Finding a new horse can be an exciting and daunting task. I think we all want to find the perfect horse, our perfect partner but how do you know it’s the right one?
I just recently bought a new Andalusian baby. I have a breeder that I like in Texas and every year I look to see what foals have been born. The first foal born this year was a black bay colt, which got me thinking maybe this could be the one!
About a year ago I started my search for a new horse. I consulted Linda with the question “How do I choose?” and “How will I know it’s the right horse for me?” Here is the advice she gave me.
When looking for a new horse you need to think about 3 things.
What is the horse’s personality?
What are your goals?
What are your skills and how much experience do you have?
Let’s look at each question and how they can help you decide.
1. Personality
Being able to identify if your horse is extroverted or introverted, pushy or emotional is the first clue if this is the right horse for you.
Extroverted horses have a lot of energy and like to move their feet. If they are more on the pushy side they will be playful, confident and curious. An emotional extrovert will have energy but instead of playful they are more spooky.
Introverted horses have lower energy and prefer to go slow. If they are confident and pushy they are usually pretty laid back. If they are more emotional they tend to be more reserved, need security from you, and a low-pressure environment.
Another aspect to take into consideration is a horse’s spirit level, which can be low, medium or high. Linda will often describe this as an amplifier that will heighten all of the good qualities of a horse and the less desirable ones too.
While talented trainers can get any horse to do any sport or job it’s helpful as we search for our next horse to know what personalities are suited to what sports.
Here is a guide, which can serve as a helpful reference.
Pushy Extroverts – Jumping, Eventing, Reined Cow Horse, Cutting
Emotional Extroverts – Endurance
Pushy Introverts – Trail Riding, Team Penning/Sorting
Emotional Introverts – Kids horse, Therapeutic Riding, Dressage, Reining
2. Goals
What do you want to do with your new horse? Trail ride, dressage, jumping, competitions? It’s important to be clear on this. I’ve seen many students and friends have goals of going on relaxing trail rides and they somehow end up with a high spirited horse that was bred to do way more. When you have a mismatch like this it can become frustrating and your new horse can turn into your new nightmare.
Another aspect to take into consideration is breed. Humans have selected and carefully bred horses for certain sports and tasks for years. If you are looking for a comfy trail riding partner you might not want to choose a lofty warmblood with big gaits and a ton of suspension even if he has a low spirit and is a pushy introvert. If your goal is eventing a draft horse who is bred to have power but not a lot of endurance might not be the best choice. While breed isn’t the total deciding factor it is good idea to make sure that the breed you are picking is capable of matching your goal. Let’s look at some examples of common goals and what type of horse could be a good match.
Goal – Relaxing Trail Rides
- Pushy Introvert with a Low/Medium Spirit
- Breeds – Gaited Horses, Quarter Horse, Cross Breeds, Mustangs
Goal – Dressage
- Emotional Introvert with a Low/Medium Spirit for lower levels and a Medium/High Spirit for higher levels
- Breed – Warmbloods, Iberian Breeds
Goal – Jumping
- Pushy Extrovert with a Low/Medium Spirit for lower levels and a Medium/High Spirit for higher levels
- Breed – Warmbloods
Goal – Reined Cow Horse
- Pushy Extrovert with a Low/Medium Spirit for lower levels and a Medium/High Spirit for higher levels
- Breed – Quarter Horse
Goal – Therapeutic Riding
- Emotional Introvert with a Low Spirit
- Breed – Older horses, small to medium size, smooth gaits
3. Skills
Being honest about your skill level and how much time you have to devote to improving it should be considered when choosing your next horse.
I got Mele, my most advanced horse who is now 12, as a yearling. Did I have the skills to train a baby? No. But, I was naïve and thought since I had been riding my whole life I could certainly raise a youngster. He is a pushy extrovert and things got pretty bad before I found help through natural horsemanship.
Young horses need training and this takes time and a different skill set than acquiring an older horse who is trained. Most horses also have a past and whether it has been good or difficult he might have learned some things he didn’t need to know.
When evaluating your next horse, find out as much as you can about his past, watch someone play with him on the ground, and ride him before you get on. Get a feel for the horse and be honest with yourself about what you can and can’t do and how much help and support you have. Take a friend or your instructor with you to get their opinion too. It’s easy to fall in love and not see all the facts and having a second opinion is helpful.
As I flew to Texas to look at the babies I had my shopping list of all of the above in mind. I knew I wanted an extrovert that has the potential be my next superhorse who I can train in dressage. I wanted a challenge and the opportunity to start a young horse from scratch with everything that I now know. The little black bay colt named Yuri ended up being a pushy extrovert, medium to high spirit and very athletic. I ended up buying him and feel very confident about my decision. Happy Horse Hunting!!
