HOW LONG SHOULD YOU BE RIDING UNTIL YOU OWN A HORSE?!!?

I know exactly how you feel right now. I am 17 years old, and have been wanting a horse since I could talk. I have been riding for years, making lists, saving money, and nothing. I have more grooming supplies than I can count, 3 bridles, a saddle, halters, lead ropes, ANYTHING you can think of for a horse. And still, no horse. I saved all my money, and got $1400. When I turned 16 I got a job and made my goal of $1600. I thought if I paid for the board and the horse, that my parents had no room to say no. Guess what. They did. And to tell you the truth, I am really happy about that choice. This year of school has been a very hard one. Once you near the end of high school, the classes get harder, and the work load is more. I was so busy with my classes, and after school things that I can't even imagine having a horse right now, as much as that hurts to say. In one year I will be at college and there is no way I could pay for school, a horse, plus a job, and studying. Trust me, parents have a good reason for their madness. It took me a long time to figure that out, but when you do finish school, and buy your first horse, you will be so proud, and excited that you waited. Isn't that better than going to college and having to sell your horse because you can't afford it all?

Along with this, if you already have not learned how to feed, and clean a stall, you still have a while to go before you should get a horse. Owning a horse is much more than knowing how to ride:) Just wait a few years, and learn as much as you can now. And listen to your mom, parents are smart people whether we believe it or not. It took me this long to realize that, and it was hard to grasp my mind around.

Pursue your dreams, and good luck!

Being ready to own a horse is not at all just about how much time you have been riding. A person could take a lesson once a week for ten years and still have no idea what it takes to actually own a horse, or a person could be totally immersed in horses for a year and be ready.

It also depends a lot on the situation--how you will be buying the horse and where it will be kept. If you are working closely with a trainer and will be boarding the horse at a farm where a lot of guidance is available, sooner than if you are going to be keeping the horse on your own. You will definitely want to include your instructor in the purchase process and expect to reimburse them for their time in this---it will be extremely worth it.

Leasing is a great way to prepare yourself for horse ownership, and I highly recommend it. I would recommend having a serious talk with your riding instructor about wanting to prepare yourself for ownership and developing a plan or list of goals to reach it.

It depends, but a few years at least. Horses are expensive. At 13, you are probably not going to be able to earn enough money to buy and keep a horse. So, unless your parents have the means to support a horse and are willing to do so, you'll have to wait until you can afford the horse yourself. You should at least wait until you are sure you like farm work and enjoy riding. It's one thing to love the idea of horses, to look at pictures, to fantasize about galloping on the beach with the wind in your hair, and so forth. It's quite another to shovel manure, get slobbered on, and to fall off the horse. You also have to find out what kind of riding you like to do. There's Western, English hunt seat, and English saddle seat. There's trail riding. There's barrel racing, reining, Western pleasure, cutting. There's jumping. There's dressage. There's park pleasure and speed racking. And that's just a sample. No horse is suited for every discipline. For example, you don't want to get a gaited horse and then decide you want to do fox hunting, for example. You also have to consider what your life is like now, and how it will change in the next few years. Would you have time for a horse once you get into high school? Can you give up extracurricular activities and trips to the mall? Will you be able to keep your grades up? What would you do with the horse when you go off to college? To own a horse, you have to be committed. I think a better option for you would be to lease a horse, maybe in a year or two and assuming your family can afford it. It's often possible to get a partial lease. With a lease, you are not stuck if your finances or interests should change.

to be honest - owning a horse is so much more than knowing about how to clean out a stall or feed them - or how to trot and canter.

Do you know what colic is? How you would know if your horse was colicing? Would you know how to apply a poltice if your horse had a cut? Do you know what type of noseband or bit you should use on your horse? THe list is endless!!! No body can ever know enough about horses - the list goes on and on... and whilst Im sure you know the basics - I sincerely you know the more complicated stuff that goes with being a horse owner so for now - learn as much as you can - ask as many questions as you want - but Id hold off on owning a horse for another while

xx

Part of your mother's concern may not just be your knowledge, it may be expense and safety. Insurance is going to go up - health, vehicle and property - when you buy a horse. That animal is going to cost at LEAST $200 per month, and that doesn't include purchase price or tack, horse trailer, and vehicle purchase/upgrade, or any show expenses.

Your mother also knows every 13 yo girl is horse crazy and almost every 15 yo girl is boy crazy and all the money and time spent on a horse two years previously is wasted. She may be putting you off to make sure you're going to STAY interested in horses before she invests thousands of hard earned dollars in a horse and all the accessories.

I think it's great you're learning to ride and have a chance to care for a horse and learn so much. My advice is to learn all you can, ride every chance you get, take on all the side jobs that can earn you a little cash and start putting away money to buy your OWN horse. By the time you have experience and money enough to bet your own, you're going to have proven that you really ARE going to stay interested in horses and the investment is worth it. Besides, if you earn your own money for your own horse, you'll be doubly proud of and twice as interested in the training and welfare of the animal.

riding is a very small part of horse ownership...almost nothing, compared to everything else you need to understand. honestly, in my opinion, you don't need to be a very good rider to own a horse. i think beginner riders can get horses, IF and only IF they will work with a trainer so they don't ruin the horse and they can continue to improve. what's more important is understanding horses from the ground. big as they are, horses are very fragile animals. if you don't understand horses on the ground, they can turn very dangerous very fast. they can take advantage of you, and push you around. their bad manners can be hard to reverse. they also need someone who can keep a close eye on their care. you need to fully understand teeth floating, sheath cleaning, vaccines, feeding, deworming, colic, lameness, various illnesses, the list goes on. you need to understand how expensive they are. at 13, your parents will be paying for everything. can they afford thousands of dollars per year to support your horse? you're entering high school soon...high school is a big change from middle school. it can be really busy and stressful. a lot of people have a really hard time adjusting to the new schedule...how will you find time for your horse, on the days you have a lot of homework? will you make time? because you have to. horses are living, breathing animals. you can't let them sit. you need to go out, groom them, work with them, feed them, check on them to make sure they're okay, etc.

horses are a HUGE commitment. so do i think you're ready? honestly, no. after a few weeks of lessons, there is no way you have gained enough horse knowledge to own. work with that friend of yours, and ask if you can work off your lessons. not only will it save you money, you'll gain horse knowledge. i think after doing that for a couple years, then you can consider owning.

I think you and your mom should talk to a professional trainer. Take some lessons from him and see what he has to say. He would know when you are ready to own your own horse. He could also help you pick out one that would be best for you.

In the meantime, learn all you can and ask a lot of questions...

Happy Riding! :)

Have your mom go with you to a trainer and have them give you their perspective about riding, whether you can or can't, that will end that argument with you mom. Now with that being said, riding has only a little to do with horse ownership! Definitely help your friend over the summer so you can learn as much as possible about horse CARE.

When you are around horses, make sure you feel confident. Watch the horse's reaction when you work with them. If you feel confident in yourself and the horses seem happy when you work with them, that's good. I think you should find an experienced horse person and hang out with them to see how they work with horses and what they think of you. Make sure you're not afraid of any of the horses and make sure you ask lots of questions. How long you've been riding doesn't matter as long as you can control the horse you're working with. Hope that helps!

well i waited two years, until i got my horse. And i think i should have waited a little longer. My horse was very green broke, he had never been cantered before, and was allowed to do what ever he wanted. When i got on him he constantly bucked me off, im surprised that i didn't get seriously hurt! I have a few scars but that's all.

So i suggest you wait a little more, and get some more riding under your belt.