April
7
A Beginners Horse? What Breed Would Be Best For A Beginner?
Comments(30) | Undedr: beginner horse rider
My friend is buying a horse, but she’s a beginner rider.
What would be a good breed of horse for a beginner?
Please Help
A bomb-proof gelding 8 years or older.
April 7th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
She should not get a horse is shes a beginner. It takes years of experience to master horse care
*Why do I get ‘thumbs down’ for stating that beginners need much more experience before they can take on a horse? Most people could agree, if you don’t know how to take care of a horse, or know how to truly ride one, than you should wait to get one!
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Majoring in Veterinary, and Equine Science
April 7th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Breed doen’t really matter as long as you get a horse that’s been ridden a lot. A good horse is not a bad breed. Any breed can be "hot headed" but the ones most noted for it are Arabians, Thoroughbreds, saddlebreds and standardbreds. Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas and POA’s are noted for their generally calm natures, but don’t be fooled. Any breed has bloodlines that are more "hot" or less "hot". Just make sure to find a horse that has been around and ridden for several years so they will not be spooky or get upset with unclear signals.
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25 years riding, training and showing horses
April 7th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
i dont think it matters what breed. but you need to know how to train it or it has to be trained before you should ride on it.
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April 7th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
It’s not so much the breed as the personality. For a beginner, look for an older, well-trained, ‘bomb-proof’ horse, probably into its teens.
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April 7th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
i say thoroughbred or quarterhorse
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April 7th, 2010 at 7:13 pm
DO NOT BUY A HORSE BASED ON BREED FOR A BEGINNER!
I can not stress that enough. Find a horse that KNOWS its job, who is bombproof, and will be able to teach your friend to ride. She will not want to base off of breed. Find a horse that she can handle, that is good at its job,and who is bombproof, who won’t spook at things, bats an eye only, is safe, is good with kids, things of that nature.
You will have problems if you base a horse for a beginner off of bred.
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H/J for 9 years
April 7th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
I dont think she should be getting a horse. She needs more experience but if she has about a year of riding she can get one.
BUTTTTTTT there really isnt a BEGINNER breed. A HUGE TB can be a gental giant and i miniature could be an amazing horse. Just look at horses and have her try them out
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April 7th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
How beginner is ‘beginner’. I wouldn’t advise any beginner get a horse. A mixed breed over 8 years old would be the best first horse
NOT A TB!!
Ok who is giving me thumbs down?
Who here can honestly say that your average thoroughbred is good for a beginner. Generally they are highstrung and flighty. Not good for a beginner.
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April 7th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
The breed is less relevant than the horse itself. Your friend should look at horses over 10yrs of age that have had a lot of time in the saddle, or even horses that have been used for schooling. They should also get a horse on the smaller side (less distance to the ground if they do fall off). In my opinion the sex does not make a difference. I would definitely advise not to look at Arabs or Thoroughbreds (especially ex-race horses).
Hope that helps!
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horse owner and lover
April 7th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
First of all, I agree with stable girl but ONLY to a certain degree. I think the best way for a beginner to learn is by having her own horse. Only if she has a experienced horse person help her along the way. To answer your question I don’t think the breed of horse matters to a certain degree. I think that Any well trained horse is sutiable for a beginner. Of course I would lean towards warm blooded horses such as the quarter horse. I would stay away from large or hot blooded horses. The arabian can be rather hyper along with the thoroughbred. But if the horse is well trained it could be just fine. So I would just say look for a good trained horse, not the breed.
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April 7th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
i disagree with the first answer, getting a horse is a great way for a beginner to learn about horses… IF they have a proper person to ask questions to and learn from. As for the horse… I would say a Quarter horse, probably older so he has less kick… maybe around 20 or 19 if she dosn’t care about showing.
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April 7th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
The breed doesn’t matter, but you need one at your experience level. I would suggest talking to the trainer she takes lessons from and getting a reccomendation. If she is really a beginner, she shouldn’t buy a horse. Another option if she wants to ride more is to lease or half-lease.
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April 7th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
I’m extreamly against beginners buying horses, not because they can’t take care of them but its hard to let go when you need a horse that can handle more. but if shes dead set on it there is no specific breed.
I’ve met nutty quarter horses
TB’s who were lazy as heck
Arab’s who were totally safe beginners mounts
Theres no specific breed, the horse just needs to suit the rider.
