Horse Advice....

[Barnyard]

My dd has been wanting a horse for many years. She is not "experianced" as some would say. She/we do know how to do the basic's, but that is about it. It has been many, many years since I have owned a horse. When I say many, I mean 20

I would love nothing more than to be able to get her one, but I want her to know a little more before we take that next step. I know that there is alote of work dealing with a horse and alote of expense. So, I guess what I am asking is...... is there some way of teaching her/us at home what we need to know. There is no one around here that does anything like riding lesson's or class's, so we will have to learn on our own. I know there is alote of horse experts on here, so please give me any advice on this subject. Horse's are selling fairly cheap these day's. I can not afford alote but I want to be sure I get a good horse to. What do I need to look for in a horse when the time comes?? Thanks!!


ETA: Not sure if I posted this in the right section, so mods, please move it if you need to. I was kinda rambling so I just stuck it here

 

[mjdtexan]

I see ads on Craigslist all the time advertising that they will come out to your place and instruct to you about horses. You may want to look there.

 

[Cara]

How about a lease or part lease at a barn/the owner's property?

 

[Barnyard]

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I have been looking on craigslist....I will continue to search there. Thanks

 

[Barnyard]

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I know a few people that own horse's for there own personal pleasure or either they use them for Barrel racing. Not sure if they would be willing to do that, but it is worth a shot. Thanks

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

If you cannot find help but decide to go forward with this anyhow, PLEASE do not buy a young green horse. If you must do this, find a mount that has experience and kindness. When I got my first horse, I'd read everything there was to read and really thought I knew what I was doing. I got an 8-year-old mare who was the definition of kindness. So much so that when I mis-adjusted her headstall miles too big for her, she carried the bit anyhow even though we rode for hours.. It was so badly fitted that when I finally stopped at a neighbor's to show off my new horse, she got bored, yawned, and...the bit FELL OUT OF HER MOUTH and hung under her chin! She took care of me until I finally managed to learn enough to take care of her. Those kind are not easy to find but they sure are worth the looking. Don't worry about how pretty or flashy your new friend is. Instead pay attention to how well trained and well cared for she is. If she's been loved well enough for it to show, you've got a far better chance of her loving you back enough to take care of you.

Rusty

 

[Grace]

Does DD stand for dear daughter?

I am not really up on internet abbreviations.
Do you have a 4-H club with a horse chapter? That can be a great place to learn and meet people. Hands on experience is one of the best ways to learn when it comes to horses.

 

[bonnylass79]

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Amen! The only horses I will put little kids on are my 19 and 24 year olds. Don't let age be a deterrent. Most horses live to be 30 years old.

What part of southwest Georgia? I find it hard to believe that there aren't more horse people around. I'm always getting e-mails about shows and obstacle challenges up that way. Take a look at breed sites like aqha.com and nrha.com. They will give you a list of trainers based on state. I agree with finding a lease situation if you can, but make sure the owner will take the time to teach you the ropes. I know of a tragic situation where a girl was leasing a horse and wasn't taught proper safety. Her and her horse were hit and killed when they were hit by a car because she was riding on a busy road at night.

You may also want to check out the online forum for Chronicle of the Horse. There is a wealth of horse knowledge on that board and if anyone can locate a trainer in your area, they can.

 

[Nupine]

I would go to your local extension office and see if there is a horse 4-H club in the area. That is really important and you could learn a lot from other in the club. I have noticed on craigslist that many of the horses on there are ones that really aren't worth too much as child's riding horses and are ones that people just want to get rid of, I would check www.dreamhorse.com and www.equine.com as you can find exactly what you want and a horse that is in your area. They both have advanced search engines. They are fantastic. As far as what to look for in a horse, don't just buy the first horse you see. Shop around. Color and appearance should be on the bottom of your list. Do not buy a horse simply because they are pretty, been there, done that. I also don't recommend buying anything under 10 yrs old for a child, they are usually too hot and inexperienced, although there are exceptions.. My first horse was 25, and it really worked out great. I liek geldings best, as moody mares can be a pain. Geldings usually have very even temperments. Mares can love you one day and want to kill you the next. Breed is important, but really not all that much, my first horse was an arab, a hot blooded breed [high strung] and it worked out great. You would want a size that is large enough for you, but doesn't overwealm your daughter. Seh may be comfortable with a large horse, it depends. I am only 5' 2'' and ride a 17 hh horse, and I love it. The main thing is that he needs to be BOMBPROOF, spooky horses are really a pain, because they can be fine one minute and then jump 10 ft to the side if a napkin flies into their path. I recommend that if you can, find someone experienced to look for a horse with you, particuraly since some eople drug the horses to make them calm, some one more experienced may be able to tell. Also, you will want a horse with a soft mouth, and on that works off your legs and know voice commands, and has a good stop. Another thing, it would be best, but not 100% neccesary, that the seller includes the horse's tack, that way you know you will have tack that fits the horse properly. But the #1 thing is a horse who is very well trained and one that you ''click'' with. Good luck!
Ashlyn

 

[MaggieRae]

When it comes to riding, and you have a green rider(fairly new, you say?), then you definitely should have an experienced horse owner helping out. But if that's out of the question, for the safety of your daughter, you need a very, and I mean that, good horse.
The best thing that can happen when you buy a horse, is to already know the horse. My second horse, Ranger, I had been riding for 2 years when he was given to me. Had I not known him, I never would have accepted him. I knew he was a green horse, but he had a good heart and just needed some good TLC to make a great horse.
Here he is (the white one)-

There are many places to look for a horse, I looked on craigslist, dreamhorse, and other websites like that. NEVER! I MEAN NEVER! Buy a horse you've never ridden. I've seen this happen many times. A family that was looking to go into horseback riding with too much money in their pockets just went online and bought the three prettiest horses that they liked. Never rode them after the first couple of attempts. What did they buy, you may ask? A hard headed 4 year old, you desperately wanted you off his back, and would rear and buck to do so, a dappled grey mare who was a wonderful horse for anyone who knew how to ride, chaos for someone who didn't, and a barrel racing horse. Now, the second two horses were wonderful for me.

I love to barrel race. But aside from one other lady, I was the only other one who even could ride these horses. I did ride the 4 year old occasionally, just to keep him in shape, but he wasn't my horse and I had my own 4-year old to deal with (Ranger).
Many people will allow you to buy the horse, but if it doesn't work out after a certain date, will allow you to return it for a full refund (of course, you pay the living fees while the horse was under your care). This is a good arrangement. You get to see if the horse will work for you and fit your purposes. If he doesn't, new horse.
So, summary ( I have too much information to write it all out, so if you ask any questions, I can answer)- bring an experienced rider with you when you buy the horse, to look for things like a horse who tests the rider often, or one that has hidden injuries you may not notice. Check all of the horse's gates. Do your best to put him in every situation possible to see how he reacts. You do not want your daughter on a horse that spooks easily. (BTW- this is where the advanced rider comes in, they can do all this for you.

) Just because they say 'bomb proof', that doesn't mean the horse is. It's the people who don't expect their horse to ever spook that get hurt. Every horse spooks, just some not as often.

Horses are great and fun. But more so if you find one that suits your needs and can form a happy partnership between the rider and horse.
If you have any questions, PLEASE pm me. I'd love to answer them.