Advice for first horse—foal/yearling/young?

[Skata]

Hi all! Long time lurker and first time poster here. I’m looking for advice on possibly purchasing a young dressage prospect in the next year or so. This would be my first horse, and I am leaning towards a foal/yearling, which I know is not generally recommended for first-time horse owners. This could get long, but please hear me out!

The situation: I will be attending nursing school starting this fall, and have found myself with the funds, timing, facilities, and help needed to purchase a horse of my own. I’ve been riding and leasing for ten years, mostly hunter/eq and dressage. I have experience with everything from fresh off the track TBs to ex-Grand Prix jumpers, but this would be the first very young horse I’ve dealt with extensively. So, I’ll have a ton of helping hands throughout the process, which I’ll get to in a sec. My thoughts were that this would be a good time to buy a young horse specifically, because I’ll likely be too busy during the next two years to ride like I do now (I currently lease a lovely but difficult dressage mare). Buying a young horse would allow me to bond with and be a part of the horse’s early training, and hopefully have a nice horse to start in riding training once I graduate.

The details: So I have the budget for a fairly nice dressage prospect (not looking for anything outstanding!) and the PPE, daily care, boarding, vet bills, farrier, emergency fund, etc. I’d likely also want the horse insured. I know where I would board the horse for the first few years—a new private facility that a very good friend of mine boards at, with great care and turn out. The barn is within 15 minutes of where I’m moving, and a good groundwork/basics instructor comes out weekly. Plus there are foal playmates there too! Once the horse is ready for full training, I plan to send it to my dressage trainer’s facility about 30 minutes away.

I have contacts with a great farrier, vet, and bodywork/chiropractor who all either already go to or are willing to go to the barn I’d board at. The owner of the facility lives on-site, and there are cameras in the stalls, so 24/7 eyes all around. I would also plan to go out every day or close to that. So the things I need advice on are really:

-What age should I buy? I was thinking yearling would be perfect for timing, but I know that the risks are much higher when buying that young.
-What do you do in case of a catastrophic or major injury?
-Any baby buying/raising advice for first-timers?
-Where should I start looking? I’m only interested in the DMV area for now, and NOT limiting myself to warmbloods.
-What should I be looking for in one that young? My most important requirement is a good mind and temperament. I’d prefer an easy keeper and robust/healthy type. Mature height 15.3-16.2 ideally.
-Any other advice/comments/concerns in general?

Any and all help is appreciated! Even if it’s just to tell me this is a terrible idea :lol:

UPDATE: post #32
Thanks all, I lost my mind to baby fever for a moment there!

[ladyj79]

Older horse who doesn’t need consistent work. You are going to nursing school.

Other option is save your money and buy a nice started horse once you have time to focus on riding. You’ll have a healthy bank roll if you save for the years you would otherwise be waiting.

[Skata]

@ladyj79 - The second option is definitely what my head says would be smart! My hearts disagrees though. I’m not interested in the first option, since I’ll still be riding once or twice a week w/o having to buy an older horse. Just to clarify—I do plan on saving some of the money I have available and not spending it all on the horse/care. It’ll still be a healthy bankroll if I buy a young one.

[Twisting]

I went with my heart over my head once. It ended in broken bones and serious disappointment. Save your money for a horse old enough to ride and try. You could spend all this time and money on a young horse and it hates dressage and just want s to jump over colored sticks.

[rulex]

@Skata

My most important requirement is a good mind and temperament.

If that’s really the case, then buy something that’s at least been started under saddle and can demonstrate said good mind and temperament. Otherwise there’s really no way to tell what you will end up with if you buy a baby. What’s your plan if you buy a youngster and it ends up being quirky or hot?

[Dutchmare433]

Have you had any experience with young horses before? Weanlings/yearlings/two year olds? Do you have a place to keep this young horse living outside in a herd setting, with someone who has experience with young horses? I love the young ones and one of my current horses is one I have had since he was 2 and have done it all by myself. But he wasn’t the first horse I started by any means. I wouldn’t suggest a young one as your first horse.

More reasonable would be to keep an account with the money you have now for the purchase price, and contribute to it what you would pay in board every month (and even vet and farrier if you are so inclined). Use that money to buy something young but going under saddle when you’re done with school and have a better understanding of your schedule restrictions. You don’t want to end up with a new career and a 4 or 5 year old who needs to be in a 5-6 day a week program with 24/7 turnout or it turns into a fire breathing dragon.

[GraceLikeRain]

The amount you funnel into board/farrier/vet/etc. for two years plus getting a horse started by a pro will result in a massive loss if you end up wanting to sell a green 4 year old who isn’t the right match for you.

An unstarted horse is a complete gamble. That placid yearling could turn out to be a pro ride or just not a ride you enjoy at all. The light and catty two year old may put on a ton of bone and turn out to be a tank of a five year old. The sweet foal may turn out to be an aloof oversized pony.

The fact that you have a targeted height is even more reason to get an older horse. Plenty of youngsters grow way over/under what their lines predict.

