What kid of horse is best for a 13 year old rider with 8 years riding experience? It has to be a breed that is good for english pleasure, barrel racing, and jumping. Also what age is best?
Answers:
Don't look for a specific breed. It's the individual that counts. Take your child with you, it seems that they would know what would suit them, as well as their instructor, or an experienced horsey friend.
I would look at horses 8 and over. Try and stay away from horses in their late teens or early twenties, as they have limited potential and stamina, and you will have to retire them after a few years. They are also at a higher risk of disease or injury. Of course every horse is different, and you would need to consider every individual case.
Get some books on good horse confirmation from your library and read up on what a well conformed horse should look like. Make sure that when you look at horses, they are well conformed, especially the legs and feet. You also want a horse with a well muscled bum and back legs (this is the "engine" of the horse and essential for jumping). You want a horse that looks like it is in proportion, good conformation is essential to ensure they are capable of the tasks you require.
Some things to look for in the temperment-
Calm and friendly. Get the seller to show you the horse in the paddock and make sure you can catch them with ease. If they don't want to be caught, or show agression, it is a sign of disrespect, which cannot be allowed around children.
When leading them, they should be at your shoulder. Not in front of you and not lagging behind ( this makes it harder for you to control them). They should stop when you ask them to and not lean on you or invade your personal space (another sign of disrespect).
They should be ok being touched all over- especially the ears, mouth and back legs, and you should be able to pick up all four feet without a hitch- get the seller to show you this (for safety reasons).
Watch them being saddled and ridden by the seller or someone else before entrusting them to your child, and keep an eye out for lameness or lack of balance. They should keep an even beat in all paces. Watch the horse to see if they appear to be leaning forward (this implies a heavy head, which is harder to control, also called leaning on the bit), and see that the rider can control the horse with ease in all directions.
Get references from the seller, ie farrier, vet, dentist, trainer- and ALWAYS get a vet check in the final stages. You don't want to find out your perfect horse has a physical problem that prevents them reaching their potential
Take your time, get a trial or lease if you can, even if it is off the sellers property
If the seller has any hesitation on providing the above for you, I would be very wary of them. You need to know that not all people ride horses because they love them, some people will tell you anything to sell their horse.
All the best to you :)
I have an apaloosa/quarter horse 7-year old. He is a frank jumper who doesn't refuse an obstacle. He's comfortable, good natured, and I ride him for anything: jumping, trek, point-to-point, leasure gallops %26 walks, even a little dressage. As for barrel racing, the quarter horse in him is fast and stable in sharp corners.
He loves children, and is patient and gentle with them. He is also very resistant to some nasty illnesses some pure-breds get.
for all three i would have no idea. but for english pleasure morgans are really good. for jumping i wanna say morgans but also quarter horses. and barrel racing would probably be a smaller horse with longer legs like an Araappaloosa
the best for that would be an arabian at least 8- 10 years of age that it trained to a point where that person can easily handle the horse also that person will need to have a t least 30 days to know the horse
Quater horses are good. just make sure its NOT breed to be a halter horse.
Morgans are good.
age wise, I like horsesbetween9 or ten and late teens.. you can do almost anything with them.
the breed i would go with is the quarter horse, because you can do all those riding events with a quarter horse. i have 3 quarters and i do all sorts of events with them like, reining, barrel racing, western pleasure, halter, trails, and some english riding. the age to start with is 3-4 yrs old because at this age the horse has already been trained and now all you would have to do is to train him the way you want him to be trained. good luck in your search for a horse.
Another great breed for a young rider is called the Quarab. Its basically a cross between an Arabian and a Quarterhorse.
Quarabs are generally between 13.2 and 14 hands tall, and while many of them have characteristics relating more to an Arabian, most of them look like small Quarterhorses since the breed often times retains the body structure and markings.
Quarabs can do just about anything that either Arabians and Quarterhorses can do including jumping, english riding, barrel racing and other games, endurance riding, cattle driving, roping, and much much more.
They are a very versatile breed, and they also have very nice temperments and personalities. They are the type of breed that is calm and quiet when its needed, but as soon as they are given the signle know when its time to get up, go, and give it their all.
Appaloosa all the way, they are reliable and safe, give 110% and learn fast, QH are also the same. They are fast on their feet and can come back to a sensible pace in a clik of your finger.
Even with 8 yrs experience, a horse can be too young, i would say about 7 to 10, as the horse knows the basics and you can teach it heaps! You can slso grow with it and will be a team for years to come.
Arabs are probably not a good breed for pleausre, as there temperament isnt ideal for it, as well as TB, as they get excited.
I would go for the spots, reliable and sensible.
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