Before you buy a horse you must think how committed you are to having a horse. Horses live a long time, require lots of care, and lots of money goes into their upkeep. One of the biggest problems today is people not owning responsibly. In the current economic crisis it is not wise to invest in a horse if you may be losing your job. Another thing to keep in mind is that beginners may not want to buy horses. It's best to take lessons first to make sure riding is something you really want to do because that is another reason many horses are for sale: people buy horses when they start riding and discover it's not a dream and mucking stalls is not as glamorous as it sounds. Horses are social creatures and need to be loved, it's not fair to buy a horse and let them sit in its stall alone. 

However, when you make the decision to buy a horse you need to think about several things: breed, age, temperament, and riding experience. Depending on where you live, there will be more horses of a certain breed available. For example, if you live in the western part of the United States quarter horses are very popular. In the Chicago area thoroughbreds are very common because of the race tracks. Quarter horses make great horses for beginners, thoroughbreds can be good for beginners depending on their training and how many years they have been off the track. Arabians are also quite popular but they have a reputation of being "hot headed." This stereotype isn't necessarily true of all Arabians but in my experience they tend to have minds of their own. Each horse is different and has a different personality. 

Age is a big factor in determining the horse you want to buy. If you don't have much horse experience then it's best to get a horse at least seven years old. By that time the horse has generally been trained well enough to handle a beginner rider and the horse has usually grown out of the phase of playing around. Especially beginning riders don't want to get a horse that is still bucking. 

Temperament is a factor that is probably the most important factor that is widely underestimated. Many people buy horses for their pedigrees and because they come from fantastic blood lines but if their temperament is such that it makes it impossible for the horse to get along with other horses. It's also important because some people like horses that once they have gone through training, they never test that training again. I'm not like that, I like project horses and therefore I find stubbornness a positive quality in a horse that I am looking at but as far as most people are concerned, they would rather have a more quiet and reserved horse. 

Finally, think about how much riding experience you have. Will you be able to handle a horse that needs to be trained a little bit still? Do you understand the basics of training horses on the ground and in the saddle? If you are a beginner it's best to buy a horse that is extremely well-trained and doesn't need training on your part. Sometimes that horse can teach you things you don't know, one of the many precious gifts of the bond between horse and rider. 

Good luck on your quest to finding your dream horse. It usually takes lots of time to find the best horse for you, don't settle for what you think is the closest you can get to the best. Talk to friends in the horse world, your vet, and/or your farrier to hear about horses for sale that aren't listed in classifieds.