[Lovehorsesandrunning]

I Need a Horse, And im getting one during the summer( most likly) But like i really really really really really really want a rescue horse, because it makes me sad someone would abuse a horse. So i think i should rescue one. The one i actually want is a 16 hh Chestnut TB hes 7 years old, is there anything different i need to look for in him thats different than a regular healthy horse?

My baby(;( i want)

 

[PaintsPwn]

Well first off - what's your experience level? If it's next to none, rescue is probably not the way to go. What do you want the horse to do?

 

[Lovehorsesandrunning]

Oh yes right, IM pretty experienced. Ive ridden English since about 2nd Grade, Ive galopped and jumped up to 2.6.. I plan to trail ride ALOT and do bareback a lot and jump

 

[equiniphile]

Sam, stay away from the TBs. After all, you've only ridden in lessons from 2nd thru 5th grade and tbs can be spirited when they want to be. Try a different rescue, a warmblood or a warmblood mix. and I thought you said you've never galloped though....? *confused* lol

 

[churumbeque]

The horse you have pictured could have many health problems from lack of diet and worming. Lack of nutrients while growing and worms make them more prone to colic. If you have the funds and realize it may not live up to your expectations in the health dept than it would be honorable thing to do escpecailly if you can keep them at home and watch them. If I was boarding I would think twice about it as it would be harder to also get another horse if needed.

 

[Lovehorsesandrunning]

Typo. ive jumped 2 foot 6 but i havnt galloped purposly. i had 4ish years of lessons

 

[Lovehorsesandrunning]

Yea.. ive moved on to some other horses..okay well my computers retarded and wont let mye copy paste the picture.. oh well hes a dark bay QH i think 14.2 hands. idk i just feel bad for rescue horses

 

[rocky pony]

Bring a respectable trainer. If you've been working with the same trainer for awhile, maybe ask him/her if he/she can come. Some trainers charge and some don't. But definitely, definitely have a trainer see any horse you're thinking of buying.

And a vet check would be good if you can afford it. Any horse can have a health issue that isn't obvious. An experienced trainer should be able to spot some things, but not everything. At the very least, I can't stress enough, bring a trainer.

Be careful about underweight horses because sometimes they are calm and relaxed when they are underweight and then wind up being maniacs once you get weight on them. My horse was underweight and wormy and he was like a statue, but when he started to get healthy his energy level definitely raised considerably. Thankfully I do have the experience for the energy that he has, and he didn't end up in the hands of someone much less experienced like the seller intended.
I can't think of any way to be able to tell for sure if this will happen, so it's mostly something to be aware of. If the horse is severely underweight and still has a bit of spunk, you may want to move on. I tend to think that his spirits should somewhat reflect his physical condition, as sad at that is.

It may be best to avoid "hotter" breeds like TBs and lean more towards something like a QH like you last mentioned, or a Warmblood cross like the above poster mentioned. There are some great, very calm TBs out there but not many, and for the reason listed above, it may be safer to steer away from breeds more likely to burst out once you get them healthy.


With all of that said, good luck! Congratulations on your future new horse! It really is great that you're going to rescue. =)

 

[rosiesmum]

I can understand why you want a rescue horse, my horse had been starved for 8 years before I got her and I only had to pay £100 for her, she's the best thing ever, however i its a lot different having lessons and owning a horse so its best to go with the safer option of buying a reliable first horse

 

[dressagexlee]

Rescue horses are not always abused (An actual abused horse is a whole different story; they are emotionally fragile, skeptical, and often very explosive). A rescue can also be a neglected horse, a horse that has been surrendered by it's previous owners (for financial reasons, etcetera), or other situations where it's previous living conditions did not fit it's needs. You can actually find well-schooled rescues.
If you want to bring along a green (or green rescue) horse, do so under the guidence of a coach. Buy a prospect in good condition that is suitable for you and approved by said coach.
Just because you've ridden all the gaits and jumped high, doesn't mean you can train horses. Especially not an abused rescue. Young/green horses in general require endless patience, and knowledge.

