Cross Breeds - want a horse sometime in the future?

want a horse sometime in the future?

i have always wanted a horse and was hoping to own one on my own property some time in the future. I have worked with horses before as a barn hand cleaning, feeding and turning out and, worked in a horse hospital and i have rode before, so i know what all in store money and time wise, but i was wondering what is the best way to go about finding a good horse that;s still young, like how do I know if the horse is really sound, I wouldn't want a retired shcool horse they are ususally older, or have bad habits from other peoples poor riding habits, i would want to start out with three or two around the age of 5 to 9 years of age. are there people you can contact that can find a good horse, or can you get a buyer to give the horse a vet exam. Are retired race horses a good idea for a first time owner if you have a trainer who will retrain them. And how much do most trainers charge for general training like walk, trot, canter, work?

Public Comments

Yes you should if you can.
To find a horse, go to www.equine.com. I suggest using the advanced search. As far as the retired Thoroughbred race horses goes, I have one and I LOVE him. He's a very fancy hunter, so there is the possibility of them having careers after the track. If you do get one, just make sure it is checked out EXTENSIVELY (important!!) by a vet. As far as the training costs go, I'm not sure how much they would be. You could probably find someone who could work with you for an hour or so every week just to show you what exercises to work on with your new horse, then work on them at home. That way, you're virtually training them. I know people that have done that and they actually end up creating a stronger bond with their horse. Whatever you choose, I wish you the best of luck. Congratulations on your new horse!! Hope I could help.
Not sure where you live, but an ex ranch horse usually is the perfect first horse. They have been there, done that usually, have a level head and good mind. Ex school horses aren't a bad idea either, I think they are patient with beginners and you can learn alot from them. Trainers very so much depending on where you live, but anywhere from $500 to $1000/mth usually. I wouldn't delve into a retired racehorse, because I am not sure you can train that need out of them to be in the lead. I had one, loved him dearly, but it was Churchill downs on the trail the minute anyone broke in to a trot or lope behind him. I would have someone go with you that KNOWS horses to give you other ideas. Buyer always pays for vet exam typically and health/coggins etc.
It depends on how well you rode back when you did and how well you ride now. I've seen retired race horses be completely calm, good first horses but most are high strung and need an experienced rider. You can get a trainer for them, but the thing is, you will want to ride them and that can take a while depending on your level. Ex-racers are normally not a good idea for first time owners unless they really understand the thoroughbred breed and have had experience around them. Unless you really know what you're doing, it's not a good idea to get two young horses that need extensive training. If anything, I would get an older horse that could teach me what I need to know and then get a younger horse that you can learn how to train (with a professional helping you, of course). Getting an older horse isn't a bad thing. I bought my horse when she was 14, and in saddle she acted like a 2 year old - she was a broodmare all her life, so she had no idea how to be balanced under saddle. Plus she had psychotic energy to boot (not something you'd expect from a 14yr. old Quarter Horse at all). She's 20 now, and though we've passed the 2 yr. old stage, she still acts half her age when under saddle (she has always had amazing ground manners that make me the envy of the barn). Old lesson horses can develop bad habits, but the thing with them is they know better. The bad habits they have are because they found easy ways of getting around things. As the owner, you could train them out of it. I rode a lesson horse for a long time who loved to mess with riders - try to climb up the mounting block, turn into corners and not turn around, etc. I got to know him and his habits, so I knew what he was thinking before he even did and fixed it before it happened. Since he knew that I meant business, he didn't try any funny stuff with me. I could get off him and a kid in the lesson after me could ride him and he knew that they didn't know any better, so he'd go back to his ornery ways. Lesson horses know all the tricks - they make their rider work to bring out the best in them. In a way, these things make you all the better of a rider. I'm just saying, this is my experience. As for a vet exam - it's fairly easy. You can ask your vet (if you have dogs or cats) if they know of a horse vet in the area, then contact them. You can ask people who own horses around you who they use as a vet. You can look in a phonebook for a vet. Since I rode at a barn, I asked my instructor who the farm vet was, contacted that vet and found that where my horse was located was out of her range - but she referred me to a friend of hers who vetted out in that area. The training rates depend on where you live. For a month of training at my barn it's $425 or $35 per session. Good luck!
i would not reccomend getting a thoroughbred from off the race track for your first horse. Or a Thoroughbred at all for that matter. I would reccomend getting a Quarter Horse as they are so flexible (dressage, english, western etc.). Or a Thoroughbred cross with a Quarter Horse. But be careful because a Thoroughbreds' insurance can be very expensive and their hooves are usually terrible. if you would like more info on this you can e-mail me: love.malachai@yahoo.ca
You can find a good horse at www.horseville.com we have bought several great horses from this site. I think a QH & Paints would be a good breed for you. I know horses and wouldnt want a ex-race horse. If you have any other question feel free to email/IM me.
