"Just a Trail Horse" (Buying help? :( )

[Macimage]

@kkmrad94;7668774

Ideally looking for a horse that has mileage and experience that is “husband safe”, then one that can have a little more go but no buck rear bite or kick…

[QUOTE=kkmrad94;7669171]My previous horse was broke out when he was 10 and he is 11 this year. He has had about 7 months of training on him and I have been working the last three with a trainer. I got bucked off while I was taking a lesson and the trainer said when I asked for the canter he just took a large step forward then kicked me off.
[/QUOTE]

A horse with 10 months of riding experience and training does not sound at all what you want or need. If you want a horse that has “mileage and experience” you should be looking at horses that have years and years of training and experience.

A horse that was backed at 3-4 years old and then ridden on trails, parades, gymkhanas, mounted shooting, trailered to events etc. for ten+ years is what you should be looking for.

A well trained older horse will work out better for you.

I love Arabians as it’s hard to beat their get up and go and most of them love to work, however, I realize Arabs are not for everyone. Arabs in their late teens still have plenty of get up and go as a rule, whereas, some other breeds seem to be older at the same age.

However, just because a horse is older does not mean it is well trained so watch out for that too. Good training is so very important.

Good luck!

[MMacallister]

My trail horse is a washed out cutting horse. I have ridden her on many trail rides, crossed bridges, chest deep in creeks, did some games with her, carried an American flag at the opening ceremonies at a show with her, can hack her in a halter etc. etc. etc.

And she would not be the right horse for you. She would learn your fears and take advantage of them. That is the horse she is. For someone more experienced she is fine, but she is not unique, there are many horses that are smart enough to figure out how to get out of work. You bring them home and they do some little thing that scares you and you stop, and the light bulb goes off in their little head “Ahhhh now I know how to get out of work!”

I would be very selective and find someone you trust to help you find your next horse. Your budget is restrictive but not impossible. Ride the horse, let your trusted friend or trainer ride the horse. When you get the horse home, the first time the horse does something silly that scares you, stay the course or have trusted friend get on and continue.

Take lessons, there is to much to learn about horses to ever think you know to much.

In regards to the western/english thing any horse can be taught to go under different tack.

[kasjordan]

Word of mouth is the way to go. Are there any organized trail rides in your area? Visit one of the camps when they’re holding one and talk to people… Any local shows (that hold trail classes especially) ? Again, visit and talk. Both of mine came from people I knew and are trail machines.

[Cashela]

It sounds to me that you are just looking for a trail horse to go out and ride the trails and not necessarily take out on an endurance ride? If that is true, I think there are several breeds of horse that you can go out and look at. I would get the help of a good trainer and look at a bunch of horses and I would take them out on an actual trail ride before buying.

[DaniW]

[QUOTE=kkmrad94;7669171]
My previous horse was broke out when he was 10 and he is 11 this year. He has had about 7 months of training on him and I have been working the last three with a trainer. I got bucked off while I was taking a lesson and the trainer said when I asked for the canter he just took a large step forward then kicked me off.

His teeth have been checked. His tack was checked. I ride with a snaffle and I only had light contact with his mouth. He was being ridden by a trainer 5 days a week and was in good shape.

Sadly I am not going to change my mind on him and keep working on him, after a year and a half later I am not a good enough rider to correct his bad behavior.

I have also had a lot of bad trainer luck so I am not too comfortable with any of my previous trainers trying to sell me a horse for various different reasons. :([/QUOTE]

I agree you should find an older well trained and forgiving horse . A beginner should not be buying a horse with that little training. The rescue place sounds good- you want to find someone you can trust whether it’s the person selling the horse or a different trainer helping you out.

When I was looking for my horse it took me a year and I started looking at rescue groups because the individual owners were disappointing me . Many of the rescues run on a shoestring were not much better then I found tranquility farm and I got quite the diamond in the rough. That’s on the west coast though and the manager has retired, but a quality rescue can really help you out.

[Dajuliz]

I have found my better horses while networking with others. Check with your local 4H leaders with the horse project. Some kid start to age out of 4H and they go to college and they just don’t want their projects to sit. Some of the best horses are literally just passed from family to family and never sold. Talk to a farrier or a local veterinarian. Go talk to someone at the local tack shop or feed shop. I’d stay away from craigslist unless you are knowledgable and confident. In the meanwhile, take lessons from a qualified instructor so that can develop the skills and strength to ride properly.

