7 Rules To Buying Your First Quarter Horse

So you've decided to jump into the deep end and buy your first horse. But not just any horse; THE horse, a Quarter Horse.

1. DO NOT BUY THE FIRST HORSE YOU SEE. No matter how good it might be, no matter how cheap its going for NEVER under any circumstances buy the first horse you find. Buying a horse is an investment not just a retail store purchase that you can send off to goodwill for the next season. You need to explore you options, think hard about you choices and keep your eyes and ears open for more possibilities.

2. IF ITS CHEAP THERES USUALLY SOMETHING WRONG. In today's economy there are more exceptions to this rule then used to be. But when you find a horse that looks good and is going for a very low cost you need to be picky. Find out why the asking price is so low. Here are some of the basic questions you should ask when considering a horse like this:

• Is he ring sour? (Does he not like to show)

• Is he going lame? (Some lamenesses aren't readily visible and it could take a vet check to determine the soundness of the horse)

• Is he a hard keeper? (Some horses are hard to keep weight on which can end up costing you more in the long run)

• How is he with other horses? (If he is not friendly with other horses you have to keep him in a separate area which can be a hassle but not a deal breaker)

• Do you have all his papers? (They should have his papers ready to go or at the least have them guaranteed to you at the time of purchase. You cannot show a horse without the registration papers.)

• Does He Load, Bath, and Clip well. (These are hard things to teach a horse and for beginners its something you do not want to try alone. A horse that cannot perform these tasks safely and willingly is NOT a horse for a Novice.)
  

These are jsut some of the basic questions to ask. You should sit down before ever starting a search and think about what you want, what you can compromise on, and what is a non-negotiable.

3. HORSES (espescially Quarter Horses) ARE BRED FOR A SINGLE, SOLITARY PURPOSE. By now you should have an idea about what you want to do with you horse. There are so many ways you can go:

• 4-H Pleasure Horse: These are usually on the low end of pricing. They are home-bred, and usually very well tempered. These horses are no less in value compared to the Breed Show Pleasure horse, they are just bred with different concepts in mind. For example: Jenna's horse, Cruiser, is a decent Breed show competetor, but when it comes to fair weekhe falls apart. He was bred with the concept that he should be shown very hard for 3-4 days straight then have a long break. 4-H horses are bred with the idea that they should show on and off for 7 days at a leisurely pace. Their mind sets are just different.
• 4-H Contester/Gaming Horse: These horses are also relatively cheap but they have more energy and can be harder to handle. These horses work in timed events and are not judged on appearance or behavior. A Pleasure horse and a Contester are different in the fact that one is bred for pure speed and endurance, while the other is bred for conformation and temperment.
• Breed Show Pleasure Horse: These guys can get VERY pricey (up into the $100,000 range!) They do come cheaper as well but no lower than $8000 for a good one I would say. these horses are bred out of barns and ranches that do nothing but. They carefully and strategically plan the pedigree before breeding. They start (ground) training as early as weanlings and are usually retired around 10 years old as compared to 4-H horses which will show up into there mid-20s. These horses can be shown in 4-H shows as well.
• Cow Horse: A Cow horse is a totally different kinf of horse. They are a sort of cross between a contestor and a pleasure horse in the sense that they need the speed and athleticism of the contester and the clam mind set and willingness to listen of a pleasure horse. These horses work in events such as roping, reining, cutting, etc. They have what is called "cow sense" meaning they can read a cow and be able to move with it in a sort of dance when cutting. These horses are bred separate from all other types of Quarter Horses because they do have such a unique mix of characteristics.
• Hunter/Jumpers: These horses are typically taller and leaner than pleasure horses and many are appendix Quarter Horses (They have thoroughbred bloodlines as well as Quarter Horse.) These horses work in over fence classes which are both timed and style judged.
• Dressage: I will admit I have worked with only 1 Dressage horse in my whole time in the horse industry. Therefore, I cannot give detailed information. These horses are built much like the Hunter/Jumper Horses but are a bit more meaty because they do not need ot jump. They are ground bound and perform very difficult menuevers. These horse show separate from other Quarter Horses and are therefore, not well known in the Quarter Horse industry.
• Halter: These Horses are bred to be beefy! Halter classes are all on confirmation. Halter horses are not necessarily bred for there good manners and they are usually fed high energy producing diets and are on a very strict excerising program. This is why there is a "Halter Horse" stereotype.
  