Let me speak from personal experiences:
I spent my first four years in Pony Club; my trainers credited me for being "one of the best" and "effective". You know what I found out after I quit and started on real riding?
I couldn't handle anything besides bomb-proof lesson horses.
Freddy is the first horse that has really tested my effectiveness, my patience, and me in general. He's big, flighty, and he plays mind-games you. He's always ready to put up a fight or play if you let your guard down or aggravate him.
I knew nothing useful for training horses:
The first time I got on a green horse, it really showed just how much I would've needed to know if I had continued with him. Sure, I could trot Czar around sort-of balanced for the whole ride. But, I had no clue what to do next with him. What about everything else? And Czar was a calm horse.
All of this was undertaken with experienced coaches.
The biggest reminders of my family's mistakes and inexperience are sitting out in the field. Unrideable, unsellable, and eating holes in our wallets and hearts.
Another example is a girl at my barn. She has gained all of her experience on one horse. A well-schooled and seasoned jumper with an honest attitude. She competed up to 3'9" with that horse, did second level dressage as well. She sold him last year, and bought a well started three year-old warmblood prospect from a good home. Since then, she has been in hospital after being kicked in the face, the horse is an absolute wreck with lameness issues, and both horse and rider's confidence is shattered. She's just starting to realize it now, but the damage has already been done to the horse, and I don't think he'll ever be the same.

Do yourself and horses (because it's not just you that will suffer if you screw-up, it's the horse as well) a favour. Either buy or lease a school-master, go to a barn that will offer lessons and lesson horses, or even ask a trainer if they would allow and guide you through working with a green horse.
So, the bottom line is this: If you really think you are ready to take on a horse, if you are ready to take care of it, ready to pay for the vet bills, the boarding and trainer fees, feeding fees, insurance, equipment, and everything else, then do so.
I'm not trying to sound intimidating or insulting, but a horse is not the same as a goldfish or a rodent. They require a huge amount of care and money. Think of it as having a human baby to take care of. They don't live for only a few years, and they aren't easy to sell or give away if no longer wanted.

 

[rocky pony]

Very good points made by the above poster.
But assuming that you are certain that you can get a horse, again, be sure that you bring a trainer that knows your skills because they will know what you can and can't handle.

My rescue was never abused, just neglected. He was thrown into a pasture with too many more aggressive horses and being a hard-to-keep TB he just didn't do well, and the horse dealer that had him was too busy with her millions of other horses to notice. =/
Come selling time she had an underweight, ratty-looking, filthy, wormy thing to try to pass off to someone else. She was too busy to even try to clean the poor thing up. They were both lucky I came along.
But he has a wonderful mind. He was a bit off for awhile when I brought him home just because he was so unhealthy, but pretty quickly he came out of his shell and it's pretty clear that he's never been really physically mistreated by anybody.

 

[Lovehorsesandrunning]

Thanks? I didnt plan on buying a greene horse. i plan on buying a 10 to 15 year old horse experienced on trails. i know how dangorous horses are but you have to take chances with the things you love right? but thanks

 

[justsambam08]

Thanks? I didnt plan on buying a greene horse. i plan on buying a 10 to 15 year old horse experienced on trails.

So then why go with a rescue? Even just the ones who have been surrendered by owners for lack of funds often have so much baggage that come with them. Feeling sorry for them is not a legitimate reason to limit yourself to the "rescue horse" category, nor is not wanting to spend a lot of money. Usually the less money you spend on a horse, the more difficult and time-consuming its going to be to get where you want to be, riding wise.

If you want a 10-15 year old horse, thats PERFECT, thats the age where they've gotten all of their baby brains out, but they can still be molded to a certain extent. Widen your search criteria, when you go out looking at a prospect just have in mind "trail horse" if thats what you're looking for.....don't think of breed or gender or how much they cost, because you never know what may come along.

 

[equiniphile]

If you want a 10-15 year old horse, thats PERFECT, thats the age where they've gotten all of their baby brains out, but they can still be molded to a certain extent. Widen your search criteria, when you go out looking at a prospect just have in mind "trail horse" if thats what you're looking for.....don't think of breed or gender or how much they cost, because you never know what may come along.

good advice here

 

[LadyDreamer]

If you are interested in a rescue, you should look at the available horses at Saddlebred Rescue Inc. The horses at Saddlebred Rescue are worked regularly, trained, used in lesson programs, often are broke to drive, and they will tell you anything about him. They are tested, tried, and evaluated thoroughly. I would have no hesitation at taking the word of SBR.

Just glancing through their available horses ( Saddlebred Rescue Angel Network - An American Saddlebred Rescue Tale ), I would look at Power Ranger, Princess Fiona sounds sweet, Rosie is just lovely, and there are quite a few others that would be nice to have.

What is great is many of the SBR supporters will help arrange the most economical shipping for those adopters who need it.

 

[dressagexlee]

You posted a picture of a seven year-old emaciated thoroughbred and called it "your baby" and that you really wanted it. So obviously when you say you want that sort of horse, I'm going to formulate my reply based a the little amount of facts that I've been given.

