I have finally found a horse and am scheduled to go look at him tomorrow. He is a 3 yr old Appt Gelding. All my horses have been bought from friends or have been actually broke so I could ride them. This gelding has lived along his whole life and is only halter broke. I'm looking for questions you would ask if you were going to look at him.

I already have a short list but am curious and in search of more.

Thanks!

Always have a Pre purchase exam done. Worth the money to not buy something lame or that has an injury. Don't use their vet find your own.

I always ask certain questions when I go to see a horse. Do they tie? Load? Sound? Healthy? Pedigree info if they're registered. How long have the current owners had the horse? Pictures of the parents if it's a young one. I don't bother with pre purchase exams if I'm paying less than $1000. I haven't been burned on one yet. I ask to see them move around when I get there and make sure they don't look lame. I've seen enough lame horses to have a good eye for if something is off. I lead the horse around some and see what they think of me, because I don't want something terrified of me unless I'm buying something with zero training. If they claim the horse is broke, I test ride it. I don't trust people that won't let a buyer do anything with the horse before money changes hands. If he's a 3 year old, it's half expected for him to not be broke yet. A halter broke, sound, healthy, good looking 3 year old sounds like a nice thing to buy. I wouldn't considering buying something like a halter broke only 17 year old to train to ride. That's pointless when there are tons of young horses that training could be put in to. Honestly, go for if he makes a good first impression and doesnt have anything you can find wrong with him.

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My experience with a good first impression was a horse I bought in a papered sale. Is a biannual sale, and a buckskin gelding sold for 100k at the most recent one. It's not a slaughter sale. The horse was 11 and the owner was like her 3rd. He had used her for a broodmare and said she may have been green broke as a 2 year old. She was very pleasant to be around when we first looked at her. The auction lasted several days and she was stalled in the barn were the actual auction was being held. She doesn't like being stalled and didn't like noise, so she acted half wild when she was lead into the ring. We were the only people that bid on her. Everyone else thought she was crazy in that moment, which is why no one wanted her, and unbroke horses over 10 years old don't sell very well at that sale. We wanted a broodmare and liked her papers. 18 months later, we googled her name and found an ad from years ago that advertised her as broke. So I got on her, and she had a super nice handle and a good stop. 3 years later, we get in contact with the person that owned her when she was 2. Oh yeah, she had 30 days put on her when she was 2, then nothing for 9.5 years and she rode off perfect. She is an absolute dream to be around and I wouldn't trade her for the world. The only guarentee she came with was that she was 100% sound. I have a good dozen horses that I've just gone ahead and bought after just looking at them, and I've never had an issue other than one that was sold to me as crippled. I knew in advance that she was lame and that was fine with me. She was bought as a cheap friend for an old horse, and she made a nice companion. She also because totally sound after being put on nice dry ground and letting her feet have a chance to grow, so that turned out better than expected.

So, I went out to see this horse a couple of days ago. He was skinny, like way to skinny for a 3 year old., he had sketchy conformation with cow hocks he was so lazy that training was just going to be a big fight, like trying to train a mule and he's sat around his whole life. The owners were asking a 1000. He's not worth that, so I walked.

Sounds like a good call. A skinny 3 year old means he eithet has a major problem or wasn't taken care of. $1000 is too much for a colt with issues like that. I will say though, lazy doesn't always mean hard to train. My stallion is the king of lazy, like won't walk until you tell him to, but he is smart and responsive, just moved slow and smooth. Lazy can be super comfortable, but bad back legs and poor condition are big issues. I think you made a good call passing on him.

Good for you!

It's always kinda sketchy when an older horse has had no work done. Like WHY was he just sat in the pasture and only halter broke?? There is usually a reason that is hidden.

one thing make sure to ask, is does the horse shoe well? obviously if you keep the horses barefoot this doesnt apply. we bought a horse and asked all the quesions but that. farrier almost died from her kicking

That is a fair point. At my house, ours are barefoot 99% of the time. We did get a first set of shoes put on an 18 year old mare without anything happening though. I also wouldn't be surprised if a horse under 5 years old had never been shod because they usually won't need shoes until they're actively showing/working hard unless they have problem feet.

People are saying what to ask, but I would personally tell the buyer your current skills, your expectations for your horse, the living situation the horse will be in, and ask them to let you know if they think that this horse would be suitable for those things.