One more thing, be realistic on your price. A trail horse is a specialist and it requires years of training and experiences before being really good at trails. A good trail horse is truly priceless.

My best horse is a “peanut-pusher”. Proper training brought her back into balance and she is now my go-to horse for everything from ponying colts to leading groups of beginner riders.

[BeckyS]

How about checking out this Morgan mare? Seems to be close enough, a good confidence building horse, trail ridden English, and pretty color to boot!

http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/horse-forums/12-year-old-palomino-mare-sale-great-537795.html

[saddleup]

I’ve found three horses through dreamhorse.com by doing a search for ranch horses. I bought them sight unseen, based on videos and emails. In my experience a horse that’s done actual ranch work has the basics I value in a trail horse…they’re broke to death, have learned to haul and will tie for hours without complaint, and basically have a work ethic that makes them a good partner.

[kkmrad94]

I do not have enough experience or knowledge to buy sight unseen and either does anyone I know (or trust).

I’ve been looking for someone that gives lessons in the area but I haven’t found anyone I like. There are a few people that do give lessons but either they are not the type of lessons I would like or they are not good at giving lessons.

[kkmrad94]

[QUOTE=MMacallister;7671796]
My trail horse is a washed out cutting horse. I have ridden her on many trail rides, crossed bridges, chest deep in creeks, did some games with her, carried an American flag at the opening ceremonies at a show with her, can hack her in a halter etc. etc. etc.

And she would not be the right horse for you. She would learn your fears and take advantage of them. That is the horse she is. For someone more experienced she is fine, but she is not unique, there are many horses that are smart enough to figure out how to get out of work. You bring them home and they do some little thing that scares you and you stop, and the light bulb goes off in their little head “Ahhhh now I know how to get out of work!”

I would be very selective and find someone you trust to help you find your next horse. Your budget is restrictive but not impossible. Ride the horse, let your trusted friend or trainer ride the horse. When you get the horse home, the first time the horse does something silly that scares you, stay the course or have trusted friend get on and continue.

Take lessons, there is to much to learn about horses to ever think you know to much.

In regards to the western/english thing any horse can be taught to go under different tack.[/QUOTE]

I really want to take lessons. There are a lot of things that I would like to know how to do and just to generally be a better rider. Kind of like I posted above, I just haven’t found the right fit for a trainer that is within a realistic distance of my house (I don’t have the money to drive across the state every time I take a lesson )

[Manni01]

My recommendation would be to look into retired Polo Ponys. I think they would exactly be what you are looking for. Only maybe a little older. I have one which never so far did one wrong thing. And she is my most thankful horse…Whatever I do with her she appreciates it…

[candysgirl]

[QUOTE=kkmrad94;7670858]
I have heard that Morabs can be really high strung? I just wonder what kind of rider they require and if they would do well not being rode every single day? I do like how responsive arabs are. But I’ve found out that I do not care for the way that Friesians act. I know every horse is different but there are some breeds that are more prone to certain characteristics.

Thanks for posting the ads though. They are really pretty horses, just wondering if some of them might be too much horse for me![/QUOTE]

Morabs will run the gamut from complete beginner horses to ones needing experienced riders. My Arab, I can not ride for months, go out and chuck a beginner on him and not worry about it. Others need to be ridden daily to maintain sanity. Morgans and Morabs will be the same way.

[McGurk]

Lots of good advice here already, I just want to make note of a common pitfall. Make sure you and the seller are on the same page as to what is meant by “trail horse” and “trail riding.” Some people consider a horse a trail horse if it will hack out in a large pasture and a trail ride walking around the perimeter of the property.

So be clear about your expectations and ask specific questions - Will the horse cross water? How deep has he been through? Bridges? Gates? How is he with meeting bikes/strollers/ATVs/dogs/wildlife on the trail? Can he be ponied and pony another horse? Mounted from the ground on both sides? Go in front or behind? Rate well behind? Does he tolerate being crowded from behind? IMO and IME, a horse that does all those things and handles all terrain is a trail horse, and I also prefer something that is freely forward while in front.

The other critical detail for you and your mother, which was mentioned earlier, is that the horse not require 6 days of work a week to stay steady. You need a horse that is the same whether is was ridden yesterday, last week or last month. This is a hard quality to shop for, but it makes riding life much more pleasant. Ask questions about the horses work schedule and what it’s like in irregular work.

