Purchasing my first horse?

Question

Last month I purchased 10 acres of fenced in property and would like to buy two horses for pleasure riding. I know very little about horses and would like advice on how to pick out a sound horse.

I'm looking for a horse for pleasure riding, nothing fancy and I'm 6ft tall and my fiancé is a little more than 6ft tall himself.

------------ Just some back ground information --------------------

My background in case you wonder: I owned a horse when I was 12 - 14 years of age. I was picked out by my father not by me. I first learned how to ride bareback and then in a very heave old John Deer saddle. I’m pretty sure it was a John Deer saddle surprisingly enough.. it was my grandfather’s saddle back in the day.

My property, as I said is 10 acres and most of that is clear pasture land. The land is fenced in by some type of white plastic fencing (don’t know what it’s called) but it’s very sturdy stuff. The land is divided in three sections. One section in front is where my house

Answer 1

Age is one thing to look at. If you don't know much about horses you don't want a horse to young, or green. Almost any breed is okay but a Quarter Horse is usually a great calm horse. They can get tall to. You should look into something that is at least 15.3hh. Make sure they have their shots, and possibly even if it's in your area get your vet to come out and check the horses out. It may cost you a bit but at least you know there won't be any problems. Test riding is always a good way to. Make sure you have control over the horse. If you don't while the owner is standing there it's a sure thing you won't when your out alone.

Answer 2

I would recommend a quarter horse between the ages of 8-15.u don't want 2 buy a horse that is 2 young as they can be hard 2 handle.quarter horses are pretty tall too(my boy is 16hh,mayb a little more).I do arena work and jumping with him but they make great trail horses also.it sounds like you have a great place for them.u may want 2 build a run in shed for them so they have shelter if u dont hav a barn.hope this helps.good luck finding ur horses!

Answer 3

I would recommend boarding for a few months just to get back into the "swing" of horse ownership..There will be people there that you can ask questions, and you won't be confronted with total responsibility all at once.  You will learn so much more from people at a bran than you will from people on here - even if it is all just a refresher.

Answer 4

i'd look on websites like dreamhorse.com, horsetopia.com, equinehits.com, horsefinder, ect. and type in the criteria that youwant in a horse, so that would be a pleasure horse, and you'd probably want to go on the trails so look for a trail horse, age well you dont want something too young because they'll be green and you dont want a horse too old, so you can have it for a while so i'd suggest horses between the ages of 10-15 and you'd probably want a quarter horse they are very good pleasure horses and then contact the people look at thier horses a couple times make sure you bond and that they listen to you and your fiance and then have a vet come out and see if they are sound, that the pople aren't lying about their horses age (by looking at the teeth) :) hope i helped:)

Answer 5

Okay well first off you got to see if your in a right zone to hold equine/animals.  Looking for a horse is a long process. Go to a local horse barn and ask around if anyone would be willing to help you out that has owned horses.  DO NOT GO TO AUCTIONS! Thats where alot of waste horses are sold and drugged up to get rid of!!! (Personal experience!)  Try going to a private owner. Your not going to get a "sound" horse for under 800. thats a guarentee.  Quarter horses are probably the best bet for you and your hubby.  They are well tempered and can hold an infinite amount of weight(joke) But you get what I mean.  Try getting something that has had some professional training if possible like 30 days with extra miles put on by the owner. Geldings have good tempers and never get that season like mares do..but personaly i lOVE mares!

Answer 6

First check with your vet and see if he knows of any horses for sale, let him know you are in the market.  Be extremely careful if you go to a horse sale.  Do you have any friends that own horses?  They may know someone who has one for sale.  Make sure any prospective horse has a negative Coggins, that their feet are in good shape and that they are gentle.  Sounds like you are learning from the ground up and you could be easily taken advantage of.  When you go out to look at a horse make sure to take someone with you that knows horses.

Answer 7

Umm... some good things to look for!!

Gelding, about 16 hands, quarter horses are great, not skinny, well trained, broke, not green at ALL, super calm, nice, etc.!!

