10 Things Every New Horse Owner Needs to Know

Owning a horse can be a childhood dream come true, but if you’re unprepared it can quickly become a nightmare. Okay, that was cheesy, but really. If you’re considering buying a horse, here are 10 things you need to know.

• Keep taking lessons

  One of the first mistakes new horse owners make is quitting lessons when they start to feel confident. It makes sense to cut back on expenses when you’re suddenly spending so much on a new horse, but this can really be a big mistake. I highly recommend new horse owners stay in regular lessons for at least the first year with their new horse to help overcome any problems that may arise.

• Spend time just being with your horse

  We all got into this because we love horses. It can be easy to forget sometimes how special our bond to our horse can be, especially when life starts to get busy. Try to carve out some time to just be around your horse with no agenda and see what might happen.

• It’s okay to ask questions

  No question is too silly or foolish to ask. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your trainer or barn friends. We all have to learn this stuff somehow!

• Get your contacts set up early, and get back ups

  Take a day to get on the books for a vet or two, farrier, body worker, and trainer while everything is still going smoothly. If you wait until a problem comes up, it may be hard to get on the schedule of your desired equine professional. Plus, it will be helpful if they know your horse’s baseline personality and condition so that they can easily spot any problems.

• Be prepared for natural disasters

  When you are doing your disaster plans (in my area we have fires and earthquakes mostly, though some recent flooding has been an issue), think about your horse too. Make plans to get them to safety or to have someone care for them if you are unable to get to them. I was touched recently when a friend called out of the blue. She was writing a will and asked if I could plan to take her horse if anything ever happened to her. This brought up a whole new level of disaster planning I had never thought of, but is so important if you don’t want your horse to end up in a sale barn.

• Budget

  Make a budget for your horse, not just for finances but for time as well. How much can you expect to spend on your horse in a given month? Year? How about how much time you’ll spend at the barn each day? Go in with clear and realistic expectations so that you can be prepared for the true cost of horse ownership. If you need help with this, check out my free horse budget tool (no math needed).

• Set goals

  Whether you are aiming for the olympics or just an enjoyable hack down the trail, set goals for yourself and your horse. This will help you to stay motivated and keep aspiring for more as the new starts wear off.

• Prep your first aid kit

  Like I mentioned above with the equine professionals, there is no better time to prep your first aid kit than when your horse is healthy. You’ll quickly learn that the term “healthy as a horse” is nothing but wishful thinking. Make sure you have everything you need in case of an emergency handy and ready to use. I like to keep mine in an airtight container to keep out moisture and critters.

• Find your people

  Beyond the professionals, the people you surround yourself with are your greatest asset, and can not only enrich the good times but can make the bad times tolerable. Find your community of barn friends to chat with, ride with, or call on when you need a hand.

• Make time–lots of it

  Horses are time sucks, there’s no easier way to say it. Plan to spend extra time at the barn every day so when you spend less you’ll be pleasantly surprised, but when things take longer (they always take longer) you won’t feel rushed or like you’re running behind.

• Bonus: If you’re worried about making mistakes, just know that they’re inevitable. But…look out for my next post where I’ll cover the 3 most common mistakes I see, and how to avoid them.