Also, there are certain events you have to look at inside of Pleasure Horse. If you want to show just western or just english, some horses are bred and trained specifically for you type of event. However, if you plan on showing both english and western there are all-around horses as well. All-Around horses are best for Youth riders because there are more options open to the rider/horse pair.

4. WORK WITH A TRAINER. If its an options I always suggest that beginners find a reliable trainer and work with them and through their connections to find the right match. AQHA.com has a find a trainer section right on the website which is a great place to start. but, if you know of a reputable barn near by you might want to call there. Many great trainers are not necessarily qualified professional horsemen. They can be cheaper the Pro-horsemen and still have the same knowledge base. Even after you've found the right horse, stick with your new found trainer (or find a different one if you'd like) they can help you advance your horses abilities and your own through training sessions and lessons. Also, they come in handy when you get ready to show!

5. LEAVE THE AUCTIONS FOR THE EXPERTS. Auctions have great deals on some really nice horses. But if you don't know how to price a horse right you should avoid the auctions. This goes along with the first rule. You never know what might come of your purchase. Many experts have a sixth sense about horses; they can do a thorough one-over on a horse, look through its pedigree and see the name of the breeder and know if its a good buy or not. These are things that come with years of experience and should be left ot those with such. For now, just stick with the old fashion sell-buy method.

6. BUYING A HORSE ONLINE IS A GAMBLE. Unless you are using the horse search engines as a ground base you should steer clear of these sites like Horsetopia. They are great for finding something in your area to go look at but NEVER purchase a horse online or over the phone. You should ALWAYS go and see the horse first hand. Most reputable sellers will even let you test drive the horse and some may let you take it home for a week as a sort of trial run. Take advantage of these things. You never know how the horses is going to act away from home and if you are going to be able to "click" with it until you try it out. (Caution: you shouldn't turn down a horse that has everything you want/need if you can seem to get in sync with him right away. It can take a long time to really get to know each other and learn each others styles. Just as long as you are comfortable around the horse and not afraid of him.)

7. HAVE FUN. Starting into the life of Quarter Horses can be very stressful. These guys will most likely take over your lives eventually because horses have so much to offer. But, you want to make sure its fun for both you and your family. Whether you are a parent buying a horse for your child, or a person buying for yourself, this decision is not jsut going to change your life. Its a family thing: spending weekends at shows, lessons 2-3 nights a week, buying show clothes and tack, traveling across the state (sometimes across the country!). With all of this responsibility and time consuming work you can get very stressed very fast. What you need to remember is to Smile and enjoy the ride. You started this because it was a dream, a passion. You should never let that passion get put on the back burner. Laugh when you mess up a pattern in a class, make friends at shows, make friends at home, enjoy the competition for what it is. These are the things that get us by in the horse world. Have fun and you will find yourself surrounded with new friends, a happy horse, and a supportive family.

Welcome

So for my first blog I think I'll introduce myself and my team of show experts.

My names Mark, I have never actually shown a horse in my life. I am in the background with the training, grooming, show entries and all the other what-have-yous. I make sure that my girls who are showing are relaxed and ready to go at the show.

Jenna is one of my girls. She will be finishing up her last year in Youth division in 2009. She started riding late, she was 14 years old but shes come a long way since then. She shows both Quarter Horse and Palomino on her 6 year old gelding she trained mostly by herself. Shes will be my expert on western events and 4-h and open shows.

Cali is my little sister, shes 13 years old and has been riding since she could hold herself in the saddle. She shows Quarter Horse religiously and is very good at what she does. She is currently riding a dark bay appendix mare. She will be my English pleasure and show stress relief expert.

Charlee is last, she is a great little rider, only 9 years old. She has been riding my old roan gelding in the small fry classes. She will be my expert on fashion (both horse and rider).

Alright So stay tuned for my next post: Your First Horse