Keys to Success when you're a New Horse Owner

Owning a new horse, especially if it is your first horse is always really exciting. There are some common things that I see that cause new horse owners to "fail" in the first year of horse ownership that leads them to giving up or at the very least, no longer progressing. I've owned horses since I was 7 years old, with a few gaps here and there. I have learned from personal experience from my mother's choices or my own and from also watching others around me. Make good choices. 1) Your child should have taken at least one year of riding lessons prior to you getting them a horse. If you are going to also ride the horse you should also take riding lessons for an extended period of time, PRIOR to getting a horse. If you rode as a kid, but it has been many years since then, you should take lessons as a refresher. Sure it's like riding a bike but adults aren't as fearless as children and your body doesn't move like it use to! LOL 2) Keep taking lessons! I would say for at least the first year of owning a horse. Showing up at a barn for an hour lesson, is completely different ball game than having a horse to care for 24/7. Assuming the horse is at your home and not a boarding stable, but even than you have to be ready if issue arises. Continuing lessons allows you to maintain a good relationship with a professional who you can ask questions to and they can help you work through any issues that come up. It can be even more helpful if you are able to take your horse with you to your lessons or if you have an instructor that can come to you. Additionally, I am a firm believer in hiring and working with a professional rather than seeking help from just a friend or relative whom has horses. The way in which that person will go about explaining things to you or working through things with you will be different than how a professional who has built a career from this focus. It takes a certain type of person to be able to help and teach others with compassion. Your family or friend might mean well, but trust me, it is not the same. 3) Have compassion for your horse and understand that you both are learning each other. Unless you got a 20 year old arthritic gelding that has been used as a working or show horse it's entire life, than you are going to face some challenges and off days. Horses are living creatures with opinions and if you don't act like the leader of the team, then they will. If your horse has an off day and your ride doesn't go as planned you need to come back the next day with compassion and not resentment from the previous day. What you think is what will be. I can promise you that if you go work your horse holding a grudge or hesitant/fearful, you will not have a good ride. Horses feed off your energy, do not approach a horse, or any animal for that matter if you are not able to do so calmly and with confidence. 4) Make it manageable! Your children, or family CAN share a horse. Unless you have been taking lessons for years, and maybe have even leased a horse. It is best to start with only one horse for at least 6 months, I would suggest one year. There is a huge financial responsibility that comes with owning a horse and then there is a lot of time commitment as well. I see families who want to get multiple horses so they can all ride together, but then they rarely do so one horse ends up sitting and they wonder why it's hard to ride. Additionally, your taking horses that are new to you, new to your location and then putting them with other horses that are also new to you and the space and now each other. It just turns it into a bigger, more complex adjustment for everyone. There is the argument that horses are "herd" animals and need pasture mates... well, mostly all animals are supposed to live in herds, packs, flocks or schools. Horses can live alone so long as you have an engaging relationship with them. 5) Do not feed treats to bond with your horse. Work with them, to bond with them. You will not feed them into loving you, you will feed them into bossing you around and pushing over you. Treats are fine, respect is better.

Train with Care, Ride with Confidence.