What are the questions one should ask the owner of a horse you want to buy

To add to horse fashion's post I would ask:

1. Why are you selling the horse?

2. Who are the former owners? (this could be determined through the registry)

3. How long have you had the horse?

4. Are his papers current? (Coggins, brand inspection, health and registration - if the papers are not in the current owner's name, I'd ask a lot of questions!)

5. Vices/bad habits?

6. Do you have any other horses for sale? (This could be a good thing or bad. If they are moving and have to sell, you get choices...if they are a trader, well, they are a trader.)

7. Who has been riding this horse? If possible, could they show the horse to you under saddle?

8. Has the horse had any professional training? In what discipline? How long was he in training? How long ago?

9. May I have MY vet do a soundness exam? (expect to pay for it yourself, and insist if the horse's cost is anything over about $1500)

10. Is he easy to catch?

11. Will he load in my trailer? Your enclosed 2 horse may be tougher than the owner's open stock.

12. What does he eat, how much, how often?

Also, if the horse is nearby show up unexpectantly to look at him - feeding time in the morning is a good time (you can slip that in as one of the questions, "What time does he expect to be fed every day?") He will reveal a lot to you in the way he acts at that time, and if he was shown to you before only after being drugged or ridden at a lope for 4 hours straight, it will be apparent in his actions first thing in the morning.