Would a 3 yr old horse be too green for a confident beginner?

Question

enough said i guess. im out of my mind about this.

im looking at a 14hh 3 yr old palomino gelding tomorrow and he is my dream horse.

this is racking my brain and i just want to make the right decision. :(

Answer 1

It completely depends on the horse & rider.

Mentally a 3yr old is still developing but as long as he's not too hot for you there's no reason a confident & competent rider couldn't handle him.

It would be a good idea to consider lessons just to build your knowledge, you can never know too much about horses!

Answer 2

I would say no. Green horses are green regardless of how quite they are. You'll probably have to finish him off and do some training. If your a beginner I don't think it's going to work out.

Answer 3

I would normally say 3 will be too green for a beginner but i think this is an exception...it sounds like this horse could be really good for you.  Before you buy it though just make sure it is everything the owners say it is as some owners will lie to get you to buy a horse.  Question everything.  Look at how he gets on with other horses.  Watch the owners turn it out into the field as some youngsters can become really excitable and sometimes dangerous.  Hack it out.  Ride it.  Lead it.  Do everything with it that you will do if you buy him.  Go and see him at least 3 times.  Don't just get him because he looks good really read into his temprement.  Ask them why they are selling him.  MAKE SURE YOU HAVE LESSONS!!!

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Answer 4

NO.  But depends on the temperament of the horse AND the rider.

Answer 5

I haven't met a 3 year old yet with the mental competancy to handle a beginner.  I would never advise getting a beginner a green horse, unless that horse is being put into the care of a trainer and the beginner will be allowed supervised rides at the trainer's discretion.  

Last year my boyfriend bought a 19 year old TWH/Saddlebred that is the equivelant of a green-broke 3 year old.  He know nothing about horses, and the only reason I agreed to him getting the horse is because I am working with both of them..... and because the horse is a good packer and hasn't offered to do anything dangerous.  Still I make sure that the horse and rider are both aware of my expectations, and any time my boyfriend does anything that might hurt himself or his horse I speak up immediately and tell him what the dangers are.

Answer 6

well.... it all depends on the horse really. most quarter horses are really calm and gentle.

my 4 year old is not for a beginner but is SO quiet a three year old could ride him and he wouldnt do anything naughty.

but another young horse i know u have to be like an VERY good rider.

If u can steer, kick, trot canter etc. u should be fine if u dont want to do anything fancy. but yeh sure a three year old could be a good horse for u. and def not too green. u will both learn at the same time

Answer 7

"The horse is apparently "quiet" and is good with cars, trucks, motorbikes. He has done ponyclub, jumping and eventing."

The pony club doesn't allow horses under 4 years of age to be ridden at events so someone is telling porkies.

I wouldn't touch this horse with a bargepole as he has either done too much too young or he he is older and his papers are false.

There are plenty of horses around and this one may be pretty but what you need is a schoolmaster not a baby.

Answer 8

He seems abit too young for a confident beginner rider-3 is very green for horse, but before I WOULD even consider this horse, i would do jumping, try him over some eventing jumps, try to catch him, try feeding him, try him with dressage, try to pick up his feet, try him everywhere.

Horse seller often gloss up the horse to make it sell faster and i've seen plenty of cases were they sell a horse for dressage and THE horse DOESN'T KNOW an 1 bit of Dressage!! And other's being sold as show jumper, yet they have Never seen a JUMP in there LIFE!

Don't just buy the horse because it the 1st horse you see! Try lots of them!

Don't buy a horse just on looks along

Get your riding/pony club instructor help on choosing the horse .

For a beginner rider i would recommend one aged around 9yrs old that been broken in for a while, not just 6month. No beginner should have a horse as young as 3yrs old! From the sound of him, i be wary, he's awefully young to have jumped, do pony club,, eventing etc, it sound to me there glossing him up in attempting to sell him faster!  It sound like you've falling for his colour, rather then his experience, he is too green for a beginner!

You really need a horse that had alot of experience under him, that been broken in for years, not 1 that been broken in recently.

Expert advice from HORSE magazine on making the right choice when buying a new horse

Whether you're purchasing your first horse, moving up a grade, or buying a second mount to back up your veteran, the basic rules of shopping for a new equine partner remain the same.

    * Don't shop with your heart in place of your head. It's easy to fall in love at first sight. You need to remain practical and unemotional when looking at prospective purchases. A good equine relationship is based on more than a pretty face.

