Horse question?

Question

My step daughter,9, is wanting her own horse. My husband and I are not real comfortable about Horses,but have been thinking about getting one for her. I have rode a horse a couple of time when i was a kid but never have really been around them. I dont know nothing about them or what kinds are better for someone who has never owned a horse. Can someone help? What kinds are good for a first timer? Are horses that have been neglected bad to have? Any other advice? Thank you!

thank you everyone for your advice. everyone had something different to say that was good to know.

Answer 1

Given your level of experience I would suggest finding a good barn in your area. Start by signing your step daughter up for lessons. After shes a good rider and knows how to take care of a horse look into leasing a horse for her. Horses are a big responsibility, both financially and physically. You'll want to make sure that this is what your step daughter really wants before you plunge into the comitment of owning a horse. If after a few months of leasing, your step daughter still really wants a horse then ask her trainer to help you find one. This is best because the trainer will know more about your step daughter's riding ability verse as some one on yahoo only knows what you've typed in your question, and this is not enough for a good recomendation. I would not suggest keeping the horse yourself, but keeping it at a boarding stable, as keeping a horse is not like keeping a dog or cat, it requires alot more knoweledge. I have seen parents with very little horse knoweldge go off and buy a horse with out doing the above things first, and the daughter almost killed the horse because no one had any idea what they were doing. She fed and watered the horse daily, but her lack of knoweledge and the parents' led her to not notice some major problems with the diet and the care she was giving it. Luckily I was ale to rescue the horse, but it was a bad situation all around. The horse had lost over 300lbs in less than 2 months of ownership (it was perfectly healthy when they bought it, even a little over weight) and had developed many other mental issues(because the daughter had no idea how to train, or care for a horse properly, she just wanted one). Luckily I was able to take the horse away and rehabilitate her. She is now a wonderful horse, that I love and adore. I would not suggest a rescue horse for you though because it does take alot more knoweledge of horses to own one. Also I would suggest you doing your homework on horses before you invest. Go the the library and get all the books you can find on horses and horse care. Go through them until you feel comfortable with your knoweledge of horses. Good luck!

Answer 2

I'd suggest having your daughter take lessons first. This is still the same experience, she's learning how to ride, and it'll save you a lot of bills and headaches. It's extremely hard to buy a horse if you're a novice for a nine year old child. I'm talking from personal experience - people lie about their horses, they drug them to make them appear dead calm, experienced riders make the horse look "good", and in the end you could end up with a dangerous horse in your care.

It's sad, but there's some really stupid people in this world that will do whatever it takes to make some money. And unfortunately their targets are novices who aren't quite sure what they're doing.

I hope I'm not sounding intimidating, it's just the truth. If you do decide to get a horse, make sure you do a little research first to see what you're getting into. If you don't have land, you have to consider a place to board. If you do have land, do you have enough acerage and enough grass? Do you have a barn or any kind of shelter for the horse? Then comes feed which depends on the individual horse. this includes grain and hay. Vet and ferrier bills are bound to pile up. Other things such as tack, bedding for the stalls, getting their teeth floated, worming etc are essential.

Do you have the money? But more importantly, do you have the time for a horse? Generally, horses should be groomed and ridden every day or at least a few times a week. They should be bathed once every couple of weeks. Also you may need to hire a professional trainer to help you with your horse if it has problems.

I'm not trying to deter you, I'm just trying to reveal to you. A horse isn't just play time, it's a huge responsibility for the parents. If you think you're ready for a horse, then it's time to buy one.

I'd suggest getting an older horse, around 13 years or older. Young horses, even if well trained, can be unpredictable. Not saying older horses AREN'T unpredictable, but they tend to mellow out and slow down with age. A gelding or mare is fine. I'd expect the price range for a good, reliable, older horse would be about $2500 - $5000.

