What do I need for my first horse and what kind should I get?

Question

My sister and I are getting our first horses soon and would like to know what kind to get. I myself have some extra baggage, so I would like to get a horse that is strong yet taller than 14 hands. My sister wants one that is white. We have taken care of livestock and a horse before for a few weeks, so we know what hard work is and we currently live on a hobby farm. Also, what size should each stall be? I'm not sure what to get for supplies (for grooming, feed, and tack) what are the necessary and needed/recommended supplies?(including shampoos, conditioners..etc..)

Answer 1

It really depends on your riding knowledge.


Arabians are fantastic horses. Beautiful and graceful, yet skiddish and frightened easily. They tend to be high strung and wirey (You are not going to find a technical "WHITE" Arabian. White horses are pink skinned with white fur. Arabians (ALL OF THEM) have black skin. My horse is "white", but in Arabian terms he is GREY, because he fails to have pink skin). Arabians have FANTASTIC personalities and are VERY personable.

Quarter Horses are amazing creatures. They are sturdy and strong. They tend to be on the tall side, however. If you have a little extra baggage, it might be difficult to get up onto a taller horse. I would suggest one around 14-15.5 HH. Quarter Horses tend to be more curious than others, but otherwise have a calmer personality.

If you want a horse you will NEVER fall with (As in the horse falling), get a draft. They are amazingly strong and study, but tend to have boring, poor personalities. Draft horses tend to be exceptionally tall.


Basing your horse based on the color you want is a poor decision. You could pass up a fantastic animal to grow and bond with, just because "it isn't white". I would advise your sister to stop being shallow and open her mind up a bit more. You need an animal that is SUITED for her. Color has nothing to do with this. If she narrows her view to that, I can guarentee finding a good horse will be like finding a needle in a haystack.

DO NOT KEEP YOUR HORSES IN A STALL 24/7!! Your horse WILL Colic and WILL get insanely depressed. Your horse WILL start weaving (Where the horse rocks back and forth, rubbing the chest on doors, rails, etc). This can cause lacerations to the throat and the horse could potentially asphyxiate on the blood and die. BAD MOVE. As for a stall for occasional isolation and/or feeding in, I would suggest you look at the horse. Bigger horses need more room. Smaller horses need less. Judge by the size of your horse. I would usually give them an extra 2-3 feet to be safe. If your horse lies down in a stall that is too small, he will not be able to get up, because they need approximately 4-5 feet to throw their heads forward to get upward. Your horse can colic if he cannot stand up.

You will need a curry comb and a soft brush (The softer the bristles the better). Look for a brick of charcoal that'll be called something like a grooming block. It is EXCELLENT for shedding horses. STAY AWAY FROM SHEDDING BLADES. They can hurt your horse. ESPECIALLY the toothed ones. You will need a very large, thick saddle pad. The thicker the better. You can never have a saddle pad that is too thick. Depending on the horse, you will need an appropriate sized Bit. My horse does not use a bit, but uses a device called a hackamore. It's basicially a more restricting halter. I prefer them. The horse responds better to hackamores than bits generally in my opinion.


DO NOT SKIMP MONEY ON YOUR SADDLE! This is the most VITAL piece of equiment!! Getting a saddle that is cheap, does not fit right, made of wood or HEAVY fiberglass can injure your horse! You can end up with spinal/vertebre injuries on the horse, you can cause your horse to go swaybacked or pinch nerves in the horse's back, causing severe pain and discolorating of the fur and/or skin. SPEND THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY ON THE SADDLE!! I prefer Western, only because REAL cowboys ride Western! :)


As for Shampoo and Conditioner, only give your horse a bath once a year. Right after winter ends and it begins to warm up. You can purchase a horse shampoo (They don't need conditioners unless you're showing them), at any feed/tack store. Give them a good scrubbing once it warms up. This will remove old skin, oil and dirt from under their coats and allow their summer coat to come in thicker and healthier. This is not vital, but VERY good for them.


Good luck and welcome to the horsemanship world!


Final thought: If you have a choice (Which you will) GET A GELDING! Geldings are neutered males. Geldings are MUCH more mild tempered and react VERY well to training, quick to learn and tend to be MUCH more friendly.

Mares can be moody, when they go into heat they are irritable and sometimes vicious and tempremental. (You cannot stop a mare from going into heat). However mares can be excellent trail horses, I would advise against them.

