"It ain't dying I'm talking, it's living"
Augustus McRae

There's truth to a lot of that, Zim ! I too have liked those Quarter horses at Wal Mart !

For those who have had not the best experience, they think that is the way it is for everyone. That once the novelty wears off- all is lost . Nothing is further from the truth, and cannot speak for everyone. I can throw a stick and hit people who grew up loving the sport, spending days, months of time alone enjoying their mounts when no one else was around to be with them.

While that can and does speak for some's experience with their kids, it in no way represents us all. I was one of those kids too. Even into adulthood, I spent I don't know how many months alone exercising endurance horses and mules, spending hours on the loop trails at a trot and gallop. And in the arena , honing dressage moves, barrels, jumping, getting a string of polo horses in ripped shape for the owner to event them in season.

While I love riding with others, I spend equal time alone working maneuvers.

I do, however strongly urge kids and inexperienced riders to always head out into the bush with someone to ride along. It is safer.

GCS, that Barr line, going to 3 Bars, is a popular one too.

Dstone, you didn't just get rookie advice here. That's the wonder of Tman , there are such an amazing amount of talented people from all walks and talents of life, to give good sound advice. You can tell the ones who know ...

Have fun with daughter and her excitement about life. Even if she changes in interest eventually, the respect and love she gains for you wanting to try with her, will never be forgotten.

That is worth all the hay Zim can buy .

One thing I do not agree with is buy a 100% broke, wore out horse. If you get a kid a weanling and they want to ride, when It is old enough to ride they will be able too. All it takes is a slow every day game. They will have a horse that they can grow up with. Having a horse is a process for a kid, buying the process will not teach them a thing. If they do not want to put in the time, they do not want a horse. I am just speaking from my experience with my daughter. I grew up around horses, but I never wanted or owned one. She is a good rider and understands horses. But that came from messing with them, not buying a broke one. She would even go to horse sales and get paid to ride horses in to the ring.

The best horse to get a young trapping lady comes in pint to gallon size containers. I kind of like Clete's horse meat bait, but other bait and lure makers sell horse too.

I say, buy that girl two! That horse is gonna need a herd mate.

Winner winner and then you have a mount to ride along with her. I can't think of a better way to spend time together. Mjm has a point. When I started th hores had to be feed in a small yard and eventually we got her locked in before she could bolt back out in the field. My cousin and I broke her with no experience. We mad a lot of mistakes but in the end you could shoot of her back.

My daughter always says she would rather have a mule but since she is 20 and going to school has limited time.

The direction the country is heading you may be very happy to have horses. There is no other way to go from point a to b cross country without a trail and gas beside on foot.

Get the horse. We have 6 at the moment . I can not remember a time that I have not had at least 1.
Better to be at the corral tending a horse than laying in bed playing on a phone or tablet.
Young kids need to be raised outside .

I grew up with a horse. When I finally got tired of riding by myself and wanted to start going places with it my Dad got rid of it. Later on when I bought my own place I bought a 13 year old Appaloosa who had done it all. She taught me how to really ride, we barrel raced and pole bended 2 to three days a week for years. She was my best friend and I cried like a little baby when she had to be put down at the age of 27.

Horses are great for kids just be prepared for the expense and responsibility that comes with it. There are days that I really wish I still had horses, but I just don't have time for them at this point. One thing is for sure, if I ever end up having kids they will grow up with horses.

They ain't nothing better than a good horse or mule, and nothing worse than a bad one.

Worst advice posted , get a broke horse that won't hurt or scare your daughter. Would you send her to school if the teacher was the same grade?

Hayburner....and extra diesel costs to haul him around. A horse is a money pit!

That was true of grandpa in his younger years. He spent years of cinching down a saddle and climbing on and ridin em till they quit buckin and spurrin em till they just couldn’t buck anymore. He was dang good at it too. Took a lot of spills though, and when he started getting older and things hurt more he learned to TRAIN horses. By the time I was born he could have a horse broke to ride without ever stepping in a stirrup. Grandpa was one of those trainers that could tell you exactly what a horse was about to do, how it felt, if it was healthy, it’s current mood, just by it’s body language, and communicate back with the horse through his own body language.

