My 12yr old bombproof cob threw my friend off

[Wightman]

Thanks guys Plum Park is very close to me so I'll give them a call! And yes I am just about managing time well. I walked her down the lane yesterday and she was brilliant!!! I suppose it was that first step I was worried about!

 

[lurcherlu]

Just to say owning a horse and doing exams is definitely possible! I came out with very good GCSE grades and am now studying A levels- although I do hardly ride during exam time. I definitely recommend laying off the riding for now and then getting your horse fit and back into work after exams during the summer with the help of an instructor. I manage to go to school and do 5 hours of revision a night and go up to finish my horse during the week days so if you manage your time well you should have a bit of time to spend with your horse. As having some time away from revision is essential. Maybe do some in-hand walks as suggested by others! Sorry haven't really answered your question though!
good luck

It is totally possible i had one during my GCSEs and A levels ten years ago and now have one and two kids and house whilst doing my access course and holding down a job, i ride 3-4 times a week and a girl rides her 1-3 times a week , it is about time management. I will keep mine whilst I complete my degree too, luckily i will be living here still, but it is a release and even the best horses are generally happy to become happy hackers during busy times , but get your horse out more even if in hand walks etc , get some lessons and then get back on her! good luck

 

[MDB]

I haven't read all the replies... I started skipping through them because I thought some were a bit harsh.

Now I am a good bit older than you OP, but I did a similar thing to you. I had zero experience in looking after horses, although I had taken riding lessons as a child and done a bit of riding on and off over the years. But I went and bought myself a horse two years ago, 25 years or so after I had lessons as a child.

I knew nothing about looking after horses. Like.. nothing! I couldn't even remember how to put a saddle on! Horse feed? Surely they just eat grass! Laminitis?? Is that some kind of flooring? I even thought I had ordered hay and a huge round bale of straw turned up! Ok, that was due to the language barrier (I had just moved to Spain!). I could write a book on all the things that happened.

But I learned. We built field shelters, electric fences, and even a track system. I learned all about how to look after horses through my own reading, trial and error and with the help of some lovely people on here. There was nobody out here to help me. Now you are in the UK with a lot of people you can turn to to help. So take advantage of that and get professional help.

Now my horse turned out to be a disaster, but that is another story. He went back after a year of trying to make it work to his original owner who is now trying to selling him. Horse has issues. But... I got myself two gorgeous mares 18 months ago who believe it or not were emaciated, maltreated, nervous, headshy, the list goes on. Not exactly suitable for a novice! However, what I hadn't learned with my gelding I learned with these two mares. I learned about treating thrush, dealing with infected wounds and wound management, hoof mechanics and even how to maintain hooves myself between trims. I educated myself by reading books and websites on as many equine matters as I could. From ground work and respect to equine body language, anatomy and physiology and nutrition. I learned as much as I could about different tack and have changed from treed to treeless saddles, and now bitless too.

Now I only go out hacking (on my own at present, riding one and leading the other).... I don't know how to do that fancy schooling stuff. But my horses were both out of action for various reasons for 8 months last year. When finally they were ready to ride, OH and I got on and went out for a very gentle 40 minute hack through woods and open fields. Neither horse played up at all. There could be loads of reasons why your horse bucked. Mine bucked me off twice in 5 minutes last year when I tried to get on. I was forefully ejected, no catapulted, onto the ground. That taught me that her saddle did not fit! And a whole new topic was investigated.

So I just want to wish you good luck. Get lots of professional help. Read up and watch videos. Don't be afraid to ask. You will make lots of mistakes. But it is all part of learning. All the best!

 

[fatpiggy]

This screams troll to me as the school are on exam leave.

Ditto the advice given above, not much else to add,

How many 15 year olds have the £££ to buy a horse too? I know pocket money has increased a bit, but...

 

[FestiveFuzz]

How many 15 year olds have the £££ to buy a horse too? I know pocket money has increased a bit, but...

I'd presume OP's parents bought the horse.

 

[Dunlin]

Such a harsh thread, I can see why people don't come back here and could also be put off horses altogether with the attitude as well, disgraceful.

I bought my own horse when I was 15, I knew very little and hadn't been riding for long. I had been working at a riding school for a year as a general helper so was slowly picking up things and I then had this lovely old horse from the school as a loan for a few months. Once I had saved up enough money which included working there, doing jobs for my parents and things like mowing the neighbours lawns and washing cars I actually had a lot of money saved up and as the horse was retiring from the school he was offered at a good price. Yes my parents did help me out along the way with things like unexpected vets bills but I bought him myself, paid for his livery, feed, shoes and everything else. It's called hard work and not everyone just gets given things or makes it up like some people are insinuating with this lady.

Moving on, when I was 16 and the hard work really started for GCSE's I put the horse on working livery so I had the time to revise for my exams and the horse was well looked after and exercised. I know working livery isn't possible for all horses but it's a good option to explore.

As for this chaps behaviour, well, some can just be a little bit cheeky at times. I had a bombproof schoolmaster, in 4 years he had never put a foot wrong with me. One day in a lesson my hugely experienced instructor hopped on and he tanked off round the school at 100mph with her. Another 3 years passed after that without him putting a foot wrong again. No-one knows what happened, he may have been bitten by a horsefly or just had a funny 5 minutes. The important thing is, if it continues to get him checked over including tack.

Finally, my local library was a fantastic source of information, I must have read every single equine related book in there 10 times over and it's cheaper than buying them, plus my library were always happy to get a book in if they didn't have it.

Good luck, don't be disheartened by internet bullies, don't be afraid to ask for help and enjoy having your horse, it's a learning curve and we all have to start somewhere

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Yes my parents did help me out along the way with things like unexpected vets bills but I bought him myself, paid for his livery, feed, shoes and everything else. It's called hard work and not everyone just gets given things or makes it up like some people are insinuating with this lady.

Not sure if this was directed at my last post or not but as far as I was aware, legally you have to be 16 or over in order to buy any animal. I was in no way trying to insult or belittle the OP.

 

[Wightman]

Yes my parents did help me but I have a job and so raised it myself, thanks for the replies but I am sorted now.

 

[OWLIE185]

All the best for your exams and enjoy your horse in the holidays afterwards.

 

[Wightman]

Thanks Owlie