Buy your horse wisely

1. Never send money without checking the seller

Don’t pay a deposit, reservation fee or ‘transport costs’ before you have met the seller in person and seen the horse or equipment. Be especially careful if the seller insists on urgency, payment in cryptocurrency or a transfer to a foreign account.

• Keep the conversation in HORSELA messages — that way there’s a record if a dispute arises.
• Check whether the seller is marked as a ‘Verified seller’.
• Ask for extra photos and a video of the horse moving, showing today’s date.

2. Pre-purchase vetting

We always recommend a pre-purchase examination by an independent vet of your choice — not one suggested by the seller. For sport horses, consider X-rays of the legs and back.

3. Check the paperwork

A horse being sold must have a passport and a UELN. Compare the passport description (colour, markings, microchip) with the horse in front of you. On HORSELA listings the UELN is never public — the seller shares it directly with serious buyers.

4. Trial ride

Arrange a trial ride, ideally with your trainer. See the horse in the stable too: how it behaves when being groomed, shod and loaded into a trailer.

5. Report suspicious listings

Every listing has a ‘Report listing’ button. Our team reviews reports within 24 hours and removes listings that break the rules, including any that put animal welfare at risk.