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Super exciting! I don't have a lot of experience with drafts, but I've owned a few horses over the years (both on property and boarding). Are you/have you ever taken lessons or leased a horse? If you have the spare funds, it might be a good idea to look into that before buying, just to get back into the swing of things. Especially since you already have a place picked out!
I've also heard super good things about shires and shire crosses - they're "gentle giants" :)

Wow, that is so exciting! I remember getting my first horse seven years ago. It took me a few days to believe he was even real! The horse you picked out looks like a sweetheart. It has such kind eyes!

My advice would be to start networking with professionals in the horse community. Trainers, veterinarians, and farriers are all people who play an important part in your own and your horse's well being (My farrier is my lifeline and I text her with questions all the time!) If you start looking now, you can decide who you like best and find a mentor who can help you grow. Your sister might know of some people who can help, or there are often area-specific facebook groups who can help you find professionals! Good luck on your journey, it is very worth it!

Also do you know what you plan on doing with the horse? That will dictate how much you’ll need to set aside for tack. A lot of drafts need custom made saddles unless you live in an area with a lot of wide horses that bigger things are more readily available.

We have a Percheron at the barn and he’s a doll but he also is now just a pasture pet. His owners don’t even come to see him although they used to ride him years ago. They also believe he’s still quite young so the barn owner is having a tough time because he is getting older (26+years) and is super hard to keep weight on. We just got him to an ok weight last fall but he probably lost 300+ pounds over the winter because he barely eats anything. Even now his pasture mates are turning into balloons on the new fresh grass he’s barely put a dent on the weight he needs to gain to last another winter. We also have to adjust things we do to accommodate him because he’s so big and tall he isn’t comfortable staying stalled and doesn’t like being separated from the herd. This was the first year the herd was small enough to be kept in the arena on really cold stormy days.

(Not that that horse is old but I believe you should always think through the whole life span of an animal you want to buy even if it’s the sucky parts like end of life care)

Lol I’m not sure what size the stalls are but it was quite roomy for my 16hh QH. There is quite a bit of room around him if he’s standing parallel to the wall there’s a few feet infront or behind but he tends to just circle around so we put him in the indoor arena with his friends so he doesn’t have to stress as much. He gets a huge coffee can of seniors food. We haven’t started to water it down but we have to triple check he’s actually ate it all and isn’t just standing at his door to go back outside because his pasture mates are done. I tend to hand feed him the last few handfuls to make sure he gets it all when I do chores. But he and the other hard keeper go through several bags of grain in a month while my horse and another paint only eat a 1/4 ofthe grain. The barn buys 2 types of grain and 2 horses eat each type. The pony and donkey just get hay.

The barn owners bought him blankets for the winters so he doesn’t have to waste as much body heat trying to stay warm (we live in Canada so can get quite chilly in the winter)

The owners do have health problems now that keep them from really doing anything with him. They used to brush him once a month but they were pretty much strangers to him at this point so he doesn’t always let them catch him.

I usually spend a few hours brushing him when he’s shedding out or hosing him down when it’s hot out if he comes up from the valley when I bring in my horse.

He also gets twice the amount of hay the paints do and costs twice as much for a trim. Luckily he doesn’t require shoes to be really comfy but you can tell when he walks that he’s getting arthritic. Last year the vet gave us a list of things to watch out for but pretty much said he’s going to start to waste away and there’s not much else we can do other than what we are doing.

One piece of advice I would add in is to work an emergency fund into your budget. In addition to the cost of equipment, feed, supplies, boarding, purchasing and planned/expected vet costs (vaccines, dental, deworming, etc), it's ideal to have a good chunk of money set aside for emergencies. As much as I love horses, they can be rather dumb when it comes to self-preservation and safety. Of course, it's impossible to predict how much you'll need, but a couple thousand tucked aside for emergencies will give you some cushion and peace of mind in the event of an unexpected colic, attack of the wire fence or loose nail, etc.

Figure out how much you think it's going to cost you every month...then DOUBLE it...that's reality with horses when you throw in boarding extras (believe me there's never as much included as you thought), lessons, supplements, worming and immunizations, unending fly spray, various supplies and gadgets, blankets/fly sheets, masks, and hay bags that get torn up every week, this that and the other tack item...AND those darn vet visits. If you can't afford that more realistic figure be careful. Especially with drafts...hay cost and farrier work is pretty much twice the cost of average horse. Not trying to burst any bubbles, just promising that what we dream of is never how reality actually plays out. IF you find the "right" horse the first time (with the help of a professional who can help keep your emotion at bay so you don't have regrets and end up with something not appropriate for your experience level), it is worth it--but way more expensive than you realize.

