| Some general pointers on choosing your first horse | | | | experience and familiarity the horse has with human |
| Geldings generally have the most consistent behavior. | | | | ways. It IS worth it for a first horse. |
| They are generally the most even tempered and | | | | And please remember that if a horse is to be ridden |
| pleasant natured. Not every gelding will be like this, it's | | | | by more than one person, look for a horse that will be |
| that the odds are greatest that a gelding will be | | | | suitable for the lowest skilled person. |
| consistently good natured. | | | | Next question, is this a child's horse or an adult's? The |
| Mares, go in and out of "heat". They have hormone | | | | answer will determine a suitable size for you to be |
| cycles. This may or may not affect a mare's behavior | | | | comfortable on and build to carry your weight. A horse |
| and temperament. Some mares are even tempered. | | | | for both children and adults will need to be small |
| Some can be Jekyll and Hyde. Be aware of this and | | | | enough for the kids to be comfortable, while tall and |
| ask the owner. | | | | strong enough to carry an adult easily. |
| Stallions are not suitable for anyone other than | | | | Now what sort of riding do you want to do? Is this a |
| experienced horse people. A beginner should not even | | | | work horse? A show horse? A serious or fun |
| consider one. End of story. | | | | competition horse? A jumper, barrel racer or |
| On the age of your horse, young horses or | | | | endurance ride? Or a trail & leisure horse? Do you |
| inexperienced older horses are not suitable for a | | | | want to do dressage? The reason for answering this |
| beginner. Your ideal steed will be at least 5 and have | | | | question is that it will help you focus the temperament, |
| been well handled and trained. You are after a horse | | | | skills and confirmation you require from your horse. |
| who has maturity, who is familiar with the world of | | | | And perhaps a suitable breed. |
| humans. A horse in his late teens or early twenties has | | | | There is no right or wrong breed of horse for a |
| plenty of maturity and would be a great first horse. | | | | particular genre of horse sports in terms of suitability. It |
| Of course, you are after a sound, healthy and pleasant | | | | is dependent on the individual animal. Some types of |
| natured animal. If the horse has a health issue, consider | | | | competition are restricted to a particular breed. ie |
| how this will affect the riding you want to do before | | | | horse racing is restricted to thoroughbreds. There |
| deciding yay or nay. If the horse has a cranky | | | | aren't many of these, but find out beforehand. |
| temperament, it is not suitable for a beginner. Living in | | | | Having said that, some breeds TEND to be particularly |
| fear of being nipped or kicked by your first horse will | | | | suitable for particular sports as they have been bred |
| destroy your confidence and your horsey dream, as | | | | to excel in these. For instance, warmbloods and |
| well as being a physically dangerous situation. | | | | dressage, quarter horse and barrel racing, arabian and |
| Cover the basics | | | | endurance riding. This does not exclude other breeds |
| First of all, let's go through some questions to find out | | | | from excelling. Confirmation (the shape and way a |
| what you're after and what's most suitable. | | | | horse is put together) will determine what horse will be |
| At what level are your horse and riding skills? It is a | | | | good at what activity. A good endurance horse is built |
| huge mistake, as a beginner, to purchase a horse that | | | | differently to a good dressage horse, for instance. |
| is beyond your current ability. It is far safer and easier | | | | There is no need to purchase a purebred or discount |
| to grow out of a horse than into one. You want a | | | | one breed over another. Find out what is important in a |
| horse that you can ride now, based on your current | | | | horse for your chosen discipline and look for a horse |
| level of skill. | | | | with those qualities. This is where your expert friend |
| Untrained, lightly trained, lightly handled or 'green broke' | | | | will help sort a suitable horse from one that just won't |
| horses are often cheaper. There's a reason for that. | | | | do. If you don't have a specialised sport in mind, any |
| It's because they need work, an experienced hand and | | | | sound, healthy, quiet, gentle natured, well trained horse |
| time. They aren't as predictable or reliable. The training | | | | will do. |
| required can take months or even a few years (think | | | | As far as a 'good' breed for a beginner goes, there is |
| $$) and can lead to a dangerous horse if not done | | | | no right or wrong. The individual temperament of the |
| right (by a beginner). | | | | horse and the training it has received are more |
| What you pay for with an experienced horse is the | | | | important factors than it's pedigree or papers. |
| training that has gone into the animal and the world | | | | |