Advice on choosing the right horse for a half lease

[Chani3]

Hi everyone!
I’m planning to start a half lease to gain more experience and spend more consistent time with the same horse.
I think it’s a great way to grow, take on more responsibility, and understand what horse ownership really involves — without rushing into it too soon.

I’ve been riding for about a year, and I’m still improving my balance, seat, and confidence.

I’m used to riding larger school horses from jumping lessons, but now I’d like to find a horse that’s a good match for my level and goals.

Would a 4-year-old be too young for someone like me, even if it’s calm and well-behaved?Or would it be better to look for an older, more experienced horse — even if it’s smaller, maybe closer to a large pony?

I’m about 5’6” (168 cm), so I’m trying to figure out how to find the right balance between size, temperament, and experience.


Any advice would be really appreciated!

 

[AppyLover1996]

For your first lease, I would say go for an older horse that has been there and got the t-shirt so to speak. This will help you get more experience and the older horse will be more tolerant of any mistakes that might happen. Along with the fact that you are still improving in your seat etc, I would say go for an older more experienced horse x

 

[ihatework]

Older horse hands down!
I’m assuming this is a riding school lease scheme you are thinking of?

 

[smolmaus]

Think about it this way, you have 1 years riding experience and a 4yo has 1 years riding experience (at the absolute MOST). Who is going to be teaching anybody anything useful? Let an older horse teach you what you need to learn now so that in the future you can teach a baby horse what they need to learn!

 

[eggs]

Definitely an older experienced horse who is kind and tolerant.

In my experience a lot of nice calm 4 year olds turn into loutish 5 year olds.

Height wise it is whatever you feel comfortable on. I am 5'8" and my current riding horses are 17:3 and 16:3 but that is because I bred them so it is what I ended up with. I have also very happily ridden our 14:2 Dales pony and never felt underhorsed on him as he took up my leg nicely.

 

[Chani3]

Thanks so much everyone

This would be a half lease at my new riding school, which I’ve only recently joined.
Right now there are just two options:
- one is a 4-year-old, super reliable and calm out hacking, but still quite green in the arena.
- the other is older and more experienced, but not safe to ride outside, and he’s also needed for the school, so he wouldn’t be available for a full lease later on.

That’s part of my dilemma: I’d love to start with a half lease now, but my goal is to move to a full lease in the future, so it would be nice to build that kind of continuity.
I enjoy hacking, so the younger one sounds perfect for that, but I also know I still have a lot to learn and that a young horse might not be the easiest match.

Otherwise, I could wait a bit to see if something else comes up in the next few months…
but I’m not sure if any other horses will become available…

 

[Skib]

4 years is definitely too young. But the questions you need to ask are more about your own learning curve. The first year lessons on an easy RS horse are to teach you balance and the basics of riding. The RS horse knows its job.
But the next stage is when you learn how your riding can teach the horse and that you can alter its behaviour to suit the way you ride and the things you want to do.
Some of the cues you use may be visible movements of your legs, arms and fingers which you have been taught as basics. But, as you progress, you will learn that much of riding involves changing the weight in your seat and avoiding restricting the forward movement of the horse. Just turning your head to look in the direction you are going to want to go may be enough to steer your horse.
Take your own riding education seriously. Ride and learn for 2 years before you share. Sharing saves money but you need to stay safe and know what you are doing.
There is of course another sort of sharing which is where a riding school offers a series of lessons or hacks, always on the same horse and in the same time slots each week. This is how I shared and hacked the same beloved mare for 10 years, starting when she was 6. But during that time, I also had a proper weekly riding lesson at another RS.

 

[Chani3]

4 years is definitely too young. But the questions you need to ask are more about your own learning curve. The first year lessons on an easy RS horse are to teach you balance and the basics of riding. The RS horse knows its job.
But the next stage is when you learn how your riding can teach the horse and that you can alter its behaviour to suit the way you ride and the things you want to do.
Some of the cues you use may be visible movements of your legs, arms and fingers which you have been taught as basics. But, as you progress, you will learn that much of riding involves changing the weight in your seat and avoiding restricting the forward movement of the horse. Just turning your head to look in the direction you are going to want to go may be enough to steer your horse.
Take your own riding education seriously. Ride and learn for 2 years before you share. Sharing saves money but you need to stay safe and know what you are doing.
There is of course another sort of sharing which is where a riding school offers a series of lessons or hacks, always on the same horse and in the same time slots each week. This is how I shared and hacked the same beloved mare for 10 years, starting when she was 6. But during that time, I also had a proper weekly riding lesson at another RS.

Sorry if I used the wrong words before, I’m Italian and my English isn’t perfect, so maybe I didn’t explain it clearly.

In my case, the horse would still belong to the riding school. He’s used half of the time for lessons with other riders (mostly kids), and the other half with me.
I would have specific full days assigned, when I can ride, have lessons, do some work on my own, or go out hacking.
Of course, everything would be supervised according to my experience — I’ll only ride on my own or go out if my instructor says it’s safe for me to do so.

 

[Red-1]

Sorry if I used the wrong words before, I’m Italian and my English isn’t perfect, so maybe I didn’t explain it clearly.

In my case, the horse would still belong to the riding school. He’s used half of the time for lessons with other riders (mostly kids), and the other half with me.
I would have specific full days assigned, when I can ride, have lessons, do some work on my own, or go out hacking.
Of course, everything would be supervised according to my experience — I’ll only ride on my own or go out if my instructor says it’s safe for me to do so.

In these circumstances, I would take the younger one, as long as it is a monthly arrangement that you can stop at any time.

Whatever I think if a 4yo being mainly ridden by kids, and whether it is really safe on the roads, this is the job the horse is currently, apparently comfortably doing.

I would be very cautious of taking it out alone as a 4yo who is reliable in company may not be at home.

Would your lessons and hacks be free, or much reduced at least, if you are doing them on a horse you are already paying for? If not, it wouldn't seem like a good deal TBH.