Category: Beginners

What Horse To Look For – Part 1

Have you done your homework? Have you figured out your budget? I truly hope you didn’t skip that assignment. You are finding out that even if you have your own place, owning a horse is NOT CHEAP! It’s better to find out the cost of horse ownership on the front end of this process. You don’t want to find out in a couple of months that you have to sell your dream horse because you under estimated the cost of upkeep. It is far more important for you to make your mortgage payment and feed your family.

If you’ve found that your finances are in order and you can afford the maintenance of a horse, you are going to ask what horse is best for me? For a novice owner, there are sooo many choices. There are also some that you should steer away from for now. I’m going to break this down into several posts. This way I don’t have to try to condense the information too much.

In my Jan 9 2008 post, I suggested a mature horse. By this I mean a horse that is an 8-15 year old, I would even go as far as a 20 year old for the right horse. Why? Because these guys have been around a bit. They probably have years of training/riding and unless they are the nervous type, they are well out of that fidgety young horse mentality. Beside this, there are a few other manners that they probably have learned with age. They should have good ground manners, they have probably learned not to lean on the farrier, and they shouldn’t try to hurt the vet at shot time. If the horse has been shown or was a ranch horse, it will probably load in a trailer easily. I absolutely can’t emphasize enough just how much that is worth.

You want to find a horse that has a kind soft eye, not one that only shows the whites and has that wild scared look all of time. You want a horse that stands quietly no matter if it is tied to a fence, on crossties or tied to your trailer. You want a horse that respects you, your space and your authority. You don’t need a horse that strikes at you, tries to walk over you, or challenges your leadership. You want a horse that is reasonably trained. While it doesn’t have to be a "push button" horse, it should be a well broke horse. You want a horse that is healthy in both body & mind. You and the horse should have mutual trust for each. Without trust, you will never develop a rewarding relationship, you will never become a team.

Where do you find a horse like this? Like in the post mentioned above, your riding instructor may know of a prospect. Try your horse friends. They may know a youth or amateur who has outgrown their current horse and is looking for more of a challenge. Horse shows, especially the big breed shows, always have horses for sale. Use caution here though. You may find a good prospect. But if the owner is from out of town, they may want to sell while at the show. This could make it more difficult to test ride the horse a couple of times. It would also make it very hard to get a pre-purchase exam (I’ll discuss this more later). Working ranches will also have dispersal sales. This would be a good place to pick a nice ranch horse. This is also an instance where you need to be careful and taking a knowledgeable horse person with you would be best. They could help steer you away from a horse that may not be right for you. There are the classified ads in both the paper and on the internet. And finally, there are the bulletin boards at feed stores, tack stores and livestock sales.

Remember what I said about being in too much of a hurry. You don’t want your dream horse to turn out to be your worst nightmare.

February 1, 2008 By Dara In Beginners, Horse Shows, Lessons, Riding, Trailer, Trainers, Vets No Comment

I Have Money To Buy My Horse

You’re so excitied. You’ve scrimped and saved until you finally have enough money for the purchase price for your new horse. Congratulations should be in order. But wait!! Have you thoroughly researched the cost of keeping a horse? If you haven’t, you’ve missed a VERY important step. Relatively speaking, buying the horse probably is the least expensive part of horse ownership.

Let’s start at the begining. You have a lot of homework to do. The first step is look at your monthly expenses. I don’t want to discourage anyone, but you have to be brutally honest here. Sit down & figure out what you have as far as expenses. This includes utility bills, insurance, daycare, car payments, food and any other type of expense that applies to you. If you are only living paycheck to paycheck, you can’t afford a horse. If you only have a little left over at the end of each month for a few extras, you can’t afford a horse. If you don’t have enough left over at the end of each month to cover one of those life’s gotchas, you can’t afford a horse.

Now here is your homework. You have to research costs for each of these, because prices vary in every part of the country. Have you found a stable? Are you going to do self service or full board? Are you bringing the horse back to your own property? Have you found a hay supplier? Which feed is right and where is the feed store? Have you decided on a vet, found a farrier or trainer? These are just a few fundamentals for horse ownership and if you don’t have an answer for even one of them, you are not ready to buy.

As a novice horse owner, it is your responsibility to make yourself as edcuated as possible. As a horse owner, it is your responsibility to make sure the horse is cared for properly. Doing your research on the costs of keeping a horse is the first step in making sure it is healthy and happy.

January 19, 2008 By Dara In Beginners, Horse Care, Vets No Comment

It’s A New Year!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! I think the only resolution I’m going to make this is year is to try to provide more information. I wasn’t very good at this last year. Soooo . . .

I have heard new horse people ask if a certain color of horse is the best to get. Unless you are going to stay in a particular color breed, color should not be the first thing to look for in a horse. Although some colors & coat patterns are very eye catching, resist the urge to buy based solely on color. If you are a novice, you should look for a horse that would be good for your skills, one who has a great attitude, and probably an mature horse. A horse that is too young, green broke, nervous, or labeled “needs experienced or intermediate rider” is not a good candidate for you. Also, don’t read what you want to see in an ad.

