Just before xmas at work charlie the arabx mare that we had was sold to people up the lane for their daughter as a xmas pressie as she had grown to big for her pony, (her dad had loads of experience with horses and schooled Gun one of the trakenhers), at the time she was for sale i was thinking of buying her for myself and my 10 year old sister to ride, but due to the fact that my sister hasnt been riding for long, and that i am a bit too big for charlie i decided against it, any way this week it turns out that we may be getting charlie back due to family problems and my boss aked if my sister would ride charlie, i told her no as charlie can be a bit flighty and it may put my sister off riding for good and explained that if charlie was a bit more bombproof i may have bought her in the first place, so it now looks as if charlie may be up for sale again :( as we are unable to keep her withthe trakenhers Gun and Smoke, but it got me thinking, i have always wanted a horse for as long as i can remember so i am thinking of buying one for me to ride and my sister to carry on her riding lessons, luckily there is a riding school up the lane that can give lessons on your own horse/pony, my question is what horse would be best suited to fit both our needs, my sister is 10 and is big for her age, she is a complete novice and has only been riding for about a year, I am 5'3" and although i have been riding for approx 7 years i have only ever had 2 hours of lessons (i used to work at a riding school/boarding kennels and we could take the horses out as and when we wanted) I am i suppose 'self taught', but as the riding school is just up the lane i would obviously go to have some more lessons, what type of horse height wise would be best, gelding/mare, age etc would be best, ideally an old school horse would be best for my sister but i would rather not as school horses can have some bad habits and the good ones tend to be a bit too old. Keeping the horse is no problem as i have access to 2 fields that i can use as well as stables, and my boss is also able to help me, but this is a long way off yet.
any ideas?
tanya

ChloeH has horses - she may be along later to offer advice :)

except for a wooden rocking horse I have no experience whatsoever :rolleyes: :D

What about some breed of native pony or a cross? Depends on the horse/pony I had an Irish bred gelding 15.2 I hunted him hacked did shows my friends 9 year old could jump him. Her twin who was very nervous felt safer on him than their own pony. Good luck hope you find a nice one :)

Some natives can be willful... welshies can be mischevious... mares can be mareish....arabs can be flighty.... all steretypes though to be honest! I have 2 mares and a gelding. My arab mare is more flightly and forward but she is excellent in traffic and doesn't spook. My gelding (Irish Draught) can be sensitive and a worrier - but he's calm and a gent and my new mare is also ID and she is also "no nonsense!"

I would go for something no bigger than 14hh (bear in mind my daughter who is 9 rides my 14hh and is totally overhorsed)... not too cobby but not too lightweight/flighty either. Something about 11 or 12 years old, either mare or gelding, thats done a bit of everything and would be happy with a novice. These horses are like gold dust though so you need to move fast if you find one.

id go for a cob type around 15HH -15.2 school master if possible over the age of 10 but  they say 12 is the best age all round , ask around at some stables they may have one , or try to find someone who is willing to give you a trail time , how about getting a loan with possiblity to buy ;) there quite common if you look , id stay away from tb's as they do tend to be a tad lively .

i was thinking a cobtype horse, as it is cobs that my sisters has had all her lessons on so i think that it would be better to keep up with that, i would have liked charlie but it just isnt practical, shes too smal for me and she hasnt really had a good life, my boss rescued her from her stable where she had been kept for a year, with her 'owners' throwing hay over everyday :( , she is a nice ride however but i dont trust her along roads as when being led to see how she is she kicked out at traffic, so she needs someone who can spend lots of time to reschool her and to bring her trust in humans back, otherwise she is a lovely pony but definitely not for a novice like my sister.

Personally, I don't like some cobs, they can be too stubborn. I prefer something a bit more middleweight too - this is nice... :)

Could you please tell me what type of horse is the one in the second pic (with the red car) behind the horse everybody else is talking about! It is very nice!

He looks like a dales or part-dales to me - gorgeous....

you'd put a 10 year old on a 15.2hh? And what type of schoolmaster do you mean?

