alright people, so my man and I both want to get him into riding. He has ridden a quarter horse twice and is actually pretty instinctual with the whole thing. My question is, would you suggest a gaited horse as his first real riding horse (I prefer them because not only is it like riding a cloud but they are mostly all just absolute sweethearts ) or would you all suggest a non gaited horse until he gets his experience with those? I am torn in this decision. Part of me wants to say "gain your experience on a non gaited horse so you know how to ride that first, and then we can move on to gaited" but the other part of me wants him to be comfortable in the saddle and have him keep up with me on rides :lol: (i ride a mft mare). Now here's another factor to the puzzle...he and I are expecting our first child this July/August so it's not like I can ride with him anyways. Should he just practice with a non gaited horse for now? He can't ride my horse she's a tad to experienced and smart for him haha plus she's just my horse and boy does she know it!...that and she's a typical blonde being completely fine with tarps flapping in the breeze then spooking at a rock...so I want him to be safe too. Opinions?
I would let him try out horses and see what he prefers, provided they are safe enough for him. I wouldn't rule out a safe, sound, sane horse because it was or wasn't gaited. Of course, help his decision to make sure he doesn't end up over horsed or anything. I've seen one rank horse all but ruin horses for people. Posted via Mobile Device
When we get my boyfriend a horse, I've already told him to look and see what he likes, show it to me, and we'll decide if it's something he can handle or not. This is when I wish my horse wasn't quite so flashy. My boyfriend doesn't like to be outdone and he likes "pretty" things, so it's going to be a challenge to get him to see past color and look at the horse underneath. Posted via Mobile Device
oh i agree! If the horse was relaxed and kid safe I could care less. Getting him to see past color though has so far been tough...the one horse he really started to fall in love with was an un-broke 4 year old black arab mare that had serious trust issues. Then there was a nice (albeit VERY fat) paint/arab cross I found that was kid safe and his response.."ehh I like Pepper more" (Pepper is the black arab mare). His heart is set on a blue or bay roan haha My heart is set on something safe and tolerant of beginner flubs. I will have him try some other horses. I know that where my mare is at now there is a horse that the land owner said is an amazing gelding that he can ride and I trust her opinion whole-heartedly with it. Hopefully we can get him on and have him start learning I will for sure be posting updates on his lessons! Or somehow convince him that belonging to an online forum of passionate horse owners isn't totally geeky he gives me that look when I talk about my "online horse friends" bahahaha I can't help but laugh at it
I've just been through this exact same thing. My hubby's deal was a buckskin or palomino. I told him numerous times it shouldn't matter. He needed a horse that was good for him. Finally, after the last time I said it he got exasperated with me and said ... "I'm not an idiot! I DO know this. But since this is my first horse and probably my last (these are our retirement horses), I want the color that I like! Is that such a crime? I do have to look at him every day."
Errrrr needless to say that kind of shut me right up. How can I argue with that logic? We went about finding him the right horse AND the right color. He's happy LOL
Exactly about the color thing! I found two perfect horses for him: a 9yo bay QH gelding (my best friend knows the horse personally and loves him...in fact, she's the one who brought him to my attention) and a friend's dark brown (looks dark bay) OTTB gelding. He said "Eh. I like Aires better." Yes, dear, but Aires is 4, green as grass, and you have already said that how tall he is frightens you (Aires is 16.1hh, pushing 16.2hh). *facepalm* Posted via Mobile Device
Having ridden with gaited horses, on my non-gaited boy, I gotta say, it makes for tricky times. I'm constantly asking my slow poke to trot up. Much more relaxing and pleasant to ride with similar-strided horses, for sure.
If you can aim for safe and gaited, I'd go for it. In reference to developing skill, if he can ride HIS horse and you two enjoy putting miles behind you, who cares?
The kid thing is tricky. If finances are flush enough that having a child won't strap horsie activities too tight, then giddy up! You won't be benched for long and your kiddo just might be joining you very soon. Our son took his first rides on his pony outside the arena during his 3rd autumn. We dally him with me and head out on all kinds of trails! Posted via Mobile Device
Only get a non gaited horse if your MFT is willing to go slow with his horse. It will turn him off of riding real fast if he gets his butt beat up trying to keep up.