Answer 8

Read.  Research horse breeds and see what interests you.  See what others in your area who do the type of riding you want to do, are riding.  If you want to trail ride, find a trail club, ask what to look for in a first horse and have someone help you look.  Do not choose without an expert opinion of the horse you are considering; be sure to get vet clearance on your prospective horse first, and ride before you buy.  

You might want to invest in a few riding lessons as a review, and ask the instructor to help you locate suitable horses.  Once you decide on a horse, have that horse vet checked in person by your vet before purchase.  And buy the saddles after you buy the horses, so that you can fit the horses you get.  

Look for a middle aged to senior, gelding or mare with lots of experience.  Generally ages 10 to 17 would be my advice.  You might find something a little under or over those parameters that is a great match; don't pass up an older or plain horse if he is safe and works well for you.  It can be a real challenge to find a good starter horse solid enough for a beginner who you will not outgrow in a few seasons, let alone a pair like this.  My suggestion would be to choose one rather older, very experienced, easily managed horse whom you trust and are sure of, and get a somewhat younger second mount, not less than age 8 or 9 years who has been ridden extensively.  Be sure to specify you are looking for a first horse, and what you would like to use the horses for.  

Here are some questions to ask sellers (I am omitting vet questions--ask your vet for a list of things to check on prospective horses):

Why are you selling this horse?

When is the last time he was ridden regularly?

What gear is he accustomed to being ridden in?

Can I purchase his bridle along with him, or at least his bit?

Does he-

Lead?

Load?

Stand tied?

Stand for grooming and shoeing /  farrier?

Require shoes?

Know his leads at the canter or lope, and takes both?

Stop easily?

Turn freely in both directions?

Do a flat walk toward the barn?

Stop well?

Have a smooth jog/trot/trail gait?

Have a smooth canter or lope on a loose rein?

Does he have trail experience?

What other experience or training does he have?

Is he suitable for a novice rider?

Will he cross water?

What problems have you had riding him?

How long have you had him?

What specific training has he had, in what, and by whom?

Try the horse before you buy, try as many as you can, in different breeds and types, before choosing.  Many people find gaited horses are ideal for trail riding.  If this interests you, research breeds such as the Paso Fino, Missouri Foxtrotter, Tennessee Walker etc. and test ride several.  

If you purchase two horses of different breeds, you will have some room to experiment and learn what you both like.  Consider setting up a small arena or round riding pen on your acreage so that you can work with the horses at home before going on the trail, for regular exercise and interaction with you and so that you can practice your riding at home as well.  

Gender, gelding or mare, is a personal choice but its hard to go wrong with a good gelding.  You might want one of each.  

If you find a breed or type of horse you really like, you also might be able to purchase a pair of them together.  The advantage is the horses already know eachother and presumptively get along.  But the disadvantage is they may be more bonded to eachother than they will be to you, and you may not be able to ride them separately, which can be a problem.  Most seasoned geldings or mares can get along with one other horse.  I would choose them separately.  Try as many as you can, pick one who your expert friend approves--if you haven't yet gotten an expert friend, find him first!--and who your vet approves, then ride that one a little while before choosing a second horse.  This will give you an opportunity to make a better choice the second time if you have any trouble with the first choice.  One of the people will like the first horse better than the other person, probably.  

If you buy two very similar horses, then you will have a predictable pair but no room for you to grow as a rider, and you may quickly get bored with both.  Also if you do this and have a problem with one of them you are more likely to encounter the same sort of problem with the other one.  

I would consider one young-middle-aged horse and one senior horse, one or both geldings, of two different breeds or types and perhaps one of them gaited.  

Purchasing the bit or bridle with the horse you buy (or studying it carefully and getting an exact duplicate, ask the name of the bit) can save you a lot of problems later on.  Look for a horse who goes in a mild to moderate bit of a common type, such as a plain port curb or ring snaffle.  A horse who needs more than that is probably not a beginner's mount.

Also consider the exercise needs of the horses you choose.  Most riding horses need more exercise than what they get in their pasture.  Some need much more than others and this will vary tremendously for each individual horse.  Some breeds also need more work than others.  Very few horses can be pastured, then taken on the occasional trail ride without other interaction and exercise, and continue working reliably for their rider, especially if that rider is a novice.  This is why I suggest at least one senior horse, and a place to ride at home as well.  