If you have done your homework and invested in riding lessons, ask your riding instructor for help. He/she may have good leads for a suitable horse. Or if you have found one, ask your instructor to go with you to look at the horse. Let the instructor ride the horse. He/she will have good judgement for matching your skills to the horse in question. If the instructor is satisfied, you ride the horse. Discuss your ride, the horse’s skills and its attitude with your instructor. But do yourself a favor and go home to discuss it. You may feel pressured to make a quick decision if you stay. Listen to what your instructor has to say and keep an open mind. If you go into this with a case of the “have to haves”, you are likely not to accept constructive criticism.

If the horse still looks like a possible candidate after discussing all of the its qualities & flaws, make arrangements to go back for another ride. Go back for a third ride or fourth. The point is don’t make a decision too quickly . This is one purchase that absolutely should not be made in haste.

January 9, 2008 By Dara In Beginners, Lessons, Riding, Trainers No Comment

It’s showtime, but what did I forget

Get ready . . . get set . . . Show!!!!

Yes it’s finally that time. Are you out there already showing your horse’s best side as well as yours? Good for you. Or are you just getting started and have absolutely no idea what you are supposed to be doing? Don’t fret, the newby jitters get everyone at first. Just ask anyone in the warm-up pen or show ring.

But let’s back-up a bit. Did you remember to get that all important Coggins test first? Or did you forget to ask the vet when he was out giving the routine shots? Well it’s not a complete disaster, but until you get this particular test done and the test result papers in your hand, you can’t show. Not one single show I know of will even let you unload your horse without it. Or, I should be more specific, not one show will let you unload or show without a negative Coggins.

If you board your horse, the barn management probably requires a yearly Coggins. So you may already have it. Just make sure you have an official copy from the vet (not a photo copy). If you forgot, just call the vet & set-up an appointment to have this test done. It’s just a simple blood test. Most shows in my area will accept a Coggins test if it was done within a year. There are a few shows that will require a Coggins done within 6 months. Now the really big national or world shows may also require health papers that were issued within 30 days prior to the show. Be sure to check the show rules for the particular show you are going to for any other vaccination requirements. If you are traveling across state lines, be sure to check what each state will require.

If you can’t remember everything, try making a list. Put things in order of importance in the the month it needs to be done. If you are techincal, keep the list in your PDA, laptop or whatever type of electronic device is your preference. If you are not technically inclined, keep a notebook, day-timer or calendar handy with all of the important things on it. You can check them off as they are done. You will also be able to add, change or delete anything as needed. But the most important thing about your list is to look at it. Look at it more than just the time it takes to make it. Look at the list at the very least once a week .

With all of the health papers in order, this will be a little less stressful when going to a show.

June 10, 2007 By Dara In Beginners, Horse Care, Horse Shows No Comment

How do I spend my Christmas money?

Well . . . really the best thing you should do is save it. But if Christmas money is burning a hole your pocket, why not invest in some riding lessons. Everyone can benefit from lessons no matter what your abilities. This is especially true if you are just beginning. It’s my opinion that this is the absolute 1st thing a beginning horseman (novice) should do. That is even before you start looking for a horse. How are you going to know what kind of horse suits you best, if you don’t even know how to ride or groom a horse properly?

Shop around a little. Talk with several trainers in your area and definitley go to their stables to check them out before you sign up for anything. Be courteous though. If you arrange to meet a trainer, make sure you show up. If for some reason you can’t make the appointment, call them to cancel and reschedule for another time. You might find a stable that offers a package deal. That is, if you pay for a pre-determined amount of lessons, they offer them at a reduced price. These usually are only offered if you pay up front. Some stables may also offer lessons at a group rate. You’d be riding with other people of the same ability, this can actually be fun. I would check into taking a few private lessons first though. This will give you a trial time for the stable and the trainer. You do want a trainer that you are comfortable with and one that will not push you beyond your abilities. Trust your instincts. Be wary of a trainer that promises big results in a very short amount of time. If a beginner is pushed too hard too fast, it will probably end up in an accident.

That’s what happened to me. I wanted to learn to jump. My husband called several stables as a Christmas gift one year. A few of the trainers he spoke with told him that the basics and ground work had to be done first and that could take awhile. The length of time depended on the rider. The trainer I ended up going to said she would teach me to jump in no time. She was right about that. On my third lesson, I was going over crossbars. Never mind that I couldn’t even sit a trot or even post. As the 8th lesson, we were going to go to a schooling show. So on my 7th lesson, we were practicing a course for the first time. I was riding a new horse as the one I was used to riding had come up lame. As we approched a fence, the horse and I had a difference of opinion as which way to go and we parted ways. He went left and I went right . . . right into the jump. While I was recuperating from this, I bought my first horse; but that’s another story. I never went back to finish the riding package my husband paid for.