Ohh, chloeH don't tempt me!!

oooo thats a nice one, long way off yet tis ashame thou, i like bays and chestnuts, they always look stunning, and you can tell when effort and elbow grease has been put into grooming
tanya

i used to ride a clyd x cob when i was 12 she was 15.3 i needed a helping hand getting on her :) but she was great .used to do alot of jumping with her .then she became preg and they sold her on :(
gundogs  how tall is your sis , you said shes big ...? mabe you could put your name on a rescued horse . theres a few novice freindly ones i was looking for someone who wanted a 16hh and came across some sites :)

lovely lady, my sis is roughly a head shorter than me but she is big, she has been battling with her weight for the past year, partly due to before she came to live with us, (mum adopted her and her younger sis) she was only given sweets and macdonalds to eat, so when she came to live with us she would eat and eat and eat, she is on a low fat and sugar diet and is losing the weight.
thanks for all your suggestions, i like american quarter horses but think they may be out of my budget and im not sure my sis would ride one but then you never know, i also like the thicker set horses but im going to start looking now, prob if its this year that i get one it wont be until the end of the year anyway.
tanya

I used to ride a 14hh part welshie when I was 10 and that was more than big enough. They can carry plenty of weight aswell and are easy to get on and off if you need to out on a hack. Personally, I think children are far better on smaller horses when they start - for example: my daughter is very confident on Jack (11.2) and rides very well...she is far more nervous on my mare though (14hh) because she is further up and has less control.

Hello
My last horse was a 17.2 show jumper/ eventer.
My husband who cant ride used to take him walks around the field and we could trust him not to take off :-)
My oldest son who at the time was about 6 could also ride him round the field with me at his side.
Now when I got on his back he knew!! Would not walk steady he wanted to work.
He was fantastic. Totally bombproof and knew when there were children or novices on him.
I had to sell him as it was hard with children and at the time full time work :-( A lad bought him who was in the under 18 Olympic team. I went to see him at his new home/ more like mansion! and watched the lad jumping him. I knew he could jump but seeing a first class rider working him was unbelievable! I was so proud he was once mine. He still let my son have a go and Paddy was still as sweet as ever :-)
Not saying a 17.2 would be any use here but just had to tell you about Paddy :-)

I know what your saying staffie , i think it comes down to what the horse is like . the one i used to ride was huge for my age yet she was a gentil giant . thats why i suggested a loan with view to buy :)
horses can be hit and miss and with children you dont want a nasty brat of a horse .you want one thats not going to nip at every moment or bolt quite often ploders are the best to start out with as you can gain confidence and move on to a lively one . but you dont know what a horse is really like untill settled in . the right horse is a pleasure to own , and each to there own on the type , my love is heavy horses , yes i still jump with them :P or arabs bit more filghty :)

Have a look at this website , barm cam sandy the horse is about to have her foal anytime now :) http://www.barncams.net/

What about an American Quarter Horse? I had one from a foal to five year old (lost him to ragwort poisoning six years ago) and after owning one of this breed I would never even consider anything else now. They are unbelievably placid with fantastic temperaments (the breeder had five and all the same temperament wise) and although they come as small as 14 - 14.2 hands (the taller they are, generally the higher percentage of Thoroughbred blood) they easily carry a full grown man. They also have an amazing turn of speed and (dispelling the myth!) lots of stamina. After all, they are cowboy's ponies and although their "flat out" speed is designed for short burst, they are also used for long days on ranches etc.

They are expensive though, son't know what kind of budget you're looking at but if you can afford one then it might be worth some consideration. Quiet enough for your sister and fast enough for you.

Whatever breed you choose, good luck in finding the right one for you both.

It may be a good idea to attend lots of local shows and see more ponies - watch the mountain and moorland classes and talk to the owners if you get the time. What about something like a Welsh section C or a connemara?

Also so often the way the ponies are schooled and brought up has a bearing on how good they are, much like dogs :D

Maybe someone will be selling a much loved outgrown horse who is well mannered and a bit of a schoolmaster, or occasionally you do see them advertised (but theu can be pricey and you have to really grill the owners.)

Lindsay

Mmmmmm

Really i think you both need to wait....... finding a horse to suit one person is hard enough, finding one to suit two people, with different needs is nigh on impossible.

