Photographs do not lie — they simply keep quiet. A wide-angle shot shows a sunny paddock and says nothing about the clay beneath it that turns to soup from November onwards. For animal owners, a viewing is therefore not a courtesy appointment but the heart of the decision. These twelve points can be settled with your own eyes, boots and nose — and nowhere else.
When viewing a finca, what counts for animal owners is mostly what no listing shows: access and turning space for a trailer, ground conditions and drainage on the pasture, the state of the fencing, shade, water and electricity supply, neighbours, slope, roof condition, mobile signal, distances to vet and farrier, and how the sun moves across the day.
Before the gate: access, turning circle and trailers
1. Think of the approach with a trailer behind you. Drive the last few kilometres exactly as you would later do with the horsebox. Watch for pinch points between walls, overhanging branches, tight hairpins, steep ramps and the surface of the track. A gravel track uphill is a very different matter with two horses on the back than it is empty.
2. Turning in the yard. The classic among nasty surprises. Check whether a car and trailer can turn, and whether there is clear space for manoeuvring without wall buttresses, cistern covers or fruit trees in the way. Think also of the feed lorry, the hay delivery and, in an emergency, a vet's vehicle — and about where a trailer could be parked permanently.
The ground under the hooves: pasture, drainage and slope
3. What lies beneath the turf. Walk across the fields, not along the edges. The difference between free-draining sandy ground and heavy clay is immediately noticeable underfoot. Look for the hardened prints of old puddles, for rushes and other indicators of wet ground, for churned-up patches at gateways and troughs. Conversely, dusty bare areas show how little grows there in summer.
4. Where the water goes. Look for ditches, culverts and washouts. Neighbouring land above you drains somewhere — often onto you. Traces of past flooding are easy to read: debris caught in fence corners, mud lines on tree trunks, scoured track edges.
5. The slope of the land. A gentle fall helps drainage. Steep sections are hard to mow, increase erosion and are barely usable with a wheelbarrow or vehicle. Look at whether enough level ground remains for turnout, parking and a possible riding arena.
Fencing, shade and water out on the land
6. Judge the fencing honestly. Walk the entire boundary, not just the stretch visible from the house. Watch for rotten post bases (rock them at ground level), rusted or broken wire, buckled gates, remnants of barbed wire in the undergrowth, sharp-edged concrete posts and loose sheeting.
7. Shade and trees. In summer, shade is not a comfort but a basic requirement. Check whether it falls where the animals actually stand — and whether it disappears at the hottest hour. Deadwood above a paddock is a hazard; look too for poisonous plants or unsuitable species in the planting.
8. Water points and pipe runs. Where exactly does water arrive on the land? Look for troughs, taps, hoses laid on the surface and cistern covers. Have the taps turned on — pressure, flow and the colour of the water tell you more than any description. Note the distance from the nearest outlet to the furthest fields; every metre later means hose or bucket.
Buildings and services: roofs, damp, electricity
9. Roofs and damp. Look at the roof surfaces from outside — sagging ridges, slipped tiles, cracked corrugated sheets, missing gutters. Then go inside and look up: points of daylight in the dark, water marks on beams, mould in corners. Run your hand over walls near the floor: rising damp shows up as blown plaster and salt efflorescence.
10. Electricity and connections. Establish whether there is a mains supply and where the meter sits. Look at the installation in the outbuildings — makeshift cables over beams, old distribution boards and missing covers are typical finds. If there is a solar installation, ask to be shown what it powers and how it stores energy.
Surroundings and access: neighbours, signal, supplies
11. Neighbours, noise, smells. Stand still once and listen. Traffic noise from a road you cannot see, barking dogs, farm machinery, a sewage works, an intensive livestock unit in the next valley — none of it appears in the listing. Look at the adjoining land too: is it being intensively sprayed?
12. Signal and routes to services. Test the mobile signal in several places — at the house, at the stables, on the furthest paddock. No signal means that in an emergency you have to walk first. Work out your future everyday journeys as well: to the equine clinic, the farrier, the feed merchant. Ask locally who actually delivers to the area and whether delivery vehicles can reach the yard itself.
The time of day factor: sun position and the second visit
A single appointment in the late morning shows you exactly one version of a property. Ask yourself: what does this look like at seven in the morning, and at three in the afternoon in high summer? Which side of the building never sees light — and which turnout area gets too much? Where does heat build up between walls?
Where possible, see a property twice: once in good weather and once in bad. Nothing exposes drainage, roofs and access as reliably as heavy rain. And do not let yourself be shown around the house before you have walked the land.
Frequently asked questions
How much time should I allow for a viewing?
Considerably more than for a flat. You will walk boundaries, enter every outbuilding, test water and signal. Plan without time pressure — and if possible arrange a second appointment.
What should I bring to a viewing?
Sturdy boots, a torch for lofts and stables, your phone for photos and a signal test, a tape measure and something to write with. Photograph the unspectacular things too.
How do I recognise pasture that tends to get waterlogged?
By indicators of wet ground such as rushes, by poached patches around gateways and troughs, by deep old hoof prints set into the dried soil. A visit after rain makes it unmistakable.
Is it worth viewing in bad weather?
Very much so. Rain shows in a few hours what a summer photograph hides: how the ground drains, where water stands, whether roofs are sound and how passable the access track remains.
Caballoria-Immo accompanies animal owners to viewings in Catalonia and on the Costa Dorada — with the eye of someone who keeps animals themselves. We will also tell you when a property is not right for your animals. Write to us about the property you would like to see.
This article is for general orientation only and does not replace legal, tax or veterinary advice. Rules and responsibilities differ by Comunidad Autónoma and can change. As of August 2026.