Buying a Horse
Lesson 1: The Initial Considerations
Most Popular Breeds
There are many different breeds of horses, too many to list in their entirety within this course. So what we'll do instead is to take a quick look at the top ten breeds of the horse world.
The Appaloosa - The Appaloosa has four distinct characteristics that set it apart from other breeds. These are:
- Coat pattern
- Mottled skin
- White sclera (the white of the eye) and
- Striped hooves.
The Arabian - These breathtaking equines are particularly well known for their endurance ability. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the Arabian is that he does not reach his prime until around 20 years of age. Arabians have been known to live past 30 years of age.
The Morgan - Named after Justin Morgan a Massachusetts teacher, the Morgan is noted for its sure-footedness, stamina and smooth comfortable riding gaits.
The American Paint Horse - Paints have three distinct color patterns:
The American Quarter Horse - Why Quarter Horse? Because a QH can run record-breaking speed over a ΒΌ of a mile. They can run faster in a short distance than any other breed.
The Racking Horse - Similar to the Tennessee Walker, the Racking Horse is known for its "single-foot" gait. A natural smooth gait that is a truly comfortable ride.
The American Saddlebred - The American Saddlebred considered the equine's world "best kept secret." This is a man-made breed, bred for its comfortable ride and stamina.
The Tennessee Walker - Walkers are famous for three gaits:
- The flat foot walk
- The running walk and
- The canter.
These gaited horses are much sought after for therapeutic riding.
The Thoroughbred - These horses have a inborn need to run, which is why we see them on the racetrack. Often spirited, the Thoroughbred is a handsome horse that can cover a lot of ground very quickly.
So which breed would best suit you? Let's take a look.
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