Id be looking for something around the 14/15hh size, lightweight/middleweight cob, between 12 and 16 years old.... dont forget, a horse is at its prime at about that age, and you are very unlikely to find a true kind schoolmaster type any younger.

Id personally go for a gelding, mares can be stroppy, in fact of all teh horses ive met, and the few ive clicked with, only ONE has been a mare, (and i have met and ridden hundreds), all the rest have been geldings or on a few occasions, stallions (i dont recommend that route).

The smaller natives, especially teh welsh ones (please no welsh people queuing to stab me) i have found to be VERY devious and tricky lil buggers to handle, im sure someone loves them (i like welsh cobs, but you have to enjoy a bit of a battle of wills at times)..

If i were you, id have more riding lessons, both of you, and maybe try a riding holiday as well, see if your sister can cope with that.

Generally speaking word of mouth is a better way to buy a horse, and you stand a better chance of finding something that suits you.

Good luck (im jealous i want my own horsey pleaseeeeeeee)

Em

ive got plenty of time to wait and look around as it wont be too soon if its this year at all it will be in the latter part, my sis knows nothing about it as she will go on and on and on, mum knows but she scared of horses so she wont have much to do with it, but i must get my sis riding lessons started again as she stopped last year as we had no transport and getting her there was difficult as i also worked on the day she had lessons, but with two cars it will be easier just need to fit it in with her brownies and dancing, singing, and drama lessons, also there is an alterior motive to getting a horse we may eventually one day be able to get my youngest sister whos 5 near a horse at the mo she screams when she sees them but if shes in the car she is fine, take the glass away big panic, shes also scared of cows/pigs/elephants even my goats when i get them out but she feed the giraffes at colchester zoo she thought they were great
tanya

aww well good luck searching . if i was you id try and get a loan with view to buy that way you know what your getting :) make sure you get a loan agreement made up if you go down this line , you can print them off the bhs site :)
hopefuly your mum and little one will overcome there fear :) who knows your mum may end up riding ;)

I think you are being a bit too ambitious wanting something to suit both types of rider....I would wait a bit, a 10 year old with just a couple of lessons under her belt is not suited to having a horse or pony just yet. Far better to get one on loan for a while if you are still insistant on having one.....at least you can send them back if there is a problem!! Also, another idea is if you have a local riding school that does the affiliate programme to the PC, then there may be opps. for her to try several ponies & decide which type she likes for herself.

if im honest with myself the horse is really for me with a view for my sis to ride, but as i say its a long way off, def not till the latter part of this year if this year at all, my sis is to restart her riding lessons soon, and as one of my bosses wants to learn to ride im going with her as moral support, her OH who can ride is going to look after the baby while we ride.
tanya

First to reply to you Helen.D - i have worked with quarter horses for quite a few years now, and have been lucky enough to work in the states with some of the top breeders/trainers.  It is a myth that they are 14-14.2hh for a start - i have seen (in this country) them range up to 16.2hh - even the foundation bred ones (meaning only about 10% thoroughbred or less).  (BTW, dont take this as a personal comment Helen, i'm only just putting in my experience!):) The most common size i came across was around 15.2hh. ( i would have thought that the horse you are looiking for for you and your sis would be ideal at 14.2hh to 15.hh.

American quarter horses are NOT NOT NOT all placid.  I have met several very highly strung quarter horses as well as many very placid ones.  Obviously their temperament should be on the placid side, but due to bad breeding (particularly in this country where people do not know a racing quarter horse bloodline from a working cow horse bloodline) there are so many different 'types' of quarter horse... do you want a halter horse?reining horse? barrel horse? western pleasure horse? these are all different strains of the same breed....  There are a few breeders of the breed (if you were to choose to buy one) which i could steer you well clear of in the UK.  Certain bloodlines here are nothing but trouble, and very dangerous trouble! 
You are right helen that they have lots of stamina and can carry a full grown man (the men i worked for in the USA were both six foot five tall and a couple of the horses were indeed 14hh!).  There are so many stereotypes with so many breeds, and its easy to think that they will behave exactly like the breed profile says they will and this really isnt the case. 

