(We all want a pony like Moe for our youth!)
The weather is warming up, but still in the beautiful stage; the holidays are over, spring break and summer break promise for more hobby time; it’s that time of year where I get asked, can you help me find a horse to buy?
Remember that article I posted not too long ago about how your horse suffers when they don’t see their person enough? I had quite a few people very involved with their horses this time last year as well! Then suddenly summer hits, and the heat sets in and then school starts and it becomes harder and harder to get to the barn. Here are some ideas to make sure you and/or your child are ready for the responsibility of a horse!
(One of our lovely lease ponies, Cowboy!)
First off, how long have you been taking lessons? Do you know how to pull out a horse yourself, groom him, tack him up and at least be able to walk safely around the arena by yourself? That is usually a good start to knowing if you’re prepared enough for a horse. If you aren’t comfortable with this yet, you might want to consider leasing one of my lesson horses until you are completely comfortable with the ground work around a horse.
Second of all, have you taken into account all of the finances that come with a horse? This includes what it will cost to keep up with riding and maintenance of a horse if you go on vacation or are too busy to come out to the barn for a while. If you’re too busy to take care of your horse, you need to make sure you can pay someone else to for that time. Another great option if you aren’t ready for the financials of your own horse, is leasing!
(A great match of horse and rider from years ago, Erin and Diesel!)
One last thing I like to make sure of before I look for a horse for someone is, do you know exactly what you’re looking for? Have you tried different disciplines, and if so, have you picked a specific one to work toward? It’s important to have a clear idea of what you’re looking for in a horse. If you aren’t completely sure of which direction you want to go in, you should take your time to try multiple disciplines for a while before deciding which discipline your new horse should be trained for.
It’s almost always harder to sell a horse than it is to buy one. Therefore, you want to make sure you’ve done your homework before you make this big decision. It IS a big decision! These animals take 24 hour care, and when you aren’t at the barn someone else is managing that care. Please keep these things in mind when you make the decision to buy a horse!