When you got your first horse...

[Mellymoo]

All I would say is that cobs are not always the safe novice rides advertised! However, I would not change having Hamish for all the tea in China - he taught me so much, and set me on the path I am on now. I think we had eachother for a reason - him to teach me, and me so that I could get him where he needed to be.

All the lessons he taught me have really helped with Jos - now I have a happy, contented (still fat though ) pony who I can go out and have fun on.

[cinnypony]

Another one from a non-horsey family, but when you get your first in your mid 30's doesn't matter too much!

Glad I ignored the people who said I was mad to get a green chestnut arab mare. Glad I went to what seemed like a rather alternative type yard and learnt about barefoot, resistant worms and listening to your horse.

Can't think of I would have changed as I have enjoyed learning with Cinny

[big e]

How to tie up a horse, how to tack up a horse and how to ride a horse that wasn't a riding school horse

I had 18 months of lessons and wasn't shown any of the above so had to start from scratch

[Mellymoo]

So agree Big E - I have learned to ride all over again since having my own! Also, having to decide what tack to use, not just wondering into the tackroom and picking up the correct set!!

In fact, nothing before prepares you for having your own horse ;D

[Kayti]

Also non-horsey parents, who were very kind to let me ride even after my elder sister took a very nasty fall and lost internal organs! Even more tolerant when I developed a taste in my teens for jumping post and rail fences bareback... i kept my internal organs thankfully!

I think my huge bit of advice to new owners would be - slow down and don't panic, there is more than one right answer in nearly every situation, Keep it simple, never over complicate things, use common sense above all! Listen and ONLY if the advice makes sense to your logic (not necessarily emotions which can lead you astray) then follow it. If the advice doesnt make sense, keep asking other people until it is a clearer picture/decision. Trust yourself. And if the cut or injury were your injury would you go to the A&E? if the answer is no then salt water holds most things at bay

And above all they are "horses" not dolls or house pets or children. they dont care if their tack doesnt match or their tail is dirty. They care about survival - calm living space with company, water, food and sex.... they are incredibly tolerant of our need to pamper them and treat them as precious but they really are happy just being with other horses and a pile of food.. honest!!

the "technical" side of horses is never ever learnt entirely, there will always be a horse that defies all known experiences and the extensive knowledge of your chosen experts and YOU will have bought that horse - of course!!

Things have changed so much in the nearly 30 years I have been around horses. Not always for the better, however some really good. Colic was a rare as hens teeth, laminitus was only for little fat white welsh ponies, you only put shoes on if you were hunting and poo picking was unnecessary. But then a 4 acre field was small, seperating mares and geldings wasnt even considered and hacking around the locality from dawn to dusk in the summer holidays was normal :-)

[fircones]

I wish I had known that 24/7 turnout all year in a large space would make him happy - I would have moved from my first livery yard much quicker.
I wish I had known then that with the help of wise friends I would be able to learn most of what I needed to know.
Finally, I wish I had bought my second horse quicker because its brilliant watching them get on together.

[Zuzan]

to have the courage of ones (IH) convictions and stand your ground when the "experts" appear...

I think one of the things that has been etched into my memory are the words of Neets breeder Listen to Your Horse

[nightowl4]

Non horsey background. That being a perfectionist would mean that I would constantly run myself ragged making sure that everything is just "tickity boo" for them. To be honest, if I knew then what I know now I would run fast in the opposite direction - 90% hard, dirty work for 10% pleasure... ask me again in the summer!

[sandy]

I was 44 when I finally got to own my own horse. I thought I knew the theory but what a huge shock it all was. I just wished I'd found IH when I bought her because my first attempts at horse ownership would not have been such a disaster for both me and Daisy.

[BJMM]

I come from a horsey family, have ridden since the age of 2, had my first pony at ten and apart from quite a long gap when my kids were growing up (I'm now 51) have always ridden and had my own.
But, my goodness, how things changed in those 'gap years'!!! I came back into horses, thinking I knew a fair bit, and started learning all over again NH hadn't even been thought of in my past and I am enjoying learning to listen to my girls so much and having the resources, such as this DG, to communicate with others the difficulties and joys of horse ownership.
I think it is important to realise that, no matter how long you've been 'in horses' or how experienced you think you are, that there are ALWAYS loads of things to learn. So we're all in the same boat really, new owners and old
And to develop a good sense of humour, which will be sorely tested at times

[Lynsey]

I would say the one thing I learnt was that you should take your time choosing your first horse. I was 12 when my non horsey parents bought me a pony and my dad, bless him, went on a a long BHS run course one evening every week to learn about horse care etc which was great. However, when it came to getting the pony, cos I was 12 (and worried my parents would change their mind!) I took the first pony I went to look at. With hindsight he wasn't right for me at all. We got on perfectly fine and he wasn't too much for me, we just didn't click. My parents also had an attitude of horses are like the family dog (which is wonderful but misguided) and you never sell them. So I spent all of my teens in having a horsey relationship where we both just tolerated each other rather than really loving it. If I were talking to my 12 year old self now I would say take an experienced horseperson to look with you and take your time!

I also wish IH had been about then as I hated the pony club and spent quite a few sessions in tears because of the way people were hitting their horses and shouting at them and each other.

[amelia]

My parents are totally non-horsey as well so I had learnt the riding school route before having a ponies on share/loan etc.

Looking back I know the sensible thing would have been not to buy my crazy chestnut arab mare who hadn't done anything...... but I wouldn't change my decision for the world. Sunny has taught me more about horses than any person ever could. I am SO grateful for all the lessons I've learnt and I'm glad that I now am a better horseperson for it, but for Sunny's sake I wish I could have made less mistakes. I wish I'd known just how important it is to have regular physio check ups and how to question a professional's opinion (vet, saddler, chiro, farrier etc etc). I wish I'd have stood up to the idiot PC instructor who told me to wallop Sunny to get her over a jump when I knew in my heart that it was the wrong thing to do (to be fair all other instructors there were very good).

There are many things I'd have liked to know back then but then none of us can know everything and none of us are perfect. I think the most important thing I have learned through the years is to simply listen to what the horse is trying to tell me. Sometimes Sunny was literally screaming at me but I was so blinkered that I just couldn't hear her :-(

[Beth&Rosie]

i would have to say that the most important thing is to have fun and to acknowledge/let someone know when a partnership is not working anymore!! i wish i had told my parents earlier how my pony was so not right for me anymore. at 12 and from a non horsey family having only had aero a year i really wasnt having fun anymore, riding was a chore that had to be done, but i was scared that if i said anything to my parents they would think i was ungrateful and never let me have a pony ever again. there were a lot of times he reduced me to tears and several times i had to get of before i lost it completely(i never did just to clarify) i didn't say anything for about a year, by which time we had lost all confidence which didnt help the matter one bit!! when i finally did say(well my mum saw me in tears at a show) my instructor helped me a lot to get him to a point where we could sell him by finding me a horse to share during the week while a more experienced adult rode aero in the week. we sold him after a year to a good home with an adult rider (where i know he went on to get 4 clears in his first show) then we got rosie, who despite only having had her a few months, i have a great relationship with and know will be my perfect horse!

sorry for that whole long thing but i have strong views on the subject!!!

all that said i did love aero and he taught me a lot and was a great pony for everything on the ground and couldnt have asked for a better temperament or nature!!