When is the best time of year to buy a horse?

It depends entirely on the horse you are looking for. If you want a foal/yearling, the best time is probably spring. Never buy a horse from someone who is under pressure to sell it, no matter how genuine the reason seems (e.g. they're moving soon, they're losing the grazing, etc.) as they will be likely to lie about the horse for a quick sale. It is a good idea to buy it in summer/spring because you will get more time to ride and get used to the horse before the weather gets too bad and you can't do much excercise. If you're buying a young horse for you to break, the best time is definitely spring/summer because you can then get it backed and moving forward before turning it away over winter and going back to it the following spring. If you are buying from a dealer, view the horse before winter then go back in, say, January - this will highlight if a horse has any medical problems.