Answer 2

I would go by the horses temperment instead of color, or size, I also have extra baggage, and I have one horse that is 14 hands and one that is 15 hands, and do fine on both. My favorite is a Quarter Horse. But it all depends on the individual horse,Make sure you buy a horse from a knowledgable horseperson, if they are good they will tell you if they do not feel that you can handle the horse, take your time to find the right one, and it will be a very enjoyable experience. Some of the basic supplies you will need are a halter and lead rope, bridle, saddle( make sure it fits you and your horse , saddle blanket. brushes (soft and firm), rubber curry, hoof pick, a brush for the mane and tail ( use one of my old hair brushes with widely space teeth. bug spray. There are many other things that you may find you like to use on your horse. Find out what feed the horse is currently being fed, and if you want to change it do it gradually by mixing the new type with the old type starting with small amounts of the new. Some horses have very sensitive stomaches and can colic (which can be deadly) with a drastic change in diets, you will need a bucket for the feed of course and a food container of some sort, and hay. Always make sure that fresh water is always available. One of the most important things is to keep your vets number handy. Just have patience in finding the right hores for you both, and most of all be careful, and have a great time. I grew up having horses, my dad still rides daily at 77, my daughter rides and I am sure my new grandchild will. One of the old sayings, the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man(woman) is very true, be good to your horse and they will be good to you. Long answer, but once you get a horse person talking about horses we usually can't hush us up, because we love it so much and want to make sure anyone new to horses have a great expience. Good Luck Be Careful and Enjoy

Answer 3

Stalls should be at least 8 x 10 for ponies and at least 11x10 for horses....bigger horses need bigger stalls...We strongly believe that a healthy horse is happiest outside....this also means less work for you....we only bring them in when it is raining, or is really cold in the night........

It is hard enough to find an affordable horse close by, with the right temperament, training, age, and size; without worrying about the breed and color. If your heart is set on a certain color, you should either have A Lot of money to buy a trained horse from a breeder, or you might not get your horse for several decades..........(your local newspaper, and www.dreamhorse.com are good sources.)

In the end a good horse will make you happier than a white one....

Make sure the horse you get is appealing to you and has the training and temperament to match your ability and confidence. Don't be tempted with the first one you see just because it is the first one you see .... :)

Unless you plan to o higher competitions the breed of your horse won't matter too much......Thoroughbreds and Arabians are the only really hot blooded breeds...

So many people ask this question, but with less details......glad you took the inititative to see what you were getting your self into...I don't know about yor riding ability, but if you don't have a lot of riding expirence, I would definatley try to take some lessons before and while you have your horse.......

Answer 4

hi,, I would consider getting a quarter horse. We own several horses. You would need a stall between 7 and 8 feet and very roomy for the horse. Also your horse needs grass, if grass is not available get some hay. You need feed, I use the horse feed with oats, this is protein for the horse. A horse comb, brush, and scissors. You can groom your horses with these objects. You need a lead rope so you can walk your horse to get muscles. Change the water and clean the trough and stall about once every 2 week. That should be all you need and a saddle, if you plan to ride him/her. Do NOT stand behind the horses, give them time to get use to you. The conditioner and shampoo I use is Mane and Tail it has both in a bottle, also makes the horse coat shine. You will find later that the hooves might need triming, so that's all.

Answer 5

It is very exciting to get a horse. Do you want to ride it? If you haven't ridden a lot, get an older(over 10-12 year old) well-trained horse.

Do you know a good vet? It is good to get a vet check if you can afford it. I bought a cheap horse which I was told would not stand tied. That was the least of her problems. I knew she was not trained to ride and was starting that training when she threw herself over backwards. I thought, "Gee, wouldn't you know it, this horse has seizures". I had the vet come and found out the horse had no medical problem, just behavioral problems, The vet knew the previous owner and told me the woman was terrified by the horse. I was not told that at the time of sale. The horse was dangerous, but I did get her calmed down & going under saddle and she has two lovely offspring.

I had been riding since I was 3 years old, and had owned horses for around ten years when I got her.

My point in this story is that you should find someone to help you get a safe, healthy horse. When people have problems with their horses they sometimes will sell them to someone with little knowledge of horses, who may be hurt due to the horse's behavior or heartbroken upon finding it has a terrible physical problem.

Harden yourself so you aren't just in love with the first horse you find. Enjoy looking at them to see them, then compare and pick a horse that's right for you, so you and your horse have a rewarding, life-long relationship. The same goes for your sister!

Answer 6

No offence but if you "took" care of a horse for a "few weeks" then you should have these questions already answered well enough.

