You’ve all heard the saying caveat emptor, right? It means “buyer beware,” and nowhere does it apply more strongly than when it comes to buying a horse. Not only is a horse a huge investment, buying the right one can mean the difference between a great experience and a bad one.

The first order of business is navigating all those advertisements! Have you ever noticed that all advertisements cast horses in a positive light? Have you ever seen an ad that read, for example, “Excellent mover with athletic ability to spare.14-hand, ornery gelding of indiscriminate coloring. Cribber. Kicks and bites. But other than that pretty nice horse. If you can get him under control he’ll win a ribbon for you every time!” My guess is you most certainly haven’t!

Sure, once you see the horse certain things become clear. But looking at every positively portrayed horse can be extremely time-consuming. No worries. With a little knowledge, you can translate the language in horse advertisements and get an idea of whether the horse is suitable for you. Here’s a list of commonly used words and phrases and their meanings . . . as well as what they can really mean:

Good keeper. This is a horse that can be kept in good condition with a minimal amount of food. It can also mean, “This horse is obese.”

Green horse. This is a horse that is inexperienced because of age or lack of training. It can also mean, “This horse is disobedient and difficult to train. So we are going to call him “green” and see if you have better luck.”

Loves to jump. This is a horse that enjoys jumping. It can also mean a horse that launches itself over every obstacle it sees—and sends you to the moon in the process.

Not for novices. This means a horse that is suitable for experienced riders only, because of temperament or where the horse is in its training. It can also mean a horse who misbehaves or has a ridden vice, like bucking, rearing, or taking off.

Schoolmaster. This means a horse who has done and seen it all—and who will give confidence to novice riders. It can also mean a horse who will teach the rider everything it knows—providing you let it have its own way!

Suitable for a novice rider. This means a calm, quiet horse who is not easy to upset. It can also mean a horse who is so lazy that it won’t go much beyond the walk, despite insistent verbal and physical cues.

Owner giving up. This means a horse whose owner is giving it up due to a change in personal circumstances and through no fault of the horse. It can also mean the owner is giving it up because the change in personal circumstances mean that the bumps and bruises the owner has sustained are no longer acceptable.

Forward. This means a horse who moves forward readily when asked, and is happy to engage in work. It can also mean a horse who is so eager to move forward that it won’t stand still for you to mount him.

Remember, buyer beware!