Advice on getting a horse

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Judithbotha

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Hi everyone, I have just joined this forum in an attempt to get the best advice possible on becoming a new horse owner. I am not taking the responsibility lightly and dont want to get it wrong and end up buying a horse that i cannot handle, too old, too small, the breed too naughty etc. I do not have any equine loving friends so am basically on my own in this and thought this was the best way to get the info i need. So if anyone has a minute and some good advice I would be grateful for your attention.

Regards

Judith
 
I used too a long time ago, and liked to go to a riding school in the Cimla, Neath in South Wales. So i would say its rather new too me after all this time. Do you suggest I go to have some lessons first and get a feel for it again,
 
I would certainly spend the next year re-acquantining yourself with horses and riding yes. And a good Riding School is definately the place to do it. As well as riding lessons you can also take horse care and management classess. Helping out as well (if they want volunteers) will be very valuable experience as well.

I wouldn't advise anyone to buy a horse cold.
 
welcome, I bought a horse about 2 years ago now and he is 15 now, I did not feel confident enough to have anything younger especially for happy hacking.
 
you can sometime loan horses at Riding schools. That's what I done and then ended up buying him, which was brill as I knew him as I loaned him for 3 years prior to buying him
 
I took up riding again two years ago, after not riding for 10 years. I was lucky to have a friend with horses and I generally hung around getting in her way a few nights a week for a month or two, and then I got a horse on part loan - he was stabled opposite her horses so I had acces to loads of advice. I did that for 6 months before buying my own horse.

I agree with AmyMay - defo get yourself to a good riding school, have some lessons, offer to help out and get to know some horsey people as they will be invaluable to you if and when you get your own horse
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Good luck - I can honestly say getting back into riding is one of the best things I ever did
 
I understand I am jumping the gun a bit its only a lovely placement came up at a super livery yard and I wanted it. You have just got me thinking there is a sanctuary called Trallwm Horse Sanctuary in Carmarthenshire I could call round there and see if they need a volunteer on the weekends I could get some hands on experience then its a possibility I suppose.
 
DEFINITELY go and get some lessons!!! Apart from anything else, it will give you ideas on what you want from a horse. If you explain to the RS what you want to achieve they will put you on different horses so you can get a feel for different rides. It is amazing how much balance you lose when you dont ride for a while.

It is so easy to buy a well behaved horse and turn it into a nappy, difficult and badly behaved horse if you don't get the right one. Even if you just have 3-4 lessons - at least you will get a headstart and have people to ask for advice. You will be spending a reasonable amount on a horse, so £100 invested in lessons would be well worth it.

Good luck
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[ QUOTE ]
I understand I am jumping the gun a bit its only a lovely placement came up at a super livery yard and I wanted it

[/ QUOTE ]
And one will come up again.

Really, do get some experience and volunteering at the sanctuary is definately a good place to start.
 
I had a 15 year break then started riding again last May and had Ty by July! I had horses as a child though and once back in the saddle felt tht I'd never been away .... maybe have a few lessons then consider a share first before committing to buying.... good luck x
 
Have to admit that i wasnt long back into horse riding that i bought my first horse! I did however do the stable management at a local riding stables before i got her.

Getting Mae was the best thing i could have done, she has given me loads of confidence and dont think i would have got this far if it wasnt for her.

Definitely advise taking a few riding lessons, and take your instructor with you when going to find a new horse! I got Mae from a livery yard that my cousin was running, she was never bothered with etc, the person was on DIY livery but never bothered to clean her out etc. She was only 3 at the time and i never thought i would end up with her as i wanted a gelding and something older and bigger. Shes now a very happy healthy 4 year old and gone from being 13hh to 14hh!!!
 
