Hello everyone and can you give me some advise

S

spacejam

New User
Joined
16 June 2008
Messages
5
Visit site
Im new to the forum and just wanted to say hello to everyone!!

so the advice i need is....

I have never had a horse but have had lessons since i was 9 years old (now 18). I have done a first diploma in horse care and am thinking of doing a national diploma this year. I have always been in the top groups and i am not scared by riding a difficult horse.

I have the finances now to buy a horse and I am really interested in getting a 2 year old filly. That way for the first year it wouldnt be about riding but about getting to no the horse and for me to adjust to owning one, and giving up my sunday morning lyings!!

I know it will be hard especially with not have huge amounts of experience but the horse would be kept at college so there would be many experienced members of staff and students that could me with training.

so do you think i would be getting in over my head?? or could i do it??

thanks in advance for any advice
smile.gif
 
i wouldn't want to keep a youngester in a college enviroment as you tend to have very limited turnout for one. also i thought they only let you have riding horses at college.why not get a older horse as they will probably cope better at the college.




(excuse spelling i've gone brain dead tonight)
 
Sorry but I don't think its a good idea for a first horse. I would strongly recommend that you get an older 'schoolmaster' type instead.

There is such a massive difference in terms of being a great 'riding school rider' and owning your own horse - it's a whole different ball park.

Backing and bringing on a youngster is a huge project - even for really, really experienced horse owners and riders. Get an older horse first and then in years to come, use the experience you've gained to bring on a young horse.
 
Hello - welcome to the forum! *waves*

I agree with 28jen28 about not wanting a youngster in a college environment and also I think it would be good for you to get some experience breaking and training youngsters before you get one of your own - does the college have a stud or do you know a local yard that does breaking and training that you could help out at?

Also I think you'll find the staff will be helpful but not necessarily always there when you need someone and what about in the holidays?

I can totally identify with you about wanting to finally get your own, I've ridden since I was 4 and now just buying my first horse and I'm 23! How about either buying an older horse now or waiting until you've finished your courses and got some expereince in breaking and then buying a youngster? What ever you do make sure you have fun
grin.gif
 
Hi Spacejam PM me if you like, im 18 to and last year i brought my 1st horse he was to and have just broke him and he is doing gr8!!!
I know many people don't agree that it is right thing to do but i did it anyway and would never regret it...have just brought a foal now aswell!!!
smile.gif
 
Would not have a 2 yr old as first horse,
Would not expect a youngster to live in a College environment- she should be out grazing and interacting with other horses, although with daily experienced handling.

With a horse already started and able to work in lessons, you'd get a lot more out of College.
 
Sadly I'm with the majority - gembob has very recently brought home a young 3yo filly (look for her posts on it) and she had a very unpleasant wakeup call when it broke her ribs a few days ago and was very difficult to handle with the farrier. Being a good rider is as different from handling, backing and training as cross country is from dressage - parts of one can be applied to the other but you wouldn't train a good dressage horse by blasting them round cross country courses, and you won't back and break a horse well just because you're a good rider. I also think you would have a far better time with an older horse socially. After all, a filly is a nice idea on paper, but what about when your mates are all out riding or having fun or going to shows? What will you do then?
 
ok well thanks for all your opinions, i only thought of having a youngster at college because there was a two year old there before and she did fine and they had good grazing time and there are large fields with lots of horses together
 
and i wasnt really worried about being able to ride for a while because i would be riding a few times in the week at college and my main priority was to make a strong bond with the filly
 
I don't think its a great idea to buy a youngster at your stage, you could really do with a schoolmaster that will allow you to make the odd mistake without being confused. A youngster will not have a clue what you are asking and you will need to teach it everything there is to know about equitational discipline. When we learn to ride its usually on a tolerant horse that is well schooled but a youngster can panic if they think they don't understand what is being asked of them and so we use our skills to ask in a more simple way. If you have only ever ridden trained horses then you will not have all the equitation skills to simplify to a youngster so it understands and for this reason many a youngster would start to become nappy or at worst rather naughty, this is when your confidence can be knocked and you will not get it back from a horse that has taken it away. I admire your confidence for thinking of buying a baby but I really think you will come on in leaps and bounds if you look for something that is well established with its training and competition experience. Good luck with your new purchase.
 
