Using an equine buyer's advocate can offer numerous benefits when purchasing a horse. A buyer's advocate is a third-party professional who works on your behalf to help navigate the complexities of buying a horse, ensuring you make an informed and sound decision. Here are some of the key benefits:

Expert Guidance and Knowledge

• Industry Experience: Equine buyer’s advocates typically have years of experience in the horse industry, so they possess extensive knowledge about different breeds, disciplines, conformation, and training needs.
• Evaluating Horse Health and Soundness: While pre-purchase exams are essential, buyer’s advocates can help identify surface-level issues that an inexperienced buyer may miss. They are skilled at assessing a horse’s physical condition, identifying potential soundness issues, and advising on future care.
• Avoiding Common Pitfalls: An experienced advocate knows common scams or issues that can arise in the buying process and can help you avoid those pitfalls.

Objective and Unbiased Advice

• No Emotional Attachment: Unlike the seller or even you as a buyer, an equine buyer's advocate has no emotional attachment to a specific horse. This enables them to offer impartial advice based solely on the horse's suitability for your needs and budget.
• Negotiation Power: A buyer’s advocate can objectively negotiate on your behalf, ensuring you don’t overspend or end up with a horse that doesn’t meet your requirements.

Save Time and Effort

• Pre-Screening Horses: They can pre-screen horses for you, checking for things like soundness, temperament, and compatibility with your goals, which saves you from having to waste time looking at unsuitable options.
• History Reports: They can also help obtain the horse's medical and competition history, which may include any previous injuries, illnesses, or performance issues that could impact your decision before negotiation.
• Negotiating Price: An experienced advocate knows what a fair price should be based on the horse’s breed, age, training, and condition. They can negotiate deals on your behalf, helping you get the best value.
• Contract Review: They can also review purchase contracts, ensuring that there are no hidden clauses or terms that could pose risks or additional costs down the line.

Reduced Risk of Buying a Problem Horse

• Minimizing Risk: A well-informed buyer’s advocate will help you avoid purchasing a horse with hidden behavioral issues or chronic injuries that could make ownership difficult or expensive.
• Experience Spotting Red Flags: They can spot red flags that a novice buyer might miss, such as signs of aggression, poor temperament, or improper training.

Ethical Practices and Integrity

• Ensuring Fair Transactions: A professional equine buyer’s advocate adheres to ethical guidelines and best practices, ensuring that the buying process is transparent, fair, and in your best interest. They can protect you from unscrupulous sellers who might hide information or offer misleading claims.

Financial Protection

• Value for Money: With their experience, they help ensure you are getting the best value for your money, whether that means negotiating a lower price, helping you avoid overpaying, or steering you away from overpriced, poor-quality, unsound, or unsuitable horses.
• Cost-Effective in the Long Run: Although an advocate charges a fee, they can help you save money in the long term by preventing costly mistakes, such as buying a horse that needs expensive training or medical treatment.

In summary, hiring an equine buyer's advocate provides a wealth of advantages, from expert advice to the assurance that you're making a sound financial and emotional investment. The advocate acts as your ally throughout the entire process, ensuring that you end up with a horse that is healthy, suitable for your needs, and a good fit for your long-term goals.

Bridget Brandon is President of The Equine Expert LLC, a multi-discipline equine expert witness and consulting firm offering legal expert witness, consulting, and valuation services in court cases, legal matters, estates, and business affairs. Bridget is also owner of ValueMyHorse LLC, providing equine appraisals, a buyer’s advocate service, breeding operation, farm consulting, and retirement board. Bridget is also a property and casualty field agent for Marshall Sterling selling equine, farm, and ranch insurance. For more information on Bridget, visit www.theequineexpert.com, www.valuemyhorse.com, or contact Bridget at [email protected] or [email protected].