Yeah definately try to learn about the stable management / horse care side of things. I find this is one area a lot of new owners lack - they assume they are capable of having a horse because they've been riding for years at a riding school but then realise they dont know how to tack a horse up for example! Obviously this is extreme, but trust me it does happen. I remember a little girl at pony club camp years ago - she'd been riding at a school for a couple of years so her non-horsey parents bought her a pony. They were very well-meaning people but had no clue at all. They didnt know how to tack up properly or even groom! I found the girl brushing her pony with a metal curry comb! AGHH! So definately get hands on experience. Im sure you could volunteer somewhere like a local horse charity or something.
 
Hi Judith, welcome to the forum.
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Great advice above (as always) and you seem to be pretty pro-active and sensible anyway. I believe if someone REALLY wants to learn about horses and husbandry, then they will. The husbandry is pretty important if you are looking to house your horse at home; in your situation where you are going to a good livery yard then it is imperative that you find someone who will help you oversee this care. Any decent YO should do this for you and will help when you need it. It's a thin line between helping and interfering though, so when you feel more confident the YO should naturally watch from afar.

I don't see any reason why you shouldn't look into buying your own horse BUT make sure you take someone who has references about how experienced they are! Otherwise it could be the end of the adventrure before it has even begun.

Buy yourself some vet books and become familiar with some of the common ailments of horses. Keep up riding lessons, help at your rescue centre and I think you can do this sensibly.

Very best of luck whatever you decide to do.
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I am certain there is a horse sanctuary in Pontypridd. They are frequently advertising on the job centre website for a sunday person to assist with the horses and maybe put on some demo's (Pulling manes, grooming etc). I'm sure they would be willing to take on a volunteer if you ask them. Failing that give the local riding stables a ring and see if they want any help at weekends. I'm not sure how many there are in Neath but there are about 3 or 4 stables in Caerphilly.
 
I started off part-loaning my boy. It was really good to have experience of owning a horse, but with his owner on hand to answer any questions I had. I bought him 8 months after the beginning of the loan and the transition was really easy since I was buying a horse that I already knew inside-out.
 
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread as the saying goes. Take your time and get someone who really knows their stuff to go with you when your viewing.
It is easy to fall in love with a horse and be 'persuaded' that it is exactly right for you - only to find yourself with a monster. I am now what is called 'repenting at leisure' and have a rather large field ornament who is living in the lap of luxury but not fulfilling the purpose it was bought for.
Good luck on your quest for a horsey!
 
I agree with the advice everyone has given, however I must admit I was one of those people who just went out and bought a horse after a 5yr break.

However, before that break I was working at a point to point/ hunting/breaking/ schooling yard, looking after 20 horses, and learning how to ride properly, so its not like I was just a weekend rider who went out and bought a horse.

There is much more to a horse than just riding, both of mine are off work now with injuries and unfotunately thats just part of horse ownership.

I think riding lessons and helping out a great idea before you take the plunge...come and spend a week with my accident prone boys and it will put you off for life LOL!
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I was a riding school helper as a kid and spent all my weekends cleaning, sweeping, shovelling, carrying hay bales, unfreezing water troughs, falling off ponies... I only came back to horses after a 25 year gap. After that time I found a lot had changed and my knowledge was very out of date (anyone remember gripping with the knee?). I poked around quite a few yards until I found a riding school I liked (small, high standards, happy neddies) run by a lady in her 60s who understood the mature body! She also taught stable management which had also changed a lot since I was a kid (bran anybody???).

That took me on a very rewarding journey which has ended up 12 years later with my own horse and land and a whole new life - something about horses - they're addictive. I held off getting a horse for ages as the responsibility seemed to be somewhat greater than having a child (do you have to muck out children on Christmas Day?). I had other peoples' horses as tenants on my land and then finally decided 3 years ago I could do it. What happened next was fantastic - a horse belonging to a friend was in need of a new mummy and voila! there he was in my field. The whole he suits me perfectly and we have great fun and I have a wonderful instructor who comes and helps me with his schooling.

So just told you this as my experience might help you - I'd say get out there and get stuck in and learn all you can before launching yourself into horse ownership. And when you are ready the right horse will find you.

Finally, an old saying - inexperienced people don't buy horses - they get sold them.
 
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