Anyone with horse experience...

FSIL & I want to start horseback riding. I used to when I was a kid, but have not in many years. She tried it once at Bethpage & loved it.

What I want to know is, if you go to a public stable, can you request a horse if you find you like it? I know it is expensive to own your own horse & honestly neither one of us can afford our own at the moment,but eventually I think she wants to maybe get a horse & share the costs & training, etc.... I have also found some rescues for horses...are they for riding the rescues?

Sorry if the questions are silly....

TIA

Re: Anyone with horse experience...

I have extensive horse experience. I own two, rode as a professional trainer / instructor / competitor for 8+ years, and have done extensive horse rescue work. I've bought and sold dozens of horses (though I no longer do anything with horses professionally. They are solely my hobby / passion right now.)

FM me with specific questions if you'd like. Your questions are absolutely not silly. The only silly question - ESPECIALLY when it comes to horses - are the ones you DON'T ask. It's great that you are planning ahead and thinking of these things ahead of time before just rushing into a very expensive, though extremely rewarding, hobby / pet relationship.

If you REALLY want to get into serious riding / thinking about ownership, trail riding and hack barns are not the way to go. You *may* be able to request a specific horse (depends on the barn and that horse's work load that day), but you won't learn much. Those horses are trained for the specific task of just carrying you along on the trails usually.

If you're serious about wanting to improve your riding and horse care skills, choose a discipline and a reputable lesson barns. You can take lessons together so you're not shouldering the cost of private lessons. If you let me know what area you are in and what discipline you might be interested in, I'd be happy to recommend some good lesson barns.

Typically, rescues do NOT get sound riding horses frequently -- and if they do, they almost always have training or health issues that must be addressed. I have 2 rescues (both were sound riding horses when I got them - one was off the track with 0 training and the other was a training nightmare due to previous abuse and neglect). I don't know a reputable horse rescue that will adopt a horse to a first time home owner, no matter how much experience they have. Typically, "rescue" horses require someone with a LOT of skill and/or knowledge. Sometimes those really amazing special, easygoing horses with few problems come through, but that is extremely rare. A first horse, IMHO, should always be an older (older than 10, preferably older than 14), sound, very well trained horse -- even if the rider is very experienced. I also recommend lessons b/c it's a good idea to have a trainer on hand when you do decide to buy a horse. I've bought and sold DOZENS of horses and I'd never go to buy one without another very experienced person with me. There are too many conformational, behavioral, training, etc. issues that can be difficult to pick up on, even for experienced people. It's also always good to have someone without as much emotion invested in the purchase go along. NEVER buy a horse without a thorough pre-purchase exam.

I also highly recommend leasing a horse so you can get a feel for ownership before commiting to purchase a horse. I never recommend share-owning a horse. (One owner + a half lease is one thing, but co-ownership can get very, very complicated). Leasing also lets you get a feel for the cost of a horse. Board, shoeing, and routine vet care alone on Long Island will run you $10,000 (on the very low end) per horse per year in most areas. If you are way out on LI where land is a bit cheaper, you might be able to do it for $7,000 per horse per year.

You need to have a goog emergency fund set aside for emergency vet visits. They happen even to the best of us. In the past 2 years, I've had 2 emergency vet visits -- and I consider that lucky.

I'd also start subscribing to reputable horse publications, such as Equus and at least one for your disclipline. If you like the western disciplines, try Western Horseman (I think that's the name). If you're into English disciplines, try Practical Horseman. If you like both and don't mind a less "serious" publication (more for a bit younger rider, but still good), try Horse Illustrated.

I no longer train / teach / compete / ride as a pro or do horse sales, but I'd be very happy to answer any specific questions you have or help you find a barn. I DO still ride regularly and like I said, I currently have 2 horses.

If you let me know your goals / previous experience / interests / location a bit better, I can give you some more information if you'd like.

Message edited 1/4/2008 1:35:47 PM.

