Horse Questions!!!

[lexie]

i am thinking of getting a horse.i have a lot of questions to ask. can anyone tell me anything about Appaloosas?is it a lot of money to care for a horse?is it better to get an adult or baby?should i get a male or female?how much room does a horse need?what do i feed them?is an Appaloosa a good pet for a kid?what is a good starter breed?please if any info. doesn't have to be these questions.i am wanting to know anything about horses!!!thanx

[Karen]

You need time and space to care for a horse, and money, too. They are not cheap pets. They need a place to graze, a shelter from the weather, they need their stalls cleaned regularly, lots to eat, and a very strong commitment from the owners. They are also pretty expensive to buy compared with smaller "pets."

You asked if an Appaloosa is a good pet for a "kid" - how old a kid?

[lexie]

3 kids.ages 4,10,11. the care taker will be a 14yr old.that's me.my parents are paying for it all.about how much is it weekly.how much is it to get started supplies,horse,and everything else?

[Uabassoon]

It's really expensive. I used to have a quarter horse when I was younger and he was great, very gentle. My dad has a appaloosa mix, he's a little stubborn. I think you can get a saddle for around $250, think about spending another $100 or so on tack, then another $100+ on food. If you don't have a large enough area, they need a good amount of room, then you may have to rent a stable.
Here's a picture of me with Bubba Pal when I was around 12 or so, the quarter horse.


And here I am 10 years later with the Appaloosa mix

[lexie]

your horses are beautiful! about how much room?is 3-4 acres enough?i may get a job to help with the expences.how much is it weekly for food?thanx,

[Uabassoon]

3 or 4 acres is enough room. I wish I could give you a good estimate on food, but I never really took care of those matter, but I'm thinking about 20 a week. If you are looking at getting a younger horse bake sure that he has already been broken (meaning used to a saddle). If not then an older horse if fine and usually less expensive. Bubba Pal was several years old when my dad bought him for me.

[lexie]

is a mix breed horse less expensive? i live in the city now,but we are looking to move to the country. how long should i have the horse before i can ride? about how many pounds a day do they eat?

[Vermontcat]

For kids I would recommend an older, calmer horse to start with rather than a young untrained one. You may want to lease a horse before you buy one as a trial to see what is involved in taking care of one. Do you or the other kids take riding lessons? Do you plan to keep the horses at your own house or board them somewhere? You should look up local barns and ask them questions about how much it costs since it may vary from area to area. Good luck!

[Vermontcat]

Usually mixed breed horses are less expensive, I assume you just want a backyard horse not a purebred show horse. Here is a site that may help answer some of your questions
www.equinesite.com
It is based in the New England area but it may be helpful for you to see the prices of horses for sale in the classified or to ask horse questions in their horse chat area (Equichat) I hope it helps.

[Dogz]

Yeah... You should get an older horse for younger kids... I got an Appaloosa/Quarter Horse, and she costs a lot of money... She is now 4 years old, but we didn't train her, so she isn't good for children under the age of 11... it would be younger, but she has been around people, so she is decent. I would definetly reccommend an older horse. Maybe one that is even trained... I know that was a hassle for us. If you get a horse that is trained, it will be easier to bond with. Is this your first horse? I learned my lesson to get an older horse for you first horse, but after you have had that horse for a while, and know a little more about what you have to do, then you could get a younger horse, and raise it.
Harley is a mixed breed, but still beautiful.

Hope this helps!

[Dogz]

There are many things that people feed their horses. Here is a list of some stuff and notes.
1. Bran Mash (Good for ill or tired horses/ponies)
2. Hay cubes/pellets (condenced grass)
3. Crushed/Rolled barley (Good fof winter feed)
4. Linseed (Makes coat shine, but is poisonous until it has been cooked.)
5. Suger Beet (Given to a horse that needs to be fattened up. It must be soaked in water overnight first.)
6. Oats (Given in small amounts because it gives a horse too much energy, and make it exitable.)
7 .You can also give your horse a salt lick for extra salt that they lose when they sweat.
8. Stabled horses are sometimes given chopped-up fruits and root vegetables to eat. Make it small enough so your horse dosn't choke.
Carrots
Apples
Rutabaga
Those are some that you can feed your horse.
Also horses eat alphalfa hay, it a hay net or holder. Can be found in feed stores.

There is a book that has all of this information and much more in it:
Superguides Riding bye Lucinda Green (Can be found at www.amazon.com and www.bn.com
Hope this helps!
Dogz

[lexie]

thanks for the help!!! please keep the information comming.
what about... halters,bridals,saddles.when should i put them on? horse shoes,vet bills???
thanx

[Vermontcat]

Here are a couple of other websites that you can do local searches by state to find out more about horses in your area.
www.equine.com
and www.dreamhorse.com

Do you ride at a local stable already? If you do they could answer a lot of your questions about the equipment and food and cost of upkeep in your area. If you don't ride look into visiting some riding places in your area and if you find a horse you like it is important to try it before you buy it so you don't get any surprises!

[lexie]

no i do not ride.i will surly look into it though. i don't know of any though.thanx for the links. what would you say is the most importaint thing about having a horse?thanx

[Vermontcat]

Lets see, the most important thing about having a horse is that they are a big responsibility. They take a lot of time and money for their upkeep but the love that you get back from them is priceless! As my childhood riding teacher used to say "They are like little kids that never grow up, you always have to take care of them day after day." If you are not ready for that responsibility then maybe you should board it at a barn that takes care of the housing, feeding, vet care etc. I don't want to discourage you, just want you to know what you are getting into.