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Hello! I dont own a horse yet, however we are looking into one, maybe two. I am doing a ton of research, and have some hands on experience. I would love some advice, tips, maybe question answering from horse people here on HEE. A couple of questions I have 1. I would like this horse to have a western saddle or be bareback. Does anyone have a favorite tack company? 2. Do horses need boots/wraps? When do they need them? 3. How often should a farrier come? 4. Bits. Whats the best bit? Is a hackamore a good choice for a beginner ish rider? 5. What to look for and avoid when finding a place to board? |
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I would say that you should take lessons for at least a year pr two before buying a horse, but that’s just me lol. |
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1 We usually bought our tack at either Fleetfarm, Tractor Supply, or auctions. 2 Consider what function wraps do and put them on as needed. 3 Our farrier came out every 2-3 months. 4 There is no 'one bit fits all'. What's best, depends on the horse. 5 Make sure you get a written contract, that spells out exactly what they are responsible for, what it is exactly that you are 'renting', price and duration of contract. Are they insured ? Are they legally able, to run a boarding business in their area ? Is an adult on the premisess 24/7 ? There's more, but said enough. |
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I would take lessons for a while before buying. I didn't even lease, much less buy until I had at least 3-4 years of experience. I bought my first horse I think 8-10 years in, but I can't help too much otherwise since I ride English. |
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A little more background info could actually be very helpful. |
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Trivia Team
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You need to be with a trainer. The fact that you're asking these questions tells me that you need a lot more guidance than you may think. Not trying to be harsh, but there is so much more beyond the questions that you're asking. Best of luck on your journey <3 |
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A grape said:
Hello! I dont own a horse yet, however we are looking into one, maybe two. I am doing a ton of research, and have some hands on experience. I would love some advice, tips, maybe question answering from horse people here on HEE. A couple of questions I have 1. I would like this horse to have a western saddle or be bareback. Does anyone have a favorite tack company? Bareback riding is my favorite. SSTack is an amazing one. (It's a website) But make sure your horse is comfortable bareback. If riding for more than a fewinutes a bareback pad is needed. 2. Do horses need boots/wraps? When do they need them? Boots are for support. I would always use them, splint boots are a good all around version. Just a precaution. 3. How often should a farrier come? About every 6-8 weeks. 4. Bits. Whats the best bit? Is a hackamore a good choice for a beginner ish rider? The softer the bit the better, and a good hackamore is good. (The the ones with shanks and chains, a sidspull is best) but it depends on the horse. Some horses like rubber bits, some prefer sidepulls and some like loose ring bits. 5. What to look for and avoid when finding a place to board? Good facilities, nice people, trustworthy environment. Ask around locally, and talk to boards at those barns. Get their opinion.
Some background information could be nice. I now from past posts your working at a place with horses (I think?) But just be careful. |
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I don't have much experience but I can give some advice on board. The main thing to look into when finding a place is what will they do for your horse if you can't be there. The place I'm at now treats all of the horses as if they're their own (feeding, bathing, clipping, scheduling appointments etc) but some places, like my first stable will not do anything for you. I leased a horse there and they made me come out everyday to feed the horse, turn him out etc. I would also suggest having a trainer because you never know what quirks a horse will have until it gets there and also a professional will know how to help you in your situation. Best of luck! |
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You might consider working with a trainer/mentor/experienced horseperson while you're working on figuring out horse information. An experienced cowboy is invaluable, imo. As for your questions, 1. I prefer to buy used tack, as it's already going to be broken in. That being said, old (as in, 10+ years old) good condition Billy Cook saddles are priceless. I've got a 21-year old one that's still going strong. I'd suggest if you buy used, to get a tack repairperson to look the saddle over and point out any needed repairs. I recently had to get the leathers replaced on my two working saddles because they were worn out. 2. I'm not a fan of bell boots unless you know for a fact the horse overreaches (clips the front heels with the rear hooves). I do use splint boots, though, as I do reining/cowhorse manouveres and they protect a horse's cannon bones when crossing over. Usually I only put boots on if I'm going to be working at a high speed (canter or gallop). 3. In the summer, when hooves grow faster, it's every four weeks usually. In winter, around every six weeks. (This is for just trimming, I haven't shoed anything in awhile so idk how often that would be) I trim my boys when I see them getting long and anytime they look like they'll start to crack. I suggest you get comfortable with what a horse's hooves should look like ideally so that you know when you need to call the farrier. 4. Bits are like underwear. Every horse likes something different and it usually takes awhile to find the right fit. In my opinion, a hackamore is only good if the horse has been trained to be very responsive to it (as with any bit). It really does depend on the horse. If you're a beginner rider without much experience, you might try a slightly less powerful bit than the horse is used to because you'll probably be harsher/clumsier in the mouth than the horse is used to. 5. I haven't boarded so I'm useless for this one XD Best of luck to you! |
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I 100% understand that I don't have enough experience, or knowledge about horses. We aren't planning on buying a horse anytime soon, however we are looking (just to get ideas, get some knowledge, etc.) If/when we did get a horse, we would definitely work with a trainer and/or an experienced horse person. I will be asking the current horse owner about the horses background information, which might help. I do know this horse is incredibly sweet, and the person who is riding it is very rough with the bit. (I'm in contact with this horse everyday/every other day) |
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