Re: Anyone with horse experience...

wow Well I always rode for recreation when I was younger ( I mean way younger) and I have no idea what discipline I was riding. I actually am trying to convince DH to move off LI & get a farm for a few reasons (I'd love to become more active in animal rescue), and I know if given the space and the permission I'd love to ride.

I'll bring this info to my FSIL & see what she says before bringing more specific questions.

Thanks so much!

Re: Anyone with horse experience...

I'm really, really sorry if my response was like two steps ahead!! LOL I can talk horses FOREVER, and I tend to get carried away. I can't believe I typed all that!!

I don't mean to scare you off from the hobby - hehe!!

Let's put it this way -- you want to just ride for recreation, but do you want a western saddle (with the horn) or an english saddle (no horn). Do you want to learn how to jump, or just go trail riding? Do you want to just ride around in a ring without jumping?

If you tell me a little bit about what sort of riding you might enjoy, I might be able to suggest a discipline or a starting point. The basic starting point for any discipline is a balanced seat, so you can start wherever you want and always dabble in other areas for fun. There are also PLENTY of good "all around" horses out there if you eventually look to buy. They can help you dabble in the lower levels of any discipline, especially just recreational riding and fun!

ETA - I still recommend lessons over a hack barn, though. Most horses at hack barns (at least good ones) don't listen much to rider and just go ahead and do their job. There are always exceptions, of course, especially since they are smart animals... but you'll learn a lot more and get more time with the horse on the ground if you take lessons. You can always then take some trail rides for fun, too!

Definitely lessons first for at least a year before leasing... then lease, THEN buy. Leasing is invaluable experience and will also help you figure out exactly what you want in your own horse (as will riding all different lesson horses instead of the same one all the time), as well as giving you the experience of ownership without the full commitment first. Okay, there I am 2 steps ahead again, SORRY!

Message edited 1/4/2008 1:30:23 PM.

Re: Anyone with horse experience...

Ah ok, now we are speaking the same language. From what I remember, the saddle did not have a horn. The saddle reminded me of a motorcycle seat. it was molded & stitched, but relatively flat. I liked riding for recreation, and we have trails near us, so that is what I did. If I do convince my DH to move, It would be just to ride for recreation on our property. I have also ridden on the beach in Montauk, but I don't think I'd like to do that again since the poor horse seemed very fatigued by the end of the ride & was starting to foam.

I think I am too much of a chicken to jump, although I like to watch.

A friend of ILs have a pony for their daughter, but she competes in shows, so I know her expenses and experiences are totally different. She has to transport the horse all over for the meets in addition to *normal* expenses. She also has frequent visits from the trainer & the vet to make certain the pony is in competition form. I know her expenses are upwards of $3500 a month.

Re: Anyone with horse experience...

I see. Okay, you want an English saddle then. Though, if you're mainly interested in trail riding, you might consider some western lessons. Or, heck, try both and see which one you like better! (I'm a 3-day eventing rider, so I do English, though I've had some fun in a Western saddle, too!) It's about having fun, so ride in what you're comfortable in and enjoy most!

Are you planning on keeping the horse at home? I'll try not to go off on a tangent, but this opens up a whole new set of things to learn -- and I'd be happy to offer any guidance if/when the day comes. Will it be the only horse on the property? Horses are herd animals and, with rare exceptions, do not do well alone... There are also a ton of feeding / nutrition / schedule things to learn, too, but I'm getting ahead of myself. (Horses are more complicated to keep than cats, dogs, and most other domestic animals in part b/c they have very sensitive digestive systems and special dietary needs.)

Re: Anyone with horse experience...

Posted by MsMBV


I think I am too much of a chicken to jump, although I like to watch.

Re: Anyone with horse experience...

Well if we get to move to a farm then yes I am sure we would consider keeping the horse on our property. But since that is the long term hopefully I will have a lot more real information by then

I would love to go to the show in September. I think even I might over a $1200 hat

Re: Anyone with horse experience...

Posted by MsMBV


I would love to go to the show in September. I think even I might over a $1200 hat