question for horse owners?

Question

im wanting to get a hors. i've never had one before. what do you suggest is the best kind of horse for a beginner?

Answer 1

Before you even look into buying a horse, take riding lessons. You need to make sure that you want to continue this. Some stables will let you pretend that the horse is "yours" meaning tha tyou do all of the work, i.e., feeding, cleaning his stall, riding, etc. Take lessons for a year and if you still want a horse, then talk with your trainer. Your trainer can go with you when you look for a horse and s/he will be able to tell you if the horse is suitable for you or if it is going to be too much for you to handle. Listen to your trainer, s/he knows what s/he is talking about. Ask to take the horse home on a 2-3 week trial basis. It will allow you to get a better feel for the horse and see what his quirks are really like. Most honest buyers will let you do this. It does not depend on the breed. There are spirited ones, mean ones, quite ones, shy ones in every breed. If there is a stereotype it will appear in every breed no matter what. You just need to realize that horses are expensive. There is the initial cost of paying for him, the initial vet check cost, the tack cost, the farrier cost, the vet cost should he need the vet for any reason. On average, people spend about $2-3000 per year on the vet for check ups and scratches, etc. That doesnt include any expensive things like xray and lab work etc.

Answer 2

It depends on the horse- if you have a friend that is experienced in horses, then have them go with you to choose a horse, and do not let a pretty face, or color make you buy a horse. There's really no partiuclar "perfect" breed for this, each horse is an individual. I've seen good beginners horses in Arabs, Quarters, Thoroughbreds, Appaloosas, etc. Look for a somewhat older animal, (older meaning anything from ten to thirty), even tempered, solid in walk, trot, and canter, easy to handle, easy to saddle (no biting or such when you go to tighten a cinch or something) etc etc...basically a good animal, that might have experience with inexperienced handlers, and is not only well mannered, but healthy. Always remember to request a vet check before purchasing!! Good luck. :-)

Answer 3

fore your first horse get an old (13-30 no older than 30) quarter horse.
before you buy the horse make sure the owner or breeder lets you visit him once a day for a couple of weeks to ride and groom and everything else to get you used to being around him and to make sure you are absolutely positive that this is the horse you want. be care full because you will get so anxious that you will see a horse and say yes that's the one i want if you have any doubts just keep looking and let the right horse come to you!

Answer 4

Get one between 12 and 17 years old, healthy, and don't worry about breed. Get a professional to help you find a safe, sound and gentle horse, and I would suggest taking riding lessons. If you only want a pet, try an older one or a horse that needs rescuing, but make sure it is safe. A miniature makes a great pet, too - if it is gentle.
Training, personality and gentleness are more important than breed or color.

Answer 5

You first need to take riding lessons and see if you can find out much more about care of a horse before you buy one.
Any breed would work you should buy a horse well suited to your level of experience and work with a trainer in your area to improve your skills.
Much knowledge is needed to properly care for and keep horses. They are expensive to maintain and care for.
The cheap part is buying the horse the care and upkeep is the big money thing.

Answer 6

The best kind isn't one particular breed. It's a horse who is mature, well mannered, not likely to spook, & just generally beginner safe.

Your best bet is to take lessons and learn what it is you like & dont like in a horse's temperament. Then ask your trainer/instructor to go with you to look at a few horses.

If you're still unsure, you should consider leasing your first horse. There's nothing worse than being stuck with an unsuitable horse who you don't look forward to seeing and who turns out to be hard to resell.

Answer 7

Before actually buying your own horse, I would work at a stable/ranch near you, so that you get used to handling horses and taking care of them (feeding, watering, grooming, mucking out etc.) This way, you could also get familiar with different horse breeds, and decide for yourself. Some stables/ranches might even let you buy one of the horses that you took care of.

Answer 8

Take it from me; I grew up with horses and competed intercollegiately. Take lessons first so you can learn your way around horses. There is a tremendous amount to know in order to be safe while riding and working around the stable. If you plan to keep it at your house, then you have to know how to feed it properly, recognize when it's sick, protect it from flies, and keep the barn clean. Your riding instructor can advise you, and maybe find a horse that will be a good fit for you. It takes years to learn how to ride well, so keep that in mind.

Answer 9

a quarter horse gelding. try a shorter horse, too. get an older ranch pony, those horses know and have seen it all! good luck. you need to take some lessons or go to a stable about learning to care for horses though, so he doesn't suffer!

Answer 10

Look for something "cold blooded" (mellow temperament) Usually a breed with draft blood in it is mellow. The link below is to another discussion about buying a first horse.