Plus, if don't know the answer to the questions, then how do you know you want a horse if you don't know what is all a horse needs?

It is a very good idea to make a list of questions (like I did when I first got my horse almost 11 years ago) and see how many I can answer. The ones I can't answer, I find the answers before I get my horse. So, I was prepared and ready to go. Getting a horse is like having a kid.

as far as what type of horse, than is all up to you on your interest. I personally own quarter horses, which come in different sizes and heights. My mare is 14.2 hands as my oldest gelding is almost 16 hands.

I think the behavior depends on the horse's training and their bloodlines. My mare came be very stubborn and a fire ball, but she is also a very sweet and kind horse too. My youngest gelding is the "problem child". He is very spoiled and he is very territorial. My oldest gelding is more laid back, but he had excellent training and lots of years on him to be mellow. So, whether you get a mare or gelding is up to you. I think both mare and geldings both have their own pros and cons of the genders. Just as human female and males are. lol.

If you want a strong and tall horse, you have a few choices of American breeds of American Quarter or TB. There is also other larger breeds out there too. Shop around and do a few test riding to see if the horse fits you as you fit the horse with size and personality.

It also depends on what type of riding style you are doing. Are you a western rider or you a English rider?

Getting a "solid white" is more difficult. Mostly, she will be looking for a dapple-flea bitten or roan gray horse that resembles white, but the coat can change over the years. Our TB geldng was white 10 years ago and now, he is dapple gray.

The stall should be enough room to move around. Are you two boarding at a stable or having a barn?

My stalls used to be 10 feet wide by 20 feet long. Other stalls they have been in was 10 X 14 or 10 X 10 with the gate attached to arena so can let out to run.

If the horses have never been stalled before and used to pasture, then it is best to place them in pasture. Not right to take a horse who is used to an enviroment and change everything about it. They are used to roaming and grazing. Not standing in stall all day.

Grooming: Keep it basic for now is how I started out.
1) Brush
2) Cury comb to help with any mud and shedding coat
3) rubber comb to swirl around to get the dirt from the skin
4) hoof pick for twice daily to clean out the frog etc.
5) hoof dressing to soften and strengthen the hoof of dry/cracked.
6) Mane and Tail shampoo or Champion. I also just use regular baby shampoo that is 99 cents at the dollar store.

I usually give my horses a bath once a month from May to October since the heat makes them sweat, with the sweat that drys that leaves salt residue on their skin, plus the dirt mixed can cause them to itch. So, once a month or when show signs of excess dirt with salt residue.

Then only give warm clothed rub downs on their faces, legs and mane/tail in the winter months due to the cold. Giving a horse a bath every day or very often is not good for their coat. Horses have natural oils and bathing them can actually strip out those natural oils, causing dry and bad coat.

7) Sweat scraper so can wipe off extra water dripping.
8) normal hair brush that is like 99 cents at the dollar store.
9) Sometimes I get Show Shine or other coat conditioners if their skin is dry in the winter at Statelinetack

Tack:

When you buy your saddle (if you haven't yet), make sure it fits your horse's back properly. A unfitted saddle will cause back pain and uncomfortable ride for your horse. (saddle sores). Plus, the saddle also should fit you too.

Saddle pad that properly fits the saddle and horse. Some people have to use a thiner pad ontop of the saddle pad if the horse has high withers.

Bridle: There is various types of bridles and bits. When you buy the horse, ask the owner what type of bit they used on the horse.

Some people use split boots and get shipping boots. I have them just in case if I do slide stops a lot or if I go work the cows or barrel race.

First Aid: For starting out, I use Swat ointment and keep iodine as well. Have leg wraping and gauz also. I know seem silly but we keep baby diapers too. It is aborbant and less expensive than gauz. My vet said it is interesting but a very good idea since it does help with bleeding.

I also buy a bottle of beut (asprine) that is already crushed in powder (not the pills to save time of crushing) just incase I needed to give it to my horses as part of their med.

Always read and properly store your first aid.

Feed: depending on the size of the horse and daily activity. Ask the previous owners what they fed the horse and how much pounds per feeding. My mare is adv of 17 pounds per feeding and my other two geldings are both about 14 pounds per feeding. Plus, extra supplements of Mare and Foal or Senior Feed nutrients.

I do recommend to pick up a few horse books like "Horse Care" and contact your local vet to go on ride alongs to gain some experience out in the field of what can occur to horses so you be better prepared if happened to yours.

Your parents should know a lot of this information regaurding the stall and supplies as well.

Answer 7

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