My aunt likes to tell a story about grandpa riding a green colt through a gate, and some hay fell between the gate and fence so it wouldn’t shut. She went to get off her horse and move it but grandpa stopped her, rode the colt up and used his body language to get the colt to stick it’s right front foot out, put it down on the far side of the hay, then drag it back out of the way. That’s the kind of trainer he was, it’s almost like he could talk to them.

Once he put an ad in the paper that he could break anything on four legs to ride or pull a cart. Some guys thought they’d be funny and brought him a big ol Brahma bull. Within a week it was broke to ride. They were so impressed that they gave him the bull, and he used it on weekends at rodeos in his rodeo clown act. Said he tried gathering cattle on it but it kept trying to mount the cows.

So yes Sharon I understand the difference between breaking and training a horse, and so did grandpa

It sounds like I'm a little late to this dance and you're about to make a young lady very happy? My daughter is now 17 and I think she's had her own horses since about 10. I can't even tell you how good they have been for my daughter. It's been a lot of work for me but I wouldn't have it any other way. My advice, as others have voiced, is get a really well broke horse for a first horse. Something pretty bomb proof that you and your daughter can trust with your daughters well being. She'll enjoy it more. Good luck! If you're not a horseperson, it's really good for her to have a knowledgeable mentor nearby.

A friend sent me this…

How old is she? Make darn sure she knows to NOT walk up behind a horse when it don't own she's there. A neighbor did when he was two and his left side was paralyzed the rest of his life.

Why not? You have 4 acres of pasture which should give you half or more the forage you need for a horse and a couple of beef feeders for meat. There are a multitude of valuable lessons for a person to learn when working with, managing and caring for animals. If it does not work out and the horse is sold etc. there are life lessons there as well.

Bryce

some of us have good memories and some have bad neither has been forgotten and theres a lot of funny stories to be told years after the fact

So… I started riding horses 50 years ago. Rode them again in college bringing cows in to be bred.

Fast forward many years. while bringing my 16 year old daughter to her friends house for a few days, I asked her what they had planned. “Riding horses” she replied. I tried to give her some pointers about riding and being around livestock, but she wasn’t listening.

Two hours later, I got a call from the emergency room. My daughter had a broken arm. I learned her friend had set up a perfect scenario for this disaster by giving my daughter an empty pail after catching the first horse. My daughter was quickly surrounded by the rest of the horses trying to get into the bucket. They knocked my daughter down and stepped on her arm breaking it. I was (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman)!!!

I lectured her all the way home about how you can drop the pail, wack the horse with the bucket, use the lead road to move them back, etc etc. Never get between large animals, fence etc.

My daughter ended up with an 8” plate in her arm. As a parent, I felt bad, but she never held it against her friend.

When I wanted to get into golfing, my brother advised me to buy cheap clubs and spend money on lessons. The lady that stood my stallion would only train horses if she could train the owner too. Suggesting lessons this summer would be awesome. My cousin offers riding lessons in MN.

The cheapest part of owning a horse is buying it. Grass hay is running $11 bale plus grain. Horses need almost 3% of their body weight in hay per day. Hay is cut in different stages, mixes, etc and is hard to find. I called a hay seller recently asking if their “ quality” horse hay was tested to justify the high price and they had no clue what I was talking about. Farriers every two months. Vet bills for yearly shots, deworming, plus occasional wire cuts, etc. Any toxic weeds in your pasture?

I’m not against buying horses, but you will do most of the work for an animal that has a lifespan of up to 40 years. I strongly suggest your daughter take lessons and/or work for someone that has horses. My cousin learned this way and rode her horse to a ROM in reining competition.

You will need to buy a saddle that’s fits the horse. $1,000? Learn to saddle your own horse! Another story!

You have to take drivers Ed and pass a test before getting you driver’s license. Like cars, people are always selling the bad ones. Riding with my boss one time when he tells me the horse i was riding broke his leg! Great! Wasn’t much longer and she stumbled and fell to her knees. I didn’t come off, but slamming into the saddle horn wasn’t fun!

Lots to think about! Good luck!

same as hunting fishing and trapping can cost a lot to do some do them some dont and some do them all plus ride and own horses let the memories and stories last a life time

Awesome