Riding lessons are more than just sitting in a saddle and going around in circles in an arena. In the barn I’m at, the trainers show the new student how to groom the horse before and after riding. This includes brushing and which brushes are used for each area of the horse. The new student is shown how to pick up the feet and clean them as well as combing out the mane and tail. They are shown where/where not to apply fly spray and how to apply hoof dressing. They are shown how to properly place the saddle on the horse, tighten the cinch/girth and how to remove the saddle. How to adjust the stirrups to fit the rider’s legs. Then one of the most important things, is how to put the bit/bridle in and remove from the horse’s mouth without clanging teeth. A horse will not take having their teeth hit too many times before they start to resist being bridled. Believe me, this is not good for the horse or you.

As a novice, the first few lessons may only be 30 minutes, but you’ll appreciate the short time in the saddle. Your legs and rear end may be a little sore, but not at all like they would be if you had a full hour for the very first time. Besides, an hour may be too overwhelming, especially for the young novice. There are just too many things to remember. After the first few lessons, the time can be increased to the full hour, but this all depends on the rider. Young riders may not have a long enough attention span to last a hour. If not, don’t push them.

Remember riding is supposed to be fun!!!!!

January 8, 2007 By Dara In Beginners, Horse Care, Lessons, Riding, Trainers No Comment

What do I want for Christmas?

More time with the people I love and more time with my horses. While working a full time job lets me afford my horses, it also takes away valuable time especially in the winter months. For alot of people, juggling a job, family and hobbies is a very intricate ballet. And more times than not, something gets short changed. When I got my first horse, my husband was the one who was left out. He always ribs me about being fed after the animals. He was and still is quite understanding. He’s also quick to point out to people that this is my only passion and hobby.

When my daughter was born, the horses were the sacrifice. I cared for them twice daily while I was at a self serve barn, I just didn’t get to do much with them. I fed them before I went to work and a friend at the the barn would let them out to pasture. After work, I would go back to the barn, change my shoes in the car, and do chores and feed again. Then it was home to feed the family and do house chores. I rode when I could and occasionally went to a show or two. I wondered if it wasn’t time to get out of horses for a while.

I kept my horses and moved them to a full care barn instead. This gave me more time. Most of which was spent with diapers, then ball games, band trips, homework, and calming the fears of a teenager wondering if boys would ever like her. Now she’s in college and I have more time again. I kept my horses through all the trials and tribulations of my life. I look back at them as my stress relief. If I hadn’t had them, I’m sure I would be on blood pressure or ulcer medication. They have a calming effect on me, even if they are having one their bad days. I take a riding lesson every Saturday morning, weather permitting. It relaxes me to be just sitting on of my horses or trying to learn a new move. Even on those rides where nothing is going right, I find it enjoyable. On some of those rides, you can hear me laugh.

I look at it this way . . . . no matter what my horses do, it’s not as bad as what work does to me.

December 17, 2006 By Dara In Beginners, Horse Care No Comment

Good-bye Huddy

huddy I met Huddy Hudspeth when I volunteered to work the Palomino World Hose Show about 18 years ago. He was the tack judge and I was recruited to check the horses markings. We had to check every horse every time they came through the gate to the holding pen. At that time, the show was 3 very long days. We spent a lot time at the back gate. When there was time between classes, I asked a lot of questions and he told a lot of stories. We worked together until about 5 years ago. He was one of the most amazing people I know.

He had a gentle way about him, but he commanded respect. Whether it was a horse he was training or a cowboy who was trying to understand why his horse had become flighty. He had trained more horses than I can ever imagine and probably just as many people. My young paint mare & I became one of his many students when he was about 80. He was still training 5 horses. I spent just three months with him. It was absolutely unbelievable what he could do in that short time. Huddy was a trainer that believed in the natural way a horse should move. My mare was sidepassing, doing flying lead changes, rollbacks, halfpass, had correct cadence for each gait and more. He also made all his horses learn to stand hobbled. Huddy made me a rope hobble out of an old cotton lead rope. I use this tool today on all of my other horse. I can’t tell you what an invaluable tool this is.

Huddy had been having trouble with his hip. He kept putting off the surgery he knew he needed. He just didn’t want to be off a horse very long. He finally had to give in to pain. After the recuperation, I saw him again at another horse show. I asked how he was doing. He replied that if had just know how well the surgery had gone and how much better his hip was, he would have done it a long time ago. I’m not real sure just how long Huddy was actually off a horse, but I’ll bet he was riding just as soon as the doctor said it was ok if not before.

Huddy touched a lot of people. He helped a lot horses overcome problems and started many young horses out on the correct 4 feet. He trained many riders. He passed his knowledge to anyone who would listen. How much better a horseman would I have been if I had known him earlier in my life.

Huddy passed away July 29, 2006. The horse industry lost a treasure that can never be replaced. They just don’t make them like Huddy anymore. I hope there are horses in Heaven because I can’t think of him wanting anything esle.

Huddy . . . . you will be missed terribly. You were greatly loved by all.

December 10, 2006 By Dara In Beginners, Horse Shows, Lessons, Riding, Tack, Trainers, Western No Comment

Welcome to the Novice Horseman!

My goal is to help a novice get into the wonderful world of horses. Check back as we are still in the construction phase.

November 27, 2006 By Dara In Beginners 1 Comment