Getting Your First Horse - Your Ultimate Guide

 

Image Credit: Kelly Forrister from Unsplash

Countless people dream about owning a horse, but few of them actually get to have one. There isn’t anything stopping you from being one of those people. Don’t just take the plunge without thinking about it, though. Getting your first horse comes with a lot of responsibility, after all.

Make sure you’re prepared for that before you get them. Thankfully, getting ready for it doesn’t need to be too complicated, and it might just be a matter of knowing a few things beforehand. They’ll help you make sure you can properly take care of your horse.

Knowing a few things ahead of time could be worth it.

Getting Your First Horse: What You Need to Know

There’ll Be Unexpected Surprises

When you’re getting your first horse, you’ll have a particular image in mind for when you have them. While that’s something you’ll want to work toward, it doesn’t mean it’ll always be that way. Instead, there could be a few surprises.

Horses can get injured. They’ll get sick, and more than a few other things could come up. Be prepared for these.

As unexpected as they can be, it doesn’t mean you can’t have plans in place for when they pop up. By having these emergency plans, you’ll make sure there isn’t much to worry about when anything happens. You’ll avoid a lot of stress because of it.

There’s a Lot to Look Out For

When you’re getting your first horse, you’ll naturally need to figure out which one to get. That means comparing quite a few options. Keeping the cost in mind is recommended, but there are more than a few other factors to keep in mind when you’re looking.

Then there’s what you need to keep in mind when you actually have your horse. These could be quite important to their health and happiness.

Sudden changes in weight or behavior are some of the more notable of these. If you notice these, then there could be something up with your horse. Make sure you know what to keep an eye out for from the second you get your horse.

An Equine First Aid Class Could Be Worth It

When your horse experiences any health issues or injuries, it’s natural to take them to the vet. There’ll be plenty of times where you could need to do a few things yourself, too. That’ll especially be the case when the vet is on the way.

An equine first aid class could be worth looking into. It’ll help you learn the basics of looking after your horse when they need a little help.

Countless steps and areas could be included in this. Learning how to use nebulizers for horses is a decent part of this. By taking an equine first aid class, you’ll make sure you can take care of your horse in case of an emergency. It’s a vital part of horse ownership.

A Trainer Could Be Recommended

Speaking of learning, it can always be worth investing in a horse trainer. If you have a young horse, this is especially needed. They’ll help make sure your horse develops healthy and positive habits, as well as obeys your commands. This can help more than you’d think.

At the same time, they can show you how you can actually look after your horse in various ways. There’s no reason not to go for it.

There are countless trainers you can go with, some of which will be better than others. Take the time to research your options to find the best ones for you. Customer reviews are a great start with this.

Tips for Owning Your First Horse

Knowing all of the above helps to put you in a great position going forward. You’ll know all of the fundamentals, and you shouldn’t have a problem covering the basics. That doesn’t mean it’s all you’ll need to know, though.

It’s always worth using a few tips and tricks while you’re at it. These help you make sure your new horse is as happy and healthy as possible. The most helpful of these are:

1. Set Aside Time to Bond - Bonding with your horse is always recommended, as it lets you build an actual relationship with them. This doesn’t come straight away, though, and it’s an area you’ll need to put active effort into. The key to this is consistency. Schedule time to properly bond with your horse outside of riding, feeding, and grooming them. This could take more time than you’d think, so put the time and effort into it.

2. Invest in Good Equipment - You’ll need quite a bit of equipment to look after your horse and ride them. Since you could be on a budget, you’ll be tempted to go for the lowest-cost options you can. That isn’t always the best approach to take, as these could be low quality. By investing in good equipment, you’ll be better off. It’ll last longer, and you and your horse will be more comfortable with it.

3. Find a Community - Getting your first horse can often feel overwhelming, especially if you’re doing it alone. That’s why it’s always worth finding a community. This can help you more than you’d think. You’ll get advice, and you can even make friends with other horse owners. It’ll help you find your footing much faster, and help you start things off the right way.

These help you make sure you’re taking the best possible care of your horse. Since this can be an intimidating prospect when you first get them, it’s always worth using the right tips. You shouldn’t have a problem keeping them happy and healthy.

While there’ll always be work involved in it, you shouldn’t have to be overwhelmed. Take the time to use the right tips for you and your horse.

Mistakes to Avoid

As helpful as each of these tips are, they mightn’t be the only things to know. You don’t just need to know what to do after getting your first horse. You’ll also need to know what not to do. There are countless horse ownership mistakes you should avoid.

While some of these can be relatively minor, many of them can be larger than you’d think. Since nobody wants to make mistakes, it’s worth being aware of the more notable ones ahead of time so you can avoid them. These include:

⮚ Letting Your Horse Move During Mounting - Getting on your horse takes a little bit of effort, but it should be straightforward. One area to keep an eye out for is whether your horse moves when you’re trying to mount them. Don’t let that happen, as it could end up being dangerous. Take the time to make them relax and be still before you get on them.

⮚ Not Leading Them - Bonding with your horse is essential, but that doesn’t mean you should focus on just being their friend. You’ll need to be their leader, too. If you don’t put effort into this, they could just see you as a playmate. They mightn’t do what they’re supposed to because of that. Take the time to position yourself as their leader rather than just a friend.

⮚ Rushing the Process - When you want to get a horse, you could want to get them as quickly as possible. You’ll even want to start riding them as soon as you can. Don’t rush the process, though. This could lead to countless mistakes, and it mightn’t even be the safest thing to do. By being patient, you can make sure they’re properly trained, and you have everything you need to ride them safely.

⮚ Not Getting Help When You Need It - There’ll be plenty of times where you mightn’t be sure what to do with your horse. Don’t settle for guessing with it. Instead, take the time to get whatever help you need with what you’re struggling with. Countless professionals can help you, so feel free to take advantage of that help. It’ll make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

By knowing about these potential mistakes ahead of time, you should avoid them. That helps keep you and your horse safe, happy, and healthy when you’re with them. With how important this is, there’s no reason not to be aware of them.

Take the time and effort you need to avoid each of them.

Getting Your First Horse: Wrapping Up

Getting your first horse can be an exciting time. It’s not something you should just rush through, though. You’ll have to make sure you’re actually ready to get one and can properly take care of them. This can seem complicated at the best of times.

Thankfully, it doesn’t need to be that way. It’s just a matter of knowing what you’re doing ahead of time. It’ll put you in a great position to actually look after them.

Add in a few tips to use and mistakes to avoid, and there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. You’ll have a great time with your new horse, and you’ll make sure they’re as happy and healthy as possible.