Your top 3 tips for new owner?

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Langley11

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What 3 tips would you give to a first time owner? Any things you wished someone had told you when you got your first horse?
 
1. Get as much knowledge as you can from good sources (instructors, books etc.)
2. Take bad sources of information with a pinch of salt
3. The correct diet and turnout can solve a million problems
 
Firstly, don't be afraid to ask people for help/advice. Generally speaking I have found people only too willing to be very kind and helpful if you approach them in the right way.

And secondly - wait! Have some patience. If you want to look back at my earlier posts you will see that I was well and truly panicking early on, and if I had only given H time to settle in to his new home, I would have realised he would come good in the end!

Third tip seems to contradict no 1!! Don't listen to everything everyone tells you! I think you need to get lots of opinions on things if you're not sure and then weigh up what you think will be right for you and your horse.

Good luck - and I hope you have as much fun as me and H are now starting to have (nearly 6 months owned). :D
 
1. Find a Good, Friendly, Knowledgable and Helpful yard!
2. A good Instructor, Good Vet and Good Farrier are all worth their weight in gold!

3. Don't write a horse off simply due to age
 
1. Everyone knows better than you do (or they think they do) even when its obvious they come from some undiscovered planet in an unknown universe - use your instinct and take advice from someone you trust.
2. You'll never stop learning - horses will teach you new character building things every day, if I could bottle the 20 odd years I've had with horses and sell it as a three day executive team building course I'd be rich.
3. Find yourself a good yard and a good riding instructor, friends will be there to help you out when someone rings to tell you your horse has colic - but is actually having a good roll, or when a bus driver comes in to your local and tells everyone theres a horse matching yours in the pub carpark and he's just followed it for 2 miles! and your instructor will be there to help you acheive the partnership you want.

Good Luck
 
1. Always expect the unexpected
2. If you have even the slightest excess money in your bank account a vet bill is on its way
3. Life will never be the same again (what do you mean - what life - there is no other life than horses)
 
Get a saddler to fit your saddle

Nip any problems in the bud by getting help before they become unsurmountable

Find a good vet & farrier and build up a good relationship. Pay on time & for non-emergencies give as much notice & flexibility as possible and they will be there for you in genuine emergencies.
 
Get a team of professionsals around you (RI, vet, and farrier must haves).

Don't rush the relationship with your horse or your's horse's progress - you have the rest of your life together.

Be prepared for the inevitable stress, disappointments and problems that are sure to arise if you have your horse for any length of time.
 
1. Dont rush - dont put pressure on yourself and your horse to get out competing etc straight away. It takes time to get to know each other before you both will click.
2. Find a good instructor or even a few. If you can afford it, its great to have more than one instructor to learn from.
3. Be prepared to have no money for luxuries. I rarely have any spare pennies but if I do it all goes on the horse!
 
1. Anything you buy for your horse ,he will hate.
2. Your horse would rather eat his feedbucket than anything you add to his feed for his own good.
3. Your horse has spent a lot more time being a horse than you have being a rider so listen to him .
 
Mike007 said:
3. Your horse has spent a lot more time being a horse than you have being a rider so listen to him .
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I love that one - so true!

My others are;
1. don't rush (I'm fed up of buying horses whose tack has obviously been thrown at them as the rider rushed past)
2. give the horse plenty of time
It can take over a year for a horse to settle into a new home, especially with an inexperienced owner. It takes time to build a relationship with a horse, so don't expect everything to be perfect from the beginning.
 
1) get it vetted
2) dont listen to everyone at the yard. Lots of big talkers in the horsey world
3) dont over horse yourself

oh and ENJOY!
 
1) Be realistic about your ability when looking for a horse.
2) Find a good instructor: they are worth their weight in gold!
3) On the days where everyone is telling you you're doing it all wrong and you feel awful, call said instructor and remember that it's supposed to be fun!
 