Temperament is more important than breed.  There are nice horses in every breed.  What you want is a horse who knows his stuff and will work for you.  How much time are you willing to spend with your new horses?  Now?  In six months?  In two years?  You will get back from this relationship what you put into it, and the biggest investment in a horse is time spent with you.  Then comes dollars.

Answer 9

I'd suggest looking at older horses in their late teens. Who are experianced with trail riding and pleasure riding. Since you mentioned you are tall you might look into drafts, they are VERY quiet and level headed and great pleasure/trail horses. They do require draft sized equipment but you can find their sizes almost anywhere. You just have to get used to their size and working with them, but they can be great first time horses, just make sure the stalls are big enough for them. The best way to find a sound horse is have a vet check done on him before purchase (the pre-purchase exam). When you go to try them out the first time, think about how he acts when ever you ask the horse to do something. If you like the horse, go home and think long and hard about it, don't make the decision right there. There are tons of books out there for first time byers (barnes and noble, borders).

Answer 10

sounds like you know wat you want congrats

if you have a horsy friend, get them to go with you to find a horse

if you haven't ridden for a while have a few refesher lessons at your local stable, they should be able to help find a horse as well. they could have some school ponies/horses for sale.

GOOD LUCK

Answer 11

Well, sounds like you've got a nice little place there.

Your question about how to pick out a sound horse is a very good one.

First I'm sure you've found all the ways to actually FIND a horse - local tack shops notices, newspaper, etc, etc.  Have you asked that good vet about any he knows of for sale?

OK - so let's say you find a horse you like, the first thing to do is have a vet check it - maybe you'll be fortunate it's a horse that vet is familiar with.  If the seller balks in any way at giving you information about the vet he's used, or allowing a vet check, walk away - no matter how good you think the horse might be.  The very first indicator of foul play is a seller unwilling to ensure you have a good horse.

The second thing to "listen" for is a seller who makes the horse out to be perfect.  None are - each is unique and each has things about it that aren't so perfect - habits, behaviours, etc.  A good seller will tell you all the good points and bad points of the horse as well.

After this inquire about a purchase back option if the horse comes up un-sound or in some way doesn't fit with you.  If the seller is intent upon getting the horse a good home, they will be more intent on the type of person you are and the fit of the horse, not the price - if the price is the most important thing of the conversation, it's likely the seller hasn't realistically or knowledgeably kept the horse- they want the money and don't care about the horse now, why would they have cared about it before?

A purchase agreement or a test ride for 30 days if available is a good thing.  Also, I would suggest not buying the horse at first sight or visit.  I have heard of people who drug up a horse or use cosmetic means to hide flaws like poor feet - if possible to make an appt. to see the horse, then drop in un-announced to see the horse again because you were in the area.  I know this last sounds dis-respectful, but again and honest seller will understand - a dishonest one will try to keep you away from the horse without an appt.

It's totally possible to find a good one the first time and it's totally possible to look long, spend time and be sure the horse is good and still find it's got something the seller was good at hiding.

Above all, I suggest NOT going to an auction - although there have been good horses sold at them, they are few and far between.  People take horses to a public auction of offload them quite often.  Not only this, you don't have the advantage of repeated interaction with the seller, may not get to actually meet the seller at all and you won't be able to ride the horse and test it out.

Production sales are often young horses - and you don't want a young un-broken one.  It will cost you more to get the horse broke properly and you riding it that it would to buy a well-broke already respectful animal that's had a good start.  However, if you're able to get out west to some of the big stable's production sales, they'll often sell a fairly young horse - maybe 3-5 that's had some good time on him and is a steady eddie.

Right now, if you can afford to keep a horse or two, the prices are good due to the economy and the over-abundance of less- than-quality horses.  I have heard of a number of ranch-raised very well broke QH geldings out west that'll go for $3000 - which is a good deal considering the cost to feed 'em for a year and the time training.  I have figured my cost to keep my 6 - it runs between $1000 and $2000 a year to feed them, keep their feet and routine vet checks - they are in dry lots so must be fed hay year round.  This is before any training.  I have a 7 year old mare about ready to trail ride that I've had to go through 5 trainers now to get her broke right (due to inexperience finding the proper trainer).  I have a minimum of $10,000 in to her now in costs which I could never recoup in this economy the way she stands.

