Horse market on fire

[shamrock2021]

Hi Everyone I hope your all keeping well. I was just looking though Facebook, I Found a horse selling group. I have noticed that a lot of people who are looking to buy a horses look and sound like a complete novice rider. Are people just buying Horses because they don’t want to go back to riding lessons .

 

[Arzada]

Were they having lessons before?

 

[wills_91]

Can novice riders not have a horse? I was a complete novice when my mum bought my first pony. Our local riding school was over an hour away. So saintly pony was bought, we put him on a lovely yard where I could care for him under the watchful eye of experienced YO and the rest is history. The leap from rs to owning is always going to be a big one and no matter how experienced you are, we are all always learning.

 

[Shilasdair]

Every single rider was a novice once.

All hail novice riders! It's not an easy sport - we salute you!

 

[Wishfilly]

Hi Everyone I hope your all keeping well. I was just looking though Facebook, I Found a horse selling group. I have noticed that a lot of people who are looking to buy a horses look and sound like a complete novice rider. Are people just buying Horses because they don’t want to go back to riding lessons .

I think perhaps some of it is worrying they won't be able to ride for months again if there is another lockdown. I also know a few riding schools who have gone over to livery either partially or entirely for financial reasons, and this may reduce people's abilities to ride. For example, one I know well has put a lot of ponies on part loan and is only offering lessons/hacks on Thursdays and Saturdays.

I don't think there's anything wrong with novices buying horses provided they have support and some idea of what they are taking on (I feel the same way about any animal, down to a goldfish). Everyone has to buy their first horse sometimes.

I do worry about people lacking in experience buying horses under pressure in a fast moving market, though.