When you look at horses for sale, you may be looking for a horse that will be good with the kids. You might be looking for a horse that you can bring into the racing world. But some of you will be looking for something more specific; those of you who have seen barrel racing at rodeos or even on television events might be thinking that barrel horses may be a great option.

Contrary to what some people believe, not every horse is an ideal candidate for barrel racing. Though there are fewer particulars than there are when looking for a Thoroughbred that will be a winner on the race track, there are a number of different characteristics that will be found in great barrel horses. Temperament can play a role in the success of barrel horses just as much as the horse's skills, character, training and lineage.

You read that right - even with barrel horses, you'll find that one of the major considerations that many buyers have is the lineage of the horse. A barrel horse's bloodlines can help to identify how successful past generations in the line were, what the horse was bred for and can provide a sense of what the horse will be able to accomplish during the race.

Of course, more than the bloodlines, most buyers find that, with barrel horses, it is about the build and health of the horse. A good barrel horse has legs that are straight, and if you're buying a horse that's already been raced, you will want to be sure that its legs are free of any bumps or external scars. It's important to be sure that the horse's hooves are healthy, that its back is strong and that the horse is flexible and athletic.

To some extent, you will be able to tell whether or not horses for sale are healthy based on looks, however, before you make a commitment to making a purchase it is usually a good idea to have a veterinarian check to make sure that there's nothing underlying that cannot be seen by the human eye.

If barrel horses have been worked with by trainers to get them ready for the sport, you will want to gather information about the trainers and their experience. The trainers, much like the horse's lineage, can tell you a lot about whether the horse that you are looking at is going to be ideal when you're looking for barrel horses that you will be able to take around the country to ride at events with the hopes of - someday - competing in some of the sports' biggest competitions.

On the other hand, if you only plan to participate in a race or two during the local rodeo season, you're likely to find that you are looking for a very different horse. Yes, the animal's health and build will still be important to you, but you won't want to focus as much on professionally trained barrel horses. Choosing a horse that is good for overall riding as well as barrel racing can, quite possibly, save you $20,000 or more.

In either case, you are going to want to focus more on the health and build of the horse than on the coloring and markings - characteristics that those who are looking for a horse for afternoon rides can focus on a bit more. When you are looking at horses for sale and trying to find barrel horses, you'll want to focus your attention on Quarter Horses which are great at running at high speeds in short bursts, or, if you prefer, Pintos and Paints.

Whichever horse you choose as your barrel horse, it is important to recognize that you won't just be heading into the ring to compete. In order to keep barrel horses ready - and to get them ready if they haven't previously been used for barrel racing - you are going to need to focus on building the horse's lung capacity with long trotting on a regular basis. A good goal to set for barrel horses that you are conditioning is the ability to keep a fast pace for six to eight miles at least three days a week.

To that end, keep in mind that conditioning barrel horses is not just exercise for them; it's also exercise for you.

Buying a horse is a huge investment in both time and money, and there are some things you'll want to know before you start searching for horses for sale. Buying a horse can be compared to buying a used car.

Unscrupulous horse traders will alter the appearance or behavior of their horses for sale to fool you. Even among the honest horse traders, most wouldn't purposely mislead you, but they may not tell you the whole story about their horses for sale unless you ask. Ask the seller some questions that relate to what you are looking for in a horse. Some of the following questions may help you decide if the horse you're looking at is right for you.

Why are you selling this horse and how long have you personally owned this horse?
Does the horse have any medical problems? Has the horse ever been lame?
How are the horse's teeth? Have you ever had the horse's teeth floated?
Has the horse ever foundered?
What type of worming program are you using?
What type of riding do you do? (Trail, English, Western, Three day Eventing, Barrel racing, etc.)
What do you feed the horse?
How is the horse kept? i.e. in a pasture, in a stall, in a small paddock, alone or with others.
Has the horse ever hurt anyone?
What type of training has the horse had? Does the horse have a trainer? Can I call the trainer?
How is the horse with the farrier? Can I contact the farrier?
How is the horse with the veterinarian? Can I contact the vet.?
Does the horse load into a trailer easily? How about unloading?
How is the horse with water? i.e. bathing, walking through it.

Ask the horse owner to show you what his horses for sale can do. Have the owner pick up the horse's feet. Watch to see if the owner can touch the horse anywhere on it's body, inside the ears, above the tail, on the flanks, legs, and belly. Watch the interaction between the horse and the owner to see how the horse behaves. Remember that if something bad is going to happen it's better to have it happen to the guy who's trying to sell you the animal!

Watch the horse move at liberty. Look for anything that is a sign that the horse may have medical problems, lameness, or a bad attitude. Watch the head when the horse walks, excessive bobbing of the head might signal a problem. Pinned ears or a swishing tail all of the time in horses for sale can indicate other issues.

As a rule, don't get on any horse first - have the owner ride the horse first. If the owner won't get on, there had better be a good reason. Ask the owner to bring the horse into a walk, trot, canter, change leads, etc so you can see all the paces. Watch for lameness, length of stride, range of motion, problems with the right and left lead, etc. If the horse doesn't look safe, don't ride him.

There are many other things to consider when buying a horse, such as whether you prefer a Mare or a Gelding (we never recommend buying a Stallion unless you plan on using him for breeding purposes, and have appropriate facilities to accommodate a potentially aggressive and dangerous horse).

You will also want to consider the ages, level of training, and constitutions of any horses for sale before making a purchase, and how these characteristics relate to your purpose for buying a horse in the first place. Be careful not to get carried away with a horse just because it's beautiful, and buy a horse that won't meet your needs. Remember, the most important thing is how a horse behaves and performs not how it looks in the barn.

Good luck as you search for horses for sale, if you find the right match, you will have made a very good investment to bring you satisfaction for many years.