Hey I looking for a horse that would be good to help me further my skill in english riding.. right now I am a beginner and I will be just trail/pleasure riding and maybe some light dressage. I have a spoken to the owner of a horse rescue and she has piccked out some horses that she feels would best suit what I am looking for…. so my question is which one do u think would be best for me?
(click on the link then click on geldings and mares links to the left!)
http://www.newbeginningsequine.com/index.htm
here are the names:
geldings:
Jup
Brass
Leroy
mares:
Chelsea
topaz
thanx for all ur help! =)
by the way Leroy is not sold it is the horse under him that is sold! =)
As far as geldings, Duke, Jup, and Dash look like good horses. For mares, Topaz is nice, but a little on the old side, DoDew, but she looks like she may need some extra attention as she looks thin, or Pro.
It is hard to determine the best horse without knowing your riding style, the horses background/training/personality. The most important thing is to get a horse that best suits your needs/skill level as a rider and has the right personality for you.
I would work with the horse on the ground, see how it grooms and tacks, then if possible, I would ride it, see how it goes, or if you can’t ride it, watch someone else ride it.
Remember, mares can have an attitude sometimes. They get PMS just like humans do. They can be a bit more difficult to work with. Also remember, Thoroughbreds can be more energetic than say a Quarter Horse.
Good luck! That is great you can adopt, adopting is a great way to get a horse. Just be careful, make sure you get a full vet check by a vet you trust that does not work for the owner. Especially with the ex-racers.
That looks like a great rescue!
January 1st, 2010 at 3:38 pm
I suggest Chelsea and I will give you some reasons. First she i sstill pretty young but not to where you would have to train her. The only thing that isn’t the best about her is she hasn’t been riden in 3 years…Still she is pretty cheap to start out on for the price wanted.
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January 1st, 2010 at 4:02 pm
I wouldnot buy a resue horse for a beginner a lot have issues.They were all rescued from something
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January 1st, 2010 at 4:07 pm
I recommend that Jup and Duke in geldings and Chelsea in Mares. always go for the QH when you wanna trail ride for pleasure there really nice horses and fun 2!! plus they can be trained to do almost anything lol good luck!
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January 1st, 2010 at 4:21 pm
i think Jup Brass Duke Stormy the best geldings. THe best of them (for you) I would say is Jup. He’s a bit older and experienced and sounds just wonderful! DoDew and Topaz mares. It says Chelsea hasn’t been riden for three years! that could mean she’ll need a little training again. So i would definatly say that you should go with Jup or DoDew
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Good Luck with which ever one you get =) ♥♥
January 1st, 2010 at 5:04 pm
I think that Jup would suit you better than the others, and here’s why:
Brass is only 3 years old, and that’s pretty young. It says that he’s pretty calm, but things can change, and he might still need work. If you were a more advanced rider with horse experience, then I would say go ahead, but you said yourself that you’re just starting, so I wouldn’t suggest him.
Leroy’s a good age, but he was used for polo, so he would probably need more excercising than one of the other horses. "Quick on his feet"… may not be the best quality if you just want a trail/pleasure horse.
Chelsea looks like a good, horse, but there’s the fact that she hasn’t been ridden in 3 years. That’s a long time. As with Brass, if you were more experienced, why not. But you aren’t, and probably wouldn’t be able to handle any problems she has when you start riding her (no offense meant).
Topaz would also be a good choice, but she’s 23, and aging. I don’t know whether or not that bothers you, but you probably want a younger, more lively horse with a longer lifespan.
So, all in all, Jup seems like the best horse for you. He is young, but not too young, and is right for the kind of work you’re looking for. (And, reasonably priced, too!)
But, remember, before buying the horse, you should go to the rescue yourself and ask if you can ride/meet with all of the horses. What I said about each of them above might be wrong, and the only way for you to know which horse is right for you is to try them out and find out for yourself.
