Horse Questions, Newbie questions?

Question

I'm a newbie with horses, but I'm wanting to learn.
I plan to own a horse in the near future. I am taking lessons, so I'll be able to ride the horse.
What is a good, dependable breed of horse to use as a friendly pet to ride? Average Cost to purchase this horse?
If horses never leave the pasture, do they need to be shoe'd?

Thanks for any information

Answer 1

I'll answer your last question first. No, your horse probably would not need to be shod if all it does is light work. I say "probably" because each horse is different; when you find your dream horse, your vet and farrier should evaluate his individual situation and make that assessment.



Breed is really irrelevant. You'll want a dependable "been there, done that" bombproof, forgiving sort of horse as your first horse -- and they can be any breed: Morgan, Quarter Horse, Paint, retrained Standardbred, some of the larger pony breeds, even Thoroghbred crosses or Arabian crosses. The purchase price of horses is also variable, but for your purposes, you can probably find something suitable between $500-$1,500. Also, when you take lessons, your instructor may well know of suitable horses for sale and can help you find something.



The EXPENSIVE part is keeping it! I pay slightly more than $4,000/year for my addiction -- er, I mean hobby -- between board, feed, farriery (and I don't shoe my horse either), veterinary care, lessons, shows, and other incidentals.

Answer 2

I wouldn't shoe them. Only in rough terrain.



You want a good dependable horse that is wise and not fresh or green. An older horse would be better , in the 17 to 19s, because they are older and have had more experience. They can take care of a beginner, wont mind mistakes, teach confidence, and have wisdom. A younger horse is more likely to take off, buck, rear, be ornery, all the things a young playful horse would do. this can be intimidating and scary, this is not what you want for your first horse.



Breed doesn't matter, you can have the calmest thoroughbred ever and the craziest percheron. As long as the horse is well trained, calm, beginner safe the breed doesn't matter .



You need to make sure you have all the proper equipment and knowledge to own a horse.



I would get a horse in the teens nothing below 6. The average price for a well trained teen quarter horse, paint, or appaloosa is $1000- 2500. I would get one of those three breeds, they are the most versatile and can be used for anything from showjumping and dressage to trail riding and reining. :) Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

I recommend the quarter horse, as the breed is well known for having a calm temperament and an athletic build. Also, if you plan on getting involved in showing, rodeo, or competitive eventing, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) holds many events that you would be able to participate in. As a bonus, you can generally pick up a quarter horse for a fairly cheap price as there are lots of them on the market. Depending on your location, the age/color you want, and the level of training you require, the price could range anywhere from $800-$3500 for a good riding horse. In my area (West Coast) $1500 is the most common price. You wouldn't need to shoe the horse if it never left the pasture, and I highly doubt you'd need to shoe the horse even if it was ridden outside of the pasture. A horse only really needs shoes if it is being used as a working horse (examples: on a ranch, as a competitor, heavy trail riding, etc) but a horse used for pleasure riding (meaning 1 hour rides 2-3 times a week) doesn't need any more than a trim every 6 months. Good luck on your lessons and horse search! I hope I was able to help!

Answer 4

It's great that your taking lessons. Not sure if your a kid or a adult. If your little I think a POA would be great for your first horse. As a adult you can find good and bad horses in all breeds. You will need someone knowlegable to help locate a great horse for you. Don't try this by yourself. Ask at the barn you are riding at. The horse market is very bad right now. You can find a horse for free up to thousands. Pasture horses do not need shoes. They will need regular trimming. However you are probably going to want to ride your horse outside of the pasture. Then shoes will be needed.

Answer 5

First off its great that your getting back into horses! They may be amazing animals with plenty to present :) 1. I've a tender spot in my heart for ex-racers. My first horse that I got is an off the monitor thoroughbred. He is essentially the most handy going teddy endure! Thoroughbreds are identified for looking to please and giving you their whole heart

Answer 6

Breed really depends on a lot of things. Some breeds are known for being smaller in size, so it depends on how tall you are. Also what discipline you are doing, western (barrels, rodeo, etc) or english (jumping, cross country, dressage, etc). Most breeds will be able to accel at either, just depending on the horse itself. My friend has a very successful hunter/jumper Quarter Horse, while my other friend has a Thoroughbred who doesn't like jumping at all.



I have a Selle Francais who is very athletic and loves to jump. He is a great horse, sometimes feisty, but very trustworthy when being riden. I spent $1500 to buy my horse, as most of my friends also spent around the same amount for their horses. Keeping the horse is the expensive part.



Shoeing a horse depends on a lot of factors. Some breeds, like thoroughbreds, typically just have bad feet, while others may have great feet. It also depends on the location and weather. I see a lot of horses have to get shoes when it rains a lot because their feet get so wet and soft.



My horse is usually fine without shoes, but usually during rainy season he has them cause the water gets to him. The farrier has also trimmed him too short before causing him to need shoes.



Hope this info helps out! Good luck on finding your 'perfect' horse!

Answer 7

A good, sound, tame breed of horse is the quarter horse.

It is great for almost all disciplines whether it be jumping, dressage, or just trail riding.

I'd suggest getting one in its teens so it's more reliable and less spooky.

They usually have good feet, but it all depends on the horse.

If you're just looking for a dependable around the barn horse, then don't spend any more than $5,000 for it, and that's with all the trimmings.

Answer 8

What discipline are you riding? Quarter horses are everywhere and are really common. You can use them for western and english, anywhere from $500 and up. Talk to your trainer. I think you should lease a horse before you try and own one. Horses are really expensive so make sure you have a sum of money set aside for emergencies and such.

I also think you need to wait until you know more about horses to own one. You may mean well but if you don't know enough, you could end up harming yourself of the horse.

Answer 9

Thoroughbred or quarter horse depending on what you want to do with it. thoroughbreds are cheaper since there are so many of them and there are many rescues for them that only have a small adoption fee for them. quarter horses are a little bit more harder to find cheap i got my two thoroughbreds for free and my quarter horse for $1,000 it just depends on if it's registered but quarter horses do like to do things and like to please their owner. thoroughbreds are more high energy though and used more for english riding and jumping but can be used for anything i use mine for barrel racing and ride mine western. quarter horses are used mainly western and barrel racing

Answer 10

You will probably want to shoe your horse depending on how hard their feet are. Generally white hoves are soft and crack easy and black hoves are strong. Either way you will need to trim their hoves. I suggest you shoe them if they have white hoves, it helps keep their hoves in better shape. If you are not going to be riding hardly at all, and their hoves are black and strong then I wouldnt waste money on a farrier. However you will need to trim their hoves. If your going to be doing a lot of trail riding or your pasture is rocky I would shoe them.