Buying a baby and breaking it myself

Question
Hi,
I've had experience with lots of horses, but never actually owned one myself (stubborn parents). I'm now at the age where i can buy one myself. I would really like a young one to mould around my preferences. I have however had little experience in breaking a baby from scratch. Would i be wasting my time buying a baby, even if i was willing to put in the hours?

Answer
Hi Stef!

My advice about buying a weanling or young, unbroken horse is two-fold.

First, it is an excellent way to grow and bond with a horse, train him the way you want and end up with a wonderful riding partner.

Second, it takes a long time, is very, very expensive to do correctly and is one of the most complicated things you can do in the horse world.

Now, you have to decide  :-)

Please do not attempt to do this yourself as you have admitted you have no experience and this would only lead to a badly trained baby and you being very frustrated.  Not to mention, in actual danger at the time of breaking.

A professional trainer who has had experience breaking babies in the breed you have purchased is the only way to go.  I need 3 months to correctly break a horse and even after that it is still a long road to the training really "sticking" in their heads.

For a first time horse purchase I recommend an ex-lesson horse or a retired show horse who ALREADY does the activity you want to do.  

Example:  You want to only trail ride.  Buy a horse that has trail ridden for YEARS.  Not an off the track thoroughbred who is cheap but, has never seen anything but a racing track.  Or....you want to show Western Pleasure....buy a horse that has done this successfully but, has been outgrown by the little girl/owner.  Not an ex-jumper from the show circuit who couldn't cut the jumping.  That horse will not understand the tack change and everything else involved in Western riding.

I would stay away from anything that has real difficulties, such as rescues, off the track racehorses and auction horses.  These are better suited to someone with plenty of experience in owning them and can give them a real chance at a happy and productive life.  It's hard to say no when you see those big brown eyes and you want to buy with your heart.  But, often first time owners are really burned by these needier horses and have allot of problems that are even dangerous.

Stay in your price range so you can afford the after care, buy with your head and not your heart and when you do find a real possibility, take a vet or a farrier to confirm your decision.

Good luck and remember to always wear an ATM/SERI approved helmet!

Slanged