If you are looking to get a horse, but don’t really know what to look for, we can help you out!
In my last post, I discussed 10 breeds that I would recommend to a beginner or novice rider. Because the horse you decide to get might not be on that list, I wanted to help some readers see that some breeds aren’t very good for a novice or beginner to own and ride.
These are the 5 Horse Breeds Beginners Should Avoid:
5. Thoroughbreds
Though I will say that there are many Thoroughbreds out there that are calm and relaxed, most of them really are not.
Thoroughbreds, especially those retired from a racing career, are not the best fit for novice riders and horse owners. The reasons I wouldn’t recommend a Thoroughbred, especially an OTTB, to a beginner include:
- These horses tend to be spooky
- They can get to be too fast, especially those who previously raced
- Many OTTB’s need to be trained to become riding horses
- These horses are known to be kind of fragile and for some reason are more prone to injury than other horses
- Anxiety is a common issue with Thoroughbreds
- These horses often have trouble standing still and can develop stable vices
For these reasons, I would stay away from Thoroughbreds, especially OTTB’s, unless you stumble upon a miraculously good one.
4. Akhal-Tekes
Like the Thoroughbred, the Akhal Teke is a spicy breed of horse who falls into the hotblood category. This breed, originally from Turkmenistan, is a breed who even the most skilled horsemen will stay away from.
Not only is this breed hard to handle on the ground, they can be even more firey in the sadde. For beginners, I wouldn’t recommend this breed for the following reasons:
- These horses are very temperamental and spirited
- They are difficult to handle under saddle and they take an experienced hand and years of training to get them to a manageable level
- Akhal Tekes are fast and fiery animals that even I wouldn’t want to ride
Before you even consider going with this breed, I would try something a little more mellow and tame.
3. Mustangs
A mustang is a wild horse off of the North American plains. Every so often, the Bureau of Land Management will hire people to round up hundreds of these horses before auctioning them off.
Mustangs, unless they have been completely trained, are very wild animals who haven’t ever been touched by a human hand.
I would stay away from these horses for the following reasons:
- They don’t know humans and don’t trust them
- It takes an experienced person to tame one of these horses and earn their trust
- Many mustangs are distrusting and temperamental
- Even trained mustangs are often cautious of people and tend to be spooky
Unless these horses are naturally mellow and have been trained completely by a professional, I would probably go with a different breed as a first horse.
2. Andalusians
An Andalusian is a remarkable horse who stars in dressage and other fancy riding disciplines. These horses, though warmblooded, tend to be very difficult to handle, and need a strong, experienced rider to ride and train them.
The reasons I would most definitely steer clear of Andalusians include:
- The fact that these horses have a fiery attitude
- They need an experienced rider and handler
- They are generally used for high levels of competition
- Generally these horses don’t do well with an amateur rider
For these reasons, I would steer clear of Andalusians.
1. Friesians
Friesians are huge, gorgeous black horses who are famous for their beauty and majestic appearance.
Though these horses are beautiful and it would be an honor to own one, I wouldn’t ever recommend a friesian to a beginner rider or a first time horse owner. The reasons for this are:
- Friesians are huge horses who take a strong, capable rider to handle them
- They sometimes are too much horse for even adult, experienced riders to handle
- They can be very intimidating because of their size and their fiery temperament
- They often act like hotblooded horses (like Thoroughbreds, Arabians, and Akhal Tekes) making them even more difficult
I absolutely love Friesians, but for those reasons listed above, I just couldn’t ever recommend this breed to a new rider.