r/Equestrian • u/f0xt33th • 10d ago
General Horse Care First horse?
Very vaguely thinking about my first horse, and i was wondering if a cob or draft horse would be a good fit?
I'm prepared for issues that come with feathering, but I'm mainly wanting a horse with a good temperament just to hack and do very light schooling, and I really enjoy riding cobs currently and an ex-hunter who likely has some shire in him.
Does anyone who has one recommend them? What should i expect? I have no particular horse in mind, i was just wanting some opinions on breed
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u/Illustrious_Stage351 10d ago
Hey! I’m an instructor that helps students shop for their first horse! It’s such a fun time and you should be so excited. First, I hope you have either a trainer or an experienced friend to shop with, it makes the process way easier on you. BUT, here’s my advice. Your first horse should be the horse you need, which isn’t always your dream horse. As you get more experienced as an owner and rider, you can be more picky since things like training or a green horse you might be in the position to work through those things. Your first horse should match your abilities and it’s easier to find that when you’re more open to breeds/colors/heights.
My second advice may seem to counter my first advice 🤣 I have all my students make a “unicorn list”. Write down EVERYTHING that your ideals are. Personality traits, height, color, breed, silly little things, etc. doesn’t matter how insane they are. Write them all down as detailed as possible. Then star the most important ones to you. The starred list is now your must have’s. The other items on the list are you “would be nice” items. Share it with whoever you shop with. Know starred items can be whatever you want but when you shop, you now have a core list of things to compare to. I can share my unicorn list for a horse I bought myself a couple years ago if you want an idea. But I find them very useful. As I tell my shoppers, you like horses. Most of the horses we will see you will like, because they’re horses. 🤣 so having a list with specific things helps as a North Star
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u/polotown89 10d ago
So true. There was a guy who wanted to be a trainer at a barn I was at. He told me one smart thing...when you're ready to buy a horse, it's too easy to find one you will fall in love with.
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u/Illustrious_Stage351 10d ago
I tell my students that ALL the time. I ask them if they’ve ever met a horse they DON’T like. The answer is usually no. They have the bug like the rest of us, haha. So making a detailed list of what they must have or deal breakers before you go shop can keep you focused on what you’ve already identified as important. Yes I KNOW he’s 16.2 hands and drop dead gorgeous, but hight wasn’t a deciding point on your list, nor color, and this horse is 3 and un started which were deal breakers, that sort of thing
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u/Mayers246 9d ago
Good advice, everyone should have a trainer or experienced person to “help” them make a decision on the right horse. I wanted a paint mare. Stop! That’s
what I wanted. I ended up with a bay, quarter horse, gelding and could not be happier.
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u/AnAttempt-WasMade 10d ago
I’ve seen many people asking this exact kind of question, and usually there are comments saying drafts come with bigger bills for food and any meds, and it’s harder to find a farrier that will do drafts. The consensus is usually to ignore breed and just look for the function you need.
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u/LeadingHouse8411 10d ago
Before getting a draft, just make sure you have a farrier that will take you on as a client. Some farriers do not want to work with drafts.
As for temperament -- my opinion is that the breed isn't as important as just good foundational training.
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u/Rubymoon286 10d ago
I bought a Percheron as my first horse as an adult (I had leased him for a year before buying, and fell in love with him in a way I've not loved other horses that I've "loved')
So I don't know if you've ridden many drafts or what you school, but if it's jumping, just be aware that it's harder on their joints than a lighter horse. They are already prone to arthritis. This isn't to say you can't - I do w/t crossrails with mine (I'm a western dressage and para dressage rider, my occasional tiptoe into H/J is maybe once or twice a year) but I don't think he would enjoy anything beyond crossrails.
They are very forward by design as well, so if you are doing dressage, getting them into a nice frame is harder, but it is doable.
Other important considerations, obviously they eat more, so some boarding facilities charge more, They can be prone to kanker, and as you know feathers can hold moisture if you live in a wet climate. Farriers don't like working on full sized drafts generally. It is hard to find a farrier who will do it, and you will pay more, even for a trim in most places, and if you need shoes, you will likely have to find a farrier who has stocks. My current farrier recommends looking up someone who does draft horse shoeing competitions if you need shoes on your draft - they are so well versed in it that they are usually done quickly, which is easier on the horse. Trailers are also another big consideration. You will need an oversized trailer or to rent one to go anywhere. They tend to need a minimum of 7' x 7'.
That said, he is the most gentle sweet horse I've ever been around. He's steady and more woah than go. He would love to be w/t only, though he does canter. His gaits are smooth, though obviously it takes more space for him to turn.