Edit- Like a Fox- a horse I use to ride when I was a beginner was a TBxarab and he was as sane as you get, never took a wrong step, never acted up.
I almost bought a TB, and he was the sanest thing in the world. He was a total dream to ride, beginners could ride him, he jumped anything you pointed him at, was a bit on the lazy side but was an angle otherwise. Not to mention he was 4 going on 5. The reason I passed on him was because his price was just too high, and out of my price range.
Then there my friends TB, a bit harder to ride, but really he’s only hard to ride because he doesn’t respect your leg and sometimes believes his true calling is western pleasure. A beginners horse? no but safe enough? yes.
Then there are the quarter horses.
I owned a QH gelding who would bolt for no reason, rear at everything and eventually managed to go over on the person who was leasing him. Quarter horses are great beginners horses? that one sure wasen’t.
My friends QH went through a lovley bolting stage where she would take the bit in between her teeth and make a run for it. Yea not so much a beginners horse when she was doing that!
In other words breeds don’t matter, its more on their handling, and I really can’t stand the breed stereotypes.
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April 7th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
DO NOT get a specific breed for a beginner, they would be better off with a quiet (bombproof) mixed breed cob. They stand between 14′3 – 15′3.
I don’t know why people are suggesting thoroughbreds, clearly they nothing of the breed.
They are flighty and unpredictable (even the quietest of them) as well as accident prone and unsuitable for a beginner.
Besides as a beginner she should not even be considering buying a horse until she has more experience
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April 7th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Every little girl dreams of having a horse, and she’s going to get one, ready or not (well, that was how it was for me)…I lived about 20 miles out in the woods, there was no such thing as riding lessons, and truthfully there were very few horse owners, especially ones my age, and the only ones I knew were about 45 mins away…my first horse was a starved, abused, & neglected Arab mare who I got for free (she was otherwise going to be dog food for a sled dog racing family)… she was definitely not a beginners horse, but I learned so much from her and learned quickly how to ask questions…I did end up selling her though as she was too much for me to handle, and I ended up with a 14 year old Arab gelding who was just perfect for me. If I hadn’t gotten that first horse, I never would have learned to ride or train as I had to figure it out all on my own… but if your friend has options of riding lessons and people to help her out, then I would suggest she pursue that. If she is intent on buying a horse, follow some of the advice/suggestions above: older horse, lots of miles, well broke, breed doesn’t matter…
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Arabian horse Owner/Trainer
April 7th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
I have been around horses a lot (I called them hossies as a little kid) and have some advice: Don’t choose a ‘breed’ for a beginner. Different horses are totally different. I’ve met Scottish Ponies who chucked the rider off at the first trot, huge Thoroughbreds who were gentle giants (I have one, a stallion named Kiron, right now), and Quarter horses who pretty much ran around the track and little else. It depends on the horse itself. Look for a trained horses, bombproof, who knows what he’s doing, hopefully at around five or so years. Don’t get sucked into buying that "Cute little filly, aww, so cute, I gotta have her." Unless you are a horse expert and have trained and riden for years, REFRAIN FROM BUYING A YOUNG HORSE, unless you have a professional helping you, for example if your dad is a ten-times-in-a-row Country Fair Blue RIbbon Winner. Seriously folks, I cannot stress this enough. I’m a horse teacher and trainer and I cannot tell you how many rich students had their parents buy a cute little foal and then not train it properly. Remember, something you can teach a young horse to do in five minutes will take five months to teach him out of. Horse-Rider relationships are very fragile, and a single wrong move can send them spinning into demise.
Also, if your friend is really new, why is she buying a horse at all? It would be better if, for now, she used the Horse School’s horses until she learns A) Riding, B) Horse Health and Box Conditions, C) Regular Horse Care. Really, my suggestion is to do what I did: Learn to ride and help take of some bombproof, gentle, old horse (For example, does your center have a gentle old mare? If you accidently do something wrong, like poke her nose while giving her hay or a turnip, or putting her in the wrong stall, she’s forgive you very fast). Mares are usually best, as they are (usually) calmer. However, trained stallions and casturated males are fine too. The only difference is that stallions tend to be more aggresive, so cool wisely.
