Buying a horse for beginners: what criteria matter?

The most important thing when buying a horse for beginners is this: the chemistry between rider and horse has to be right! That is why the question of the right horse for newcomers cannot be answered with a blanket rule. What decides a harmonious relationship between rider and animal is mutual liking and, of course, mutual respect. When buying a horse for beginners, you should go more by the animal's behavior and temperament. When buying a horse for beginners: what temperament should a beginner horse have? When buying a horse for beginners, you should choose a calm, good-natured and above all very even-tempered horse. The horse should always react calmly. It would be bad, on the other hand, if the horse is stubborn and ignores rules. When buying a horse for beginners, you are better off focusing on an older, experienced horse. The level of training also plays a decisive role when buying a horse for beginners. An experienced horse that has been ridden often is easier for beginners to ride than a wilder, unpredictable young horse. From around the age of 10, horses are considered settled in their training. In other words, the unruly teenage years are behind them. Of course, you cannot expect show performance from an older horse. But the animal should meet a beginner's needs. With more experience, you can turn to younger horses later. Training a suitable beginner horse takes a long time. It also requires an experienced and disciplined trainer. The horse should learn to carry out all the important commands. For the horse to be able to cover long distances with a person on its back, its back has to be trained. A newcomer cannot manage that training. So when buying a horse for beginners, you should ask whether the animal already has sufficient muscle development. It is often said that certain breeds are more beginner-friendly than others. But this cannot be generalized either. Still, when buying a horse for beginners, it is often recommended to buy a draft horse rather than a Thoroughbred.

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Buying a horse for beginners – Thoroughbreds and draft horses

A Thoroughbred is robust but reacts very sensitively to wrong handling. Moreover, a Thoroughbred has no shortage of spirit. Draft horses, by contrast, have a rather calm temperament. They are often used as work horses. Bottom line: when buying a horse for beginners, always keep in mind that every horse is an individual. That is why there are Thoroughbreds that make wonderful beginner horses and draft horses whose temperament a newcomer cannot handle. It is important to learn a lot about the horse and its personality traits before you decide to buy.