Put aside the money you would spend on a horse each month for the next two years and buy yourself a super nice 4-5 year old who is going well under saddle. Conservatively, let’s say that is $500/month. Two years from now your budget is $12,000 more. That’s real money.

The typical AAs I’ve known who did a one off purchase on a young horse were ultimately disappointed with the outcome. Some had heartbreaks (lost on the table at a university hospital to colic as a three year old) but more often than not, it just wasn’t the ride they wanted. Buying young gets you more bang for your buck but typically when you have your own property or the means to take a loss on a few along the way.

[AnastasiaBeaverhousen]

There is so much of a gamble with a young horse. Anything can happen before you can even ride it.

You could buy a 2 year old since you have expert help to back it for you.

A 2 year old will be less expensive then a backed 3 or 4 year old but should have some manners properly instilled.

You may find it easier to find one in the height range you are looking for as well.

What height a horse finishes up is a total crap shoot.

I know someone who bought a TB filly. The vet said she’d be about 15.3 . She ended up at 17 hands. Nobody knows why. Her sire and dam were both about 16 hands. Go figure.

The main thing to have is patience.

You sound like you have it all planned out.
Just be prepared for things to change without notice.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
We want pix!

[soloudinhere]

Buying a young horse as a first horse ownership experience is a good way to end up hating horses forever.

There’s so much room for disappointment and comparatively less room for success. And you’ll be deeply emotionally invested in this “first horse you’ve had from a baby” which will cause you to put good money after bad for the foreseeable future. I see it all the time and none of the people who have done it are happy.

[foggythistle]

Pretend you bought the horse and put all the money you would have spent for buying/training/board/insurance/maintenance into a separate bank account. Continue to ride once or twice a week. When you get out of nursing school, see how much money you have and then look for a started horse. You should have a lot more money and you can actually sit on the horse and see if it works for you.

[Ajierene]

As long a you manage your expectations, it isn’t the doom that some seem to think it is. While I did have experience starting young horses prior to my mare, I also got a lot of comments like you are getting when I asked for appropriate stallions for my mare, since I wanted to breed her and raise a baby. The irony of a breeder telling you to not breed was very definitely lost on some.

Basically…expect nothing.

When I started talking to my trainer about breeding my mare, she said I better be happy if I get a carbon copy. If I didn’t accept that, I shouldn’t breed. While at the time I had loftier goals, my mare was pretty topped out at training level eventing and while she was correct in dressage she wasn’t flashy and had some trouble with even 1st level movements. So if my heart was going to be broken if I never got past that, then I shouldn’t breed my mare.

So, with eyes open, I bred my mare. Spent a year looking for the appropriate stallion and while 10 years later we are just about making it to Novice - we have plenty of scope for Prelim though at this point in my life I will probably never get past Training level. My baby is working on 2nd level dressage moves and jumps the moon. Our slow progression was in part due to my life and in part due to illness/injury on her part (because if she’s going to do something it’s going to be in the middle of the summer where we can also lose all or part of a show season).

So, look for excellent temperment in the parents - see them if you can (I limited my search to stallions w/in 8 hrs of me so I could go out and visit). Accept a horse that may never get past training level dressage. Accept a horse that may not like dressage at all and be willing to sell or switch passions. Other than that, if you can get out a few times a week to play with the baby for a few minutes at least and have a good support system of knowledgeable people that can help guide you through the process of raising a baby, have fun.

I will say the biggest thing about “creating” and doing all the training on my baby is that now, at 9 years old, I cannot blame anyone except myself on all her bad habits - so accept that also!

[Skata]

@Twisting

I went with my heart over my head once. It ended in broken bones and serious disappointment. Save your money for a horse old enough to ride and try. You could spend all this time and money on a young horse and it hates dressage and just want s to jump over colored sticks.

That’s true. While I am hoping for a dressage horse, I’m open to whatever the horse decides it likes in the future. Honestly, I could be down for a jumper too!

[Skata]

@rulex

If that’s really the case, then buy something that’s at least been started under saddle and can demonstrate said good mind and temperament. Otherwise there’s really no way to tell what you will end up with if you buy a baby. What’s your plan if you buy a youngster and it ends up being quirky or hot?

I’m fine with hot and quirky, I deal with one every day. My idea of a good temperament is sane with a good work ethic. Of course, the horse could turn out to have a few screws loose or be a pro-only ride. In that case I’d probably sell.

[soloudinhere]

@Skata

I’m fine with hot and quirky, I deal with one every day. My idea of a good temperament is sane with a good work ethic. Of course, the horse could turn out to have a few screws loose or be a pro-only ride. In that case I’d probably sell.

That might actually be rarer than you think. All young horses have a phase where they don’t have a work ethic or the work ethic is going in the opposite direction than you want. It might occur right at the time you’re expecting to pick up the reins and take over.

It’s always better to make the investment in something you can try, if it’s supposed to be your only horse and make your dreams come true for years to come.

