Making The Perfect Match

Making The Perfect Match With Your Next Horse

Written By : Bonnie Marlewski-Probert

The good news is that it is not very hard to find that perfect partner, once you have enough information to make an informed choice

I wrote "A Parent's Guide To Buying That First Horse" because there are many things that should be taken into account when choosing a horse and most of these items might just as well be classified secrets because few people think about them BEFORE shopping. Below is part of a chapter from "A Parent's Guide To Buying That First Horse" that will help you clarify what is the perfect horse for you.

CHAPTER SIX

Making The Perfect Match

As in marriage, or in our business relationships, an inevitable partnership forms between a rider and their horse. Some partnerships are happier than others, in the same way that some marriages and business partnerships are happier than others. Choosing your partner wisely at the onset is the trick to creating the happiest partnerships

 Developing a partnership, wherein at least one of you knows what you are doing, really gives you a leg up on success! The first step in locating your first horse begins long before you go for a test drive. It begins with an educated consumer. This chapter is filled with pointers that will help guide you along the road toward the ideal first horse for your situation.

When you try to match a new horseman with their first horse, look at the long term picture. The quality of this first experience will determine whether or not the rider stays in the sport, or drops out. In this respect, choosing the right first horse is not much different than choosing the right first car. In spite of the fact that a new driver may beg for a sports car, as a parent you know that a sports car is too fast, too expensive and too dangerous in the hands of a new driver. Instead, you would probably look for something older, safer, less expensive and more suited for their current driving experience level. After they have made their fair share of mistakes, learned through those lessons and gained the wisdom and responsibility that come with experience, then and only then would you consider buying the sports car. I will make the same common sense recommendation to you about buying your first horse.

Because the life expectancy of the average horse is 20 - 25 years, I recommend purchasing a first horse, no younger than 14 years of age. A horse in his mid to late teens is considered middle - aged. By this time a horse's personality is established and they are what they are.

Younger horses are like younger children, fun loving, a bit unpredictable, not terribly dependable yet, and always looking for some mischief to get into. As a new horseman, you and your family will be learning every day and part of the learning process includes making mistakes. Young horses tend not to be as forgiving as older horses. After all, they aren't even sure of what they are supposed to be doing yet. As in any partnership, in order to increase the odds of success, at least one member should be seasoned and knowledgeable. As a horseman I would like to add that not only is it unfair to the new horseman to try and work out the relationship with the young horse, it is also unfair to the young horse

Plan on keeping your first horse for one to two years. This animal should be purchased as a confidence builder and as an educator, not as the last horse, nor as a show horse. After spending one or two years building confidence and learning from a seasoned mount, the rider is then ready to move into their area of interest. By this point, their riding skills will have improved, and this fact, coupled with the confidence that is gained through working with a seasoned mount, will prepare them for the challenges of either a younger horse, or their first show horse.

Wisdom Is A Great Money Saver When Shopping For A Horse

The better informed you are, the more value you get for your dollar, and the more pleasure you will derive from the experience. There are a variety of ways of increasing your base of knowledge. Joining a riding lesson program at a local stable for at least one year before purchasing any animal is a good way to start. You can save a considerable amount, and minimize your frustration, disappointment and injury, if you become a trained rider before you shop for your first horse.

While you and your family are learning to ride, this is the time to begin networking with the horse community in your area. Introduce yourself to other horsemen at the stable. Ask questions. Offer to help out at stable functions such as horse shows, clinics or day camps. This is a great way to learn, share fun as a family, spend time around the horses, meet new friends who share a common interest, and best of all, these fun filled days will cost you little or nothing.
As the sport of riding has grown in popularity, organizations have appeared to help consumers get started in a safe and cost effective manner by helping them choose a qualified riding instructor in their area. Among these organizations are the American Riding Instructor Certification Program (ARICP), (CHA) The Association For Horsemanship Safety And Education, and the Horsemanship Safety Association, Inc. (HSA). For additional information on these organizations see Chapter Fifteen for addresses and telephone numbers that you can use to contact them.

