A horse bill of sale is the signed agreement that transfers ownership of a specific horse from seller to buyer for a stated price. It identifies the horse far more carefully than a vehicle form could, by registered name, markings, age and microchip, and it records the health paperwork and whatever promises the seller is (or isn’t) making. This free horse bill of sale template is in Word and PDF, and it works for a $1,500 trail horse or a registered show prospect.
What makes a horse sale different from other private sales?
A horse can get sick, go lame, or turn out to have a habit nobody mentioned, and it needs paperwork that no machine does. Three things set this bill of sale apart from our general bill of sale:
- Identity. Horses don’t have serial numbers. You identify them by registered name and number, barn name, breed, color, markings, sex, foaling year, and any microchip, tattoo or brand. Two bay geldings of the same age can look very alike in a pasture, so the description does real work.
- Health records. A current negative Coggins test, vaccination and deworming history, and the results of any pre-purchase exam.
- Registration. A registered horse’s papers transfer through the breed registry, not through the bill of sale.
If you’re selling a horse trailer along with the horse, list the trailer on the trailer bill of sale so it has its own VIN and title terms. If the buyer is paying over several months, add a promissory note and keep the papers until the last payment.
What is a Coggins test, and does the buyer need one?
A Coggins test is the standard blood test for equine infectious anemia (EIA). USDA APHIS describes EIA as a viral, sometimes fatal disease that only affects equids: horses, ponies, zebras, mules and donkeys. It spreads through biting flies such as horseflies and deerflies, and, APHIS says, now most commonly in the U.S. through human practices like reused needles and syringes and contaminated instruments. APHIS notes EIA is a reportable disease in all states and recommends testing annually.
Federal rules on EIA focus on moving horses that test positive. The everyday requirement to show a negative test comes mostly from states and event organizers. The U.S. Equestrian Federation says all states require a negative Coggins before a horse crosses state lines, and most also want a certificate of veterinary inspection, often dated within 30 days. How recent the Coggins must be varies. Florida, for example, requires horses coming into the state to have an official negative EIA test done within 12 months.
For the bill of sale, the practical point is simple: write down the test date, the result, and the lab or accession number, and attach a copy. If the horse is leaving the state with its new owner, the buyer will need those papers on the trailer anyway.
Should the buyer get a pre-purchase vet exam?
Usually, yes, and the bill of sale should record whether one happened. A pre-purchase exam is typically arranged and paid for by the buyer with a vet of their choosing, and it’s the buyer’s best chance to find soundness or health issues before paying. Our template has a tick box for “exam done, results reviewed,” “buyer declined an exam,” or “sale conditional on the exam,” with a deadline. That last option is useful when a hypothetical buyer in Ocala wants to put down a $2,000 deposit on a $14,000 mare but needs X-rays read before committing.
As-is, or with warranties?
This is the clause people argue about most after a horse sale. Horses are “goods” under the Uniform Commercial Code, which covers all things movable at the time of sale, and even names the unborn young of animals. Under UCC section 2-316, a seller can exclude implied warranties with language like “as is” or “with all faults.” To exclude the implied warranty of merchantability specifically, a written disclaimer must mention merchantability and be conspicuous.
Our template gives two options. As-is, printed in bold, with the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose expressly excluded. Or specific written warranties, such as “sound for trail riding at the time of sale” or “has been bred to [stallion] on [date],” and nothing else. Whatever you pick, the seller should still disclose known vices (cribbing, weaving, bucking, trailer loading problems) and past injuries. The template has a line for that.
How do you fill it in and get it signed?
- Gather the registration papers, Coggins, vaccination and deworming records, and any vet or farrier notes.
- Describe the horse fully, and attach photos of each side and the face if you like.
- Choose as-is or written warranties, and record the vet exam decision.
- Agree who files the registry transfer and who pays for it.
- Sign, collect payment, and hand over the horse and papers.
A horse bill of sale is an ordinary sales contract, so it can generally be signed electronically; our article on whether electronic signatures are legally binding explains why. The registry transfer form follows the registry’s own rules.
Download it, fill in the blanks, and send it for e-signature with any tool you like. (We’re building SignWren for exactly this; join the waitlist.)
This page is general information, not legal advice. For a specific sale or dispute, talk to a lawyer licensed where you are.