[Skata]

@Dutchmare433

Have you had any experience with young horses before? Weanlings/yearlings/two year olds? Do you have a place to keep this young horse living outside in a herd setting, with someone who has experience with young horses? I love the young ones and one of my current horses is one I have had since he was 2 and have done it all by myself. But he wasn’t the first horse I started by any means. I wouldn’t suggest a young one as your first horse.

More reasonable would be to keep an account with the money you have now for the purchase price, and contribute to it what you would pay in board every month (and even vet and farrier if you are so inclined). Use that money to buy something young but going under saddle when you’re done with school and have a better understanding of your schedule restrictions. You don’t want to end up with a new career and a 4 or 5 year old who needs to be in a 5-6 day a week program with 24/7 turnout or it turns into a fire breathing dragon.

Not a ton of experience, though there are weanlings/yearlings on the property. Which is why I’d plan to basically have my hand held by experienced people throughout the process :lol: Yes, the facility has lovely all day turnout in a herd setting, and it’s technically a breeding facility, so the owner has experience with all that that entails.

I could save the money and buy a started horse after I graduate, but I was kind of also looking for something grounding during nursing school (I’m sure I’ll be pretty stressed out!) and what’s better than a young horse for that? Though I am considering buying older after reading some of these replies.

[Skata]

@GraceLikeRain

The amount you funnel into board/farrier/vet/etc. for two years plus getting a horse started by a pro will result in a massive loss if you end up wanting to sell a green 4 year old who isn’t the right match for you.

An unstarted horse is a complete gamble. That placid yearling could turn out to be a pro ride or just not a ride you enjoy at all. The light and catty two year old may put on a ton of bone and turn out to be a tank of a five year old. The sweet foal may turn out to be an aloof oversized pony.

The fact that you have a targeted height is even more reason to get an older horse. Plenty of youngsters grow way over/under what their lines predict.

Put aside the money you would spend on a horse each month for the next two years and buy yourself a super nice 4-5 year old who is going well under saddle. Conservatively, let’s say that is $500/month. Two years from now your budget is $12,000 more. That’s real money.

The typical AAs I’ve known who did a one off purchase on a young horse were ultimately disappointed with the outcome. Some had heartbreaks (lost on the table at a university hospital to colic as a three year old) but more often than not, it just wasn’t the ride they wanted. Buying young gets you more bang for your buck but typically when you have your own property or the means to take a loss on a few along the way.

It’s definitely a complete gamble, though if I buy from a reputable breeder and meet the mare/stallion and full siblings, I think the chances of getting close to what I want are higher. I’m willing to work with a lot of uncertainty. One thing that I should clarify is that I’m not saving up money for this horse over time. I have a sizable sum (above what you stated) to work with directly at this moment.

[Skata]

@AnastasiaBeaverhousen

There is so much of a gamble with a young horse. Anything can happen before you can even ride it.

You could buy a 2 year old since you have expert help to back it for you.

A 2 year old will be less expensive then a backed 3 or 4 year old but should have some manners properly instilled.

You may find it easier to find one in the height range you are looking for as well.

What height a horse finishes up is a total crap shoot.

I know someone who bought a TB filly. The vet said she’d be about 15.3 . She ended up at 17 hands. Nobody knows why. Her sire and dam were both about 16 hands. Go figure.

The main thing to have is patience.

You sound like you have it all planned out.
Just be prepared for things to change without notice.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
We want pix!

I’m mostly worried about injuries or unexpected medical stuff honestly! I’m open to a lot of change, though I’d be disappointed if the horse ended up wildly different than what I’m hoping for.

Hm I’ll definitely consider buying at two instead of a yearling or foal. That does seem a bit less risky.

Thanks! I have a lot to think about, but if I do end up going forward with this, I’ll definitely post lots of pics!

[fordtraktor]

@Skata

It’s definitely a complete gamble, though if I buy from a reputable breeder and meet the mare/stallion and full siblings, I think the chances of getting close to what I want are higher. I’m willing to work with a lot of uncertainty. One thing that I should clarify is that I’m not saving up money for this horse over time. I have a sizable sum (above what you stated) to work with directly at this moment.

If you do, save the additional money as suggested and take a shopping trip to Europe and buy something super nice as a graduation present for yourself when you are done with nursing school.

I know you think it’s a good idea, but honestly it isn’t, especially for a first horse. That said, you won’t be the first person to make an irrational horse purchase… It’s really pot calling kettle black here.

[Equibrit]

Put your money in the bank/invest it. Finish your education. Wait until life is a little more settled and resume your equestrian activities.

[Skata]

@soloudinhere

Buying a young horse as a first horse ownership experience is a good way to end up hating horses forever.

There’s so much room for disappointment and comparatively less room for success. And you’ll be deeply emotionally invested in this “first horse you’ve had from a baby” which will cause you to put good money after bad for the foreseeable future. I see it all the time and none of the people who have done it are happy.

Thanks for the warning! I’m definitely considering multiple aspects and not rushing into anything at the moment.