And along the lines of money, try to make sure the horse you buy is sound. I love my first horse dearly, but he was basically a rescue from a barn that threw them in the back pasture and forgot about them. He was lame when I got him, and although his lameness has improved with proper care, it ended up being a combined case of navicular and poor conformation. He would probably have died had I not bought him, and I have no regrets. But if I had bought a strong and sound horse, it would have saved a lot of vet bills and heartbreak (and I am also in the position to own 2 so he can live out his days as a pasture puff). Sound, quality horses might cost more up front, but they really do save you that money later on!

And don't let this money thing scare you. Follow your dreams and buy that horse! Just budget for more than you think you need.

Lol high five the struggle is real!

Growing up we didn’t have much money so usually had 2 horses and 1 saddle. I was the lucky one that was either younger so bounced easier or older and more experienced so needed to let the younger kids use the saddle.

I ended up riding bare back 75% of the time even after we got a second saddle. There was so many times I had to dismount for various reasons then hunt around for a stump, tree branch or slight incline so I could attempt to scramble back up onto my horse and that was only fairly short quarter horses and paints (15hhish).

Bandit1119 said grabbed my attention. Riding bareback on quarter horses and “regular” sized horses is one thing, trying to ride bare back on a draft type horse will be sometime totally different. The challenge of getting up on the horse will only be the first part and probably the easiest part. Actually riding them will be the challenge since they’re super wide (same problem you’ll have finding a saddle) gripping them with your legs will be difficult. My experience is with Welsh ponies, size wise they’re completely different except they’re wider than most horses I’ve rode bareback. I’m a decent bare back rider, and I was slipping off of them. And my legs literally go to their knees while im sitting on them so not having long enough legs is not a problem for me. Just something to think about if you want to do bareback riding it’ll take a bit to get a good balance and seat for riding that way.

On the other hand riding bareback is my favorite way to ride, and worth all the extra trouble of getting on, and staying on them.

Here’s two Quotes I found when I was looking for my first horse and tack.
“Buying a horse is the least expensive part of the whole process”

And every time I was about to take a shortcut with tack.
“There’s not much riding on it, except your life” It’s blunt, but true.

Have fun with every single step of the way. I can’t wait to hear your stories

Woowww! I guess you're pretty tall? I'd say work on flexibility while you're saving up so that the mounting block is enough. :P
But be warned that the initial cost of a horse is just the tip of the iceberg. You need a pretty substantial budget monthly to keep one.

It's so exciting! I hope you can do it! :D

I third the trial period, and get it in writing! We had a verbal agreement for a 30 day trial period for two horses we bought, and then the owner refused to take them back.

Also if the horse is papered or has a bill of health or coggins paperwork done, make sure you get those papers at the time of sale. It took me a year to track down my gelding's registration papers three owners back (but I was extremely pleasantly surprised when I got them :D)

Oh by the way, I am not tall - 5ft 2inches and I do need a block/step/bit of fence/log to mount him but I don't consider that a problem as long as you train them to stand still. If I have no height I put his stirrup down and bounce up. Not very pretty if I do that but I do make it up even though I am getting on a bit now (50 yrs old) and not as flexible as I used to be! So don't worry about height :D
And my boy is in a 12x14 stable when he is in (which is 3/4 months of the year). He is out in the field the rest of the time and I love that I don't have to watch his weight. My other 2 get fat in Summer if I am not careful.

Lol it sounds like we are trying to talk you out of it but we really aren’t there are just a lot of things that go into horses that can get overwhelming very fast.

My introduction to horses was pretty much there’s the field there’s the tack. If you can catch the horses you can ride. If not you got your exercise. (I got really good at catching all sorts of hard to catch horses lol

Then I moved and took over my cousins mare. She was good for where I was and helped teach me about more refined riding and started showing butshe wasn’t my heart horse and after a while I had to decide whether I wanted to just bomb around at the farm or be more competitive.

