What breed should I get

[summer65]

Hi, I have been riding for 5 months now and I’m ready to get my own horse. I have been around horses for my whole life but have just started riding . I have my own mini Shetland as well ?. At the min I am using and learning on my mums horse ( fell cross dales) but am ready To move onto something of my own. I know that cobs are generally first time rides but I would prefer something else however not completely set against them, just looking for options.

 

[Sail_away]

So just to clarify - your mum’s horsey, she can help school this horse and teach you how to look after it, etc? If not then five months of lessons is nowhere near enough, but it seems like it might work if your parents already own horses.
I wouldn’t set out looking for a particular breed - you need to make a list of criteria. So what you want it to do, height, gender, age, experience, and a budget. Then go and view some ponies within those criteria and get a feel for what sort of horse you like. If you start looking for a particular breed you limit your options quite significantly, and particularly as you’ve not ridden for very long you’ll want to get a feel for what ‘type’ of horse you enjoy riding.

 

[summer65]

Yes my mum has been riding for 36 years and I have grown up around horses but never wanted to ride but I’m lockdown I got into riding learning on her 14.3 hand pony

 

[outdoor girl]

Make sure you buy the horse that you NEED and not what you want. They are vastly different things. It sounds like you need something which will teach you and look after you in all the different situations you are going to encounter. If you start out looking for a particular breed, you may well end up with what you think you want, which may not be what you need at this point in your riding career. Good luck with the looking.

 

[Wishfilly]

I agree that limiting yourself to one breed would be a mistake! Some breeds may be more suited to novice riders than others, but there are exceptions with any breed and it is more about finding a horse that suits you. With native ponies especially, you can also find that certain lines are "sportier" while some will be calmer and suit a novice. There are also lots of lovely horses out there with unknown breeding that might suit you!

Is your mum's horse the only one you have ridden? If so, I would consider getting some lessons on different horses (when riding schools can open again) as then you'll get more of an idea of what you are after!

I agree that making a wishlist of age/height/ability/experience for the horse and also working out a sensible budget is key- rather than getting fixed on one breed.

 

[horseman1985]

Yeah don't limit yourself on one breed. When you'll make your choice, look for the perfect horse here https://www.horseweb.com/ There are a lot of great different breeds for everyone. Bought there one myself last summer.