Whoops! Admittedly I am just like your hubby, BBBCrone. If I'm going to spend money on something, I want to like the way it looks! I am notorious for oogling color but at least I have enough sense not to buy for color alone. Posted via Mobile Device
haha yeah i think that BBBCrone's hubby and my man have this in common. If my man is going to get something he wants it to be perfect because he wants to own it for a looong tiiiime...However, the possibility of us finding a small gaited horse that is bay or blue roan, close to our state, in our budget, under the age of 12, without any major problems health or vices, and that is calm, oh and a gelding, is going to be like sifting through sand hoping to find a 1ct. diamond. haha
At least he can get a feel for riding before I start riding again. And mark my words- the moment my body heals from birth I WILL be riding ...even if it is just at a walk
I had a similar situation and while I think that if you're going to ride with your man you want to ride something that will move at the same type of speed and can time up together. My fiance took lessons on a horse that trots first because it was very good for his balance and overall technique in the saddle. He now rides a nice big quality show twh, but he can ride anything sane reasonably well and I think that is from taking lessons on Lucy (the trotting push mare he was stuck with lol)
^^ Uhm, yeah ... that's going to be a rough one. Good thing my hubby liked the stock horse types LOL. Even though he ended up with a little mustang, finding a buckskin/palomino wasn't that hard.
well the thing is that he wants something with color so bad. I could find him a nice mft in the browns color family for a darn fair price. Heck I could even find him a black one for a fair price! But he wants his roan. Gah! Buying is a little ways away yet since we do have baby on the way, but it's always fun to dream... especially when it involves kicking my mans butt while horseback riding
First, don't buy a horse at all. Get him to a good, classical instructor. English is best because it's the most challenging. He'll learn to feel the horse much more quickly in an English saddle if only because there's less of it than a Western saddle.
He should ride for the first year or two on a trotter. This will will teach him much better balance. It also enhances the ability to feel the horse move.
When you're sure this is for real and not a "passing fancy" then look for a horse for him.
Now a lot of guys, particularly from the Western world, figure English is "sissy." Would you call this "sissy?":
(These are from my "Real Men Ride English" collection.
But, in all seriousness, lessons first then a horse.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO TRY AND TEACH HIM TO RIDE!!!
Trust me on this; it won't go well for either of you.
Getting a spouse on board as a rider is a Very Good Thing but there are million ways for the effort to "go south." Find a good instructor and let them do the work. It will cost money; it can save a relationship.
I don't think I agree with the 'under no circumstances are you to teach him'. I think it depends on the couple, and teaching him to ride isn't necessarily a one way trip to a ruined relationship, lol. I know lots of couples who ride- and yep, one taught the other.
well as far as teaching him, I have taught him some groundwork basics. He is a very fast learner and understands the things like it has already been taught to him. It's almost unbelievable actually. As far as teaching him English, that is probably not an option because the English trainers in the area that I trust are out of my price range and his. However I do agree with English being able to feel the horse better. Also I have the only trotter around that I know of, so finding another mft for him to ride besides mine is not an easy task, especially from someone that ensured the horse had proper training and is willing to trust me to use the horse to train a greenie.
Sorry, but if I "required" my hubby to take a single lesson, nevermind an English lesson before "allowing" him to ride his new horse down the driveway, none if it would have ever happened, including us, lol! He's my favourite trail partner who I am not permitted to instruct, ever.
That said, my hub was born with that natural talent that makes all of us technical learners rage with jealousy. He also lucked out incredibly with his purchase, which he did ask my opinion on before signing the deal. I couldn't have found him a better match. I also know that my hub isn't the type to jump into anything so hearty as horse ownership without having a clear and solid interest. He's an honest realist, which is the entire foundation of us. I was never interested in marriage or kids until I met him. ****! Posted via Mobile Device
Eta: This makes me sound like some kind of meek woman... It's more like shock that not only did a man finally stand up to me, but that I'm all the crazier for him because of that.
hemms I think you, your hubby, and me and my man are almost disturbingly similar... haha but thats ok since hes awesome and *ahem* not to brag but I'm pretty cool too..just kidding, couldn't resist it
I agree with Darrin about the gaited thing.So many time the two do not go at the same speeds and the non-gaiter suffers.