So let's say you find a horse. The owner says he's totally bombproof, has no vices, best horse in the world, etc etc. and he's only $2500 or less. Seems like a great deal at first glance, but maybe not at second glance. Ask the owner why he's selling the horse so cheap. He could have a health problem or bad habit he "forgot" to tell you. Just be careful with this.

If you think you've found the perfect horse, go out and look at him first hand. Have the owner handle him and ride him for you. Is he jiggy or constantly has his ears back? Does he walk all over the owner when leading? Ask yourself these questions and study the horse closely. If he seems mellow and calm, see if you can take him to your place for a trial for maybe a week or two. You'll be able to see how the horse is around you and your daughter in the environment it will be in. If he seems like the right horse, you may have found a new member of the family :)

I hope all goes well. Horses are huge responsibilities, but they're worth it. Don't buy on impulse, take the time to find that perfect horse. Good luck!

Answer 3

How about this. Instead of the expense of buying a horse, the tack, the fencing and shelter, not to mention the monthly expenses, try riding lessons at a nearby stable first. There is not very many 9 year old girls that don't want a pony. Of the ones that actually get one, some will become life long horsewomen and for the others it was just a phase. They decide that it was too much work. Talk to the instructor/barn manager at a local stable about riding lessons, and make sure to mention that they need to include the DAILY maintenance of the horses. The daily chores that she will have to do to take care of this horses. Find out up front if she is going to keep after this dream of owning a horse, or if it's just a phase. This way you don't have to buy a horse until you and your husband are more comfortable with your daughter having one. And if she decided that riding is not for her after all, you're only loose the cost of the riding lessons and the time spend at them as opposed to the cost of the fencing and supplies that you can't really sell.

This would be my suggestion.

Answer 4

The breed does not matter. What matters is training, personality, and age.
Do not buy a young horse for a beginner. Get one that has had some experience. I'm not saying buy one close to death, but a horse in its teens is a good, safe bet.
Health is important as well. You don't want a horse that is hard to keep healthy or is hard to keep fat. Try to find an older, well-trained, healthy "easy keeper".
Read up on horse health and nutrition. Subscribe to one or more equine magazines, and find a knowledgeable friend if possible to help. Horses that have been neglected are not necessarily bad to have, but could have issues that are not good for beginners to handle. It all depends on the horse - every case is different.
Most importantly, find an experienced person to help y ou find a suitable horse for your first time family experience. Stay away from stallions (non-neutered males). A gelding (neutered male) would be a best bet as mares (females) can be hormonal at times.
Education (the magazines) and Internet articles are priceless in helping you all learn, but remember, there are more than one way to skin a cat and some information you read may be different from others. Even so, basic horse care is pretty much cut and dried.
Learn all you can and get help in locating the right horse and you will find horses are wonderful investments for the whole family!

Answer 5

Well, as a million other people have said, have your step daughter take riding lessons for at least a year. I can not even express how important it is to find a stable with a very knowledgeable trainer. There are many stables that have lesson programs and many of them are really not good. I found myself in a similar situation. I have been working with horses for over ten years but eight of those were spent in a very bad hunter barn where they knew next to nothing, and I had no idea that they didn't know anything because I didn't either. I then went off to college and am now an equestrian major in a very good program. I would look for a certified riding instructor. There are a lot of good instructors out there who are not certified, but the odds of getting a poor one are very good too. If you find someone who is certified to give riding lessons, your step daughter will at least have a fair chance of learning the most she can and actually doing well. I am certified through CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) and they have a web page. You can search for an instructor in your area. Most people leave contact information right there with their qualifications- the higher level the better- an MA, ACI or CI are all extremely well qualified, but even someone with a level 1 is better than nothing. After your step daughter has taken lessons for a good amount of time and decided that this is something she really likes to do, then it might be time to go horse shopping. A lease is a nice alternative to ownership, because it costs half as much, but you also get half as much ride time. You could talk to the stable about leasing one of their lesson horses, as most times they are already excellent horses for beginners. If you do want to buy, take a very experienced horse person with you and have your daughter try it out if you think you have found something suitable. As always, make sure the vet has checked the horse over thoroughly before buying so you don't find out later that you just bought an unsound horse that will never be able to work much. Oh and a horse is expensive to own, but not nearly as much as some people have said. If you stable it at home, you can do it for as little as $500-1000 a year depending on feed and bedding prices and if the horse has a lot of foot or health problems. Boarding can be expensive but is usually the option most people choose if they don't have the facility for it themselves. The average going rate is somewhere around 300 a month and that usually includes bedding, feed, stall cleaning, and turnout- but not always. Check with the individual stable's policy. Good luck!

