What to Look for in a Horse?

[Chippin]

My niece is looking to get a horse for her next birthday but she has no idea where to start. I know that there are ads in the paper for horses every so often, but are there better places to look?

I also want to know if the age of the horse matters when you buy one that's been raised by someone else.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Aria]

It depends on what style of riding she wants to do. There are horses broke to ride English style over fences and horses broke to Western. It also depends on her age, and how much riding experience she has. There are so many factors to consider. If she is new to riding I would recommend some lessons first so that she can decide what she wants to be doing with the horse. Also you may be able to talk the trainer into looking at the horse with her or very likely they may have some horses for sale.

[ppine]

Chippin,

The most important descision relating to horses is the one you bring home. For beginners, get some help in the selection process. Broke, broke and more broke is what you want. Special interests, color, conformation, and breeding are all unimportant compared to safety. Most horses for sale privately have some faults, some serious. They can be sedated. There are lots of horse traders out there in a bad economy. Remember that horses are big and they can hurt you. They are prey animals with a strong flight response.