I hope you find ther perfect horse for you, and good job on deciding to rescue a horse in need. Happy riding!
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January 1st, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Too bad youre not in TX I have a real nice Buckskin!! But, best of luck finding what youre looking for.
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January 1st, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Topaz. Older horses are wonderful! She is already trained, has been a lesson horse, so she will be forgiving of beginner mistakes. As a beginner rider she will give you the years you need to work on your riding without having to train your horse. When you are ready to move on to a more advanced horse then do so. But right now you need to work on your skills and Topaz would be great for that.
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January 1st, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Well, I have to say that in general I’m against beginners owning horses. Most of the time these are green riders who invest in horses that are too powerful or too green for their ability. Ownership is also a tremendous demand on your time and finances. You need to seriously ask yourself if you have the money to support a horse. This means paying monthly board, shoeing every 4 to 6 weeks, dewormer at least every other month, twice yearly vaccinations, not to mention the gear and equipment you’ll need. More than that, you need to ask yourself if you have the time to dedicate to a horse, and if you really have the ability to cope with an animal that is at its nature unpredictable. I’ve seen the most solid, well-broke horses act up at times. It happens. Are you comfortable dealing with that? I recommend signing up for riding lessons with a reputable instructor. Then, when you’re further along, you might consider leasing or half-leasing a horse to give you an idea of what ownership is like.
That being said, if you are absolutely certain this is what you want to do, then here are my thoughts on the horses you mentioned. Jup sounds like a possibility if he’s as quiet as advertised. He seems to be built like a typical QH, which should be fine for trails and pleasure, but not dressage. I would pass on Brass, because at 3 years old he is still young and therefore very green. From the description, he may not even be saddlebroke, and that’s just the sort of horse a green rider should stay away from. Leroy is another possibility, though TBs even in their teens can be quite spirited. A demanding career like polo might have taken a toll on his joints, too, so he’ll be more likely to develop arthritis and other problems in the next few years. You’d better have a vet lined up now. I would pass on Chelsea, too, as she’s gone 3 years without riding. A horse like this requires lots of time and patience to get back into shape. She may also be quite fresh and spirited while getting back into work, and as a green, beginner rider I doubt you’ll be able to cope with that sort of behavior. Topaz is one that’s iffy. At 23, she may not be sound for riding much longer, so you’ll need to take that into consideration.
I recommend bringing an experienced trainer with you and trying these horses before you buy. I also advise getting them vet checked to reveal any defects or issues.
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January 1st, 2010 at 7:15 pm
In the geldings Jup. Brass is too young for learning on and Leroy just seems a little too aged. In the mares well frankly,neither. Chelsea hasn’t been ridden for 3yr.s,why? Topaz is getting up there although she looks great in the pic. I would be a little skeptical though of anything these people told me or the training the horses have recieved under them as they look like they mean well but don’t really know what they’re doing. As somebody has said before me,rescue horses can and often do come with all sorts of problems both healthwise and mental,not really something I would be comfortable with as a beginner.
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January 1st, 2010 at 8:05 pm
I don’t recommend a beginner getting a rescue horse. I rec commend that you look around and find a nice safe, settled older gelding that is already doing the events you are wanting to do. This will help you further your skills, not having to try and train a horse and your self at the same time. If you are taking a rescue horse because of money, you may instead think about leasing a horse. Rescue horses usually have some issue that you as a beginner may not be able to handle. Please think this thru again before you decide and be honest with yourself as to what you can and cannot handle. Good Luck!
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Horse Owner & Trainer for 35 years
January 1st, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Instead of buying a horse from a rescue just so you can get something cheap, go to a trainer in your area. Many horses from rescues are NOT suitable for beginners or first time horse owners. Something in their past may be difficult for you to help them overcome. While a horse may be quiet and calm with an experienced rider, the timidness and lack of knowledge of a beginner can frighten them or turn them into a horse that will take advantage of you.