Hope this Helps,
Horse Girl
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April 7th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
she should buy a quarter horse
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April 7th, 2010 at 11:25 pm
beginner rider = experienced horse
get an older horse, on that has lots of experience
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April 8th, 2010 at 12:12 am
Quarter Horse
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April 8th, 2010 at 12:54 am
It is an individual thing really. Any horse can be good or bad. Some more important things to take into consideration are the temperament of the particular horse, it’s training, age and so on. You want a "been there done that" older horse, with years of training under it’s belt. However as a general rule, I have found quarter horses, appaloosas and standard breds to be good beginners horses and would steer clear of arabs and thoroughbreds. That is a general rule only though and applies differently to each horse. If there is a thoroughbred advertised as bombproof etc etc I wouldn’t discount it. Good luck and don’t rush into buying anything, take your time to make sure your friend gets the right horse.
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April 8th, 2010 at 1:13 am
There is no set beginner breed. Some QH are great for beginners while others are way more advance. I even now some TBs that are perfect for beginners.
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7 years of english riding.
April 8th, 2010 at 1:35 am
Hey, a good breed for a beginner horse would be a mixed old horse. Quarter horse or throughobredXquarter horse. Not necessarily a warmblood because then tend to be high strung. But really its not about the horse breed. It about if the horse is bom proofed or not. And its not hard to find bomb proofed horses at all. "it is about the temperment and existing Training that the individual horse has had and exhibits. The personality and willingness to deal with a novice rider. The horse should be "bomb proof" unafraid of strange or loud noises…willing to "over look" some mistakes, and yet, ideally…be able to stop or NOT respond to incorrect cuing the beginning rider is assuredly capable of botching up until they get the CORRECT hang of how to properly cue the horse."
http://www.truveo.com/Bombproof-Horses-For-Sale/id/187253759
http://www.equinenow.com/horse-ad-59618
http://www.equine.com/horses-for-sale/ponies-b/Default.aspx
Hope it helps.
Umm no. Ive had been around alot of TBS that are perfect beginner horses. It the warmbloods that they are all "flightly"
I think it would be good to have a horse. EVEN for a beginner rider. It depends on if its trained and BOMBPROOFED and if you have a rideing instructor to help you out.
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H/J Jumpers/ cross country. 6 years riding and showing
April 8th, 2010 at 1:41 am
A bomb-proof gelding 8 years or older.
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April 8th, 2010 at 2:17 am
It doesn’t really matter of the breed just the behavior of the horse.
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April 8th, 2010 at 3:07 am
I wouldn’t but a horse if you are a beginner, take some lessons first for at least a year. Get to know your way around a horse.
If you still want a horse, breed doesn’t really matter, its more about temperment. Make sure the horse is a ‘beginner horse’ I would suggest something older, over 12 years. Try to find an old schooling pony
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April 8th, 2010 at 3:37 am
Its not the breed its the training.
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April 8th, 2010 at 3:46 am
i recommend a quater horse,appolsa,paints. do not get a arabian (u need much confidince). if she is a beginner mmost of us wont think thats a good idea. its alot of work and time. she needs a easygoing horse for a beginner. i am a pretty advanced rider and i still have a little trouble sometimes with my morgan. but i love her.
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April 8th, 2010 at 4:23 am
There is a new online magazine available called horseman. Take a look at this article to learn more – could help you find the right breed.
http://www.helium.com/items/1151022-horsemanship-horsemanship-magazinehorseshorse-magazinehorses-magazine
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http://www.helium.com/items/1151022-horsemanship-horsemanship-magazinehorseshorse-magazinehorses-magazine
April 8th, 2010 at 5:05 am
Look for a horse that states for beginners, usually more than 8 years old, easy keeper, no bad habits.
As for being a beginner, as long as there are experienced people around to help, its ok. We only have one riding school around here and it teaches English only. We prefer western. I contacted a local stables and the owner gave me "horse lessons". I went with him as he did daily chores (feeding, grooming, mucking stalls, small wound care).
My first horses are 2 rescued Arabian mares ages 7 and 11. Although the 7 year old is more skittish, the 11 year old is as easy as they come. Both are sweet and loving. Both try really hard to do what you ask.
So it is more the temperament and how well they were trained.
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April 8th, 2010 at 5:40 am
i wouldn’t go for the breed specifically but she should consider a looking for husband horse one with lots of experience and training that’s maybe around 15 or 16
but if you really want to be specific with breed Appaloosas are normally very good and calm
id also hope shes planing on keeping her horse at a boarding stable where she can learn and get help from other people you should always board your first horse
also id recommend her purchase the book Horses for Dummies
it helped me alot with my TB that i bought as an experianced rider even
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owning and training