Thanks? I didnt plan on buying a greene horse. i plan on buying a 10 to 15 year old horse experienced on trails. i know how dangorous horses are but you have to take chances with the things you love right? but thanks

There's a difference between taking a risk versus walking into danger.

But it's good that you are now looking for a schooled horse in it's prime. This decision shows maturity on your part. And I'm sure that you will find "the horse" for you.
Just remember, you don't have to jump out and buy/rescue the first horse that strikes your fancy. Make well reasoned and well guided decisions that will benefit both you and the the horse, and don't settle for something that you aren't sure about. If the horse does something that makes you feel scared or overpowered, don't buy. If the person who is selling seems dishonest, don't buy. And get a vet check before you buy; this is something I can't stress enough. I learned the hard way when I bought Otis.

 

[SydLovesJackers]

if you ever decide you don't want him, horsetopia.com has a lot of horses. Good luck

 

[Kayty]

After reading your other thread, I must admitt I closed my eyes and took a deep breath when I came across this one.
You are 13 years old, you are NOT experienced, riding a couple of lessons horses is not experienced, experienced is riding many different horses of different abilities, educating them, re-training them, staying on their bronc sessions etc. I have worked for 2 dealers in the past, riding up to 5 'turn over' horses a day (often picked up from the doggers because they were notorious buckers or similar), ottb's, spelling racehorses, breakers, and then the edicated horses, I've started with 3 year old and taken them up the levels to elementary/medium dressage and sold them on. And I do not, by any means, consider myself an experienced rider.
Even now, looking for a horse, I am looking for something above all else, quiet, as well as being able to move and have ability for the higher levels of dressage, I do not, by any means, consider myself an 'experienced' rider enough so to take on a rescue case or similar.

The dream of taking on a resuce is great, you're going to take it on, feed it up, develop an amazing unbreakable bond with it because you saved it's life, then it will let you and only you ride it, doing absolutely everything and winning every competition you enter. Of course thats the dream, but it's far from reality.

Rescue's may be cheap to buy outright. but the financial outlay to maintain them is enormous!!!! First you'll need the vet bills, and generally, with a horse so severely under weight there will be substantial medical issues needing to be addressed and treated, often taking months to fully recover. The feed will be a huge expense, PARTICUARLY if you get a tb, 90% of tb's are not good doers, and it takes a hell of a lot of food, lots of experimenting with different types of feeds, and a lot of knowledge of the mineral needs of a horse to keep it going. You need to know what vitamins/minerals are lacking from the diet, often done by a blood test (again, $$$$$$) and you need to feed accordingly. You can't just go stuffing a resuce full of as much food as it will eat, you will probably kill it. Conditioning takes time, months to years in fact.

Another issue, as someone addressed above, is that a horse maybe dead quiet when they are skinny and unwell, but once you start feeding them and getting them fit, they can turn into explosive horror heads and you start to get an understanding of why they ended up where they did in the first place.

I really do think that a lease would be your best option at the moment. I know it sounds all nice and fairy tale to be 'saving' a horse, but what about your own life? If you're not experienced enough to manage a rescue case, it's very likely that you will end up putting yourself off horses because you will lose your confidence when the horse starts to find his feel and feed good again. And it will possibly end up exactly where he came from.
A lease would be the logical, intelligent way to approach your entry into horse ownership. You don't need to pay for the horse outright and you may not even need to pay for the full upkeep of the horse either depending on the contract. And if you don't get on with the horse, you don't need to go through the stress of selling it, you can just give it back.
Think with your head, not your heart. That's the way to go when dealing with horses.

 

[Jessabel]

after reading your other thread, i must admitt i closed my eyes and took a deep breath when i came across this one.
You are 13 years old, you are not experienced, riding a couple of lessons horses is not experienced, experienced is riding many different horses of different abilities, educating them, re-training them, staying on their bronc sessions etc. I have worked for 2 dealers in the past, riding up to 5 'turn over' horses a day (often picked up from the doggers because they were notorious buckers or similar), ottb's, spelling racehorses, breakers, and then the edicated horses, i've started with 3 year old and taken them up the levels to elementary/medium dressage and sold them on. And i do not, by any means, consider myself an experienced rider.
Even now, looking for a horse, i am looking for something above all else, quiet, as well as being able to move and have ability for the higher levels of dressage, i do not, by any means, consider myself an 'experienced' rider enough so to take on a rescue case or similar.