I don't know your riding style but will assume western because of your comments about the old saddle.  Do you have tack?  Have you analyzed fully the costs to keep these animals and know you can afford them?  

I think if you went looking for something between 7 and 12, you'd find a good one.  They mature physically and mentally about 8 years old, so this age range gives them a change to get a good foundation training on them without being too old.

By all means be wary of free horses.  More often than not, the horse is free for a reason - there's a reason someone can't get money out of them - un-soundness, poor behaviour, the person made a bad judgement and can't afford the horse so maybe it hasn't had the best care and routine vet work done.

Inquire about the horse's health history - who did they use for a vet?  how often did the vet see the horse?  Did it get wormed every 6 months, 3 months, or not at all?  What type of wormer?  Did it see a horse dentist every year or so?  Has it had it's wolf teeth removed?  Has it had its vaccinations yearly?  Does it have a current coggins test?  has it had coggins pulled routinely?  

Not only will you find useful information about the animal's life and health from these questions, you have more of a chance to hear if the seller "trips up".  Do they give inconsistent information?  Do they hesitate and think before they answer? Or do they answer quickly and concisely?  Does the seller tell you the horse is worth $x*x then say they'll take less? Does the price drop as time goes by?

I've had people tell me a horse is for sale for $1000 but they'll take $800 - so why is the sale price not $800 if that's what the horse is worth?  why not tell me $800 right off?  I've had people talk and talk about the horse and before we're done, it's gone from $1000 horse to a $300 horse - watch out for these types of sellers, they're trying to make a buck on something they think isn't worth as much as the original deal.

Answer 12

I very strongly advise getting an instructor. You should spend a few weeks with an experienced instructor to learn how to properly handle horses and all the aspects of owning and caring for them. Lots of people make the mistake of buying a horse when they really dont have that much experience with them. You will want to make sure the horse you pick out is calm and easy going and you will probably be wanting a horse who is suitable for a beginner rider, considering you stated that you know very little about equines. I suggest buying geldings. Stallions are much to hard to handle for an inexperienced owner and can become aggressive. Mares are ok, but they can become very difficult to handle and sometimes even aggressive when they come into season. Geldings tend to be generaly even tempered year around and are the best gender of horse for a begginer.

Age wise I would look for a horse around the age of 8 - 12 ish I wouldn't get anything younger than 5 or 6 years of age because younger horses tend to be flightier than older horses and may need some extra training or tune ups now and then. I dont recomend anything over the age of 15 because a horses lifespan is generally 20 - 25 years of age. Therefore you may want to buy a horse within the age range I gave you so that you will have the horse for a good few years.

Since your 6 feet tall you will want to invest in a reasonably tall mount. I suggest buying a horse around 16 hands high and I wouldn't go any smaller than 15.2 hands. Its not really that the horse would have a hard time carrying your weight, its that not only would it look very akward if the horse was not coordinated with your height, but you and possibly even the horse might have trouble ballancing.

You will need to test ride the horse and ask the owner to allow you to watch them ride him as well at walk, trot, and canter (lope) both directions. This is also where a riding instructor will come in handy. Having an experienced horse handler with you will be a great advantage as they should be able to pick up on things or see things that most other people or begginers wouldn't notice. Whether it be while watching the horse or while riding it. It would also be neccessary to have an equine veterinarian accompany you as you go view and ride prospective horses. He or she can look over the horse and make sure that it has no obviouse health issues and will be able to pick up on any lameness the horse may be exhibiting. You want to make sure you buy a healthy horse.

I very very very strongly suggest investing in lessons from a riding instructor who has a good deal of experience with horses a few weeks before buying your own horse. Your riding instructor may also suggest waiting a while if he/she thinks you are not ready for horse ownership yet and they will be able to give very valuable input on the horses you view and test ride if they accompany you while you do so. Getting lessons will help avoid injury to you and/or your horse in the future. I cannot stress how important it is for you to get an instructor to make sure you know all the vital information of horse ownership and handling.