    * Don't consider inappropriate horses. Stick to your basic idea of what kind of horse you would like. Don't look at show horses if you want a dressage horse, because the training is completely different. Yes, if you're experienced or have access to experienced trainers, it's possible to retrain a horse, but there are no guarantees, and you may end up having to change your riding goals.

    * Don't get caught up in the hype. Again, stick to your idea of the right horse for you. It's easy to get swept away in the excitement of a buying a new horse.

    * Don't buy the first horse you see. It's important to look at a lot of horses to find out what's available. Study the type of horse you are interested in and do your research. You may be lucky and find your perfect horse the first time you look, but this is rare. Expect to spend several months searching.

    * Don't buy a horse fresh off a lay-up. The lay-up may hide a chronic problem. Choose a horse that has been working consistently.

    * Never get on a horse that you haven't seen ridden by someone else.

    * Do make sure the horse is not on medication. If he is, establish what kind and why.

    * Don't buy a horse that you can't sit on, put on the bit, one that scares you or that doesn't respond to your aids. If you don't feel comfortable on him, don't imagine things will change further down the line.

    * Do examine the horse's stable to make sure he doesn't have stable vices and hasn't been denied water. An old trick is to dehydrate a horse to make him quieter and easier to ride.

    * Do think long and hard about buying a horse that has potential. Only buy a horse that has potential if you are the gambling type. That is what equine potential is - a gamble. You may have to fork out a great deal of training money to see that potential realised. Weigh this against the asking price of the horse, your goals and your abilities before you jump in.

    * Don't buy a horse that is green if you are a novice. A novice with anuntrained horse can be a terrible combination. You may end up spending a lot more money on training your young horse than you ever dreamed possible and lose your confidence, too.

    * Do take along a trainer or another knowledgeable person.

    * Do buy a horse trained in your discipline of choice.

    * Don't let anyone flatter you or pressure you into buying a horse.

    * Don't be embarrassed to ask seemingly stupid questions.

    * Do try to ride the horse on three separate occasions and at different times of the day to get an overall picture.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/best/arti...

   1. Inform your trainer that you are in the market for a horse, and ask if she will help you look. Your trainer is the person that knows your riding best, and if anyone can find you the right horse, she can. Most trainers charge what is called a "commission fee", which is usually 10-20% of the horse's price, that you pay to your trainer, for helping you look. When you have decided your looking, decide what kind of horse you want; breed (that is really optional to most), temperament, what type of riding they are best for, etc. Think and think and think until you have worked out all the kinks and unknowns, like how far you are willing to travel, your price range, etc. Then you can start shopping.

   2. Start looking for horses everywhere. There are a few main ways. Try the Internet, websites like www.dreamhorse.com, www.bigeq.com, www.equine.com are all fantastic sites where horses are for sale. But don't limit to search engines. Look for the websites of barns in your area, and check out their sales' pages. You can also call other trainers, some don't have webpages, and see what they have.Go to horse shows and look for adds posted by the rings, or on the Porta-Pottys, or anywhere. Always keep an eye out. Don't be afraid to suggest a horse to your trainer--they might tell you that's a great horse, or they'll point out something that makes them think it might not be all too good for you, and thats okay. You'll learn more about what they think is right.

   3. Once you've found a contender, set up a date to go visit the barn where the horse is stabled, and ride him. It is also good to have your trainer ride, but that is your decision. Make sure a trainer, or someone who knows riding well can come with you to this visit! Keep in mind that just because you've tried a horse doesn't mean to stop looking. There is no guarantee that horse is right. Honestly, the more horses you try the better.

   4. Once you've decided on your favorite of the horses you've ridden, or if you just like one, it is wise to take it to your barn on trial. This way, you can ride it at your home stable, and see how he is for more than one ride. Usually a horse goes on trial from anywhere to a week to a month, although two or three weeks is a common time period.

   5. If you've decided after your trial that you still want this horse, have a trusted vet come-DON'T LET THE HORSE DEALER USE THERE OWN VET!  out and perform a vet-check. He will do a number of tests, to see if the horse is lame or has underlying problems. There are many different things you can have done, so talk to your vet. Keep in mind that people still buy horses that fail their vet checks, and a smaller number of horses actually pass. If the horse you vetted failed, and you still like it but don't want to make the investment yet, think about proposing a lease for a few months. This way, you can see if the horse will go lame.

   6. If the horse's results come back without problem, or with very minor problems, and you still like him, then you need to really start thinking about if this is the horse you want to spend your money on. Horse are very expensive animals, and they often go up for sale for a lot of money. Sometimes you can negotiate with the owner to try to lower the price to something more affordable for you. Even if you can easily afford it, try to negotiate, it is very possible you could save some money.

http://www.wikihow.com/Buy-the-Right-Hor...

