Mahoney Pursley Ranch
Well-known member
Don't know one thing about horses. Daughter would like to have one and a farm up the road has a Bay Mare for sale. What should I look for?
Buying a horse
- Thread starter Mahoney Pursley Ranch
- Start date
Research horse clubs in the area.
If your daughter is young you want a "bomb proof" horse.
If you ask the horse folks - most will definitely be happy to help.
Usually - but not always - when I look for a horse for kids I look at nothing under the age of 12. Mature and with good people manners - easy to catch and so on. If I cannot walk up to it I know there will be a catch problem sometime in the future.
THe right deal might even include all the tack. Usual precautions - vet check and so on.
They are an expensive hobby and often end up as pasture hay burners. Make the deal - it does not get ridden it gets sold.
I did not make that deal with my daughters and have two that will be here until they die - buck a day to keep them. Plus extras when needed.
Have fun Daddy!
Bez
If your daughter is young you want a "bomb proof" horse.
If you ask the horse folks - most will definitely be happy to help.
Usually - but not always - when I look for a horse for kids I look at nothing under the age of 12. Mature and with good people manners - easy to catch and so on. If I cannot walk up to it I know there will be a catch problem sometime in the future.
THe right deal might even include all the tack. Usual precautions - vet check and so on.
They are an expensive hobby and often end up as pasture hay burners. Make the deal - it does not get ridden it gets sold.
I did not make that deal with my daughters and have two that will be here until they die - buck a day to keep them. Plus extras when needed.
Have fun Daddy!
Bez
How old is your daughter? If she is young & just learning I would go with an older horse that has been around & is very calm. I would check the horse out & ride it at least a few different times if you can. I also would ride it off of their property to see how it reacts to going off by itself or if she will act up to the point of not being able to take her out by herself. I had one that would flip out everytime it went out by itself or go off of my property. Also make sure you have a vet check for health & soundness. It sure saves alot of money & heartache. I tried to trust people on what they told me but found out they will say anything just to sell it. When you go ride it I think it helps to watch the owner ride it first & then you and your daughter or at least a couple of other people to see how she reacts to different riders. Ask the owners what they are feeding it ? Sometimes some horses require alot more feed then others to maintain which can affect your pocket book. Try to find out if she has any bad habits? Kicking, biting, rearing, cribbing or chewing wood? Does she get along with other horses? Does she have good ground manners? Don't allow the horse to walk over the top of you when leading & does it respect your space without crowding you? Is she spooky? Does she allow her feet to be picked up & picked out? Does she have a nice attitude or does she pin her ears back & seem crabby? You can never ask to many questions - just don't make a rush decision without thinking it through because your daughter is more important than any horse! Good luck!
tapeworm
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2005
- Messages
- 627
Good luck on finding something for your gilr Mahoney Pursley Ranch. The most important thing for you to look for is somebody to go with you. Not trying to be smart but there are more ways to get cheated buying horses than most any other thing I know of. Even if you know everthing to look for its the things you cant see that will get her hurt or worse. Bad habits are easy to hide especially from first time buyers.
Please get somebody that knows horses to go with you even if you have to pay them. I promise that you will be money and safety ahead.
If you decide to go it alone, vets office is a good source I always thought. Lot of them have bulletin boards with stuff for sale. If not they will more than likely steer you toward somebody honest to deal with. I trust them more than the feed store guys
Please get somebody that knows horses to go with you even if you have to pay them. I promise that you will be money and safety ahead.
If you decide to go it alone, vets office is a good source I always thought. Lot of them have bulletin boards with stuff for sale. If not they will more than likely steer you toward somebody honest to deal with. I trust them more than the feed store guys
CattleAnnie
Well-known member
Agree with all the above posters.
When I got the kids started riding, I went to the sale and found two old horses from a guiding outfit. Now they weren't pretty (by any stretch of the imagination), but they were bomb-proof. Kind of been there, done that kind of horses. If one the little boys dropped a rein, they would just stop and eat grass. The older kids were mounted on some old ranch horses that I got lined up. Also very well broke.
I've seen too many people turned off of riding because they were over-mounted for their experience and ended up in a run-away or bucked off.
Most disgusting lack of regard for a child's welfare around horses that I've ever seen was a couple years back at a horse sale. The mental midget of a mother but her little two year old child up on the back of a high octane "well-broke" four year old horse - bareback- when the horse was selling in the ring. When the door opened for the horse to be led out, the horse spooked at the shadows cast by the sunshine at the exit, and dumped that poor little child on his HEAD on the cement. I was halfway up the alley from them when it happened and can still hear the sickening "smack" of that baby's head contacting the cement. That woman should have been charged with criminal negligence and terminal stupidity.
Anyway, end of rant. Point of post is that good, old well broke horses are worth their weight in gold when it comes to beginner riders. Pretty is as pretty does.
Take care.
When I got the kids started riding, I went to the sale and found two old horses from a guiding outfit. Now they weren't pretty (by any stretch of the imagination), but they were bomb-proof. Kind of been there, done that kind of horses. If one the little boys dropped a rein, they would just stop and eat grass. The older kids were mounted on some old ranch horses that I got lined up. Also very well broke.
I've seen too many people turned off of riding because they were over-mounted for their experience and ended up in a run-away or bucked off.
Most disgusting lack of regard for a child's welfare around horses that I've ever seen was a couple years back at a horse sale. The mental midget of a mother but her little two year old child up on the back of a high octane "well-broke" four year old horse - bareback- when the horse was selling in the ring. When the door opened for the horse to be led out, the horse spooked at the shadows cast by the sunshine at the exit, and dumped that poor little child on his HEAD on the cement. I was halfway up the alley from them when it happened and can still hear the sickening "smack" of that baby's head contacting the cement. That woman should have been charged with criminal negligence and terminal stupidity.
Anyway, end of rant. Point of post is that good, old well broke horses are worth their weight in gold when it comes to beginner riders. Pretty is as pretty does.
Take care.
Running Arrow Bill
Well-known member
Agree completely! "Horses don't lie but horse sellers do..." Lol.
If some of these sellers could spell or understand the word "Lawsuit" maybe they would be a little more cautious and honest when trying to sell a horse.
The time-honored adage: "Older horse for young or novice rider"
We've got some nice gaited horses; however, only my "special" brood mare Peruvian Paso would be "child safe"---and, she's NOT for sale...
Are probably as many definitions for "trained, safe horse" as there are sellers and horses.
If some of these sellers could spell or understand the word "Lawsuit" maybe they would be a little more cautious and honest when trying to sell a horse.
The time-honored adage: "Older horse for young or novice rider"
We've got some nice gaited horses; however, only my "special" brood mare Peruvian Paso would be "child safe"---and, she's NOT for sale...
Are probably as many definitions for "trained, safe horse" as there are sellers and horses.
OP
OP
Mahoney Pursley Ranch
Well-known member
My daughter is 26 years old. She has been on alot more horses than I have. She doesn't know any more about them than I do either. She will be moving here (Texas) in a few months and thought since Mom&Dad had some land we could get a horse since she likes to ride. I thought I'd start looking and maybe surprise her when she arrives. I just happened to see this Bay Mare in a pen with a for sale sign on the fence. Thanks for all the good advice. I did look up horse terminology so I do know what bombproof means. That's what I would like to find,a horse anyone could ride anytime. :cboy:
