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Step 1
Check listings in your local paper or online for advertisements about reining horses for sale. It is usually best to look for dealers who live within fifty miles of your home, and you might ask your trainer for references as well.
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Step 2
Visit each of the horses you are considering in person. It is never a good idea to buy a reining horse without riding him first; in fact, it's best to ride him several times before writing a check.
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Step 3
Watch the owner of the horse ride him first, and request that he perform movements that are consistently requested in the reining arena. Slides, spins, big fast circles, small slow circles and backing up are all important when you buy a reining horse.
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Step 4
Check the horse for soundness problems, particularly in the legs. Swelling, bruising, cuts and heat are all signs of injuries that result from poorly riding a reining horse.
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Step 5
Ask the owner if the horse has ever worn sliding shoes. These help a reining horse with his performance, and it is best to buy a horse that has worn them in the past. If not, ask how the hooves respond to shoes in general.
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Step 6
Ride the horse and decide if you like the way he feels underneath you. Try a reining pattern or two to evaluate his responsiveness, and always work with the horse on the ground before buying him.
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Step 7
Require a vet check before you buy a reining horse. This allows a veterinarian to check for soundness issues, diseases and prior injuries that might affect his performance. If he isn't given a clean bill of health, keep looking--the perfect reining horse is out there somewhere.