Answer 6

I'm gonig to give you some advice that I give all of the parent of young riders at my farm. I don't recomend buying a horse for a child until they number one have a car and number two have a boyfriend. If after these two things they are still interested in a horse, the begin the buying process. I have watched too many parents shell out great amounts of money on horses, board, tack, etc. just for their child to become bored of horses not 3 years later. And many time the animal is kept for sentimental reasons and just becomes a pasture ornament at some farm. However if money is no option, buy away.
If you do decide to buy your daughter a horse, be sure to shop around alot. And remember that a high price tag doesn't always mean a quality horse. Be sure to try the horse out. First watching the owner with the horse and then alowing your daughter to try. Also besure to do a "pop it". A few weeks after looking at a potential horse, pop in at the farm with short notice(do call before, but not too early). This will let you see the horse, owner, and living area in a little more natural condition. At the initial show the owner had paid great attention to small details, and this pop in visit doesn't allow much time to do things. I might also recomend taking your daughters trainer along to see the horse, since a nine year old may be more apt to pick a horse because it's pretty or big. And most importantly have the horse vet checked. I cannot stress this point enough.
As far as breed and such, it all depends on the horse. I prefer a nice 10-15 year old quarter horse for a young rider, but each horse is different.
Happy Horse Hunting!

Answer 7

For first time owners and riders, it is best to get a gentled older horse. You might consider a pony because they are smaller than the regular horses. Horses that have been neglected are good PROVIDING you understand that dependant on the neglection, there could be a lot of costs involved that wouldn't ordinarily exist. If you don't mind spending money to get answers, you can make an appointment with an equine vet and discuss the possibilites with them. The vet may even suggest having a vet go with you to look at the horse(s) to make sure you are not getting in over your head by selecting a wrong horse. Older horses do come up with a variety of problems, some cost more than others.

Answer 8

Before you even think about making the huge committment to buy a horse, get your daughter down to your local stable for lessons. Getting your daughter proper schooling will give her more knowledge and confidence in riding and handling her horse Otherwise you're going to end up with a rather expensive lawn decoration.

Once she's had a bunch of lessons under her belt, before buying a horse, consider leasing one. Many stables offer the option or leasing a horse for a set period of time that is for all intents and purposes like owning a horse. You have all of the responsibility and pay all the expenses, but if you find that it doesn't work or that your daughter loses interest, it's not something you are stuck in. And many stables do offer a lease with option to buy the horse if everything goes well.

You should also speak with your daughter's riding instructor (once she has one) about finding a horse for her. The instructor will be the best judge of how much horse she can handle. They will also be able to help you find that horse.

Prepare your daughter that if she really does want a horse, that a lot of the other extracuricular activities will likely have to be put aside because this is an animal that needs a lot of attention. It will need to be exercised daily in some fashion. If you are keeping the horse on your own property, it means feeding, grooming, cleaning stalls... The amount of work can seem endless sometimes.

But it can be a wonderful experience for your stepdaughter. If you can afford it and she's willing to make the sacrifices on her end, then its certainly something well worth doing. I would think very carefully about getting a rescue horse, only because of your stepdaughter's lack of experience. These horses can be wonderful (I've worked with many), but they do often need a lot of reschooling and may end up with "issues". For a first horse, you need something that she is going to be able to handle.

