A good first horse?

Question

For my next birthday (or hopefully sooner) I'm finally getting a horse! Of course I'm really excited and already have everything planned out, but I have a couple of breed questions. It has been recommended to me that I get an Irish Draught - mainly because I need a tall horse, but also because they are usually very docile and willing. Is this a good breed for my first horse? Also, would they be able to live out all year round? Thanks.

Answer 1

Why do you need a tall horse?  Is it for jumping?  If so, then you really dont need on really tall.  Did you hear about the Rolex?  They had a 14.2 HH pony in it and he placed really well.  If I was you, I wouldnt worry too much about the height, breed, or anything like that.  Get a horse between ages of 7 and 15.  It is ok to not want a pony.  I like a horse to be at least 15 hands, but taller is fine.  Breed does not matter.  Only the horses temperment.  If he does good at shows and doesnt freak out or behaves well and you can tell he is smart.

Then that is all that really matters.  He also should be willing to  please.  Arabians are known for being skiddish.  Right?  Well I have an Arab that doesnt even spook as much as QHs.

It is quite amazing and I get a ton of compliments on him too.

Breed does not matter.   Go look at a few horses of that breed that are for sale.  If you like one of them then get him.  Dont worry about  what they are known for.  Just worry about them indivisually.  Hope I helped and good luck!

**EDIT**

I understand now why you need a taller horse, but 15 hands is not very tall.  Most horses comeat to that height, or more.  I wouldnt worry about having one to be at least 15 hands or more.  Most breeds do.

Answer 2

Irish Draughts are not all that common... If you need a tall horse, a lot of people recommend drafts. They can be a little stubborn, but IMO that's better than the runaway horse (especially runaway DRAFT!). All the drafts I've met have been easy going and very people friendly. You probably know a lot about horses, but one very important thing when you go look at one is that you have the owner ride the horse first (for example, maybe say, "Can you show me what the horse knows?") so if it decides to be fresh, you're not the one that could get hurt. Good luck finding your partner! :) Oh, and don't get a young horse. WAY to much work for a first horse. ;)

Answer 3

you need to evaluate what you are going to do with your horse and what the best breed is for that event/type of riding. i recommend a Quarter horse because they are very versatile and even tempered. and as far as it living outside all year long you need to take in consideration your enviroment, how hot it gets in the summer how cold in the winter. you don't want to leave a horse out in the winter if they could get frostbitten (it does happen)

as far as height goes Quarter horse range from 14 hands to 17 hands it just depends on what you want. but I would think 16/17 hands would be big enough to do just about anything. I used to jump some and all mine were around that height and they were great at what they did.

Answer 4

It depends on what you plan on doing with your first horse. why do you need a tall horse?  Breed doesnt matter so much as the training level of the horse you buy, so make sure you buy a horse with experience. For a first horse I'd recommend a quarter horse, they come in many heights and are often a trustworthy mount.

Answer 5

I do disagree slightly when they say, breed doesn't matter. Although in the long run, maybe it doesn't... what discipline do you plan to do with the horse? Different breeds excel at different disciplines, and of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but it will narrow your search a little bit to narrow it down to a few different breeds. But don't rule out crossbreeds... I know a thoroughbred/quarter horse that is a 5 star eventing mare. But anyways, discipline will definitely narrow it down a bit... an irish draught for a first horse is probably a bit much though, depending on your intentions I suppose.

Answer 6

Congrats! First: the size of the horse does not depend on your height, it depends on your weight. If you are 100 pounds and 5' tall, you might need a 13 hander at minimum. If you are 80 pounds and 5' tall, then you might need a 12 hander at minimum. Since I don't know your height or weight, I'm going to assume that you need a horse that's 16 hands or larger. I don't know your location, and thus climate, so I don't know if the horse could live outdoors year round. Here's a general blurb on a few breeds:

Drafts - Docile, TALL, uncomfortable (so I've heard).

Thoroughbred - Hot, tall, normal stride.

Warmblood - Hot, medium, large stride.

