Hi all--

I am an animal lover but I have never developed a close relationship with a horse. I'm not sure that this is important ...

My wife, Nancy,has always loved riding but her early experience is with hunter/jumpers, and then she didn't ride for 25 years. After her breast cancer surgery last year, she got into dressage. Of course, I encouraged her ...

She would love to compete ...

Today she put down a binder on a Fourth Level (shown) Dressage horse 14 yo 6.2 hand gelding, pending a vet's clear bill of health. The horse is supposedly spectacular, world class, according to Nancy's trainer, not the seller. The horse is a Dutch warm blood, has Grand Prix (sp?) "moves" and has competed extensively in Europe and has done extremely well.

Of course, none of this means very much to me but it is not an insignificant investment.

Does anybody have any advice, words of wisdom concerning buying a horse at this level? Any contractual advice? Any advice whatsoever? Any dresaage riders out there?

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Bill