dont forget to check horse rescues. i got my horse (arabian) at one, and couldnt ask for anything better! she's amazing! she just needing a little touching up on her training, like leg cues and stuff. i've trained her myself using natural horsemanship. but anyways just wanted to remind you that you can find great horses at rescues too!
Avoid ex racehorses, they always have problem backs cause they were broken in too soon. The older schoolhorse is the best bet for the first time owner unles you've been riding for like 10 years already.
First off, no, retired race horses are NOT good for beginners. You'd be safest if you found a great trainer to help you find a horse that's right for you. Even though you don't want a retired school horse, they are some of the best for new riders. Don't focus on the bad habits, think of what they can teach you. Confidence is the best thing that any horse can teach the rider. Also, getting young horses as a new horse owner is a bad idea. Younger horses have more issues when it comes to riding than older horses, generally speaking. What I suggest you look for is a horse that's between 9 and 15 and that has been worked with a lot. Generally 4-H kids sell some really nice, calm horses at the end of the show season. Again, work with a trainer or experienced horse friend that you trust to find the horse that's right for you. It may be a long search, but it will pay off. Trainers can charge anything they want for their services, from next to nothing to thousands a month. You need to look for quality of the trainer. Watch them work with other horses, students, and see what other people have to say about the trainer. A bad trainer will ruin a great horse.
Find someone that knows a lot about horses and take them with you to look. Pick up a copy of the Horse Trader or go on-line. There are many good agencies that adopt horses out to good homes. These horses have usually been ridden and they can tell you if they are broke, trained, or whatever. The United Pegasus Foundation has some wonderful horses for adoption. Some are retired race horses, some are mustangs, some are draft crosses, etc. I've seen some drop dead gorgeous animals go through there. I'm sure you would find a horse you could ride from them. There are also other adoption agencies. Retired race horses can be great if you like Thoroughbreds. They are usually very broke and make good riding horses if they have not been pulled off the track because of an attitude problem. Morgan horses are a wonderful breed. They have a good head on their shoulders. They are not usually hyper like Thoroughbreds, Arabians, etc. Always get a vet check on any horse you are considering buying from anyone. They have the expertise and equipment to check a horses' overall health. You don't want a horse with health problems that can cost you a fortune. As for trainers, you may not need one. Worry about that if and when the times comes. Horses can be expensive to own now a days, depending of course on where you live. There's the feeding costs, supplements, vaccines, worming, shoeing, vet calls, tack purchases and repair, and additional supplies for bathing, grooming, fly spray, etc. These are all the things you need to consider in getting a horse for the first time. There is a lot of responsibility to go with it. If none of this matters, go for it. Find a horse you like, no matter what the breed is. If you have a connection with the horse up front, then you will probably have a great friend. They are wonderful animals and can and will provide lots of love and enjoyment for the life of the animal. Good luck!
Search for horses online. Like at equine.com and dreamhorse.com and horsetopia.com Then you should find a local instructor and bring them a video or something of horse. Then they can determine if they are sound or not.
To find out if a horse is sound you need to go through a vet check, if you are not confident in your own medical knowledge. You can find horses online, but it is great if you could look around with a trainer. When you try the horse you want a second opinion. You don't want to fall in love and buy a horse and then find out it wings. You need to decide what you want to do with your horse. That will help determine the breed of horse you get. I have trained a lot of horses off the track, I recomend not getting a horse off the track for your first horse. Unless, they have been worked with by a trainer for 30days. Hope this helps
A really good website is www.dreamhorse.com, A trainer will charge anywhere between 3 to 5 hundred a month and then you have to pay board ontop of that. Good Luck
I was in your shoes not too long ago. I started taking dressage lessons (mainly for the balance and principles) and continued that for 2 years. During that time, I started buying things like grooming supplies, halters, etc., attending clinics, researching, reading, and asking every horse person I met a gazillion questions. I used to visit www.agdirect.com quite often and it's a SUPER site, but I ended up finding my 2 horses in the local Farm & Dairy paper. My #1 concern was TEMPERAMENT. And, I have to disagree with you about lesson horses. I have found that they are FAR more tolerant and less spooky about things because they have had so many different riders and are so used to people making mistakes. I actually bought a 16-year old former lesson horse who is just a dreamboat! I am convinced that lesson horses are the way to go. Seriously, if you're going to have 2 or 3, I would have at least one that's older (between 9-18) and more experienced in your group. But the best advice I can give is to take some lessons. You'll find that your instructor will be a big help in steering you toward the right people when you're ready to buy. PS--you will want to have a vet independent of the owner do a vet check, and you normally pay for that. I wouldn't skip this part...it's like buying a house without getting and inspection. Good luck!!
a exracehorse is not a good idea a girl who boarded her horse at the place i go 2 got kicked in the head and fractured her skull from 1 cuz he just was 2 hot. i leased the horse i might buy and she did very good