How should I decide if I should own a horse again?

Question

I'll keep this as short as I can- lol.  Suffice it to say that the last 2 horses in a row that I owned (to ride), I had DISASTROUS issues with.  They both went from quiet gentle horses to violent attacking and bucking nightmares after 6 months of me riding them dressage.  I took one to my hunter jumper trainer and they never had issues with her, so she is no longer mine.  The other one eventually became too lame to maintain and he was euthanized after 4 years of standing around.  I said I would not buy another one, as I didn't want to ruin another one.  But I have never had issues ever riding any hunter horse.  I've been riding 18 years so I like to think I know what I'm doing.

I have 2 ponies to drive, but nothing to ride, and the ponies are really my hubby's to show and drive and enjoy.  So, I've been taking consistent lessons with a H/J trainer for 3 years now and thought maybe I should buy another horse and just concentrate hunters, not dressage.  I've even had issues with horses I've leased for dressage- that were dressage trained & shown. 

Anyway, my trainer doesn't feel that I can get a horse that can competently handle w/t/c in an arena in the price I'm looking at.  She believes to get a horse that can walk trot and canter when asked will cost about 5 times my budget.  Thus at the price I'm looking I cannot get a horse to suit my low-level needs.

I did go look at a horse 2 weeks ago that I really liked.  He was SUPER SUPER quiet, which is a huge factor to me.  But he did not know how to be ridden in an arena at all.  He was confused about trotting and I couldn't get him to canter at all.  

In the past, I used to ride *anything* and always felt "I could handle it".  Now, I guess my bones don't bend as well and the ground's a lot harder.  I really liked this horse, even if he did have a slight parrot mouth..  He was well within my budget (not my trainers!), but I am not sure I could finish this horse or not.  His seller thought I could, my husband thinks I should buy him, but I am so unsure of everything anymore.

If I stick to my trainer's plan, I'll never own a horse - there's no way I could come up with the money she says I need to spend - not in 20 years could I save that kind of money up.  I love my lessons, and I jump 2'6" - 2'9" but I feel it's not enough, I have owned 8 horses in the past, and have always owned a horse for the last 12 years, now I'm facing eternity not owning one, and I'm not even sure if I should ever get one, or if I could finish a horse like that QH I looked at the other week.

How should I decide?  How can I possibly decide?

I would love some suggestions!
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Spify23 · Accepted Answer

Have you considered full leasing a going H/J horse with a possible option to buy?

If you can find a really nice horse that suits both you and your trainers 'ideals' then you can enquire to the owner if they are willing to set up a payment plan or allow you to take the horse on a trial lease. This way you can ride the horse, get use to him over time and decide whether you are truly suited to each other. If not, you can send him back to his owner and you haven't lost out. So to speak. 

Some owners can be quite weary of these kind of things. Ensure that what ever you do, you have a secure contract set up to protect both you and the owner. Also listed in the contrat should be the details of the payment plan, if you go that route. How much money you will pay each month and on what day of the month the money will be in their account or when you will give them a cheque. 

Leasing might not be your idea of owning your own horse but it is a compromise. 

Good Luck

jewleit · Answer

If your husband is saying do it then do it. You have someone there backing you up on this. Sounds like the dressage was just to much for the horses to mentally deal with. Jumping takes some mental but it is more relaxing. I would try to do some dressage maybe once a week to keep general skill up and you could even do lower level shows for fun. Never could understand how people always think lots of money means good.  Really it sounds to me like you need to find a different trainer, maybe she is getting a commission off the horses if she gets you to buy them. I don't own a  horse that is over $2000 most are under $500. Remember these things if you buy a more expensive horse then if it doesnt work out your out more. If you get this baby your talkig about you can put the training i that is needed. Especially if you work well together already. Just go for it

PeaBee · Answer

We went to an auction today and visited with a serious h/j that trains.   She ended up with a 15K horse  for a song that the owners could not sell.   The market is so down right now,m you surely can find the right prospect in your price range.  You are just not looking in the right sphere.   

Get away from the high market barn area and into the country and consider a horse that is an excellent prospect for you, not a finished horse.  And pick one that clicks with you.   This one doesn't seem to do it for you.

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How should I decide if I should own a horse again?

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