication?
How does the horse behave in traffic, alone, in new environments?
How does the horse load and travel?
Is the horse easy to clip, shoe, and stable?
What does the horse eat? How much?
Is the horse insured, registered, and microchipped?
Are passport, registration, and vaccination records available?

Paperwork

✅ Passport with up-to-date vaccinations
✅ Microchip number matching the passport
✅ Breed registration papers (if relevant)
✅ Competition record (if applicable)
✅ Recent vet history (request if available)

Before Committing

✅ Sleep on it — never buy on the day of the first viewing
✅ Discuss with your instructor or trainer
✅ Compare with at least two other horses you have viewed
✅ Arrange a 5-stage pre-purchase exam with an independent vet
✅ Add x-rays for horses over R100,000 or competition-bound
✅ Negotiate a written sale agreement with terms
✅ Plan transport and insurance before handover

After Purchase

✅ Activate insurance immediately
✅ Transfer registration
✅ Quarantine for 7–14 days at your yard
✅ Allow 4–6 weeks before competing — settle first
✅ Build a relationship before asking too much

Download, print, and bring this. The horses you walk away from will thank you as much as the one you eventually bring home.

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