How soon to ride out on a new horse/pony?

there are many thoughts on this but I ride mine straight away, its no different from travelling to a show and riding them. I usually lunge first to make sure they are settled in the arena and then hop on. I have found that if you leave them to settle in they usually play up more!
 
Id say it depends on you and your horse. Some settle in sooner than others. On my new horse i rode out the day after he arrived!! But i quite like a challenege and he was such a good boy and was a bit joggy but nothing more than that!!! My friends horse took a weeek to settle in before she felt she could ride out on him. Just use your best judgement!!!!
 
i got my horse on a friday afternoon, and went for a little hack on saturday the next day!

he is an appaloosa x so he was naturally nosy at the new surroundings, and was walking quite fast! however as soon as he was in the field he decided that was boring and he went very slow!
 
I tacked up and hacked out my last horse as soon as he came off the lorry. I also see it as being no different to going to a show, if anything it is less stressful as there's not so much going on. He was very laid back though so might not try it on something more highly strung until I got to know it better I guess.
 
Depends on the horse, when i brought fi my highland i rode her 2hrs after getting her home on a short hack with others fine. My loan mare i left her a week before riding her out, and my youngster i walked out in-hand the next day to get used to her as had a show 3 days after.
 
Mine arrived a couple of weeks ago on the Friday evening, and I rode out on the Saturday morning with another livery as company. I took him to our first dressage competition a couple of days after I bought him and we came 2nd in the novice with 69%.
I was thrilled and suprised, and had only gone along to find out what his behaviour would be like! Although the weather has put everything on hold now :(

Play it by ear. If you feel happier giving him a few days to settle or if he seems as though he needs a few days to chill out in his new surroundings, then give him time, and don't feel pressured. It's very much up to the individual I think and there's no right or wrong answer on this really.
 
I am another one who would ride straight away and establish a routine, you dont have to overdo it. Depends on what routine pony was used to at previous owners eg, if ridden everyday then i wouldnt be giving it any time off as it will not be what it is used to.
 
Yep another for riding straight away - get straight into your routine and take horsey out for a little hack - if you feel it may benefit a quick lunge first just to put your mind at rest but as others say no different from riding at a show ! infact my new horse I took straight to a dressage test enroute home from picking her up - qualified with 73% got back home rested for a couple of hours then went for a hack ! The only horse I rested for a few days was my Lusto who took seven days of travelling to get to the UK - felt he needed a break and a little adjustment as left Portugual in blazing heat to arrive in the Uk last November to -15 degrees - think he wanted to go straight back home !!

Congratulations on new horsey - have fun !
 
we picked up my daughters new pony last tuesday in the morning had a short ride on him that night so we could check what tack we needed as much as anything....and haven't been able to ride since because of the weather.....but as a rule we get on as soon as we can...so any problems come to light early.....and unless they are really young its not much different to going away to a show....
 
Straight away. Rode it along the roads from the previous owners yard to it's new yard. Take it for lots of nice long hacks to get it used to it's new surrounding area.
 
personal preference i suppose but straight away for me i rode a recent purchase in gale force winds quiet hack out well she is for my son the perfect test flying binliners and everything
 
I have always ridden either straight away or the next day. I like the horses to get used to a new routine and luckily all of the ones I have had have settled very quickly because of it. It does depend on the horse and how confident you are in riding a new horse straight away I guess.
 
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debsey1 said:
When you've bought your new horse/pony, how soon would you ride out on him/her? Is a couple days enough to settle into their new stable/field? Wouldn't want to rush things

Thanks
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Bailey was my sixth horse. I first saw him on a Thursday, tried him over that weekend, had him vetted the following Tuesday and bought him home two days later on the Thursday. The following day we hacked out on our own for an hour and a half. I completely trusted my new horse. The day after I took him to the local riding club where there was a show on and rode him around to guage his reaction which was absolutely fine. We also hacked around the grounds, he jumped his first log ever and crossed a stream, just low key stuff to try him out and guage his reaction to things. The following weekend I took him out competing and we did our first ever clear round SJ (outdoors) and got a clear round then our first ever class which was a derby complete with bank, dike and wall and came 5th. Every weekend we competed and didn't let up for months.

I have never understood people that buy a horse and then don't compete for months, sometimes even years 'in case things don't go to plan' or until their instructor tells them they can go to shows????? What's all that about?? Why not just get on with things and see how you get on??? All I have ever wanted to do was show jump. All I am interested in is competing. I don't want to have lessons going round in endless circles paying £1 per minute which is what a lot of instructors by me charge. I want to go out and compete and enjoy myself and build up a partnership with my horse. If it doesn't work out it doesn't work out, its not the end of the world, you just try harder next time.
 
I'm another believer in "straight away"........... they need to get into your routine, and realise they aren't on holiday! Also, when we stay away for competitions, they just have to adapt and get on with it. I know they have the same people looking after them, but there is an awful lot else that is totally different!
 
Straight away. (Although in this weather you may have to wait until the ground is suitable!)

I tried both of mine out hacking before I bought them to make sure they were suitable. I spend a lot of time hacking out youngsters as soon as I start riding them to get them used to lots of different situations.
 
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