Do not buy a horse that hasn’t been ridden consistently in the recent past. Chelsea would not be a good choice in this case. Also DO NOT BUY A YOUNG HORSE! No one should suggest a 3 year old to a beginner. Horses need to be trained properly to be safe and efficient mounts. Beginners do not need the added stress of getting a poorly trained horse.
Remember sometimes when people are selling horses they will tell you anything to get you to buy the horse. Never look at horses without a second opinion and never buy a horse after seeing him or her once. It takes several rides to know if a horse is right for you.
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Many years of experience and quite a few bad decisions.
January 1st, 2010 at 8:34 pm
I personally wouldn’t recommend any of them. The only two who you might want to think about would be Topaz or Jup. But both have major drawbacks just at glancing at them. Topaz is probably dead quiet and can probably teach you a lot which is great, but she is also 23 years old. At that age, you’re probably going to be looking at a lot of vet bills for health reasons because of her age. Jup would probably be great if you were only ever going to do trail riding, but you mentioned that you want to start getting into dressage. Jup has an exceptionally long back and it’s already starting to sway (not good). He will probably run into back problems later on in life. A horse that has a very long back has a very hard time using himself correctly which is an absolute must in dressage. Trail riding you can pretty much just bum around and it’s not such a big deal, but dressage is about helping the horse to reach its full potential by learning to carry himself correctly by using his hind end, back, and stomach muscles correctly. When you come to learn how to ask a horse to sit in his hocks more and put him self on the bit (this is more than just an arched neck- a horse who has had his head pulled in by the rider is not on the bit) he has to be able to come through in his back, and lift his back up. This is possible for a horse with a long back but it is exceedingly difficult, and in some cases impossible if your saddle does not fit properly.
Personally I would say keep looking. Rescue horses may be less expensive but they are not always a good choice. Wait until you find a horse that you really love. Ride him, have him vet checked, and if he’s sound and healthy and a good fit for you, then by all means buy him. Finding the right horse takes time. It doesn’t always happen over night. And about getting him vet checked- ALWAYS have the horse fully checked over by a vet before you buy- even if the seller says that the horse has just seen a vet please do it anyway. It is absolutely worth the vet bill to know if the horse you want to buy is truly sound and healthy.
Sometimes a good place to look for a suitable horse is in lesson barns. Often times places who run lesson programs will have a horse who is not a suitable lesson horse, in that he is safe and appropriate but would prefer to be a one person horse, or just a have a lesson horse they need to sell. Lesson horses often make great beginner horses because they have learned to put up with all sorts of riding- good and bad.
And when you do buy, make sure you have a saddle that fits. So many people today are uneducated about the necessity of having a saddle that fits. If the saddle doesn’t fit, the horse can not do what it is supposed to do and will be in pain. It’s just like you wearing shoes that don’t fit- not fun.
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here’s a link to a saddle fitting guide just in case you are curious.
http://www.countysaddlery.com/html/fittingguide/fittinguide.html
January 1st, 2010 at 8:53 pm
As far as geldings, Duke, Jup, and Dash look like good horses. For mares, Topaz is nice, but a little on the old side, DoDew, but she looks like she may need some extra attention as she looks thin, or Pro.
It is hard to determine the best horse without knowing your riding style, the horses background/training/personality. The most important thing is to get a horse that best suits your needs/skill level as a rider and has the right personality for you.
I would work with the horse on the ground, see how it grooms and tacks, then if possible, I would ride it, see how it goes, or if you can’t ride it, watch someone else ride it.
Remember, mares can have an attitude sometimes. They get PMS just like humans do. They can be a bit more difficult to work with. Also remember, Thoroughbreds can be more energetic than say a Quarter Horse.
Good luck! That is great you can adopt, adopting is a great way to get a horse. Just be careful, make sure you get a full vet check by a vet you trust that does not work for the owner. Especially with the ex-racers.
That looks like a great rescue!
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14 years horse experience, adopted 1, bought 2