I took his advice as bible truth. Getting a vet check for a couple hundred dollars has twice saved me several thousand dollars on horses that had unseen problems. Thank you so much for all of the information! It helps a lot!Breed is not as important as the temperament and training of the horse. Look for an older horse with plenty of trail miles on it. They are safer for a beginning rider - "young rider old horse, old rider young horse" - still applies. Besides even if you are experienced do you really want to spend all your time schooling a horse or training it? Or would you rather saddle up and go for a relaxing ride right off the bat? A horse that has been owned by one person for years and is being sold due to owner's age, health, etc. is usually a good bet. Sometimes they will throw in the horse's tack too or for a few extra dollars. Get a vet check and enjoy.
Is this going to be your personal horse, or are your children also going to ride it? If it will be a child's horse or you want to try penning, barrels, etc. get a quarter horse or mustang instead of a gaited horse. Gaited horses are special for long distance and comfortable riding. But if all your riding friends have quarter horse types, you will be a lonely rider on a gaited horse since those gaited horses move faster in their natural gait than regular horses. The walking pace of a TWH is about the same speed as a slow trot in a quarter horse. Kids want to do all sorts of stuff on their horses and can ruin a gaited horse trying to do games and jumping, and barrels. Gaited horses can do those things, but their real value is in a swift, smooth, comfortable walking pace.
Most important, get a vet check on the prospective horse you are going to buy. Don't be put off the vet check by the seller telling you that it is obvious the horse is healthy or implying that you can't judge a good horse. My rodeo uncle told me "Never trust a horse trader". Since he was one
Vices to watch out for:
Chewed wood in the horses stall - cribbing
Mouthy - looking for treats - may signal a propensity to nip when you show up without treats
Tossing head around - maybe hard to bridle or halter
Prancing - possibly wanting to buck or hard to handle
Not wanting feet to be picked up - you won't be able to pick out hooves or find a farrier
Pawing while tied
Doesn't want to leave other horses - barn sour
Jumpy when tied - poor ground manners
Don't trust a horse that is saddled, bridled, and tied waiting for you when you show up to view. Instead come half an hour earlier so you can watch the owner catch the horse and tack it up in front of you. Try the horse on trails and on streets, if possible, not just in arena. Go see the horse several times at different times of day. Make sure it will load in a trailer. (Nothing as bad as needing 3 strong men and a butt rope to get your horse loaded at children's playday.)
1. A neighbor bought a lovely animal that turned out to be drugged when they bought and subsequently couldn't be approached in the stall because it would attack you. Ended up dumping her in the street and sent to sale.
2. Another neighbor bought a horse without a vet inspection because the seller convinced them "the horse was obviously fine and they shouldn't spend the vet fee" which turned out to have permanent tendon problems and she couldn't sell it on without disclosure.
3. I had a vet check on a nice horse that showed a small swelling that the seller said was a "bruise". The vet diagnosed a ruptured muscle.
4. Passed on a horse that was too mouthy because it was used to getting treats and nipped when you didn't have any. Warned by seller not to get near mouth.
5. Ignore any ads where the seller bought a young horse to "grow up with his kid". Yes, ignorant people do this and wind up with an untrained adult horse.
6. Learn to read the ads - "babysitter" means won't leave a walk, "green" means needs lots of training and schooling, etc.
7. Be prepared to look for a while - sometimes you happen on a good horse right away but often you have to look for a while. Don't be embarrassed to walk away from the horse or seller if you don't get a good feel from either.
The older horses I bought for my children were lovely and had lots of miles on them and had been in the sellers family for at least 5 years. Bought 2 older paints later for DH and myself that were also wonderful horses, totally safe, and lots of fun to ride. That was a divorce sale and both wife and husband had to agree on the buyers - had been family horses for 15 years. After those died many years later, we bought TWHs for the gaits because the kids had their own horses to do games and gymkahana on and we liked the comfortable ride of a TWH.
Most important - Don't buy the first "pretty" horse you find, Don't buy a horse because you feel sorry for it or the conditions it is kept in, Don't buy a horse for its color or breed. Do buy a horse with good ground manners, plenty of training, sweet disposition, and passes the vet check. You will have that horse to love forever.
Thank you!
Thank you! I will! I think I am going to check out 4 horses in July
. A gelding will probably be your most reliable & even tempered family mount. 
Yes we used to have two horses. We have went on a some tail rides, and I have been riding for 3 1/2 years now.Have you every owned horses before? Ridden much? If not, you may want to engage in some basic lessons for the family, to familiarize with best practices of care, prepping and handling on a daily basis. Plus repetitive care for vaccines, hooves, teeth and such. That makes a difference in what you might buy or not.
What @Ridgetop has discussed is a great basis as to the horse itself. Do not skip a vet check!! In fact, I'd visit more than once before that and purchase. 2nd trip, prep & tack up horse yourself....seller can watch. Handle the horse. Be knowing of its willingness to be caught, led, handled, give feet, move over, stand tied calmly -- all good ground manners. Horses are a commitment, you want it to be pleasurable.
Good feet!! If terrain is good where you ride strong hooves can go barefoot. Shoeing is $$ expensive and often necessary.
Hope you have room for more than one.