Irish Draught - Docile (?), tall, unsure of stride

Quarter horse / Paint - Docile, medium (but can be tall), smooth stride

I highly reccomend getting a Quarter Horse or a Paint. They are extremely popular first horses because you hardly ever find a mean one, they are very versatile, they are FAST, smooth, and medium sized (usually 14.3 - 15.3), making them a good size for younger riders. QHs and Paints are stocky and can carry more weight than other breeds of the same size. Quarter horses and Paints can grow to be 17.3h, though I have only seen that once. QHs are the most popular breed here in the US and many people will tell you that their first horse was a QH or a Paint. ***IMPORTANT***I don't know what level rider you are, but for a first horse I reccomend a deadbroke or bombproof horse. DO NOT let your parents surprise you on your birthday with a horse. Pick out a suitable horse, contact the owner to try him / her out, then buy him / her. Your parents can buy him / her then have the seller hold him / her until your birthday. Also, MAKE A CONTRACT!!! So many buyers and sellers have gotten screwed because there was no contract and the buyer or seller lied. Make a contract stating the horse's registered name (if available) and that the seller states that he / she is deadbroke, comes with papers (optional), tack (optional), or other things (again, optional), and is being sold for $____. Have both you and the seller sign the contract. I'm assuming that you are in the US. Here's a list of horses for sale. Their QHs and Paints, ages 5 - 15, kid safe (first horse, remember!), $10,000 or under, and at least 16 hands. Good luck! Oh and the purple ones are the ones that I already clicked on...sorry! :P http://horsetopia.horse-for-sale.org/buy...

Answer 7

The breed is not important. As this is your first horse, look for something a little on th hardy side.

  A cob type or native ( Dales, fell, Newforest ) cross is an excellent choice as a first horse.

Answer 8

The Irish Draught is not overly tall...anywhere from 15.1 for mares to 16.3 for the tallest stallions. with an average around 15.3.  The bone substance is more of a factor in size of the breed...if you want heavy substantial bone, these horses have it.  It would be a wonderful breed to purchase, known for it's gentle nature, but it is for those with big bucks to spend.

It would be able to live out all year round, with a proper shelter large enough to protect from the elements.  I don't know where you live...I'm in the USA and they would be harder to find here.

Answer 9

It might be kind of hard to find an Irish Draught. I suggest going to a site like Equine.com and put in the height you need for a horse. Any breed of horse can be tall, you just need to search for it. So there is really no breed suggestions, just look around.

Answer 10

Congratulations on getting a horse!  They are hard work and expensive, but they are worth it.

The breed you should get depends on what type of riding you wish to do.  For trails, I recommend a gaited horse (Tennessee Walker, Rocky Mountain, Paso Fino, etc.).  With the Tennessee Walkers, in particular, you can find them in the big range (16 - 17 hands tall).  A lot of people who do field trials like them big like that.  They are smooth, and do not trot, but can cover a lot of ground quickly, but without running.

If you want to get into jumping or dressage, I would recommend a warm-blood, thoroughbred cross, something like that.

If you want to get into rodeo riding, get a quarter horse.

The most important thing is to get a safe horse, one with experience doing the kind of riding you want to do.  Make sure the horse is healthy and has been well cared for.  Have him vet checked before you buy and make sure you ride him several times before committing.  And don't go by color.  Many a pretty horse have been absolutely dangerous and crazy!

As for leaving one out all year, most horses are able to do that.  The only time I really suggest putting a horse up is during freezing rain.  Make sure you have at least a run-in shed he can get under if he wants to get out of the weather.

Hope this helps!

Answer 11

You can get A draft. they are big sweet horses that would be perfect for english riding. they are also so calm.. i just sold one that would be perfect, but I hope this helps.... you could go to equine.com, dreamhorse.com, agdirect.com , and also equinehits.com... good luck, hope you find you horse...me still looking for my 16.0 sorrel overo paint!!!(high expectations)) haha

Answer 12

Breed doesn't really matter as much as people think, except for if youre in the racing or breeding industry. Remember that buying a purebred horse costs a lot of money. I googled 'Irish Draught for sale' and the results were $20,000 - $40,000 horses. I would recommend for your first horse, you buy a horse that is in between 10-15 years old and not worry about breed. :)

Answer 13

I would recommend a Quarter Horse between the ages of 10-15 years old. They're great all around horses and most of them are very calm and sweet.I have a 12 yr.old QH gelding and hes great.Hes 16 hands...very tall & very spirited so hes not for beginners but a lot of them are.Don't just go by breed though.Choose by looking @ the horse's training,personality,and health.Horses are usually fine outside all the time,thay like it that way.U might want to at least hav a run in shed for bad weather though.hope this helps.good luck & congratulations on getting ur 1st horse!!

Answer 14

This depends on your type of riding, and of course how tall you are and your personal preference.

My first horse was a Thoroughbred, so I am definitley partial, but standing at 5'8", I wanted a tall mare.  She was right at 16 hands, and was perfect for hunter/jumper competitions and trail riding.  Besides Thoroughbreds, I would say Quarter Horses would be a good option because they are EXTREMELY versatile, but you may have to do some looking for tall enough Quarter.  

I don't know where you live, but horses can stay out all year as long as they are blanketed in certain regions for the cold spells.