Seeking advice for a first horse for a 'late beginner' teen equestrian

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evcinnamon

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Looking for some advice regarding a first horse for a 16 year old female rider based South Devon who began riding weekly at a local riding school in December 2023 but has been working/volunteering at stables and has learned most aspects of horse care through this since February 2023.

I'm fully competent at mucking out, grooming, tacking up, rugging and identifying medical issues for horses as well such as colic and lameness as I've witnessed the symptoms of these in the horses of one of the yards I volunteers at. I'm confident and able in walk, trot and canter and going over small cross poles in the arena and out hacking and I have ridden a variety of breeds, sizes and ability horses at my current riding school. I am desperate to ride more often, progress to jumping and be a better rider overall, but most of all, I am so keen to have a horse and rider bond! My current riding school does not offer any form of part loans and we have limited riding schools within a reasonable distance to us that have loaning schemes suitable for myself and my parents. I've also tried posting to Facebook and sites like preloved for a part loan over the past couple months but I haven't received any messages - just lots of comments saying to DM but none of them reply! I'm currently volunteering at my family friend's stables and I have been for multiple years now, I really enjoy being around the horses but none of the horses they have are currently suitable to ride as either lame or fillys.

Currently, my parents (who are non horsey background) cannot afford the monthly upkeep of a horse and neither can I as I am currently in full time education. However, during the summer I have a job I will be working where I can save my wages monthly for a horse. I have done all the maths and it seems I could buy an experienced schoolmaster with the money I'd save and afford to have tack fitters out, buy all the yard essentials, pay for transport and vettings. However, once I go to college, I won't be able to work during some days as I would be in summer so my monthly income isn't likely to cover even half the horse's monthly expenses. I also worry about how I would afford a large vet bill if suddenly my horse were to injure itself as I would've spent all my money on the horse itself. Is there anyone out there who is 16/17 and bought their own horse and paid for it also and has any advice on how they are doing it/ how they did it? Or, if anyone thinks I would be more suited to a full loan or loan buying scheme?

I am just so keen to be around horses and I really just want to learn all I can! It's tricky finding somewhere which will let you gain more experience with younger/more expressive horses as a novice which is completely understandable but also a bit of a road block. I would appreciate any kind of advice!!

Thanks in advance! :)
 
I would post in the tack room as it gets more people looking, but I would post looking for a part loan/share on local facebook pages. You will have more luck than at riding schools and it will give you a step up from riding school horses!

Good luck
 
quiteniceforacob said:
I would post in the tack room as it gets more people looking, but I would post looking for a part loan/share on local facebook pages. You will have more luck than at riding schools and it will give you a step up from riding school horses!

Good luck
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Thank you so much for your kind reply and advice it means the world to me, I will definitely put up some more posts on Facebook and post this on the tack room!
 
HopOnTrot said:
Please tell me what summer job will buy a decent schoolmaster outright and pay for associated costs? Because I might change profession.
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Mmm...that is a fair point....OP what sort of ballpark price were you anticipating for a schoolmaster? I don't want to be unkind but unless you don't mind something older or with a bit of arthritis, you might be horribly surprised when it comes to actually viewing horses. There are lots out there for cheap prices that look good from the advert, but when you look at them and have them vetted, they are often cheap for a reason.

Given that you'll be off to college soon I wouldn't burden yourself with the financial and time commitments required to own a horse - finding something nice to share sounds ideal. Plus, you're more likely to find a schoolmaster type that way - people don't tend to sell them, they're more likely to hang on to them and get a sharer or loaner if they don't have the time to ride themselves.
 
You sound like me when I was your age :) My sister had a loan pony but I stuck to volunteering at various stables and keeping up my riding lessons alongside doing various riding holiiday "own a horse" weeks. Now, aged 47, I am the unintentional owner of a pony and I can compare the two sides (owner vs rider) and I would just say this:

