What breed/ type of horse do you think I should be looking for?

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Sunny08

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In a few months time (February time) I will be looking to purchase a new horse.

I recently sold my absolutely lovely 5 year old eventer. She is very much the type of horse that needed riding every day and had far more potential than me. I had owned her since a foal backed, broken and schooled her myself but felt I had taken her as far as I could.

Anyway I was triggered into selling her due to being pregnant. She was quite sharp and my husband preferred I didn't ride her whilst pregnant, also with having a small baby i didn't feel I would have the time to give to her. So the timing seemed right.

I would like to buy another horse but one that is more suited to me and family life. I am an experienced rider, I have showjumped, BE'd and BD'd, as well as backed and broken quite a few horses. However my desire for risk taking now has dramatically reduced!!! I'll also have a young baby and want a horse that fits well with this and as the child grows he/she can intereact with. after selling my mare I don't think i want to have to ever do that again so I want a horse for life!

So my 'must' for a horse would be:
Able to be handled myself and husband (who is a farmer so good with animals)
Not a known constant bucker, rearer, bolter (I accept no horse is bombproof but equally i don't want a nutter!)
Ok if only ridden 3 times a week (this would be the minimum)
Able to live out most the year
Good temperament!!!! ( I like spending a lot of time grooming and with my horse so this is the biggest must!)
Family type horse
Happy to cope with low level riding club type activities and sponsored rides etc - but doesn't have to had been there and done it just have the potential
Good in traffic and hacking.
Sensible head and easy to do
15.2hh-16.1hh and under 10 years

My not so worried about list:
I would be happy to have something that needs the schooling and bringing on
I am not fussed about gender, colour, breed (apart from the fact I am not a KWPN/ warmblood fan!!)

What breed type would you recommend - i have always had ISH types, but thinking a Fresian type, or Welsh Cob X TB may be nice. I am thinking of something middle weight ish?
And what sort of price should I be thinking?
 
Horse shopping! Hurrah!

You sound like you already know what you are looking for. Only thing I would say is that (though there are exceptions and it doesn't do to stereotype a breed) all the welshies I know are little hot-heads, and adding TB to the mix is unlikely to be a calming influence.

If you want a native x, then what about a connie or a newfie?
 
Personally, welsh d's are often quite hot in temprement - they are usually encouraged to be that way.

I think you'd be better going for a connemara x or possibly even a full one - some of the overheight ones do make 15.1/15.2hh and they take up a lot of leg when mature. They're good alrounders as well, live out happily and are generally quite calmly tempered.

The catch with connie's is that they are expensive, and for a nice one you will need to pay a bit more than you would for your average mixed horse of the same age/ability/experience.
 
You sound like you know what you want anyway. How about a pure ID? If you've always had ISHs. Does it have to be a breed/cross breed? I'd just look through the ads and see what I liked. You shoud get something for about £3500 that was very nice... Happy hunting.
 
To be honest, I wouldn't look for a particular breed or type, as individuals within the breed can vary so much. Instead I would just look for a horse who is already doing a similar job to that for which you want it. The sort of horse you want (safe, sane, straightforward allrounder) is what everyone is after so they are in short supply - restricting yourself by breed or type will make the search even harder!
 
£3500 was pretty much what i was looking for, not as experienced with the native breeds or what makes the best X's though I have known some super Connie X's before.
 
TGM said:
To be honest, I wouldn't look for a particular breed or type, as individuals within the breed can vary so much. Instead I would just look for a horse who is already doing a similar job to that for which you want it. The sort of horse you want (safe, sane, straightforward allrounder) is what everyone is after so they are in short supply - restricting yourself by breed or type will make the search even harder!
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Agree with this...

I was looking for a heavyweight, older, been there done that, good doer after my shire x left us...

I bought a 17.2hh, 6 year old tb....(although I'm sure he's just wearing a costume to fool us)

Couldn't help it! Love at first sight :)
 
Have you thought of an appaloosa? They tick ALL your boxes and more. They are not all loud colours if you don't want that. Some of them are solid. There is a smashing part-bred youngster in North Wales - was champion part-bred at the National Breed Show of the Appaloosa Horse Club. He is quarter dales I believe and is solid bay, and three-quarters appaloosa. If I were looking for a nice horse he would be super. If you are interested contact the membership secretary on the website of the ApHC UK - www.aphcuk.org
 
I would say maybe a ID there a lovely breed nice and calm, or like you said maybe a welshie, good luck with your searching, how about something like this???

depending on your price range??

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/all_rounder_horse_6_yrs_8_mths_16_1_hh_rose_grey_kent/advert/120291

or

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/all_rounder_horse_7_yrs_16_1_hh_liver_chestnut_kent/advert/121998

or

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/family_horse_8_yrs_3_mths_15_2_hh_dun_kent/advert/122774

or

this little chap looks sweet!!
http://www.horsemart.co.uk/all_rounder_horse_5_yrs_15_3_hh_piebald_kent/advert/120864

sorry got a little carried away there! hehe!!

