Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Your First Horse

Owning a horse can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be equally frustrating or even dangerous. For a new horse owner, the bottom line is this: You want a calm, seasoned equine partner to help you as you learn. 

With that in mind, here are some common pitfalls to avoid when looking for your first horse. 

Don’t buy an OTTB 

OTTB stands for Off-Track Thoroughbred. This means a Thoroughbred horse that was bred and raised as a racehorse. These horses are bred for speed, and little else. In most cases, they receive little to no training in ground manners or general riding. They are rigorously trained to run, and only to run, in one direction (counterclockwise).

This single-direction training is a safety measure; Should a jockey fall off, they don’t want a loose horse to reverse course and crash headlong into oncoming horses. This single-minded, one-track training, combined with their breeding, leads to life-long musculo-skeletal imbalances and a horse who’s default is to gallop as fast as they can, especially when excited or under pressure.

Even if a Thoroughbred wasn’t trained to race, that instinct is literally in their blood. Most thoroughbreds are ‘hot horses’, meaning quick to spook and take off running.

This breed is also notorious for certain health issues including poor feet and recurrent bouts of lameness, (meaning they are unrideable due to foot pain). These foot issues may require expensive corrective shoeing.

Many Thoroughbreds have a harder time maintaining a healthy weight than other breeds. This is also known as being a “hard keeper”. They also have a tendency to colic, a sometimes fatal medical emergency that can occur with little warning. 

A typical OTTB is a high-strung horse that must be painstakingly re-trained and reconditioned by a professional before they are ready for a second life beyond the race track. Even after being re-trained, these horses can revert to their ‘default programming’ in a split second, leaving an inexperienced rider on the ground and in the dust. 

Don’t buy a baby or a green horse

There’s an old saying in the horse world, “Green on green = black and blue”. 

A young horse or untrained horse is referred to as ‘green’. An inexperienced horse owner is likewise, ‘green’. Putting the two together is frequently a recipe for disaster. 

The idea of building a ‘lifetime bond’ with an equine partner you raised or trained yourself is a beautiful dream. However, baby horses and green horses are cheap for a reason. Without the knowledge and experience of working with young and untrained horses, you could not get seriously hurt, but also lead to a horse with bad and dangerous habits.

Training a green horse is a long and delicate process. These horses need an experienced trainer to shape them into safe, reliable and respectful companions.

Sadly, ignorance and inexperienced handling is one reason so many horses end up at rescues or slaughterhouses; These horses are accidentally taught bad habits by experiencing fear, anxiety, and pain at the hands of a well-meaning, but inexperienced handler. Re-training a horse with dangerous habits can be a long and expensive process. Sadly, many horses don’t get that second chance.

Don’t buy a horse with foot or gut issues

Another saying in the horse world is “No hoof no horse”. Without solid healthy feet, a horse is likely not rideable.

There are many types of hoof issues that can cause chronic or recurring bouts of lameness. Today there are advances in farriery (professional horse trimming and shoeing) to correct many issues. However maintaining a horse with hoof issues can become expensive fast.

On average, shoeing a horse costs around $150 every 6 - 8 weeks. Prices vary depending on where you live and the experience level of your farrier. 

Corrective shoeing or trimming requires specialized knowledge and an experienced farrier, which may not be available in your area. This type of shoeing can easily cost upwards of $300 every 6 - 8 weeks.

By contrast, a horse with healthy feet needing only a barefoot trim and no shoes, costs an average of $40 - $60 every 6 - 8 weeks.  In ideal circumstances, your horse may be able to go longer than 8 weeks between trims. A horse with good feet, access to a large turnout, and moving consistently over hard, dry ground can maintain a ‘self-trim’ (similar to mustangs in the wild) and go months without needing a farrier visit.  

Gut pain is also a common reason for horse behavioral problems like bucking, rearing or bolting. New horse owners may not sense the subtle signs of gut pain; It’s often misinterpreted as “attitude problems” rather than pain.  Common gut issues in horses include ulcers, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and a tendency to colic.

Colic is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate action. It may resolve with minimal intervention, (like walking the horse until they pass manure and show an interest in food again) or it may require colic surgery to remove a blockage, at a cost averaging $10,000 or more.

There are many types of colic. Lifestyle, environment, and care factors can increase or decrease the risk of colic. However, some horses and some breeds are simply more prone to colic than others. If you know a certain horse has a history of colic or gut issues, this is not a good choice for a new horse owner. 

Don’t overlook older horses

An older horse can be a great pick for new horse owners. Older horses tend to be calmer and reliable under saddle.

Not all older horses have the benefit of training and experience, but many do. An older horse with a solid level of training and many miles of experience, both on the trail and in different arenas, is a great bet for a new horse owner.

Older horses tend to have more patience and are more forgiving of the kind of mistakes a new horse owner is likely to make. They are also less likely to develop bad or dangerous habits with inexperienced handling.

An older, well-trained horse could save your life by keeping their cool in a sticky situation where a greener horse may react negatively and bolt. An older horse is more likely to give you those moments of peace, calmly and confidently carrying you down the trail, or making you look good in the arena while you’re still trying to figure things out.

Older horses can come with a higher cost of maintenance. They may need more feed or additional supplements to maintain their weight and comfort. They may need more frequent visits from the equine dentist or vet to manage conditions like arthritis or Cushing's disease.

However, they are likely to pay you back with more happy hours in the saddle, building your confidence and ability as a rider. They can be the perfect teacher to prepare you for a younger, more spirited horse when the time comes. 

Don’t buy a rescue

No doubt, it’s hard to pass by a suffering horse in need of a good home. Sadly there are countless horses in this position.

An inexperienced horse person unlikely to have the knowledge and ability to successfully rehabilitate a rescue.

Although many “good” horses find themselves in a bad situation, many more wind up at auction or a rescue due to underlying issues that make them unsafe, or difficult to maintain.

Bottom line: Most horses are ‘rescues’ for a reason. Sometimes that reason is abuse, neglect or simply inexperienced handling that caused them to become dangerous.

Without experience, it's not possible to know the difference between a lost cause, a serious rehab case, or a horse just needing basic care and feeding before they’re ready to ride. A common situation is to rescue an underweight, neglected horse who seems calm, sweet and subdued. However, once that horse gets some much needed calories and regains their weight and fitness level, they are suddenly a much different horse; one with the energy and muscle to act out in ways their rescuer is not prepared to handle. 

Unless you have the space and money for a pasture pet, or the time, money and patience to invest in paying a professional to help rehabilitate a horse (who may not be physically safe and sound to ride even after a sizable investment), it’s best to leave rescuing to the professionals.