- it takes immense amounts of time of look after a horse, much more than you can imagine, and the time spent riding is a tiny amount of this time. I rode a huge amount more when I was volunteering at stables than I do now.
- it is a fantastic thing to build a bond with a horse, but it takes a lot of time, it is not always easy, and if you have a bad fall, get scared, want to jump but it is not your pony's favourite thing etc, you can't just ride another horse for that lesson to get back your confidence, or learn a new skill on a a horse that knows it all. Even schoolmasters have their preferences and quirks and you as you are a relative beginner it would be great to keep riding horses of all different types and temperaments,
- horses cost about a thousand times more to keep than you think they do, especially if you want to cotinue taking lessons at the same time. And in winter, when it is dark , cold and raining, and after a long day at college when you just want to go home and do your homework, do you really want to go up to the stables to take out your horse, and will you have time? If you can only afford DIY livery you will have no choice.
- horses get sick. Some are master's at trying to finish themselves off on a regular basis. What if your horse is lame, or can't be ridden for any other reason? At the moment a friend's horse has been on box rest for three months with an injury. This means no riding for months, which for a relative beginner is a long time.
- are you going to move away for your studies after this? What will you do with the horse if this is the case?

I know young people who bought their horse at around your age, with non-horsey parents, and they made it work. The horse was in a field, they rode infrequently and they didn't have any plans to move away for the area for studies. If you are dedicated it can work. But you would need to be sure that you a) could afford it including all vet bills and b) know what it will really mean in terms of time commitment.

Personally, having done both sides, I am glad that I stayed volunteering at the riding schools. I rode a huge range of horses, I rode a lot, had a great circle of friends and had horses that I felt I had a bond with, but knowing what I do now and having been an owner, it would have change my life completely had I bought a horse at that point, to an extent that I didn't realise. I also know that now you can see a lot of things on social media with people and thier horses, but this is a tiny snapshot of what the reality is.

But if you want this, there is always a way :) And it is a fantastic thing! I love having my pony but I am in a different place now than I was when I was 16.
 
Do you have any other friends in a similar boat, when I was a teen we loaned a pony between 3 of us that had lessons together kept on the owners and my instructors yard to keep us right as we had unhorsey parents. I found my loans through instructors and other people's horsey parents if that that helps.

I don't mean to be direct but you absolutely can't afford a schoolmaster (unless very elderly or high maintenance will cost at least 8-10k without any kit) on a summer job. They only people I knew who took their horses to college and uni either had no life and multiple jobs or a lot of parental support.
 
Widgeon said:
Mmm...that is a fair point....OP what sort of ballpark price were you anticipating for a schoolmaster? I don't want to be unkind but unless you don't mind something older or with a bit of arthritis, you might be horribly surprised when it comes to actually viewing horses. There are lots out there for cheap prices that look good from the advert, but when you look at them and have them vetted, they are often cheap for a reason.

Given that you'll be off to college soon I wouldn't burden yourself with the financial and time commitments required to own a horse - finding something nice to share sounds ideal. Plus, you're more likely to find a schoolmaster type that way - people don't tend to sell them, they're more likely to hang on to them and get a sharer or loaner if they don't have the time to ride themselves.
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I was budgeting around 6-7k based on adverts I’d seen of 17/18 year old horses that had been advertised as schoolmasters. I completely understand, I posted this in another thread and have gotten some more insight into additional expenses that come with older horses so I am now aware of this. I’m looking for a share horse now and don’t plan on buying for the foreseeable future.
 
I had a few shares and part loans as a teen and student and got loads out of it, I also worked on yards in Spain and Italy in my uni holidays and got lots out of that as well. I wouldn't have been able to do that with a horse.
 
Hi,

I was like you ! Non horsey family but semi supportive. Started getting efficient riding lessons when I was 16 (ones that taught me how to ride)

I was lucky to get a part loan. And it opened the door to a lot more opportunities. I then got to help with other horses and had support from the YO which then gave me the experience and skills to own my own. ( I was jumping 95cm courses and schooling to an alright level when I started loaning) I then had 3 more loans after that.

I bought my 1st horse when I was 18 for £1,200 off a neighbour to where I was part loaning a horse! . She was a quirky project who I still have 7 years later.

What I’m trying to say is don’t skip out the important steps of part loaning. This is where you learn what you do and don’t like and it’s much easier to walk away say you don’t get on with a certain kind of yard , type of horse etc.

If you’re struggling it may be worth offering to help on livery yards or at local show centres. You may not get paid but putting in the graft at the right place will get you far and noticed.
 
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