Owning
your own horse can be a real pleasure. I
have been lucky enough to have my own for many years now. However, they take a lot of time and a lot of
money....
.....but, in my opinion they are worth
it!
If you
have been taking riding lessons for some time then you may think the next step
is your own horse. However, riding
school horses and ponies are very different to other horses and once you take
them out of the riding school they can change too!
Before
you think about buying your own horse you really need to be safe and balanced
at all paces, although, jumping is not necessary (unless you will want to do
lots). You also should be used to
hacking out as this will give you experience of riding in new surroundings and
tackling unusual sights eg: lawnmowers, plastic bags etc. You will also need to know about horse care
and management ... even if you will have your horse at full livery this is
important for you to understand your horse and his needs!
Other
things to think about:
- Have you
got the time … unless you will keep the horse on full livery, you will need to
visit once or twice a day depending if the horse is stabled or grass kept. This is EVERY
DAY OF THE YEAR. Can you fit this around work/school and other commitments?
- What will
happen when you go on holiday?
- Who will
look after the horse if you are ill or injured?
- What will
happen if you lose your job?
- Where
will you keep it?
- If at
home you will need considerably more knowledge than if you will be keeping
your pony/horse at livery.
- If at
livery you will need to do some research to find a suitable place with space
before you buy!
- Will you
be keeping your new addition at grass or will you be able to stable them if the
weather demands it? This may be winter
from the cold or summer from the heat and flies. This will influence the type of horse as some
are not suited to living out all winter!
- Do you
want a horse that jumps, does dressage, gymkhana games or to hack out?
- How will
you keep it fit if you want to compete, they will need exercising at least 5
times a week to maintain adequate fitness. This is often difficult with the
dark nights in winter.
You
will need to be able to .....
- Catch, lead and tie up
- Groom and pick out feet
- Tack up and un-tack and
clean tack
- Put on and take off a rug
- Muck out
- Make feeds, fill haynets
- etc ....
You
will need to know about …..
- Feeding; types and amounts
- Worm counts and worming
- Vaccinations eg: Tetanus & Influenza,
Strangles etc. Some are mandatory for
competitions, riding club and other events.
- Shoeing and trimming
- Basic equine first aid
- Signs of a healthy horse and
signs of an unhealthy horse so that you can decide if you should call the
vet
- Grassland care; poisonous
plants, paddock maintenance
- etc ....
You will
need to find (in your area):
- Farrier
- Vet
- Horse Dentist
Costs will include:
- Farrier (every 6 weeks
usually) approx. £70 a time for shoeing.
- Worm counts (every 3 months)
with targeted worming approx. 4 times a year. At least £60 a year.
- Hay £5 – £7 a bale – approx.
2/3 a week when in stable for the night, depending on type and size of
horse/pony.
- Straw £3.50/Shavings
£7/Other bedding £8 - probably a bale a week when stabled.
- Food (likely in winter) – depending on what
type you choose and the type and size of horse/pony this can cost between
£30 and £40 a month.
- Vaccinations once a year,
with the vet visit to you this can cost around £80.
- Any additional, unexpected
vet visits!
You will need:
- Headcollar and lead rope
- Grooming kit
- Mucking out kit
- Saddle & bridle (if not
included in sale)
- Numnahs/saddle cloths
- Rugs
- Haynets
- Food bowls
- Water buckets
- Feed bins
- Equine first aid kit
- This is not an exhaustive
list
Also,
when working out what type of horse you’d like to buy, ask yourself:
- Be realistic about your
skill level. If this is your first
horse then buying a young horse (under 8yrs), a warmblood or a thoroughbred
would be inappropriate. Buy
something appropriate to your current skill, if you can't cope with your
new horse you will lose confidence and may give up ... you want something
to build your confidence, skill and enjoyment!
- What are you hoping to do
with your horse?
- Is the horse likely to be ridden by other
members of your family? Think, it’s got to be suitable.
- Do you have the time,
patience and skill to bring on an inexperienced horse?
- Is it important you see
regular improvements in you and your horse? If so, make sure you look for
a horse with potential to improve.
- Are you looking for a horse
that knows the ropes? If so, make sure the horses you’re looking at
viewing are a little bit older and have the relevant experience.
- Do you want to compete and
if so, right away? Choose your horse accordingly.
- What are the deal
breakers for you? These could be anything from price or build, to age;
write a list of things you aren’t willing to budge on – and stick to them!
- What are you willing to
compromise on? Again, write a list and don’t be tempted to add things
on.
Examples
of things to think about for your list:
Good to
catch, box, shoe, clip, no vices, good in traffic, hack out alone, live alone,
quiet to jump, hunts, good first pony, good second pony etc… etc.
This is
again not an exhaustive list, you may think of more. Beware it is things not listed in
advertisements that you need to be careful of.
Be careful, if you have not bought a horse or
pony before take a more knowledgeable person with you. Ensure that the seller rides the horse before
you get on so that you can see how it behaves and be sure that you feel
confident and safe enough to get on!
Try to
see the horse tacked up, groomed and in as many different situations as
possible to see how it behaves. It is always a good idea to go away after your
first try and then organise a further try if you are still keen. Also ride it out on a hack to see how it
behaves on the road and in traffic.
It really
is essential to have the horse/pony vetted as this will help reduce the
possibility of buying a horse with soundness problems. Some vets will also ride the horse and this
will give you another opinion. The vet
will not tell you whether or not to buy, they will give you a report and you
will need to make a decision based on this and what you hope to do with the
horse. A knowledgeable person will again
be able to help you with this.
Did you see last weeks video 'My Spring Favourites' ?
Horse Life
and Love. Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.
You can also follow me on Facebook and
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Until next time!
Jo
