A horse is a long-term commitment, and the purchase price is only one part of the financial picture. Where the horse will live, who will care for it, how you will haul it and what happens if it gets hurt all matter as much as the horse itself. This guide covers what to look for when buying or leasing, from deciding what you need to reading the contract. It is general information. Rancho LA Guide does not sell horses, broker sales or recommend any seller, lessor or professional.
Table of Contents
- Decide what you need first
- Buying versus leasing
- Common lease types
- Putting a lease in writing
- Where to look
- The pre-purchase exam
- Paperwork and California rules
- Trying the horse
- The full cost of keeping a horse
- Red flags
- Before you sign
Decide what you need first
Before looking at any horse, write down what you want it to do, how long you expect to keep it and what you can spend, including ongoing costs. A horse suited to a first-time adult trail rider may be very different from one suited to competitive showing, so matching the horse to your ability and intended use matters.
If you have a trainer or instructor, bring them into the search early. An experienced second opinion is worth more than any listing description. Our directory lists trainers and instructors across the county.
Buying versus leasing
Buying gives you full control and the chance to build a long relationship, but it also means the purchase price and responsibility for the horse's care while you own it, including planning for retirement or other long-term care and for the risk that it becomes unsound or unsuitable.
Leasing lets you ride or compete without buying the horse, and it limits your responsibility to the agreed lease term. USEF's guide to leasing notes that leasing costs less than owning, but it is not automatically inexpensive: a full lease can require both a lease fee and payment of board, veterinary care, farrier care and other expenses. A lease can also work as a trial: some leases include an option to buy the horse at an agreed price at the end of the term, which Equus magazine describes as a way to try a horse first.
Neither is better in every case. Leasing suits people who are still learning what they want, who may relocate, or who do not want a long-term commitment. Buying suits people with a stable plan for where the horse will live and who is ready for the cost.
Common lease types
Terms vary by barn and by region, so ask each person to explain exactly what they mean. USEF describes four common types:
- Full lease. The lessee pays an agreed fee and covers the horse's expenses, such as board, feed, veterinary and farrier care and training. It usually gives the most riding time.
- Half (partial) lease. The lessee shares the horse with the owner or another rider, rides on set days and splits expenses.
- Care (feed) lease. The lessee pays no upfront fee but covers the horse's care costs. Terms can be fixed or month to month.
- Show lease. The horse is leased for a specific show, circuit or season.
Putting a lease in writing
Whatever the type, get it in writing. USEF says a written contract is essential and should cover the lease duration, the financial obligations (lease fees and care costs), each party's responsibilities for managing the horse, what happens if the horse is injured, ill or unable to perform, and who makes and pays for veterinary decisions. Equus adds that insurance on the horse is important in case it is hurt or becomes sick while you are responsible for it. If you plan to compete, check USEF and any applicable affiliate rules for lease registration, points and eligibility. Under USEF rule GR1108, the lease form and fees must be received on or before the first day of competition for points to count for a recorded horse, and for Hunter/Jumper/Equitation divisions lease registrations and fees must also be submitted to USHJA.
Ask also who can ride the horse, where it will be kept, what happens if either side wants to end the lease early, and what condition the horse must be returned in.
Where to look
Start with people who know horses and know you. A trainer or instructor can often point you toward suitable horses and will know what you can handle. Your veterinarian and farrier see many horses and barns, and breed and discipline associations can help if you want a specific type. Barns that run lesson programs sometimes lease out their horses, so ask there too.
Our directory also has a Horses for Sale & Lease category, which lists businesses that say they sell or lease horses. A listing is not an endorsement, and Rancho LA Guide does not vouch for any business, its horses or its terms, so confirm every detail yourself and use the checks in this guide with anyone you consider.
The pre-purchase exam
A pre-purchase exam is a veterinary examination of the horse you are thinking of buying. Extension Horses, a national Cooperative Extension resource, describes a basic exam as covering the horse's history, eyes, ears, mouth and teeth, temperature, respiration, and heart and lung sounds, a hands-on check of the head, body, legs and hooves, and then watching the horse move, including under saddle. It notes that radiographs are not routinely taken without clinical findings unless the buyer requests them, and it lists endoscopy and other special tests for situations that may warrant them. Extra tests add cost.
Points worth knowing:
- Choose your own veterinarian. The buyer should choose the examiner, ideally someone familiar with the breed or the work the horse will do, and should be present for the exam. The American Association of Equine Practitioners' guidelines for purchase examinations address conflicts of interest mainly at auctions, where they say radiographs should be interpreted by a veterinarian who represents the potential buyer's interests, and that using the seller's veterinarian's reports can create problems for everyone involved. The same principle is sensible in a private sale.