Answer 9

It really depends on the horse.

After I'd been riding for a year I started looking for a horse to buy.

I saw a few good older horses, and looked at a few young green broke horses.

I ended up getting a 4 year old green broke mare and she's amazing.

I got really lucky with her.

She doesn't spook, she's smart, and she doesn't buck or rear(something I used to have to put up with).

It takes a lot of time and hard work to train young horses so just make sure you are going to have the time and patience to train a young one.

Answer 10

I wouldn't worry too much about the level of your riding. I personally think it depends on the attitude of the rider, and you seem willing to learn, and confident enough to handle a 3 year old.

Obviously as the horse is only 3 it will still need lots of training, so i'd advise you to make sure you have someone to help with this youngster?

I've had youngsters in the past that have been a hand full, but i've also had ones who where extremely sensible and you'd never be able to guess they where a youngster. All though there's no denying that even the sensible ones can just forget themselves and can be a little green.

But as you seem aware and confident i'm sure you'd be fine. Plus it would also be a great experiance. Just make sure you have fun :)

Answer 11

It's possible that he would be ok for you. Though I think someone has been lying to you...horses have to be at least 4 or 5 to be used in pony club. Also if he has been doing eventing and jumping I wouldn't get him. He seems calm enough but a three year old is nowhere near mature ! Jumping and even riding/working a three year old horse a lot puts too much stress on their growing legs. I am currently looking at a four year old and I wouldn't even think about jumping him until he turns five! Well I hope this helps :)

Answer 12

Aside from everything else, I'd be very wary of a three year old who has already been eventing.  Working babies hard (including any jumping at all) does not lead to a long and successful career.

Anyway... no, I wouldn't advise it.  A lot of horses are fabulous when they first start out, they can be good as gold for the first year or so until they figure out what this riding lark is all about - and that's when they turn into rebellious teenagers.  He may be great now, but I wouldn't bank on him being great for the next three years.  And although you may be confident, I don't think you are competent enough to cope with a young horse.  

If you are truly ready for a horse, you should be getting something "ready made"; it's a lovely idea for a young horse and a novice owner to learn together but it's a recipe for disaster.  An older horse will have been round the block a few times and will be more willing to forgive all the mistakes you are bound to make.

Answer 13

i dunno, but my mom trains horses. try her at [e-mail].

she has two rockys of her own, used to have a quarter horse and arabian. and is cururrently training an unknown.

Answer 14

There is such a thing as confidence without competence.  A three year old has few miles and a lot of mental maturing to do.  There is no way a beginner should be trying to figure out a 3 year old.  It's a recipe for ruining any potential the horse may have, and the wrong way to get yourself educated in horsemanship.

Let me ask you one question.  What is it that you base your confidence on?  Without experience, you have no successes behind you to validate confidence.

EDIT...that's all good.  I have 56 years of experience with training of horses....my opinion is that you should not buy a three year old.  Sorry, I know it isn't what you want to hear.  Hopefully your question is sincere and you really do want us to give you our honest opinions on this.

Answer 15

I would not recomend a three year old to a person who wants to just "ride".  Ponyclub, jumping, and eventing is a lot for a 3 year old to do, the people might be over exagerating it.  Even if he can be ridden and compete and all, he is still going to need A TON of training.  I would suggest an older horse if all you want to do is ride, and leave the 3 year olds to the proffesionals.  =D

Answer 16

what do you mean by too green?

Answer 17

I would say Yes but it really depends on the Horse.

I was only 13. My first horse was a 2 1/2 year old 14.2 hh Arab cross Australian riding pony MARE. She wasn't quiet but i had a little riding experience behind me having some lessons. She has taught me so much i have now had her 11 years and i have loved every day. I would advise that you have regular lessons with your horse in both riding and horsemanship. As i found getting it right on the ground helps your riding as the majority of the stuff you ask under saddle can be done on the ground. I have just gota new horse and i am doing clinics with Jason McInnes, have a look at his wesite he has been a great help.

Answer 18

This is a tough one. I just buaght a 3 year old as well i would say im probably a intermediate rider. Just becuase from teh sounds of it you a Very new rider ( correct me if im wrong please) i would probably say No. Unless you can work with a trainer. If you have money to work witha trainer iw ould say go ahead and have fun. Its a great experience to learn how to train a horse and not only does your horse learn but you learn alot to.  

Answer 19

It all depends on horse and rider but as a general rule then yes it is too green. You need to remember that 4 is the stubborn year with horses.