People have been shopping for horses locally for years, but nowadays, the border is not the limit and people tend to look for the perfect horse internationally. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t follow this trend and buy a house abroad, as long as you are aware of possible challenges and difficulties that may accompany this endeavor. Below, we listed 8 things one must keep in mind if they decide to purchase horses internationally – definitely check them out before venturing into foreign markets.
8 Tips for Buying Horses Internationally
There are several steps to go through before buying a horse, especially when purchasing it overseas. Here is some guidance for inexperienced horse buyers:
1. Establish what you look for in a horse.
As soon as you arrive in a foreign country and meet numerous horse sellers, as well as see various options you can choose from, you may get extremely overwhelmed with your choices and look at what is important. This is why listing your criteria and clearly noting any requests and specifications before you start shopping is very important.
2. Thoroughly research horse sellers.
Another thing one must do before buying a racehorse on foreign market is looking through potential vendors online, seeking out trustworthy sellers, weeding out suspicious offers. If you’re not capable of funding right sellers personally, study reviews online or contact your local specialists who can give you some pointers.
3. Get a local advisor.
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or an experienced international shopper, you will still benefit from consulting with a local specialist who knows all there is to know about the market you’re just seeing for the first time. Such a person can offer invaluable advice, which may help in finding the right seller, avoiding untrustworthy vendors, securing a better deal, as well as assisting with translation.
Once you buy your horse and are getting ready to transport it to your home country, you must start preparing documents to secure its transit. Here is where you may need to find some of the best translating websites that are equipped to facilitate proper document translation. Make your choice carefully to avoid discrepancies and mistakes in your documents, otherwise, you will likely run into serious trouble while crossing the border.
4. Give yourself a variety of choices.
Review numerous sellers and their offers before making your final choice. An international shopping trip will likely be a costly and lengthy endeavor, so you better secure many options, carefully go through them so that you don’t end up missing out on a perfect horse because of unpreparedness or insufficient diligence.
5. Always try horses personally.
With the ever-growing popularity of online shopping, many buyers want to save their time as well as money by shopping online. This way of shopping is a hit or miss, while the latter may cost you dearly. It is always better to take a trip for yourself, get to know the horse in person before buying it.
6. Film your experience.
If you travel on your own, filming yourself riding horses you consider buying is a great idea. Viewing the video will allow you to visually line up your options, double-check horses’ characteristics, and compare your options back-to-back rather than simply trusting your memory.
7. Schedule pre-purchase examination.
Get the chosen horse examined by a vet before purchasing – this will ensure that its condition is up to scrap and confirmed with your trusted specialist. Results of the said examination will also be a helpful addition to documentation that will help you meet equine import requirements for a problem-free journey back into your home country.
8. Take as much time as needed.
Don’t rush your decision – take your time while choosing a perfect horse. Although a prolonged international trip may cost extra money, give yourself enough time to weigh your options, make a thought-out decision, and properly prepare the horse for transit.
Time for Horse Shopping!
Now that you know what important points one should consider prior to buying a new horse internationally, you are equipped to make a more informed and well-considered decision. Be perceptive, patient, collected, and cautious while shopping for a horse abroad, but don’t lose your excitement in the process!
BIO: Andrew Samkowski
Andrew is a talented writer who is ready to fulfill any query his curious readers have. His research and analysis skills, added to by his years of practice as an online educator, allow him to compose informative, comprehensive, and creative articles. Andrew adores his audience and prefers targeting topics they need elaborating on.