I think a good horse is so much more important than color. People let that pretty color cloud their judgment and they buy something they are later unhappy with. The best horse I ever had was the plainest bay. Beautifully trained, wonderfully smooth gaited, a utter joy in every way. What did I care after that if she was just bay. It kept people from wanting to steal her. They went for the pretty paint that reared or the palomino that pulled back and broke every lead rope. Maybe the black that took hours to load where my mare loaded in any trailer that you pointed at.
Once you have picked out that dream horse, just ask yourself, would you buy the horse, pay the same money, if the horse were a bay?
Like I say, I do swim "upstream" on at least parts of the project.
If you can pull off instructing your spouse then God Bless You. You will be in a fairly small minority. Having had to personally "pick up the pieces" a couple of times when this didn't work I'm not a fan. But, to each their own.
Seems that learning on a trotting horse has more fans than I thought it would. Another benefit, mentioned by KStinson, is the ability to ride a trotter if you're someplace where gaited horses are not available (like riding vacations in places like Ireland or Spain).
The argument about "speed discontinuity" is bogus, IMO. The rider sets the speed for the horse, not the other way 'round. If a gaited horse rider can't keep their speed down then they need some instruction on properly rating a horse.
I'm still of the opinion that buying a horse for a novice is a bad idea until they've got some lessons under their belt. This gives them a chance to decide if this activity is for them AND it gives them some time to decide what sort of disciplines they might be interested in. It could even come to pass that they want to do something where a gaited horse would not be the best choice. Give the new rider some time to learn what they are about before buying something.
Horses are cheap right now and will be so for a very long time. That means it's easy to buy but tough to sell. Another reason that buying should be put off until the new rider learns what interests them.
I've always had gaited horses and when my husband (then boyfriend) felt he was ready to ride hopped on my gentle giant gaited gelding that I would let kids ride with no problems what so ever but when I (an adult) sat in the saddle would mean we would be ready to hit the trails! And with that said, yep you got it, when he sat down in the saddle and leaned back the show was on and this horse was a speed racking baby!
As my honey's was traveling at speeds around 15+ miles at a speed rack, I had to jump in front of my horse to stop him. My horse peeled his hands off the horse and refused to ever ride again. Which held true form MANY YEARS until.........
I had purchased a cute little QH mare for the KIDS (LOL) this little girl would just walk. She needed work but definitely had potential to become a beginners horse in no time.
I was so impressed with this little girls attitude that I insisted that my husband at least sit on her. Well he did get in the saddle and that was the start of a whole new love and couldn't get him out of the saddle LOL!
Years later when our daughter got too big to ride in the buddy seat so we was in the market for a third horse. Looking mostly for non gaited horses and then we came across a "gaited" horse that was free that looks quite a bit like my gelding that my husband fell in love with him at first site.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done with this new guy but they are getting it done and as a TEAM.
So with all this said, I think finding a horse that your husband is comfortable with regardless of gaited or not is the key and let him advance when its his time.
Oh have to add, yes my gaited horse rode quite well with a QH, a SLOW AS MOLASSESS QH LOL! It can be done
Alrighty, so for the learning purposes of my man, we have found a suitable horse to use for lessons. My friend is letting us borrow her qh gelding Woody because she doesn't have time to ride him. So yesterday we started with the basics and with bonding and I had my man groom Woody and then learn a few things about body language and how his position and stance will affect how Woody moves. Success
(...and I am in LOVE with Woody, if I could I would put my name on his ownership in a heartbeat! Perfect temperament, some pretty good confo, and he has a fun personality)
Buh! I am so jealous of you all! In the 3 years that I have been leasing (and as of 3 months ago, owning) horses out here in AZ, my husband has come to the barn TWICE. One of those times was to see the horse I bought :? and hubby was content to pet him once or twice before going home.
He has promised me that one day he will get up on a horse and maybe even learn to ride, but not yet. :wink: What I wouldn't give to be trail buddies!
Yeah I am pretty blessed He loves learning about horses and wants to be able to go on trail rides with me.
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