Good luck!

Answer 9

You should find a place where she can take lessons for a year. Then you will know if she even likes it, you will be more comfortable around horses and you will be more informed of the breeds. Do research over the Internet. E-mail the farms and ask questions pertaining to your situation. Do you have land or will you be boarding? Do you have the funds? There is alot that goes into OWNING a horse then just the thought of riding. I highly suggest the lessons for at least a year. There is Western and English styles of riding. Some ride for the pleasure of it, and some ride to compete. I ride for fun, I like to bareback ride, my daughter rides for fun and competition (English). I've been bit three times, kicked, slammed up against a gate. I work at a barn. Being around horses means you have to respect their size and know that even the most gentle horse can have a bad day. You need to know everything about the way they communicate to lesson your chances of being hurt. When I was bit, all 3 times, I was the innocent bystander in a horse argument. If your daughter likes the lessons it could be the best thing you ever did for her. But remember, knowledge is power, esp. with horses. We have two Percheron's. We keep them on our neighbor's land, until we move to our own place. After all the pain I've been through I wouln't change a thing. My daughter has only been hurt once and she is now 13. And it wasn't bad. See again my horses never spook at any thing, normally, the day she got hurt is because she was leading him around and something spooked the unspookable horse and she held on to his halter instead of letting go like a normal person would have and she got knocked down. These are huge horses we have. He wasn't trying to hurt her he just wanted away from what ever he thought was a threat to him. Good luck and have so much fun!!!!

Answer 10

How interested is you daughter? Has she been begging you for the past year, or has it just started? Most girls ask a horse some point in their life.
If she really wants one let her take lessons first. Lessons are the only was she can decide how much she wants them, and the lessons will also give her invaluable experience. If after at least 1 year of lessons, if she still wants her own horse, talk to her instructor. See if you daughter can take some lessons that focus on horse care and handling instead of riding, and since your daughter is so young, you should try to be a part of them too.

Also, since your daughter is young and you have no horse experience it is vitally important for you to find a really safe, calm, horse........which can be rather expensive...... You want to make sure that the horse you pick is something you both can handle....

Generally....Quarter horses are all around sensible horses, while throughbreds are hot and slightly hyper....really the breed dosen't matter as much as the perticular horse's temperment.

Get a gelding or mare, NOT a stallion.......

Also for a well trained horse for her is not likely to be under 7 or 6 years of age........horses can live to be 30+, so a 12 or 15 yr old horse woud be great..........

Your instructor can help you find a horse, or may even have one for sale. Also, after a year of your Daughter taking lessons,you will know a little more of what you are looking for.

For height.........maybe 14.0 to 15.0 hands.....depending on your daughter's height.....you don't want her to grow out of the horse......

Also are you going to board the horse or keep it yourself? Although boarding saves your time, (you don't have to pick out hay, you dion't have to feed twice a day, you don't have to muck....ect.) it can be anywhere from $250 (low) to $600 (pretty high) a month. Also if you board, you don't have to put up fence, a ruin-in, or a barn. Caring for your own horse is a lot of work......

A neglected horse is not nessecerialy bad to have....just as being first time horse owners, you want to be sure the horse has no behavorial issues or needs no special care......(just to make it easier for you.....)

All in all I would say to let your daughter take lesons...........maybe for a year or two.......A good option for you may be to find a horse for her to lease for a year (after a year of lessons).......the lesed horse can be sort of a trial run.....some people even let you buy the leased horse.......!

You really need to know what you are doing before getting a horse, and lessons are the best way. Making friends with other horsey people, and reading one of the many Horse encyclopedias (you can get them from amazon) will also help......

Just remenber, you will be dealing with the horse as much as your daughter.......
There is a big difference from riding a pushbutton lesson horse and your own horse........
Also you daughter taking lessons will give you time to decide.....and she will be older also.......