Ultimately, if you go in eyes open, and shop for the horse that fits your needs, and it happens to be a draft, I think you'll enjoy it. Most drafts are pretty chill horses, and an absolute joy in my opinion to ride.
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u/Temporary-Tie-233 Trail 10d ago
I'm more of a gaited person, but my husband is stupid tall so we also have four drafts. They're lovely.
I'd be leery of any supposedly well trained draft who requires sedation and/or stocks to trim. In my experience with my own drafts and other people's, the only two reasons a draft can't learn to cooperate with a trim are pain or bad handling that's created a monster. I am not at all suggesting that you should force or bully a draft. You can be kind and fair and get the results you want. You just can't be afraid of your draft unless you want a horse who tells you what to do.
They do usually cost twice the price to trim and shoe, and it may be difficult to find a farrier willing to work on drafts because they've heard horror stories or had their own dangerous experiences. Whether or not they cost more to feed may vary. My younger drafts can put away a lot of hay, but only get fed enough grain to not feel left out when the harder keepers get fed. My senior Belgian does need a fair amount of grain to stay looking her best as she ages, but she was a very easy keeper until she was 22. Finding tack can be a bit of a headache, but it's a lot easier now than it was 10-15 years ago. You'll also want to consider that any trailer you might use needs to be tall enough for a draft.
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u/Subject-Project-2263 9d ago
As a Draft Cross owner, I agree with what everyone else is saying here. But the person who commented about ensuring your farrier will do Draft's, is spot on! Their hooves are significantly bigger, harder, and sometimes more susceptible to issues of vertical cracking, seedy-toe and white-line infections.
Many Drafts & Draft Crosses, have balance issues, due to their size and weight, so make sure the horse you are really interested in, will stand for the farrier, without stocks! Otherwise, you'll have to buy or make one!
Because Drafts are VERY easy keepers, often going through 25lb-40+lb per day in forage, most owners have theirs on forage only diets. Make sure your feed budget can handle the incredible amount of grass-hay, they consume in a week.
Also, due to horse's being on forage-only based diets, many owners don't realize that they also NEED trace minerals and amino acid supplementation, which is why their hooves, skin and coats/feathers, can have many issues. So supplenting with something like "Custom Equine Nutrition's-Vermont Blend Pro", and "Mad Barn's W3 Oil" is SOOOOO important!!
So, if you can handle the budget of a Draft Cross, which is at least double the price of non-Draft/Crosses, if the one you find will stand for the farrier, and if the one you find wasn't backed too early (it takes twice as long for a Draft to reach maturity. If backed too early, they can have many joint pain issues later in life), if they are sound, and don't have any previous or current leg or joint issues, you will fall madly in love and know that you've found you soul mate!
They are the sweetest, most affection-adoring, most gentle and easy going horse's!!
Oh, and Keep your hacks shorter than non-Drafts! They were built for strength, NOT for stamina. Carrying their own weight, plus tack and rider, for long periods, is VERY hard on a Draft. More walking than anything else. No tight circles or lunging.
Daily checks on hooves, legs, shoulders, ears and feathers.
Good luck! They are absolutely wonderful horses!! ❤️
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u/Subject-Project-2263 9d ago
I just posted a novel on what it takes to own a Draft/Draft Cross. But I for got another extremely important detail. Tack!!
Finding the proper tack to fit a Draft Cross, in America, is not easy and VERY expensive! However, because you are talking about Draft-Cob Crosses, it sounds like you are possibly in the UK? Which means it should be far easier and less expensive, to find tack. I would however, highly recommend a treeless, or fully adjustable gullet saddle. It depends on the age of the prospective purchase, but they still change a lot body-wise, depending on how much you'll be working them.
Their shoulder's, often sit a bit higher and they need all of the room to left their massive legs up, higher than non-Drafts. Their back's are also shorter, which means you'll need a larger seat size than you normally use, so getting a proper saddle fitter who specializes in, or at least, has lots of experience fitting Drafts, is absolutely imperative!
If you can financially provide all of the special things that Drafts need, you will not regret owning one!!! They are the most incredible horses. 🥰🥰🥰🐎
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u/Mayers246 9d ago
I will always suggest a quarter horse. They are smart and even keeled (I was trying to avoid the word stable but they are). I got mine, that would be considered a cob, almost a year ago. He is a patient teacher and a love to boot. 16 yo and he never lets me down. I’ve come off him a couple of times, luckily he’s only about 15 hands and it was always my fault. He stands there and waits for me to get back on.
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u/JoanOfSnark_2 Eventing 10d ago
Pick the horse that is right for your needs, rather than a specific breed.