I started looking for something that fit with me and was able to grow and show more competitively in a few years. We looked at a few and I trialed one and then a paint arrived at the barn. I liked his size and colour and found out his half brother and sister were still for sale so I went to meet them. At the barn we mentioned the paint and got told he had a full brother there for sale too and peaking out of a stall was this cutest little face and I thought to myself I hope that’s what we’re here to see because I’m done I want that one. We never did see the half siblings and I spent the drive home trying to get my riding instructor to talk me out of him. A few months later she said she was trying to figure how to juggle finances because if I didn’t buy him she wanted him lol

I had a few requirements on my list so that reselling quickly would be an option if I ever needed it but unless something terrible happens to me he won’t be going anywhere any time soon.

If you are interested in showing you may want to take a look into what types of shows are available in your area and associated costs.

We have a ton of club shows but mostly jumping and gamers than pleasure riders. Riley and I have pretty much reached the point that we can write down our placing when we see who shows up. But it only costs us $20-60/show. And they’re close enough I can get someone to trailer us over and come back to pick us up.

I’d love to go to the breed level paint shows but they’re 2 hours away and you go for 2-3 days and organizing an available truck and trailer on the same weekend isn’t usually possible for me so I’m sort of stuck until I can replace my car with a truck those shows cost roughly 150-300. The quarter horse shows around here are usually doubled.

There's a con there you need to move up in rank of importance...cost of tack.

Most horses you can find a used piece of tack that isn't too pricey, still good enough to be worth owning/using, and fits both you and your horse.

The available used tack for drafts is a much smaller pool, your odds of finding something that is worth buying and fits you both at a good price...well... I think it's a poor bet.

So you're likely looking at new tack *and*...she's young. As a horse grows, matures and fills out, stuff quits fitting. So you need to figure on at least two saddles. I'd suggest you price that out before you need it. Sticker shock sucks on something you need.

And there's no "might" about the cost of upkeep. They eat several times what normal riding horse will. Some farriers refuse to work on them, and when you do find one that will, expect the cost to be at least double (judging from what a friend of mine dealt with here - your area may be different). Also, some boarding stables will refuse to board them just because they are way more destructive Drafters are known to destroy metal gates just by leaning on them long enough. ; They get a little bend in it, then a little more....then the gate is V shaped and gone. They can easily break fence boards as well.

At the very least, take lessons on a horse of the same height before you buy one. The strides are bigger, and with Shires, loftier than the average riding horse, which puts a lot more lift in both their trot and canter.

LOL Bandit! Made my night!

If your main concern with shires is the height (I am pretty tall and still have a hard time getting my legs around a draft to guide them) then maybe a good compromise would be a draft cross. They are often built like drafts, but shorter. They eat less than a full size draft (they are actually often very easy keepers) and they don't usually cost more in farrier care.

And as far as the mare being within your price range, I don't know what the market looks like where you are at, but where I live a broke, finished, sturdy kid-packing pony goes for about that price. She's very fancy and certainly worth every penny, but consider whether you want your budget to go towards level of training or towards breeding.

I was looking for a horse, and my trainer knew a woman with a gelding for sale. We were able to board him at my trainer's barn for a week so I could come work with him every day. He was a big, pretty, cherry red chestnut with a big blaze and giant donkey ears, and I loved that, but I just didn't click with him that first week the way I clicked with my first pony. He was one ornery guy! The only reason I ended up with him is because my trainer and my mom insisted that I was never going to find a horse like this ever again.

It took over a year of frustration and tears for me to click with this horse. But I learned a lot about him on the way and he showed me a lot about myself. My riding skills have improved dramatically because he refuses to listen to incorrect aids, and even though we didn't click initially, he is now my best friend. When I went to college I attempted to lease him out, but his lessee expected an instant magical bond and wasn't willing to work with him and with herself or a trainer to unlock his personality and abilities, so he came home after about six weeks.

After all the years he has been with us, this horse is incredibly loyal. He puts me before himself and has saved my life on multiple occasions. That first year was torture, but I would do it all again if I had to to have this horse!

Moral of the story: Listen to the people who know you, and know your own strengths. Know that the perfect horse may have a little bit of adjusting and growing to do, and allow some time for that growth to happen. Never give up, and find people who are going to push you to keep excelling!

