My first horse!

Sarah W

Sarah W

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31 August 2010
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309
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Tomar, Portugal
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Hi everyone from not-so-sunny central Portugal!

Going to pick up my first horse tomorrow - or rather, map reading for the YO where he's going to live for the forseeable - www.centralportugalhorses.com

At 47 this is a dream come true for me after decades (eek!) of on/off riding school lessons and one hour hacks (more off than on to be honest). I'm very much a nervous novice and he's a rather stiff, unfit 25 year old but hopefully we can grow old gracefully together.

I've got so many questions I don't know where to start! OK, deep breath...

How long does it take to bond with a horse? I'm very good (I think!) with my four dogs and they seem to 'get' me - is it the same with a horse?

How often should I ride (40 mins every other day?)?

What can I do to make him happy and relaxed with me?

Sorry for the infantile questions but I really want to make him feel loved!!
 
Well done, you must be thrilled. we do need pics of him though :D
Your new yard looks great, their horses are beautiful too.
As far as bonding, every horse is different. Don't expect him to be the same initially as when you went to try him. It is huge thing for a horse to change yards with new people and new surroundings.
I think the most important thing is to make him feel safe. Make sure he knows you are his leader and he can trust you to keep him safe. Just little things like not moving back from him when he comes forward, you need to move him not him move you. Practise moving him around in the stable. It pays off, really it does. Far more important than making him feel loved.
I spent a lot of time with my mare, just sitting in the stable reading even. Give him a couple of days to settle in before riding. Not everyone agrees with this, a lot of people ride straight away. Hopefully with him being older he might be a bit more chilled. As for how often to ride. I ride daily, weather permitting (not that you will have that problem), it depends on his fitness levels. maybe little and often. If he has arthritis then exercise is good to keep them fro stiffening up.
I think the thing is not to expect too much too soon, they are creatures who need routine and the sooner you get him in a routine that suits you both, the better.
Good luck to you both, hope you have many happy years together., what is his name and is he a lusitano?
 
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Congratulations on being a first time horse owner, I understand your enthusiasm as I got my first horse four months ago. It comes with many ups and downs; but i promise you that you'll have fun :D As for bonding, lots of time together: grooming, cuddling and kissing is all that's needed :) As for exercise that depends on the horse, as he's 25 it might be that he's not used to alot of work or he could be like my grandad's mare; she's 32 and we were galloping together earlier this year. Good luck, hope you have lots of fun together x
 
Congrats!! Bet you wont sleep much tonight! Dont worry about whether you will or wont bond or how to go about it, it will just happen - you'll love him and he'll love you back! As for exercise, do what suits you both! Some horses at 25 want to chill down a bit but others are as perky as they've ever been. My mums horse is 29 and still pulls her arms out everywhere they go! Just out of interest, i noticed he is ridden in a hackamore - did they say why?
 
Congrats on getting your first horse, I've had mine 10 months now and got her when I was 45 :)

I know what you mean about dogs/horses, I wondered if I would ever be able to 'read' horses the same way I could dogs, I'd had dogs all my life - you do, you get to know what they are about.

I would say I have well and truly bonded with my mare, or at least as much as she would 'bond'. I am very much 'her human' and she trusts me when we hack alone and I ask her to do things she's not overly sure about.

It was exactly 6 weeks when I felt the first 'connection' I remember it well as it was Christmas day - it was a real treat to feel we had a bond.

I got her last November and in England we had the most awful winter for years, I rode her most days in the sand school for only 15-30 minutes at a time. This gradually built up as the warmer weather came and my confidence increased. By April I had begun to hack out, but only in walk and trot. Over the summer we have done charity rides and a 20 mile endurance training ride, so we have come on gradually together. We now enjoy a good gallop to let our hair down.

She is 18 by the way and although she had very slight stiffness when we got her, she is on a joint supplement and is now not at all stiff. I ride her most days, usually hacking, but with the winter coming we will have to go back to the sand school for the evenings - weekends will be very precious from now on.

As well as short rides I did lots of grooming when I first got her and would 'hang out' in her stable just being with her. Actually, come to think of it, I still do :)

Good luck with your new horse, he looks lovely.
 
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