Protecting Your Investment

A show horse will retain its resale value in one of two ways. Either the rider is seasoned, had many years of riding lessons and is capable of keeping the horse tuned, or you keep the horse with a professional trainer who is seasoned and is capable of keeping the horse tuned. Of course, these skills are not present in the new rider and for that reason, I recommend an older mentor. This horse doesn't need to be flashy looking, nor does he need to be registered, or expensive, he just needs to be seasoned, safe and healthy.

The Secret To Finding The Perfect Match

Take a good look at the primary rider as objectively as possible. Your riding instructor may be able to assist in this exercise. Determine the strengths and weakness of the rider, their individual needs, and some realistic riding aspirations.

Is the rider timid by nature? If so, a quiet, gentle horse is in order.

What kind of riding are you and your family most interested in pursuing at this time?
The answer to this question will help you to determine the breed, size, conformation and training level of the ideal first horse for your situation. In other words, if you want to trail ride most of the time, you can focus in on a few breeds and styles of riding that would have appropriate horses for you to look at. See chapter five for more details.

Will the rider have time to ride their horse at least five nights each week? Depending on how busy their daily schedule may be, an older, more settled horse that can stand in a stall or field for several days without becoming hard to handle would be appropriate. On the other side of the coin, younger or "green" horses will require daily handling and riding.

How big is the primary rider of the horse going to be?

Size is another factor that should be taken into account when choosing your first horse. The ideal size for any rider, can be determined fairly simply. If they are unable to reach the horse's back, saddle without assistance, and mount up alone, you need a smaller animal.

I think of this size issue as I might think of buying shoes. You certainly don't buy shoes for your child that will not fit them for two more years. Of course not, and horses should be purchased using the same logic. Find a horse that fits the rider's size and riding skill level today, not two years from today. In the case of a child, if they are unable to function around their horse alone, someone (YOU) will need to assist them every time they want to ride

Would other members of your family like to share the horse?

If you are purchasing an animal for your child and the decision is made to buy a pony, try to locate one that also drives. This will allow the rest of your family to share in the enjoyment of the animal, thereby increases the value you get for your dollar.

Do you have a breed preference?

As is the case with people, genetics produce a wide variety of shapes, colors and sizes. In the horse world, each breed evolved to be perfect for the climate, area and lifestyle within which they lived. Understanding that breeds vary in size, temperament, and preferred style of riding, will help you find the horse that fits your needs. Remember that there are also crossbreeds and "grade" horses (mutts or Heinz 57) that you may prefer. These tend to be less expensive than pedigreed animals and unless you are heading for the show ring, there is an old saying, "You Can't Ride Registration Papers."

There are a multitude of different breeds within the family of horse. Although, as in the case of humans, each horse is an individual, there are some generalizations that can be made from breed to breed. Chapter Five details the different breeds and their inherent traits.

What gender of horse will best fit your needs?

Every breed of horse has males (gelded or ungelded) and females. As a consumer, once you have determined the breed or crossbreed, of your choice, there still remains the question of which sex will best suit your situation. There are no "wrong" choices to be made, only choices that might be more appropriate under different circumstances. For those of you who might be wondering, yes, there often is a difference in price from one sex to another.

Gelding - A male horse which has been castrated. The gelding tends to have a steady temperament overall and behaves consistently. Of course each individual case may vary, but as a rule, the gelding is the least expensive of the sexes to purchase, as he is unable to reproduce.

Mares - (females) Because the mare can be used for breeding purposes, they tend to be more expensive to purchase than the gelding, but less expensive than the stud horse (ungelded male). The average mare will come into heat regularly and it will last four to eight days. A hormonal change can result in mood swings and can include crabby behavior, impatience and/or a short temper. Depending on the individual, this may not be suitable behavior for a new rider to cope with. Remember that these are generalizations and each horse should be treated as an individual and judged on its own merits.

Stud - (ungelded males or stallions) can be very aggressive to handle and are easily distracted when near a mare in heat. I have known of stud horses that demolished fences and stall walls in order to get to a mare. Purchasing a stud is better left to those people involved in serious breeding programs. The stud is generally the most expensive of the three choices.

By now, you are probably beginning to see the description of your first horse emerging. By answering the questions in this chapter and adding that information to the questionnaire in Chapter Five, you are well on your way to defining the ideal first horse for your unique situation.

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