What kind of horse should I be looking for for my first horse?
I’ve ben riding for around 10 years and part loaned 3 ponies. The yard owners at both my stables are confident that I know enough to own my own horse or pony and that I could handle it easily. I’m 5″2 and i’d like a forward going, good jumper. I have been considering a Connemara, would this be a good first horse? The pony I usually ride at the moment is 13.2.
Here are some horses and ponies who i’m interested in:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/marketplace/classified/4-details-horses-for-sale_261732.htm
http://www.horsemart.co.uk/family_horse_12_yrs_13_2_hh_chestnut_kent/advert/137481
http://www.equineadverts.co.uk/2/14_Horses_For_Sale/97_14_2hh_and_over/23963_14_quot_3_welsh_Sec_D_X_Cob_For_Sale.html
Which one out of those do you think would be best for me? Why that one in particular?
Connemaras are very nice versatile breeds, and are renowned for being very good all rounders. My next door neighbour breeds connemaras, and they have bred some beauties.
Like every horse though, each horse has their own personality and each horse is different – not every connemara will be your perfect horse. I.e one of my next door neighbours connies will spontaneously jump out of his field, and has got onto the main road in the past, but most commonly likes to pitch up at my house, wreck and wreck the garden, he’s a bugger to catch and a bugger to handle once caught.
Don’t pick a horse by breed, pick one by how suitable they are.
As for the horses – none of them stick out in particular.
The first horse sounds nice, but at that age for a first horse you want to enjoy – you will soon have to start slowing everything down. Same with the last horse.
The pony in the middle is a better age …. but nothing particularly stands out for me with him. At 10 years of riding, he sounds like he’d be too beginnery for you – he’s got no proven ability to do anything higher than a novice rider’s work and his ridden work seems nothing special.
Also, for each horse there is no saying what they can/can’t do – no action shots of them getting out and doing things, just half arsed pictures and a couple of riden pictures where nothing’s being said.
There’re better ones out there.