We own a 5yr old quarter horse mare which we bred ourselves and we were lucky enough to have a lovely result. They are nice horses, but are expensive - sometimes i think too highly priced personally.  The mother of this mare (who is on loan at the moment) was known as 'Mach 3' on dartmoor as she was sooo fast - and not a novice ride.  Depending on what sort of riding you want to do also, quarter horses are not great if you wanted to do dressage for instance - they cannot collect in the same way as say, the spanish horse - they hvae a very low flat headcarriage and very flat knee action.  They are great for long distance, jumping, trail, cross country and many others - more of a jack of all trades.

It is also a myth that a horse of 10-12yrs is going to be bombproof or a 'schoolmaster/mistress'.  I have met many more 4-5yr old horses (parelli and western trained) which have more sense and schoolmaster about them than many teenage horses.  Do not think that just because its older that it means it will be well schooled or behaved (even if it is advertised as such!).

The same notion goes for the colour - i never understood why people look for a certain colour.  This should be the very last thing on the list. 'always beware of a chestnut mare' is absolute rubbish and an old wives tale.  The one gelding i owned (quarter horse) was the silliest horse ever, far less sense than any mare.
Obiouvsly its nice to have a gleaming black horse (or whatever colour you like) but it should not affect your choice when buying.  ALWAYS get the horse vetted before buying too.

Lastly (will she ever shut up!) I just want to say if you and your sister want to just have loads of fun and be safe with horses, i cannot recommend enough to get into Parelli Natural Horsemanship.  I do this with our horses and its inspirational.  Its particularly good for kids to get into as it teaches them to be safer with horses and for them to get a better relationship wtih their pony/horse - and its so easy, even grown ups can do it! (I've sent you a message about it).
There are other natural horsemanship ways but i find for human teaching abilities and not having to have instructors help all the time that parelli is far more superior than other 'horse whispering' avenues. Its changed my life. (sorry, i know it sounds ridiculous, but its true!).:D

Of course...you don't have to do Parelli to have a nice horse and have fun with it - I know....I have 4 now and they are all absolutely fantastic - and they have never seen a carrot stick in their lives :D :D

Sorry - MMH - you knew I'd have to say it :D :D

Yes and i agree wtih you wholeheartedly! BUT many people get horses who have never owned them before and have no idea how to 'be' around them.  I'm just saying that for complete novices parelli is very useful if you dont have any friends or support to help you with your new horse.  We made mistakes in the early days of having horses because we werent experienced enough.

In no way do i want to say taht parelli is the ONLY way to train horses. its not - but its great for beginners (and others) to learn horse manners and the like!

Hi there MMH. Think you may have got mixed up a bit. I'm not the one who's buying! I've already had a Quarter horse and that's why I was extolling their virtues :-D I understand that you have a lot of experience with the breed and that they're not all as docile as a cow chewing cud but as I had such a fantastic time with my gelding I also know that when you get a good 'un then they take a lot of beating (and I mean that in a good way, not with a stick!) :-D Whichever breed you look at, there's mischief in most of them, some of the time (remember at school my friend had a Shetland that used to dump everybody into nettles, bless her) :-)

The guy who bred my boy is an ex-cowboy who brought stock over from the States. The stallion that Chico was by was just over 14' 1" (My Fancy Bobby) and he showed him as Halter, then started doing Pleasure with him. The mare (Badger's Dixie) was an old barrel-racing mare standing about 14' 3". The result was 14' 2" of the nicest natured horse ever to walk on four legs. Chico would follow me round the field with his head on my shoulder, nuzzling my neck (no lead rein). All of Ray's horses were the same temperament (not all the same sire). His stallion was led round by his (at the time) two year old son ... under his supervision in case anything did go wrong, but he never put so much as a hoof out of place.

I know that there are Quarter horses that stand a heck of a lot higher than 14' 2" (I think I did put that they come as small as 14 - 14' 2"?) but the smaller type is also out there. The smallest I've seen was one by Bo (Bobby) out of Ray's reining mare and she was tiny, couldn't have matured to more than about 13' 2-3". At the end of the day, whichever horse the two young ladies choose, they can not just go from a breed standard but must find the right horse for them. There are good ones and bad ones for every breed. I'm just biased from having had one of the good ones I guess :-)