In part 1, "I'm Ready for My First Horse, But Wait . . . .", I spoke about having financial commitment, dedicating time and learning about the horse before even considering getting one of your own. Now, what kind of horse is the right first horse?
The best type of horse for a first time horse owner and beginner is a quiet horse. One that will not spook at everything it sees. I always hear from people that they don't want a "dead" horse. They want one with spunk. I have news for you. Until you learn about the behavior of horses, safety, handling horses and get confident working around horses, you are better off with a quiet horse. If you are afraid of the horse, it will sense it and take advantage of it. Then you have big troubles on your hands. Usually the best breed to consider would be a quarter horse or a grade (a mutt in the horse world) horse.
Another thing I have heard from parents getting a first horse for their child is "I would like to have both the horse and the child grow up together" and look for a young horse. WRONG!! This is a disaster waiting to happen. How can someone with no knowledge train another with no knowledge? It is like an 8 year old trying to teach a 4 year old how to drive. A young horse can be too much horse for a beginner to handle. It still needs to be taught it's lessons. The best type of horse for a beginner is an older horse. An older horse knows his stuff and will take care of the child, or any beginner for that matter. You can't beat having a school master for a first horse. You will also gain plenty of confidence with the older horse. A good age to consider would be 15 years or older.
Before getting that first horse, do research on each horse. Don't just pick it by it's color. Make sure you have an experienced horse person with you to help you find the right horse. You will be glad you did in the long run.
In Part 3, I will talk about how to get to know your new found equine friend.
BLR Guy:
Even if you are knowledgable about horses, or any animal for that matter, sometimes it's best to get an older one. This way you eliminate the frustrations of training and get to enjoy the animal right off the bat.
Danny:
I'm glad that you at least realize what it takes to own a horse. If it makes you feel any better, whenever you are in the Lehigh Valley in PA, look me up and I'll take you over to see Eddie and his buddies.