Beginners looking for their first horse are best served by breeds that exhibit calm temperaments and are straightforward to train. In general, geldings tend to be preferred over mares as they’re less likely to react unexpectedly when startled by unexpected situations.
Thoroughbreds, Arabians and Akhal-Teke horses can all be high-strung and energetic breeds; Mustangs can become aggressive if mishandled.
Thoroughbreds
Thoroughbred horses have become synonymous with racing success, yet beginners should be wary. Their high energy and tendency to buck are hazardous riding traits which could result in serious injuries for both horse and rider.
Thoroughbreds, originally developed to race, possess larger hearts and lungs than other breeds, enabling them to sustain high-intensity exercise for longer. As they’re smart and intuitive animals, they can detect when their owners don’t understand what they are doing; this may make it hard for beginner owners to control them effectively.
Stallions tend to be more aggressive than mares and can be unpredictable and dangerous to novice riders. This is especially true of race stallions that have never left the track, which makes choosing one as your first horse an enormous mistake – as even one trained for racing could bite or kick when being used off track! For novice riders starting out it may be best to purchase a more mellow and less likely to kick or bite gelding instead of an aggressive stallion as their first mount.
Arabians
Arabian horses are legendary for their endurance and stamina. Not only can they excel as racehorses, but they’re also highly suitable for dressage and working ranch tasks. Arabians have incredible endurance across challenging terrain, making them easy to ride thanks to their ground-covering gaits.
Arabian horses have a gentle temperament and make great beginner rides, naturally safe around children and offering gentle rides for novice riders. When buying an Arabian, however, be wary of purchasing an uncastrated adult male (stallion), as they can become moodier and harder to control than mares; also keep in mind that these horses may buck when startled so may not be suitable.
Even though they’re not the ideal horse breed for beginners, Quarter horses make an excellent choice for experienced riders. Their intelligence allows them to easily pick up good habits quickly while simultaneously developing bad ones; so proper training must be practiced if one wishes for success with this breed.
Noting the differences in each horse breed and upbringing, and their personality more than breed, it is essential that novice riders avoid those with wild characteristics like Akhal-Teke – one of the more challenging breeds to ride.
Mustangs
Mustangs may be beautiful and strong horses, but novice riders often struggle with training them. Their stubborn nature makes training them difficult – for instance they often resist bridling. Additionally, Mustangs tend to be high-strung which makes them dangerous when handling for new riders; furthermore they can become aggressive if threatened or confused; therefore it is imperative that pecking orders and hierarchies are established between themselves and them in order to establish peace among both parties involved.
Faroese, Akhal-Teke and Shire horses are some of the worst horse breeds for beginners, due to their stubborn personalities and difficulty training them. Furthermore, Faroese are endangered as breeding them is often not possible and finding suitable homes can be hard.
Beginners should consider getting a gelding as their first horse rather than a mare due to its temperamental characteristics and heat cycles that may be difficult for beginners to understand. Furthermore, an 8 year-old or older gelding will have had more experience dealing with people and riding, thus helping avoid it becoming unruly and potentially hazardous to both itself and the rider.
Akhal-Teke
The Akhal-Teke, native to Turkmenistan, is an elegant horse breed that excels at withstanding harsh conditions. These horses make ideal partners for nomads as they could effortlessly cross long deserts; however, beginners may find them challenging as these horses tend to form strong bonds with only one rider and may bite or kick back if threatened by another rider.
This breed is sleek and athletic, with flowing strides that give them the impression they are floating above the ground. Their skin is thin, while their coats boast metallic sheen due to hollow hair shafts; gold hues are most frequently seen among this species. Furthermore, due to not possessing dense bones like other horses they tend to sweat heavily during exercise due to being light boned and thus producing sweat as a natural outcome of physical exertion.
SENETIR and OLIVA were the first purebred Akhal-Tekes imported to the United States through an auction held in Moscow in 1978. Sired by Peren Line stallion Prince Peren and Arab Line mare Oliva respectively. She became famous as Absent’s dam who won Olympic gold for Prix de Dressage competition at Rome during 1960 Summer Olympic games with Sergei Filatov as his rider.
Shires
Shire horses are known for being large breeds, making it hard for beginners to manage them. While their gentle temperament may make riding easier for some riders, their intimidating appearance may cause others to lose interest and leave riding altogether – not great news for either horse nor their rider! Additionally, their height makes mounting them difficult.
The Shire was named for rural counties of England known as “shires.” These large, powerful draft horses were commonly used in agriculture and heavy hauling activities as well as warfare; due to their ability to safely carry heavily armored soldiers while remaining calm during battle.
Shire horses make great parade horses, but are more commonly ridden for sport and pleasure. Shires can be trained for dressage, eventing and jumping as well as working cattle, police work, search-and-rescue operations. Like all draft horses, Shires may suffer from Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM). This condition causes muscle tissue to build up glycogen deposits which impede movement leading to stiffness, sweating and tremors that may be exacerbated by exercise or stress – it is therefore vitally important that your vet checks your horses regularly, particularly young horses.
Percheron
Percherons, like any horse breed, vary greatly and might not be ideal for every beginning rider or child. But Percherons tend to be gentle and willing workers that are easy to train regardless of size, with many even offering one-legged mounting capability without dismounting first – qualities which make this horse ideal for beginner riders and children.
The Percheron is a large, sturdy draft horse originating in France that was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries for its strength and stamina. They were often used for pulling carriages or sleigh rides – they even appeared in parades such as at Disneyland where they pulled Cinderella’s coach! Unfortunately, as cars replaced horses the Percheron population slowly declined until Amish farmers kept it alive – now popular choices for recreational horseback riding or training purposes.
Percherons can come in various colors – typically grey, but also sometimes black, roans or sorrel. They require ample pasture space as well as a spacious stall, along with regular veterinary care and hoof trimming; additionally they may need supplements tailored specifically to their size as well as special diet advice from their veterinarian. Please reach out for further advice regarding breed requirements.
Trakehners
Experienced riders make horseback riding look effortless, while novice riders may struggle to handle its demands. When searching for a suitable beginner horse it is essential to consider factors such as its age, training level and demeanor; horses aged 8 years or more have more human interaction experience and will more readily forgive mistakes made by novice riders.
The Trakehner warmblood breed has long been a fixture at Olympic competitions since 1920 and remains an outstanding choice for dressage and jumping disciplines. This elegant breed exudes nobility with its refined head adorned with large eyes and small muzzle, long and elegant neck and balanced shoulders that help facilitate balance and nobility.
Trakehners are strong horses that can quickly overwhelm riders without prior horse experience. Because these breeds require greater body strength to control, as well as having lots of spirit they may be difficult to manage for novice riders. Therefore, Trakehners may not be suitable for beginner riders due to their temperament and size – for the best experience for newcomers the best horse breed should have a more gentle temperament that makes managing easier.