I was always told to take a horses sale pic into photoshop and turn it the ugliest grungiest colour you can and if you still think the horse is “pretty” <- you really should be looking at conformation rather than prettiness. If a horse isn’t built right riding it can be horrible.<br />
(Yes some issues can be overcome with corrective strengthening and different riding techniques to buildup different muscles but of you aren’t used to riding and training it’s not something that you’ll instinctively know how to do)

There was a player here that had the ugliest duckling of a yearling but that mare has matured into a very nice gorgeous mare that to compare before and after you’ll swear was a switch if you haven’t watched the succession of pictures and videos over the last few years.

The other hard keeper at our barn has a terrible conformation. I’ve ridden her before and hated every minute. It’s like riding a bobble head camel, her neck is all over the place up, down, side. Her strides are jarring. I definitely would not have bought her since the owner has balance issues but somehow the constant unbalancedness between the two works for them.

If you are planning on working with a trainer you may want to look into prices and their training methods and results. Not all are created equal (or cheap). Around here training costs start at $1000/month and go up depending on what your end goal and how quickly you want to reach that goal. Some trainers will let you come watch and take lessons (additional fee unless in the contract) and others won’t. Also some only work with certain breeds or types so may not be equipped to deal with a draft unless they’ve already owned or worked with one.

whilst I don't own a horse myself my friend does so I'm going to give you some advice based on what she had experienced:

1) do NOT rush into buying a horse because you really want one or think its pretty, my friend did and now regrets it because the horse she has isn't right for her and it's making her not want to ride him anymore. go view loads, even breeds you don't like just to make sure that the breed you want is for you (both looks-wise, personality-wise, and riding wise (different gaits etc))

2) if it's your first horse always go with a horse that's advertised as a 'novice' ride because riding a riding school horse is, most of the time, completely different to riding a horse that's not been in a riding school as they dont get ridden multiple times a day. plus if like you said, you aren't that good of a rider yet, it can't hurt to have a horse that's 'been there and got the t-shirt' for your first horse.

3) make sure you have planned for the future, and then some! going on holiday? you need someone to look after the horse, ill? unless you can drag yourself there you need someone to look after the horse, moving house? you have to make sure that there's somewhere close by to keep the horse. whilst that sounds obvious some people overlook it and don't take the future into account.

4) if you can, go on a hack (trail ride) before you buy the horse. my friend's horse was advertised as bombproof and a happy hack yet when she got him, he was awful on the roads! spooked at everything and she still cants go into a forest with him otherwise he bolts and nearly chucks her off, so yes I would recommend having a trial hack as well just so you know what the horse will be like when out hacking.

whilst the points I have stated above look like I'm trying to persuade you not to and show you only the bad sides, I'm not! owning a horse can be one of the best experiences of your life and I know I'm definitely going to get one in the future. my main advice, don't rush and try loads of horses. remember you can always go back and view twice if you really like the horse. but don't be put off by other breeds because you love this one.

I can't remember where I read this but there was a post about someone who ran a rabbit rehoming centre and she said something along the lines of 'most people come into the centre thinking they know exactly what breed they want however end up leaving with a breed they said the didn't because it fit their personality better.

remember though its all about having fun when owning a horse there are just a few things you have to take account for :)

GOOD LUCK!!
:D

I just followed the link to look at her here’s something to think about for that mare.

She’s 12 years old and still green... My question would be why is she still green? Is she hard to ride? Is she hard to catch? Usually if a horse is solidly green broke someone will use them at least to the point where they’ll say ‘advanced rider’ or something like that. Or sell them as green when they’re younger like 4 to 8. She isn’t old but I’d think she’d be farther along at her age, that’s just my opinion. What do other people think?

Second why has she never been bred? If her pedigree is amazing like they’re saying you’d think they would have bred her at least once. Why haven’t they? Does she have a health problem? Is her confirmation bad? Is her temperament not the best?

Those are a couple things you should at least think about, or ask the owner. Especially when you’re going to spend that much on a horse.