If you truely believe somthing is wrong ,dont do it regardless of how many qualifications the person telling you has.
 
dont be afraid to ask several people the same thing - then go with a good informed decision - never listen to one person..... (i ask several people the same thing and im not a new owner)!

dont be put down by the yard cow..... (every yard has one :D )

insure your horse ! :)
 
1) DON'T PANIC!
2) Ask all those ridiculous questions that pop into your head: how else will you learn?
3) a really good saddle and kindness are the most important things you can do for your horse

Have fun with your horse, listen, learn, read tons, get lessons, find a yard that suits your horse, not you.
 
Oh thanks so much everyone. Brilliant tips! We're on a nice small yard where everyone helps each other out. I have learnt LOADS by reading this forum - I've become a bit addicted!! I'm starting to make more decisions, without needing to ask for help quite so much. There is just so much to learn, but it's amazing how your confidence grows every day. I LOVE him so much - I'll think I can't possibly love him anymore and then he does something cheeky or funny.... I'm so happy I took the leap and did it.
He wasn't the first horse I looked at (in fact he is nothing like what I THOUGHT I wanted, but I was being totally unrealistic! Thank goodness for my experienced friend). I have him insured, he gets on with all the other horses he has been turned out with, he's very contented and just wants to please. I've changed his diet, upped his exercise and he is now at the correct weight and is in great condition.
So, next steps then (small steps!!......). I am going to get an instructor and I've been on Amazon and added more reading to my birthday wish list!
Thanks for all your tips - I'll keep you posted. I know I'm sad, but you wouldn't beleive how excited I get by even the smallest achievements. I am such a bore as he's all I talk about and I LOVE it when people pass us when we're out and say how beautiful he is. Well I think so too :D
 
Langley11 said:
I know I'm sad, but you wouldn't beleive how excited I get by even the smallest achievements. I am such a bore as he's all I talk about and I LOVE it when people pass us when we're out and say how beautiful he is. Well I think so too :D
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You're not sad, you're a horse owner! :)

The smallest achievements are often the greatest ones, as they're the ones that tell you that you're working with your horse in the right way. Plus, who's to say anything's a 'small acheievement'? Everything's relative.

You boast away and post as many updates as possible, there's enough sad posts that happy ones are always welcome IMO :D
 
Loads of great tips here. I learnt a lot of things when helping friends with their horses. I also did a part time course in horse and stable management. I had regular lessons, also I had them leave the horse untacked (when feasible) so that I could tack up myself.

I found a small friendly yard with great people (who soon became fabulous friends) and got lots of tips and advice when asked for.

Never be afraid to ask. GET A FIVE STAGE VETTING.... really important to register your horse with your own vet, I got my girls teeth done too, the dealer told me they'd been done, but alas they weren't that great so glad I got it sorted before any problems arose!

Most importantly, enjoy owning your own, every little thing you achieve is worthwhile. Six and a half years into owning my own I have no regrets, she's a pet to me first, the fact I can ride her is a bonus :D
 
all of the above but also - just go at your own pace. When all around you are boasting of how they are going to be jumping newcomers this season and BE Novice while you would be happy at 2.3"... take it with a pinch of salt. I really felt I was letting my first horse down when everyone had these grand plans and I was just starting. However, the following year, horse and I had progressed to 3." classes and everyone else was still just talking about it. When I finally made it to the grand heights of Novice BE I looked around and found that not one of the former "big it up" people were actually doing it with me..!
 
Found reading this thread really helpful! Will be buying my first horse in a few months. Been riding since I was 5 and had several on loan but this is first time I've been through buying process! Just want to make sure I'm not ripped off - been listening to friends horror stories of buying horses!
 
Definitely take someone with you who really knows their stuff. Absolutely invaluable. And like the others say - get them vetted.
 
Yeah I've got a friend lined up and money for a 5 stage vetting. I nearly went to see one but it he hadn't been ridden for months (for a genuine reason) and there was no one there to ride him first when I got there. Didn't want to get on an unknown horse under those circumstances so I didn't go. Shame because horse was lovely and would have been perfect (if he was what the owner said he was).
 
hmm one I can think of is buy the best turnout rugs you can first time round. I wish we had bought our rhinos in the first place rather than going through 2 or 3 others in the first 3 years.
2) ebay is good for the above
3) umm, not sure!
 
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