There are many considerations to be taken into account before buying a horse - in addition to considering the cost of buying a horse and the cost of keeping a horse to ensure it is affordable, the potential owner needs to consider carefully whether they will have sufficient time and experience to look after a horse or pony. Owning a horse or pony will require a regular daily commitment from the owner all year round and at the very least a basic knowledge of caring for a horse or pony is essential.

All these important factors must be given careful consideration before looking for that special horse or pony to ensure that it can be cared for properly.

Consideration will also need to be given as to where the horse or pony is to be kept and whether it is to be kept at grass, stabled or a combination of both. This decision may be determined by costs, lifestyle, personal preference and facilities available.

If facilities are not available to keep the horse or pony at home, there are a number of livery yards and these usually offer a variety of different livery options at different prices. Not all livery yards however offer grass livery all year round and some do not offer grass livery. Some livery yards may also be full and even have waiting lists. Therefore it is important to check out livery options, prices and availablity prior to buying a horse and when calculating if owning a horse is affordable.

Once it has been ascertained that a potential owner can afford the finance and time required to own a horse or pony, has sufficient experience to care for it properly and the decision has been made as to how and where the horse or pony is to be kept consideration can then be given to the type of horse to look for.