The dream of taking on a resuce is great, you're going to take it on, feed it up, develop an amazing unbreakable bond with it because you saved it's life, then it will let you and only you ride it, doing absolutely everything and winning every competition you enter. Of course thats the dream, but it's far from reality.

Rescue's may be cheap to buy outright. But the financial outlay to maintain them is enormous!!!! First you'll need the vet bills, and generally, with a horse so severely under weight there will be substantial medical issues needing to be addressed and treated, often taking months to fully recover. The feed will be a huge expense, particuarly if you get a tb, 90% of tb's are not good doers, and it takes a hell of a lot of food, lots of experimenting with different types of feeds, and a lot of knowledge of the mineral needs of a horse to keep it going. You need to know what vitamins/minerals are lacking from the diet, often done by a blood test (again, $$$$$$) and you need to feed accordingly. You can't just go stuffing a resuce full of as much food as it will eat, you will probably kill it. Conditioning takes time, months to years in fact.

Another issue, as someone addressed above, is that a horse maybe dead quiet when they are skinny and unwell, but once you start feeding them and getting them fit, they can turn into explosive horror heads and you start to get an understanding of why they ended up where they did in the first place.

I really do think that a lease would be your best option at the moment. I know it sounds all nice and fairy tale to be 'saving' a horse, but what about your own life? If you're not experienced enough to manage a rescue case, it's very likely that you will end up putting yourself off horses because you will lose your confidence when the horse starts to find his feel and feed good again. And it will possibly end up exactly where he came from.
A lease would be the logical, intelligent way to approach your entry into horse ownership. You don't need to pay for the horse outright and you may not even need to pay for the full upkeep of the horse either depending on the contract. And if you don't get on with the horse, you don't need to go through the stress of selling it, you can just give it back.
Think with your head, not your heart. That's the way to go when dealing with horses.

^^^ yes!

 

[I love Arabs]

After reading your other thread, I must admitt I closed my eyes and took a deep breath when I came across this one.
You are 13 years old, you are NOT experienced, riding a couple of lessons horses is not experienced, experienced is riding many different horses of different abilities, educating them, re-training them, staying on their bronc sessions etc. I have worked for 2 dealers in the past, riding up to 5 'turn over' horses a day (often picked up from the doggers because they were notorious buckers or similar), ottb's, spelling racehorses, breakers, and then the edicated horses, I've started with 3 year old and taken them up the levels to elementary/medium dressage and sold them on. And I do not, by any means, consider myself an experienced rider.
Even now, looking for a horse, I am looking for something above all else, quiet, as well as being able to move and have ability for the higher levels of dressage, I do not, by any means, consider myself an 'experienced' rider enough so to take on a rescue case or similar.

The dream of taking on a resuce is great, you're going to take it on, feed it up, develop an amazing unbreakable bond with it because you saved it's life, then it will let you and only you ride it, doing absolutely everything and winning every competition you enter. Of course thats the dream, but it's far from reality.

Rescue's may be cheap to buy outright. but the financial outlay to maintain them is enormous!!!! First you'll need the vet bills, and generally, with a horse so severely under weight there will be substantial medical issues needing to be addressed and treated, often taking months to fully recover. The feed will be a huge expense, PARTICUARLY if you get a tb, 90% of tb's are not good doers, and it takes a hell of a lot of food, lots of experimenting with different types of feeds, and a lot of knowledge of the mineral needs of a horse to keep it going. You need to know what vitamins/minerals are lacking from the diet, often done by a blood test (again, $$$$$$) and you need to feed accordingly. You can't just go stuffing a resuce full of as much food as it will eat, you will probably kill it. Conditioning takes time, months to years in fact.

Another issue, as someone addressed above, is that a horse maybe dead quiet when they are skinny and unwell, but once you start feeding them and getting them fit, they can turn into explosive horror heads and you start to get an understanding of why they ended up where they did in the first place.

I really do think that a lease would be your best option at the moment. I know it sounds all nice and fairy tale to be 'saving' a horse, but what about your own life? If you're not experienced enough to manage a rescue case, it's very likely that you will end up putting yourself off horses because you will lose your confidence when the horse starts to find his feel and feed good again. And it will possibly end up exactly where he came from.
A lease would be the logical, intelligent way to approach your entry into horse ownership. You don't need to pay for the horse outright and you may not even need to pay for the full upkeep of the horse either depending on the contract. And if you don't get on with the horse, you don't need to go through the stress of selling it, you can just give it back.
Think with your head, not your heart. That's the way to go when dealing with horses.

^^^ Well said!!