Good luck in your new adventure! Be very careful about ads. They can be misleading. If you have any questions about the horse be sure to ask and even if you think it is a stupid question ask it. That way you can tell if they are being truthful in their ad, and you’ll know in your gut if something is off or not.
If the horse is being bought sight unseen, which I do not recommend, but it does happen. We have an OTTB getting ready to be shipped to Wisconsin to a really fabulous home, but if that is what you decide make sure you get a vet, that does not do business at that barn, to do a PPE or Pre-Purchase Exam. You should do a PPE on ANY horse you are seriously considering to purchase, anyways whether they are near you or not. That way you know exactly what you are getting before you make a final decision to put down a payment. Look at many horses and breeds, talk to local draft rescues and see what they have. They may have a better horse that is suited to your riding abilities for less. The rescue I volunteer for does what they can to match horses to the best possible adoptee that way there is less of a chance of them coming back. Depending on where the horse is going if they are in the area. Sometimes we arrange it for one of the trainers at HART to go and work with them a few times.

I see that she is green-broke with a 4 in disposition. Sounds like she is a bit on the difficult side which would mean you need a trainer that knows what they are doing and you will need to learn to be firm with her. That could be a red flag if you aren't experienced enough to handle her. We get quite a few horses returned to the rescue because the person who initially adopted the horse either lied about how experienced they really were or decided not to follow our instructions on needing a trainer to help them along. You will need to build trust with her. I recommend learning some of the different training techniques out there whether it is Parelli or Anderson everyone has their favorites and opinions, but they have some really nice ideas on how to do this without getting too crazy. I train mostly OTTBs and the occasional Warmblood so I do not know how drafts are. Best advice I have gotten from the person that is teaching me to train is build trust on the ground before even getting in the saddle. You say you want to work in the arena. I would suggest a smaller space like a round pen where you have a bit more control and don’t have to try and catch a horse in a large space.

I do not know a whole lot about drafts we have a two in the boarder barn and they eat a LOT. So I would make sure you have an idea as to how much feed costs and do research on which brands would be best for him. Not every brand is created equally. As well as what supplements you will need depending on her level of activity and whether or not she has any conditions that will need to be treated like arthritis. Then hay. Hay is such a crazy world. There's O&A, T&A, Alfalfa, Oat, Coastal (cheap) etc. Get an idea as to how much hay will cost. If you board some places will supply your free choice hay as part of the board, but if you want something more substantial you may need to buy that yourself, and depending on the farmer who cuts it and how they cut it and when they cut it, it can get very expensive. Here in Brevard County a lot of the horse owners will buy into a trailer load so that way it is cheaper, but you will need to make sure there is enough to cover at least a month or two.

Once you do that you'll need to make sure you have a good quality vet, farrier, and dentist to start with... And I would join Facebook groups geared towards drafts. That way if you have any questions those are the people to help you the most as they probably have experience and would be more able to advise you on what you may need to do if something like colic or ulcers happen. Have contingency plans in place in case something happens to you or the horse. Have an idea at burial costs JUST in case something happens. Does your local dump allow you to dispose of dead horses some do some don’t. Get in touch with your local Ag office that way if there is anything you need to know they can help you with things like that. Also, talk to insurance companies to make sure the horse is covered in case of serious accidents. If you’re going to show, how far are you willing to travel? The boarders at my barn for instance go to shows that last anywhere from 1 to 3 days, and they can travel from anywhere to 45mins to a couple of hours for local shows. Our rescue participates in the RRP (retired racehorse project) so we even go to Kentucky. Most sleep in the trailers, but others get hotels. Are you going to be boarding somewhere that people will be willing to trailer your horse to these shows if you don’t have your own set up? Remember the further you go the more it costs, in gas, time and money.

I agree with the trial week, but I say go a step further and see if there is anyone looking to lease their draft, because they either are going away for school or work and have little time to ride at the moment. Leases, when done correctly, can be the best way to figure out where exactly you want to go as a rider and whether or not drafts, especially Shires, are truly what you want.

I apologize it is so long, but just because she is pretty does not make it the most important quality. I hope you find your true heart horse this journey can be long and hard, but it can also be the horse you least expected. I was very lucky and found my heart horse the first time I went out and looked. I picked her up at a local auction for 900, I’d of gotten her for less but it is what it is. She was the cutest chestnut QH no more than 15hh with a flaxen mane and the most patient mare in the world. She was just as happy being a pasture pet as she was with a saddle. She taught me a lot.

I second ConfluenceFarms - it is easy for us to say things based on our personal experience but you need people on the ground to tell you what your capabilities are and the financial cost to you and see how you and this particular horse are going to get on or not. I hope everything works out. Any horse can be a problem big or small but also can be the best decision you ever made :X
I hope things work out well for you.