- It does not pass or fail the horse. Extension Horses states that the purpose of the exam is not to pass or fail the horse but to inform the buyer of existing or potential problems that could make the horse unsuitable for its intended use.
- Suitability is your decision. The AAEP guidelines say the veterinarian should express no opinion on suitability for the intended purpose, which they describe as the buyer's business judgment.
- Agree on the tests and costs in advance. Decide before the exam which optional tests you can afford.
- There are no guarantees. Even a clean exam informs a decision and does not promise a good outcome.
Our directory lists veterinarians who make barn calls, but a listing is not an endorsement. Ask the veterinarian about their experience with pre-purchase exams for your type of horse.
Paperwork and California rules
- Brand inspection. California's Bureau of Livestock Identification states in its frequently asked questions that a brand inspection is not required for a horse in California. That differs from the rules for cattle, so do not assume cattle rules apply.
- Bringing a horse in from another state. California's equine entry requirements generally require a certificate of veterinary inspection documenting an inspection within 30 days before entry, official identification on the certificate, and a negative equine infectious anemia (Coggins) test from a USDA-approved laboratory within the preceding 12 months. Exceptions apply. The fact sheet we reviewed is dated October 2024, so confirm the current requirements with the California Department of Food and Agriculture before you ship a horse.
- Bill of sale. Get a written bill of sale that identifies the horse, the price and the parties. For horses used for racing or showing, California's Business and Professions Code section 19525 goes further: it requires a sale, purchase or transfer to be accompanied by a written bill of sale or acknowledgment of purchase stating the price, signed by both buyer and seller or their duly authorized agents, with special rules for auctions and certain stallion interests. The statute defines "equine" as a horse of any breed used for racing or showing, including prospective racehorses and breeding prospects, so ask an attorney whether it covers your transaction. Even where it may not apply, a signed bill of sale is sound practice.
- Trainers, brokers and other agents. If someone is acting for you or for the seller, ask whom they represent and get any commission arrangement in writing. The same statute restricts acting for both buyer and seller without both parties' prior knowledge and written consent, and it limits payments of more than $500 that an agent can accept from someone other than the client unless they are disclosed and consented to in writing.
- Registration papers and identification. If the horse is registered with a breed or sport association, ask what transfer paperwork that association requires and make sure the seller can provide it. Check that the horse's markings, microchip or brand match its papers.
- Contracts. For a significant purchase or any lease, consider having an attorney who knows equine transactions review the contract. Rules around sales, warranties and "as is" language can matter if there is a dispute.
Trying the horse
- Ride more than once, at different times of day. A horse that is calm on a quiet morning may behave differently later.
- Ask to see the horse handled on the ground. Watch it being caught, groomed, tacked up, trailered and shod.
- Bring your trainer or a knowledgeable friend. They notice things a new owner will not.
- Ask why the horse is for sale or lease, and ask for its history, veterinary records and any known issues.
- Ask for a trial period, if one is possible. Many sellers will not allow it, and some allow a short one with written terms about who pays for care and what happens if the horse is hurt.
The full cost of keeping a horse
The price tag is only the start. Budget for boarding or the cost of keeping a horse at home, feed, hay, bedding, farrier care (horses usually need a trim every six to eight weeks, according to University of Minnesota Extension), routine veterinary care and vaccinations, dental work, tack and equipment, lessons or training, insurance and emergency care. Our guides to boarding barns and farriers in the directory show the kinds of services involved, though prices vary widely by area and facility.
If you plan to keep a horse at home, zoning and setbacks matter before you buy. See our guides to Title 22 and equestrian districts in unincorporated Los Angeles County and evaluating an equestrian parcel.
Also think about transport. You will need a way to haul the horse to the veterinarian, to lessons and, in an emergency, out of harm's way. Our wildfire evacuation guide explains why planning ahead matters.
Red flags
- A seller who will not allow a pre-purchase exam, or who insists on using only their own veterinarian.
- Pressure to decide quickly, or to pay a deposit before you have seen and ridden the horse.
- Reluctance to put terms in writing, or terms that keep changing.
- A price far below similar horses, with no clear explanation.
- Vague or conflicting answers about the horse's age, history, training or health.
- Unexplained differences in the horse's behavior between visits, or in different handling and riding situations.
- A person who cannot show that they own the horse or have the right to sell or lease it.
Before you sign
Take your time. See more than one horse, talk to more than one seller or lessor, and compare. Have the pre-purchase exam done by a veterinarian you chose. Read every page of the bill of sale or lease and ask about anything you do not understand. If a deal feels rushed, step back. Do not let urgency replace due diligence.
This article is general information, not legal, veterinary or financial advice. Rules and prices change, so confirm requirements with the relevant agency or a qualified professional.