hi i am fairly new to the forum and to owning a horse , i would advise you to look at the horses available to you in your price bracket , look at there temperament and what they have done , you could get a youngster who is a nutter or one who is sedate and always will be , or a 20year old who is off its head . take someone with you to look at the horse and ride it if needs be who is very experienced , but follow your heart as well . good luck
 
Having kept my horse at college with me in my 1st year, I'd say don't do it. I also did the ND and to be honest with the workload and social life i think the biggest issue you would have is time. Also in the college yard enviroment i'd be worried about who would be dealing with your horse, i was lucky my horse was 9 and was fine with various people doing her, but a youngster may not cope so well.
If you are dead set on your own horse, I'd look at something a bit older, you will find it alot easier. Once your out working after college maybe you could add to your horsey family with your youngster ? If you want to pm with any questions about my experinces of keeping my horse with me at college feel free. I should also add that I decided to leave my horse at home with a knowlegable friend during my 2nd year as i didnt really like the situation.
 
This is the problem spacejam, a youngster needs to learn from you, not you from it! once you have become an experienced rider from a schoolmaster type and you have been competing for a few years then I would say, go for it! but you can only produce a good horse from good training and you need more experience under your belt first. I wouldn't choose an Arab for a first horse either, unless you know the horse personally and can confirm it is a perfect 1st horse, I would also stay clear of Chestnut Mares, again unless you are absolutely certain it is quiet enough for a 1st horse as both an Arab breed and a chestnut mare are 9/10 hot headed and usually very intelligent so their minds work overtime and more often than not they dont suffer fools gladly!! Maybe go for something with a bit of Irish Draught in its breeding or Cleveland Bay part bred and these types tend to have genuine, gentle temperaments.
 
Welcome to the forum, I can maybe give both sides.

I now have my own horse who is now 2 (I bought him as a yearling) and I bought him for similar reasons that you have but also a few more (money, the fact that I am abroad during term time so when I came back I could start with the real training). I had loaned and shared before so knew some of the things already and my first horse (the one I loaned) was a 6 year old green arab mare.

I love my boy and would probably do it again but it hasn't been easy and I did lose my confidence with him when he got to be too much and I'm only just getting it back. I had to send him to someone to train him through the "teenage rebeliousness" of 18 months to 2 1/2 years. However he is getting to be the horse of my dreams and I still look at him and think, is he really mine?

She is a filly and already 2 and hopefully has had a decent grounding in training so should have manners (if she hasn't then steer clear at your current age). Arabs are quite different from a lot of other horses, but they are also the same, ride them form leg to hand and you'll be fine, handle them sensibly and fairly and they'll respect you. I have kept horses at an equestrian college (Hartpury) and can say that they are often very well set up for training a two year old if you make it clear that she is a two year old. If she was still a yearling I might be saying something different but she isn't. I also don't believe in any of this chestnut mare thing as for goodness sake it is a colour of the coat nothing else.

However, I have realised and been taught that bringing on a horse under 3 is a real learning curve and not one that you will probably be prepared for. I have trained, both under saddle and in-hand, difficult and young horses (incl stallions) and still had difficulties (understatement!) with my boy. Youngsters don't really care about you in the same way as older horses and they are very quick.

If you want to chat PM me and good luck.
 
hi welcome to the forum
laugh.gif

have had a quick read over replies. here's my 2p worth
smile.gif

my 1st horse was a foal, she's a yearling now. when i posted on here showing her off i also stated that even tho she's my 1st, i'd worked with horses for 8 years. spent several years working on a TB stud, and had backed and brought on plenty of youngsters.
i think as a 1st horse unless you've had some practical experience with them, i'd avoid getting a baby.
tongue.gif

even through all my experience, i'm still learning, and not always having good days. i'm also realising that in a few years time she probably won't be what i want in a riding horse, so i'm no doubt going to be selling her this summer
frown.gif

anyway good luck with whatever you decide, and lots of piccies please of the new horsey
laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
my main priority was to make a strong bond with the filly

[/ QUOTE ]

You can bond just as well, and probably more easily, with a mature schooled horse.
We do have a 2 yr old, bought as a yealring, and have been riding for 45 years, and I have brought on youngsters from first contact.
However, this filly will be going to professional 'boarding school' for starting as I don't have the essential help on the ground, time as required EVERY day during the crucial times, and then once bascis are established, we'll carry on with her further education.
ILd rather pay a recomended and trusted expert than her have any bad experience, me get hurt if she does have a flip,
and I;m sure it won't affect our partnership.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top