Owning a horse is single-handedly one of the most rewarding and financially draining things a person can do for themselves. It is my hope with this “New Horse Starter Pack”, to shed some light on some of the things I have personally experienced that may be helpful to someone else starting their horse journey. The first bit of advice I can give you is that learning how to have and own horses are not something you can take a course on or read a book on. Learning about horses and caring for them is something you can only do by being around them and other people who can teach you. Below are some things I think are pertinent for someone to know when getting into the horse world.
This is CRUCIAL. Regardless of what kind of horse you end up with, is it so, so important to know the difference between horse breeds so you know what you want and what you don’t want. You might be wondering why it makes difference, well, the difference is energy level. Do you have time to lunge your horse for half an hour before you ride every time? Do you want a horse you can ride only once or twice a week and be level headed each time? Do you want a reactive horse that will be harder to handle when out and about or something easier going? Some breeds have tendencies towards being higher energy than others, this doesn’t mean there aren’t exceptions, but it’s a good rule of thumb. Here some popular breeds to know.
This goes back to my first bit of advice in the opening paragraph. Owning horses is something you can only learn by doing and being around it. Finding a mentor or even new friends that have been in it longer than you would be a huge help in your new journey. You are going to have questions, your horses will worry you and act funny, you will have training questions and it’s important you have a support group you can lean on when you need it.
This goes along with the tip above. If you are brand spanking new to having a horse, then lessons are a must. Both for riding and learning how to be around them. You don’t need to specialize in anything, actually, I don’t recommend specializing in anything until you are confident in your riding and skills. You are never too old to take lessons or ask for help.
If you are noticing a trend, all of these tips and tricks play into each other and depend on having a community you can lean on. This tip is no different. These are just things from personal experience that I find useful when shopping for new horses. Take it with a grain of salt, find other opinions, and TRUST YOUR GUT.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, horses can be and at some point will be financially draining and you have to be prepared for that. Costs ultimately can be separated in two ways, if you are keeping your horse on-property or off-property.
On Property Costs
Off Property Fees
Hopefully, this guide will help someone who is considering getting a horse. If you have any questions or have tips of your own, comment on them below!
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