In addition to the terms usually included in a contract to buy a horse, a Purchase and Sale Agreement involving the shipment of a horse to another country should include the following terms:

1)                  Applicable Law: Will your country’s law, or the law of the other party’s country apply to the contract? This is important, considering that certain German-speaking countries have “minimum warranty” statutes applicable to horse sales (die Gewährsmängel). These minimum warranty statutes may make it virtually impossible for a buyer to resell a horse if it has any of the problems (such as cribbing) that do not meet the “minimum warranties” in those countries.

2)                  Terms for Delivery of Horse & Money: Your agreement should set for a specific protocol for when and where the horse, the bill of sale, registration papers and health certificates, and sales proceeds should be delivered.

3)                  Commissions: Your should specify which parties are receiving a commission (buyer’s agent, seller’s agent, or both?), the amount of the commission, and the protocol for the delivery of the commissions.

4)                  Disputes. How will disputes, if any, be decided?  Having to bring suit in another country in the case of a horse sale gone bad is time-consuming, expensive, and may be impossible. I recommend including a provision for alternative dispute resolution in international horse sales contracts, naming a reputable mediation or arbitration forum such as Equestes to settle or decide disputes.