S x
 
steph21 said:
I would say maybe a ID there a lovely breed nice and calm, or like you said maybe a welshie, good luck with your searching, how about something like this???

depending on your price range??

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/all_rounder_horse_6_yrs_8_mths_16_1_hh_rose_grey_kent/advert/120291

or

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/all_rounder_horse_7_yrs_16_1_hh_liver_chestnut_kent/advert/121998

or

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/family_horse_8_yrs_3_mths_15_2_hh_dun_kent/advert/122774

or

this little chap looks sweet!!
http://www.horsemart.co.uk/all_rounder_horse_5_yrs_15_3_hh_piebald_kent/advert/120864

sorry got a little carried away there! hehe!!

S x
Click to expand...

Ahh I really like the first and third one. Thanks for all the suggestions just wanted an idea of what others thought made nice family types, I've always had more the competition type up until now.
 
My two arabs are everything on your list (or at least were when they were younger). They're not for sale though ;)

Don't restrict yourself with a particular breed - the right horse will find you.
 
Can I tempt your mind to something completely different? Just for a change??!! What about a traditional gypsy cob; they'll tick all your boxes and then some. They've basically been bred by the Romanies for generations to be good, easy to handle horses (and the Romanies don't half know something about horses!!).

A gypsy cob usually has a nice easy temperament, but they're not always a plod! However they do tend to be good natured, fun horses with the ability to turn their hoof to anything. Nice for hacking out, will have a go at most things, even dressage, and brilliant family horses. Would drive too if you fancied having a go.

If you don't like the feathers, do what I do and clip it off!

Or perhaps if you don't fancy a traditional cob, what about a nice show-cob X hunter type? A Cleveland Bay X?

Amen to thoughts re. Welshies; they're nice looking but far too sharp IME. Connemara's or Connemara X v.nice tho'.
 
I agree with others, don't look for a particular breed. Look for a type. Heinz 57 if necessary. Whether you like chunky/fine/middleweight.....

As for your 'wish list'... just to throw a spanner in the works, my 2 Welsh D's would just about fit your bill apart from their size! They can be ridden every day or once a month and be OK, which is perfect for me because I can't commit to riding every day either!
 
clipcloppop said:
my little Raff is hanoverian x polish warmblood but i think the majority of his looks and character come from the Polish Warmblood side.

He's not hot headed, but sane, chilled, and lovely! he's also more than capable of doing riding club stuff. i think you should go for one of them! :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wielkopolski
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Oh, clipcloppop, how many times one has to tell you not to rely on Wikipedia?:rolleyes::D

Wielkopolski horse is only one of the breeds in Polish Warmblood stud books, actually, I'm not sure it is still recognised as a breed:o

BUT, you are right, I think OP should get one jut like Raf:)
 
An Appaloosa! Can live out 24/7, all year, without any trouble, very much a pick up and put down kinda horse, and pretty too! They are fairly fine (I prefer a thoroughbred/sportshorse type) but hardy with it... Also they cope well unshod and need no feed :p
 
Snickers said:
An Appaloosa! Can live out 24/7, all year, without any trouble, very much a pick up and put down kinda horse, and pretty too! They are fairly fine (I prefer a thoroughbred/sportshorse type) but hardy with it... Also they cope well unshod and need no feed :p
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"They are fairly fine...." Not always so - depends on their breeding lines, as most apps are a mixture of quarter horse, arab and thoroughbred (all permitted outcrosses). And their size will vary from 14.2 right up to 16hh+ . There are appaloosa breeders who produce appaloosa sporthorses - check out Staroak Stud in Cheshire. My apps live out 24/7 all year and I agree they are a pick up and put down kinda horse and beauty is in the eye of the beholder - some people absolutely hate them! Take the filly that was bred from a 7/8th thoroughbred mare and my appy stallion - she is beautifully marked (to an appaloosa fan) but the chap who supplies my haylage said he thought she looked like a hyena! (She is on my profile - Spot Another Tiger). She is not for sale.
As for feet - my stallion has great feet and I ride him barefoot - probably because he and my farrier don't really see eye to eye - and it is easier all round! But he says that he has strong feet and I ride him out on flinty countryside, with no problems. I have a pure American Quarter horse, he needs shoes but has strong feet but he hates the flints and I got fed up with him going "ouch, ouchhhhhh - I prefer to walk on the grass thanks!" So he gets shod all round.
And feeding - all ours get fed something, we wouldn't make them do without, but they do seem to be 'good doers' generally but there is always the exception to the rule.;)
 
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