Coffee anyone ?

[Mini Horses]

Sadly, your experience, goals and boarding do not make for the best results...for you or the horse. Barrel racing is a skill set for you and your mount, along with a relationship together for optimum results. Physical conditioning is paramount for safety. A horse trained for these events is expensive and generally a spicy ride. You're not ready for that.....and I'm assuming you want to be in some level of competition.

were you watching a rodeo to get this idea? yeah, most start with a nice trail rider and expand their riding from there. Daily care, knowledge of ground manners, handling and knowing their body language signals all need to be learned. These animals are more than taking on a puppy to housebreak.....

Horses are lovely, intelligent partners. I hope you can consider taking up some horse farm visits before any efforts to buy as it will help you greatly in your decision.

 

[Thefarmofdreams]

Goal- ultimately barrel racing. That's a long road though, as I've never done it before. I would probably have to board the horse, we only have 5 acres, one of which is occupied by a cow and the rest is dense woods that lord knows what inhabits, the chickens are close to the house. My specific question is nutrition. I know very little about horse nutrition.

https://www.hoofrehab.com/Diet.html is an amazing nutrition resource! I plan on using it with my guy when I bring him home. There is also a facebook group, if you do FB, "forage based equine nutrition". However, with boarding, you may not have much say in what they eat. It depends on the barn.

I looooooooooove barrel racing. My qh and I lived to run barrels when we were younger. You'll want a horse that enjoys moving out at speed, but that is also super able to stop/be slowed up when needed. (contrary to popular opinion, a complete hot head isn't necessarily a good plan). And you actually want to spend a lot more time doing dressage-like exercises for training- circles, loops, speeding up, slowing down, giving to your leg, impeccable stopping, etc. I love a solid QH type for barrels, but i've seen some amazing barrel horses with all different builds. Sometimes small built wiry horses can spin like a top and weave like nobody's business (they are easy to push around with your weight/leg). Above all, make sure they have the basics before you run, and don't over work barrels (bc they get sour and turn into demons, lol). anyways. i'll get off my soapbox now.

 

[promiseacres]

I have decided (today) that I need a horse. Have I ever owned a horse? No. Have I ever ridden a horse for more than 6 hours a day? No. Could I ride one currently? No. So tips are appreciated!

Lessons!!!! get some horse skills at a good barn before you jump in head first. Horses are lovely but it can be heartbreaking when you get in over your head. Even buying tack takes some experience. A trainer/instructor can help!

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

https://www.hoofrehab.com/Diet.html is an amazing nutrition resource! I plan on using it with my guy when I bring him home. There is also a facebook group, if you do FB, "forage based equine nutrition". However, with boarding, you may not have much say in what they eat. It depends on the barn.

I looooooooooove barrel racing. My qh and I lived to run barrels when we were younger. You'll want a horse that enjoys moving out at speed, but that is also super able to stop/be slowed up when needed. (contrary to popular opinion, a complete hot head isn't necessarily a good plan). And you actually want to spend a lot more time doing dressage-like exercises for training- circles, loops, speeding up, slowing down, giving to your leg, impeccable stopping, etc. I love a solid QH type for barrels, but i've seen some amazing barrel horses with all different builds. Sometimes small built wiry horses can spin like a top and weave like nobody's business (they are easy to push around with your weight/leg). Above all, make sure they have the basics before you run, and don't over work barrels (bc they get sour and turn into demons, lol). anyways. i'll get off my soapbox now.

I was leaning towards arabian. Would this be possible?

 

[Mini Horses]

Arabs are very agile and can excell in many performance events. They do very well in overland distance events, also. As with all breeds, some have better pedigree than others...ancestry matters.

They're my breed choice for their beauty and intelligence. I've been fortunate to own a couple over my riding years. I like a good qtr horse but, way different body.

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

Arabs are very agile and can excell in many performance events. They do very well in overland distance events, also. As with all breeds, some have better pedigree than others...ancestry matters.

They're my breed choice for their beauty and intelligence. I've been fortunate to own a couple over my riding years. I like a good qtr horse but, way different body.

Very good to know! My dad has only ever owned Arabian horses so I wanted a breed he was very familiar with so he could always help me.

 

[Alaskan]

Lessons!!!! get some horse skills at a good barn before you jump in head first. Horses are lovely but it can be heartbreaking when you get in over your head. Even buying tack takes some experience. A trainer/instructor can help!

X2

Start with lessons

That way too you can try out different types/kinds of horses.

I STILL remember to this day, crystal clear, how uh (insert huge embarrassingly large number) many years ago when I was 12-ish I got to ride a retired police horse.

I THOUGHT turn left and he turned left. You barely had to move anything, coolest thing ever.

And SMOOOOOOOOOOTH.

I never road anything like him before or since.

Some horses will jangle out your brains at a walk.

 

[Alaskan]

Very good to know! My dad has only ever owned Arabian horses so I wanted a breed he was very familiar with so he could always help me.

Huh... haven't had one of those...

As a kid we had quarter horses.

As a scout I worked with mixed breed whatever. But mostly "ponies" and quarter horses.

As an adult I had a Caspian, a Percheron, and a quarter horse x Thoroughbred.

That cross broke me. Skin that would get cut, rubbed raw, messed up if you spit at it... hooves that would get bruised if you touched them, and had to be fed "fancy" to keep weight on him. Nice obedient beast...but sheesh!

The Caspian had a fiery side... I would guess like an Arabian, but if you did round pen work first he was fine. He had proper hide and was a super easy keeper. He had a stupid streak though. Every blasted spring he would get excited about the change in temps, and dance all over, and inevitably slip on an ice patch and get himself out of joint. Every spring this horse massage lady would have to come up and rub him back into alignment. 1 to 3 sessions depending on how stupid he had been.

The Percheron was great. A gentle giant, just wouldn't tolerate if you were scared of him. But he had skin like iron, and also an easy keeper.

I would worry that an Arabian would be persnickity with his feed. Easier keepers are.... EASY.

Persnickity feeders are a pain in the rear, so much more work.

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

Huh... haven't had one of those.

Oh you need one. They are the fastest horse I’ve ever been on in my life. It was invigorating! That tail pop too!

 

[farmerjan]

Not to rain on anyone's parade... but am I dreaming or are you expecting @Cecilia's-herd ? And with cows and all , then a new baby???? And not to be a real PITA, but you are how old???? It is a young persons sport.... a very agile, lithe, young girls' sport.... I am just curious where and when you would have time for a horse that will need daily work and time and effort as well as a substantial amount of money in feed and shelter and tack...... I had horses for years, barrel raced as a teen and then after my son was born... there were not enough hours in a day..... and I did not work an outside job..... AND I was accustomed to juggling horse chores with school and work as a teen and then as a newlywed.....
Just thinking you may be having a hormonal reaction rather than a realistic outlook. I spent several hours a day with normal trail riding to condition my mare as well as several days a week doing some ring work and practice runs.
Something to consider. Normal trail riding will even be more difficult with time constraints of a newborn....