Vanessa Fuller

Mrs. Carvalho

COMM 3

Informative Speech Outline

Horse Purchasing Tips

I. Introduction

1. Remember back to when we were little boys and girls, and for Christmas on our wish list we’d always writs Pony? I remember how badly I wanted a pony, and I was lucky because my dream came true.

2. It’s a common thing for people to want to share time with a Horse, so today I’m going to give you advice on what to look for when you’re buying a horse.

3. I’ll review how to first assess your financial situation, the general physical characteristics to look for in a horse, the importance of the horse’s attitude, and the horse in motion or how it is to ride.

4. I have ridden horses for eleven years of my life, and in that time owned more than seven different horses. I have first hand experience with the purchasing process.

II. Body

1. Assess your financial situation.

a)      Marj Piazza, an expert in the equestrian field, states, “Money (or lack of              

                        it) can complicate looking for that exact right horse.”

b)      Older horses, Smaller horses, or mixed breeds can be a cheaper route if                

      there isn’t much money to spend.

c)      Make sure you look at multiple horses in your price range so that you can         

      compare, and have the best buy.

2. General physical characteristics to look for when buying a horse.

a)      Veterinarian, John Hamilton states you “want to examine the horse from     

nose to tail… look at general body condition, hair coat, foot quality,            muscle development and attitude.

b)      Pat Parelli, who has written many books on horses, says “when examining      

      his (the horse’s) body, we say you must first look at his feet. For just as a    

      house is bound to be worthless if the foundations are unsound…”

c)      When physically evaluating the horse, look out for “Red flags” such as any body part that is swollen or warmer than the others, also look out for old bowed tendons (or scare tissue on legs) or fluid filled knees which are warnings of joint arthritis.

3. Note the Horse’s attitude.

a)      Piazza states, that when you arrive to look at a horse, “Is he easy to catch?      

      Does he lead well?”

b)      “Does the horse pull when it’s tied up?” (Piazza)

c)      Does the horse seem level headed, or easy to deal with, or is he hard to control and out of control?

4. The Horse in motion or how it moves.

a)      When watching someone else ride the horse and its movements, Hamilton     

                         says to “Watch the horse – walk, trot and canter. Is he comfortable in his 

                        body or are his ears pinned and tail swishing? Is there a head bob,                   

                        suggesting lameness? Does the horse make a louder than normal breathing

                         noise?”

                   b) Piazza states, “If the horse seems to be of a decent sort, then the buyer      

                       should ride the horse… he should be easily controlled at the walk, trot and

                       canter (lope), and easily stopped.”

                  c) Parelli notes as important to “See how comfortable the horse feels (to               

                       you).”

III. Conclusion

1.      Piazza concludes that, “A horse is not only an investment money wise, but also an   

           investment in time and emotions. The right horse can bring endless hours of    

           pleasures; the wrong horse can bring disappointment, frustration, and in some  

           instances, even danger.”

2.      Give everyone horse shaped cookies to remember how when they were little and     

           asked for a pony they would get toy ponies, in this case cookies, but never the real  

           thing.