From: Evie
I have loved horses for as long as I can remember and have never feared even the wildest of them all. I just recently started working at a horse ranch and I feel so lucky to be able to work around the creatures I love so dearly. With this job I will finally have the money to buy a horse and keep up with it's necessities (hopefully!). Now, I come to you with a whole line-up of questions, in hopes that you can and will help me out! :) Of course you will. :)
1) My experience with the different breeds of horses has been mainly Arabs and Qh. I've been around other breeds too, but these are the main breeds I have had RIDING experience with. I was told that I should look into purchasing an 18 year old Qh, that has already been completely broke, or "dead broke" as they put it. What do you think would be a good breed for a first time horse owner??
2) I have been hearing a lot of things about shoeing a horse. I heard from one person that they must be shoed every 5-8 weeks (depending on the horse). But then someone else told me that they never shoe their horses and that the other person was full of it! What is your opinion??
3) Someone told me today that I will get "bored" with my first horse within the 1st year of owning it. They said that I will grow (experience wise) faster than the horse will and that I will require "more horse". Is this true as far as your experience goes?
4) I have had MANY opinions on this subject. :) How much does the care of one horse generally cost (feed, medical, etc)??
It will be a while before I get this horse...but I want to be totally aware of everything a horse requires and make sure this is the right time for me to buy one. I am just happy that I DIDN'T unsubscribe from Horse-Sense. :) I knew I'd need you eventually. :) THANK YOU!!
Evie
1) A nice, sound, sane, well-trained, experienced horse is exactly what you'll want. If you're in an area where there are a lot of QHs, why not begin there? You'll have more choice. But be open to other possibilities: go to shows and take a look at the different breeds and types. You might find that the horse you really want is a Morgan or a Foxtrotter. ;-) The horse doesn't have to be 18 -- you may find what you want in a horse that's fifteen or twelve or nine years old.
2) How often -- and whether -- a horse needs to be shod depends partly on the horse's soundness and hoof quality, and partly on the rider's needs. Some horses do well with no shoes at all, but if you begin riding them on rocks every day, they will need shoes. Others have poor-quality hooves or require corrective shoeing, and so need shoes year-round. Hooves grow faster in the summer than in the winter; horses usually need shoeing (or trimming, if they are barefoot) every five or six weeks in the summer, and every seven or eight weeks in the winter. It's true, there ARE people who never trim or shoe their horses, just as there are people who don't de-worm or feed their horses or get them vaccinated, but these are NOT people you want to emulate.
3) I'd say that "somebody" is very silly -- and doesn't know much about horses or riding. I see hundreds and sometimes thousands of horses and riders every year, and it's very, very rare to see a human who requires "more horse". If you outgrow a horse physically -- say you are fourteen, you grew six inches over the summer, and your feet drag on the ground when you ride your old pony -- that's one example of needing a new horse. If you're an experienced rider with serious competitive goals, and your horse is only comfortable over a 3'6" course and your taste (and budget) runs to open jumper competition, then that's another example of needing another horse. But if you are riding for pleasure or to learn a skill or discipline, and if you are just starting out, you'll be looking for an older, experienced horse that can teach you and take care of you, and it will be many, many years before you even come close to reaching that horse's level.
4) This is a tough question: it depends on where you are and what you do. Visit the stables in your area and make a list for yourself: what the facilities and amenities are, and what the monthly charges are. Ask other horse-owners in your area what the farriers charge, and realize that a horse that needs corrective or special shoeing will be much more expensive to keep than one that is comfortable barefoot. Talk to a local equine vet, talk to your county extension specialist, and find out what the typical charges would be for basic veterinary care -- twice-yearly injections, a de-worming program, regular tooth-floating, etc. There are people who keep many horses on their own ranch and can buy supplies in bulk and spend perhaps $100 a month per horse; there are people who have to pay $600 or more monthly just for board, another $200 for shoes, and that's without any vet care, any lessons, any training, any equipment....
Whatever you determine the costs to be, add 50% to the figure and put that amount aside each month, in a "horse" bank account. This will do two things: one is to help you determine whether you are really able to cope with the financial side of horse ownership. If you just can't seem to spare that money, then you'll want to re-think the idea. The second thing this will do is to help you build a horse-fund: this should stay in the bank so that you'll have a "cushion" in case your horse needs equipment or medical care in a hurry. If your new horse doesn't fit in the old trailer -- you need another trailer. If your horse goes into the vet clinic for colic surgery (heaven forbid, but it DOES happen), you may have to show that you can pay for the operation before anyone will perform it -- and in any case, you WILL have to pay for it.
My best suggestion, which I CANNOT MAKE STRONGLY ENOUGH, is that you WAIT to purchase a horse until you have given yourself at least a year to take lessons with a really good instructor. This will give you time to learn about horses and about yourself, and when you DO buy a horse, you'll have a lot of advantages. You'll know a lot more about horses, including what kind of horse you want, and what kind of horse will suit you, physically and mentally. You'll have an instructor you trust -- someone who knows you and knows horses, someone who can help you find a horse to purchase or lease, and someone who can advise you on the purchase. Instructors are very good at locating horses. ;-) Because of your additional experience and your relationship with your instructor, you'll also know more about vets and vet care and costs, and about farriers and hoof care and shoeing costs. And if you put that money aside every month, you'll have a financial "cushion" in case you need a new saddle or trailer -- or in case anything goes wrong.
I'm glad you asked. Congratulations on the new job, welcome to the horse world, and please be patient -- the more time you spend learning about horses and riding NOW, the better your choice will be and the more you will enjoy it later. ;-)
Jessica
Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE is a free, subscriber-supported electronic Q&A email newsletter which deals with all aspects of horses, their management, riding, and training. For more information, please visit www.horse-sense.org
Please visit Jessica Jahiel: Holistic Horsemanship® [www.jessicajahiel.com] for more information on Jessica Jahiel's clinics, video lessons, phone consultations, books, articles, columns, and expert witness and litigation consultant services.