What would you recommend??

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m8bee

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Hi,

What type of horse would you advise for a first horse... some people are telling me that a horse no more than 6 yrs old would be good, others are telling me any type of horse is good.

Help????

This is all sooooo confusing! Any advice is appreciated:)
 
I wouldn't be looking at youngsters tbh as they still need to be taught as do you green and green don't normally match.

But don't think that just because a horse is older it will be suitable some are worse then the youngsters.

What do you plan to do with your horse?

And don't over horse yourself by getting something too big, how tall are you if you don't mind me asking?

I would look at horses that are said to be allrounders or riding club types. Always bring someone experienced when looking so you don't get fooled into buying a nutter and don't buy on first viewing, go and see the horse many times.

Best of luck horse hunting :)
 
Hi,

Im 5 ft 9 so height is not a problem! I am planning to do pretty much most things but mainly hacking and cross country.

Thnx for the advice! :)
 
m8bee said:
Hi,

Im 5 ft 9 so height is not a problem! I am planning to do pretty much most things but mainly hacking and cross country.

Thnx for the advice! :)
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As a first horse though it may be best to stay around the 16hh mark :)

But definatly ask around your local riding clubs if they know of any horses for sale or when your using websites look under allrounders :)
 
Do you have someone knowledgeable to guide you in this? I would think 15.1 upwards would be good, but as Kokopelli says don't over horse yourself by going for something flash/too young/too green/too big etc. Cobs tend to be a good starter horse, but not all, I could put anyone on mine of all experiences and I know she'd look after them, but she's not a plod by any means. How long have you ridden for? Where are you going to keep your horse and what facilities do you have?

Don't be too stereotypical about breed or type age or sex, you need someone who knows what to look for and help you. Horse hunting can be fun, but it can be very frustrating if it goes wrong! Best of luck! x
 
For a first horse I'd say avoid anything 6 years and under as many horses don't mature mentally or physically until around 6. By 6 years of age the horse should have been in work for a couple of years so their basic training is pretty much complete and they should be used to most things.

Cobs are generally safe, TB's exciteable, etc but there are always exceptions when it comes to breeds and not all are sterotypical of their beed so I'd judge any horse on its own merits. Maybe look for a horse that is described as "confidence giver", "suitable for novice", etc as this *should* mean it is well mannered but obviously you need to judge this for yourself when you go to see any horse.

It's always a good idea to take a knowledgeable person with you to view any horse, and it also helps if they know you and your level of experience and confidence so if you have an instructor they would be a good person to ask to come view horses with you.
 
In my experience an IDx is normally a lovely type for a first horse, sane, calm and hardy. My first was a conn x ID who had hunted in ireland. he was only 4 but was and still is an absolute gentleman to handle and as my experince and confidence grew, his ability grew with me. I bought him to hack and have fun on, he is only 15'2 but has teh heart of a lion. i evented him to Novice, Showjumped to Newcomers, dressaged him. Tried my hand at side saddle, and then did some jumping side saddle. We hunted, he was a fantastic games horse. He taught my non riding OH to hunt and jump. Now at 24 he is retired and a grandad to the youngsters. He is still the best horse to learn horsmanship from and will teach many a beginner the basics of horse handling.

The key to a first time horse is get one to enjoy, not one that has issues. An uncomplicated sane horse is worth a fortune. Looks are not vital, personality is.
 
Bosworth said:
The key to a first time horse is get one to enjoy, not one that has issues. An uncomplicated sane horse is worth a fortune. Looks are not vital, personality is.
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I couldn't agree more.
Far too many people over-horse themselves when buying a first horse. They forget that they won't just be riding it but also have all its care as their responsibility. If you are used to riding RS horses, even the most difficult ones, it is easy to forget that even though you can cope with their quirks, you are not their only rider.
IMO a first horse should be extremely well-mannered on the ground and ridden, bombproof in traffic and non-spooky. If I were advising you I'd be looking for something quite chunky like an ID cross/Clydesdale cross or large cob which has already done quite a lot.
Our first horse was a ride & drive cob and we have had several other R&D horses since. I have to say I think that they tend to be perfect as first horses.
 
I think it all depends on your experience etc....

I never got my first horse until i was 22, couldn't afford one before that.
I had been working with horses all my life and looking after them for others so experienced in everything other than having my own. My first horse was a four yr old sports horse for eventing..........

I don't know your back ground or experience but just because it's someones first horse they have owned doen't mean it has to be the safe sensible over six been there done it type.

You need to get something that matches you and what you have done and your experience for caring for horses.
 
The best advice is to take someone else who knows what they are talking about, and make sure when you buy you take the horse on a trial basis first at least 2-3 weeks then if its the wrong horse you can send him back.

Good luck
 
I'm also looking for my first horse.

Do take someone knowledgable with you, it is really invaluable. Our instructor has come with us and is great at noticing things and asking really pertinent questions.

You want to be able to be honest with the seller about your abilities and experience but not have them hear the word novice and think they can get one over on you. Having an instructor present helps with that as even if you are a novice buyer they aren't.

I would caution against buying a riding school horse, they are normally pretty awkward and quirky and not really suited to private homes. They know their riding school life and live within that and often don't cope well outside that. A good RC/happy hack type would be much more sensible.
 
Bovril said:
The best advice is to take someone else who knows what they are talking about, and make sure when you buy you take the horse on a trial basis first at least 2-3 weeks then if its the wrong horse you can send him back.

Good luck
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Would you let your horse out on trial for 2-3 weeks? I certainly wouldn't!
 
I would if it was to the right owner and have know countless people who have sold their horse on a trial basis, if someone was unwilling to allow a trial period I would be wondering what was wrong with the horse that they are not confident enough to let some one try it and I would rather have the horse returned to me to resell to a better suited home than leave the horse in with some one who can't ride it or just simply doesn't get on with it, I think that would be worse for the horse in the long run!
 
I would suggest a hardy cob type. The Horses temprement is the most important thing for a first time owner as it not only riding the horse but looking after it. If you want to hack out make quite sure that it will hapily hack out by itself and is completely bombproof and spookproof in the heaviest of traffic. Ride it out a few times by yourself and make sure that you feel safe quite safe on it.
 
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