Finally, don’t consider any horse that you can’t actually take out on the trail for a ride typical of what you usually do. It is reasonable for the owner to want to come with you on another horse to observe. Best practice is to go to someplace unfamiliar to the horse with lots of terrain and obstacle questions.

Best of luck.

[Emilia]

From your writings, you sound a little disillusioned about the equine industry right now- sellers, trainers, etc.

I think, with that state of mind, you might consider stepping away from the ownership for a while, because you are in danger of falling into yet another bad purchase. You are seeking “guarantees,” but there are none and the people, who will claim there are, are the ones you should avoid.

Even the best meaning seller can only go according to how you choose to present yourself and cannot fully predict the way you and your horse are going to “feed of each other.”

The bad experience with horses and horsepeople is little bit like a divorce or a messy breakup.

Most people benefit from stepping away from the situations, taking a breather, honestly evaluating their contribution, and, in the end, this pause and self-reflection helps them to not have an undesirable outcome in the future.

If I were you, I would not buy right now. I would let the dust settle, let the bitterness dissolve, and concentrate on finding and establishing equestrian network (friends and professionals).

After all, if you buy and start having problems again, who are you going to turn to, if you don’t trust anybody in your area?

As for, how to find a great trail horse, I would have nothing to add. You received very good pointers from all other posters.

I wish you the very best of luck in your journey.

[kkmrad94]

[QUOTE=Manni01;7676014]
My recommendation would be to look into retired Polo Ponys. I think they would exactly be what you are looking for. Only maybe a little older. I have one which never so far did one wrong thing. And she is my most thankful horse…Whatever I do with her she appreciates it…[/QUOTE]

That sounds like a good idea but sadly I am close to 6ft tall so I may look a bit silly up there.

[SmartAlex]

Polo “ponies” aren’t ponies anymore. They range 15hh to 16hh with the average being 15.1
Fitting a rider has more to do with barrel shape and head height than wither height.

[McGurk]

Are there fox hunts near you? A retired field hunter or a horse that can no longer jump or keep up with first flight might be just the ticket. And a fox hunter would be delighted for their horse to have a nice trail riding home.

[kkmrad94]

[QUOTE=SmartAlex;7676434]
Polo “ponies” aren’t ponies anymore. They range 15hh to 16hh with the average being 15.1
Fitting a rider has more to do with barrel shape and head height than wither height.[/QUOTE]

Oops, well I don’t know anything about Polo ponies and it shows! Thanks for the information!

[Dajuliz]

With that being said, I think I’d take more lessons and maybe lease a horse. Your experience and knowledge level needs to be improved before you commit to horse ownership. It might be the best option for you. You might decide that you don’t like it and then have incurred a great expense purchasing a horse.

[kkmrad94]

[QUOTE=emilia;7676385]
From your writings, you sound a little disillusioned about the equine industry right now- sellers, trainers, etc.

I think, with that state of mind, you might consider stepping away from the ownership for a while, because you are in danger of falling into yet another bad purchase. You are seeking “guarantees,” but there are none and the people, who will claim there are, are the ones you should avoid.

Even the best meaning seller can only go according to how you choose to present yourself and cannot fully predict the way you and your horse are going to “feed of each other.”

The bad experience with horses and horsepeople is little bit like a divorce or a messy breakup.

Most people benefit from stepping away from the situations, taking a breather, honestly evaluating their contribution, and, in the end, this pause and self-reflection helps them to not have an undesirable outcome in the future.

If I were you, I would not buy right now. I would let the dust settle, let the bitterness dissolve, and concentrate on finding and establishing equestrian network (friends and professionals).

After all, if you buy and start having problems again, who are you going to turn to, if you don’t trust anybody in your area?

As for, how to find a great trail horse, I would have nothing to add. You received very good pointers from all other posters.

I wish you the very best of luck in your journey.[/QUOTE]

As much as this is a viable option, it isn’t one I am likely to take. I do understand that no horse is perfect and there are always kinks to be worked out. If I start having issues with a new horse then I will take them to training that is not in the area where I live.

I have worked with a handful of trainers to realize that while being close to home is great there is a large difference between a professional trainer and someone who is a self proclaimed trainer.

Thanks for the luck.