Embarking on the journey of horseback riding is an exciting prospect, and selecting the right equine partner is paramount to a safe and enjoyable experience. For novice equestrians, certain horse breeds stand out due to their temperament, trainability, and suitability for various riding disciplines. This guide highlights ten of the best horse breeds for beginners, offering insights to help you find your perfect match.
The Reliable Quarter Horse
Renowned as one of America’s most popular breeds, the Quarter Horse is celebrated for its docile nature, ease of handling, and straightforward trainability. Its robust, muscular physique lends itself well to both Western and English riding styles. Quarter Horses are exceptionally versatile, adept at activities ranging from relaxed trail rides, fast-paced barrel racing, and demanding ranch work to the more refined English pleasure classes and even show jumping.
Choose a Quarter Horse if: You are seeking a medium-sized yet powerful horse that offers a secure ride and can confidently handle a diverse array of riding adventures.
The Sturdy Icelandic Horse
While on the smaller side, the Icelandic Horse is a breed of remarkable strength, capable of carrying riders of all sizes comfortably. A distinctive feature of this breed is its unique gaits, including the tölt and the flying pace. The tölt, a smooth, four-beat gait, provides an exceptionally comfortable ride, especially over extended distances. Icelandic Horses are well-adapted to navigating challenging terrains, making them an excellent choice for beginners interested in trail riding. Their disposition is also notably good.
Choose an Icelandic Horse if: You desire a small yet hardy horse for leisure and trail riding that is intelligent and easy to manage.
The Calm Haflinger
Haflingers are smaller equines, making them an ideal choice for beginner riders who may feel intimidated by larger horses. These hardy animals are known for being easy to work with and possess exceptionally sweet personalities. Their calm and patient demeanor allows them to tolerate the inevitable mistakes of novice riders. Haflingers demonstrate proficiency in a variety of equestrian pursuits, including dressage, trail riding, and carriage driving. Visually, their flaxen manes and tails set against chestnut bodies make them strikingly beautiful. A beautiful Haflinger horse running in a field with mane blowing in the wind.
Choose a Haflinger if: You are looking for an eye-catching breed that requires low maintenance, is not overly reactive, and stands between 13.2 and 15 hands tall.
The Versatile Morgan
The Morgan horse is an all-around breed suitable for riders across all experience levels. They possess a calm temperament and a strong desire to please their riders. Morgans are highly regarded for their versatility, excelling in a wide range of disciplines from both English and Western pleasure riding to dressage. Their impressive stamina and endurance also make them exceptionally well-suited for trail riding. Their compact, muscular build, expressive faces, and proud carriage contribute to their notable beauty.
Choose a Morgan if: You desire an attractive, medium-sized horse that is easy to maintain and capable of performing a variety of equestrian tasks.
The Eye-Catching Paint
The American Paint Horse, easily recognizable by its striking, colorful coat patterns, is a versatile breed well-suited for both Western and English riding disciplines. Paints are typically calm and easy to handle, making them excellent choices for novice riders. They are of a comfortable size, generally ranging between 14.2 and 16 hands. The breed’s willing attitude makes them a pleasure to ride, and they also possess good strength and endurance.
Choose a Paint if: You are drawn to colorful horses and want a good-natured breed that can accommodate diverse riding directions.
The Unique Appaloosa
The Appaloosa is another distinctive breed, easily identified by its characteristic spotted coat and striped hooves. These horses are medium-sized and exhibit remarkable durability. They are generally easy to train and possess a calm and gentle disposition, making them suitable for riders of all skill levels. Known for their work ethic, Appaloosas often excel in trail riding and various Western and English disciplines such as ranch work and jumping. A spotted Appaloosa horse looks over a gate.
Choose an Appaloosa if: You desire a unique-looking all-around or family horse that is easy to care for and level-headed.
The Smooth Tennessee Walking Horse
The Tennessee Walking Horse is celebrated for its exceptionally comfortable gaits, most notably the unique “running walk.” This gait makes them excellent trail and endurance horses, allowing riders to cover ground smoothly and with ease. Tennessee Walking Horses are strong, hardy animals capable of navigating various terrains. They are highly intelligent yet maintain a calm and easy-to-handle demeanor.
Choose a Tennessee Walking Horse if: You prioritize a comfortable ride, seek a low-maintenance equine, and desire a good-looking breed.
The Adorable Welsh Pony
This strong and hardworking pony breed is perfectly suited for children and smaller adult riders. Welsh ponies are friendly, intelligent, and easy to handle, solidifying their position as one of the best horse breeds for beginners. These ponies can be found excelling in nearly every equestrian discipline, including hunters, dressage, driving, and both English and Western pleasure.
Choose a Welsh Pony if: You are searching for a versatile and charming family mount that is easy to care for and capable of participating in a variety of riding activities.
The Dependable Missouri Fox Trotter
This breed is distinguished by its unique “fox trot” gait. This smooth, four-beat movement provides an exceptionally comfortable ride, particularly beneficial for covering long distances. Missouri Fox Trotters perform well in a variety of disciplines, including trail riding, endurance riding, ranch work, and competitive events like pole bending. They are also favored as pleasure riding horses owing to their flowing gaits and calm temperament.
Choose a Missouri Fox Trotter if: You wish to enjoy a remarkably smooth ride on a versatile, medium-sized horse with an easygoing temperament.
The Pint-Sized Shetland Pony
Shetland ponies are ideal for children and novice riders due to their small yet sturdy build and their friendly, obedient nature. Typically standing between 7 and 11.2 hands tall, they are less intimidating for beginners to handle. They are also easy to maintain. Despite their diminutive stature, Shetland Ponies are incredibly versatile, capable of being ridden, driven, and shown in hand.
Choose a Shetland if: You aim to ease into horse ownership without immediate riding, or if you are looking for a breed that is exceptionally good with children.
The Take-Home Message
Selecting the appropriate horse breed is a fundamental step when beginning your horseback riding hobby. The top choices for beginner horse breeds are those possessing calm demeanors, exhibiting ease of handling, and demonstrating a genuine willingness to cooperate with their riders. However, it is important to note that novice riders can safely enjoy nearly any breed with dedication, patience, and proper training. Thorough research and consultation with a trainer are essential to finding a horse that truly aligns with your personality, skill set, and riding aspirations.
