Daily Equine Forums

Hey everyone!
I'm thinking about buying myself a horse to start, and right now it's between a yearling and a 1 month old. The yearling is a gelded, registered QH, red dun and absolutely adorable. The one month old is a chestnut colt, registerable (possibly as a paint/QH, but I don't know how that works), and of course he is adorable too. Basically I'm looking for a solid horse who I can train from start to finish myself, and basically ride for pleasure. They are registered (or will be registered), so I can do some specialized showing, but I wouldn't even know where to begin because I haven't had much exposure to the showing "game".
I have a whole book on conformation and have read it cover to cover at least three times, but I'm having a hard time applying what was in the book to these young guys. Basically I would just like some help identifying any big faults, if there are any. The pictures aren't the greatest (I was out by myself and you know how they like to follow you around and NOT stand pretty for the camera!), so any advice/criticisms you have are welcome.
Thanks in advance!

The one month old has better overall conformation. He has better slope to his sholder and pasterns and I believe will mature into a better balanced smoother riding horse.

The yearling looks to me to have some swelling in his rear ankles which may be epiphysitis, a bone development problem caused by in correct diet. If your heart is set on the yearling I would have a vet check it out before you buy.

I would also like to encourage you to think about buying a mature trained horse instead of a young untrained horse. Better to wait for more experience with horses before you start a young one. The cost of the horse is the least expensive part of horse ownership

Thanks Hook! I know that the yearling isn't that well put together and I was a little worried about his pasterns as well. One of the main reasons I wanted to get him was to get him out of the poor conditions he's in (he's also in about 6 inches of mud in his paddock, so that can't help his pasterns either).
I definitely like the look of the younger one better. I realize that taking on an unbroke horse is a lot of responsiblity, but I'm not in it alone. I have a coach/trainer who will be helping me all the way along. I would love to own a well trained horse at the moment, but it's just not in my price range to go out and put down 5-10000 dollars in one shot. I am leasing a 4 year old QH mare over the summer with my coach as well, so I'm getting continued training as a rider and training on how to train, if that makes sense[]

The yearling would certainly appreciate some one to take care of it. A proper diet and worming schedule would probably make a huge difference but would not change the basic conformation.

You would save a year of horse care costs and the costs of gelding the month old if you went with the yearling. I would also guess from the pictures that the yearling would have a more "laid back" personality".

Perhaps your coach could take a closer look.

I wopuld think that you could buy a trained horse in this down market for around $2,000.

Thanks Hook. My biggest dilemma between these two horses is a moral one. Like you said, the yearling isn't in the best shape (if it is epiphysitis, he may never totally heal even with a change in diet), and the little colt has better conformation. But I was there when the yearling was born, I know the poor conditions he is kept in, but if I don't buy him, someone else will by the end of the summer (the whole ranch is for sale right now, including all the horses).
So I really do not know what to do.
I haven't seen any well broke horses for sale around my area for less than $3500. I've also ridden lots of well broke horses and quite frankly found it boring. When I was first learning I sure appreciated having a horse who knew what he was doing, but now that I'm a lot farther along, it's nice to have a horse who is still learning too (like the 4 year old I'm leasing for the summer). With my coach there we are both progressing every week.
Anyway, I'm still in a bit of a dilemma, but at least now I know which horse is more sound and has better conformation. Thanks again for all your help!

Good grief[:O]! I don't know where you live, Danielle, but good riding horses around here are selling for anywhere from $800 to $1500! I'm in Indiana, if that helps you any[].

BTW: My girl friend got a beautiful 6 year old Paint gelding that's already a seasoned trail horse for $1500. Real sweet, laid back personality and has been ridden in Hocking Hills in Ohio... and those trails are not for the faint of heart[].

Hi RH! I live in southern Ontario, Canada. For $1500 I can get a 20 year old camp horse[] The mare I'm riding over the summer is a 4 year old registered QH mare, not well broke, and her asking price is already $5000. The choices aren't that great in my area. It's not just that either, it's having a horse from beginning to end, instead of getting a horse someone has "grown out of" or would otherwise go to the meat market. There is still a lot of looking/researching/talking to the folks to do too, so don't worry about me rushing into anything!

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Originally posted by Danielle

Hi RH! I live in southern Ontario, Canada. For $1500 I can get a 20 year old camp horse[] The mare I'm riding over the summer is a 4 year old registered QH mare, not well broke, and her asking price is already $5000. The choices aren't that great in my area. It's not just that either, it's having a horse from beginning to end, instead of getting a horse someone has "grown out of" or would otherwise go to the meat market. There is still a lot of looking/researching/talking to the folks to do too, so don't worry about me rushing into anything!

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I live in Southern Ontario as well. The current Horse Trader has horses for sale in the $2,000 range. Also try Equine.com sorted for Ontario horses. At the latest dispersal / Auction sales, trained horses were going for under $1,000. $5,000 sounds like a trainer selling a potential show horse.

Hi everyone! Thanks for the info Hook. In my years of horse goings on, I haven't been able to make my way to any auctions/dispersals, and all of my "horsie savvy" friends have told me to be a little weary of these places as horses can be sedated/on bute/etc, and not really show their true personality/soundness. Can you suggest a particular auction to attend? The only one I have heard of is called Barkey's, I believe, but I'm not really sure where it is. I only know that it is every other Monday during the summer.
I brought up the possibility of purchasing one of these horses in the Beginner category too, and Red Hawk asked, or didn't presume anything, about my experience before purchasing a youngster. I guess it would have been smart to outline this before I just said I'm a beginner and want to buy a baby[]
Anyway, here it is, and if Hook/Red Hawk/anyone else would oblige, I would like your real honest opinion about whether or not this is a good situation for myself and a new baby:
-have been riding/working with horses for just over 3 years now
-spent the last two summers (8 months total) getting horses ready for a children's camp (horses from 4 years to 23 years), as well as teaching beginner to novice lessons for kids 6 through 16 years old
-in charge of herd health for those summers (vet calls, after care, foaling, nutrition, farrier, deworming, etc, etc)
-have been taking lessons steadily for almost two years now, CHA certified level 2 western instructor, CEF (aka Equine Canada) certified level 2 rider
-leased a 4 year old green broke paint/thoroughbred mare last summer, will be leasing a 4 year old QH mare this summer (still taking lessons with my coach)
-starting team penning tomorrow! with my coach; they go almost every other Saturday during the summer
-cared for a herd of "retired" horses and ponies at a vet clinic last summer (meds, treatment of minor injuries, etc)
-this summer working with research horses here at my university (NOT doing research on them, but CARING for them; minor injuries, farrier, 16 pony mares due to foal any day, etc)
-working towards becoming a large animal veterinarian

And that's about it. I know it isn't as much as people who have been into it since there were 2, but it is everything I could have possibly done with the opportunities I have had. I grew up in a city, so I was never exposed to this wonderful world of horses until much later on when I realized I didn't want to be a vet and only looking after your garden variety kitties and puppies. I love them too, but I had grown up with them.
Horses are my passion now. I didn't mention that I have read every book about riding/training/nutrition I can get my hands on because most people don't see reading as important as "doing". But I read when I don't have time to go out and ride.
Anyway, let me know what you think. If you think there are some more things I can do before being ready to get a horse to start, please let me know. Over the past few years I haven't had the chance to meet very many horse people outside of my small circle back at home and my new circle here at school, so getting a chance to chat with all of you has been absolutely wonderful, and so helpful!
I look forward to hearing from you, if you have made it through my short story here[]

Oh ya. Last summer (4 months) I also worked with two John Lyons trainers. Our personalities clashed, but I learned a lot from them in the end.