Cross Breeds

Where can I start learning about horses and get good experience?

When I'm a little more older I would really like a horse. But from the looks of it, a horse is a big responsibility and someone should have a few years experience before getting one. So how do I start any guides and any place I can start learning about horses. I live in Elizabethtown Kentucky I am going to Tennessee and my friend has 3 horses. Also when I was 5 I rode my aunts horse and I did pretty well!

Public Comments

1. Honestly you need to start with riding lessons. Being around them is what gets the experienced horse owners experienced in the first place. Ya ya reading books and magazines is helpful but actually taking care of one and riding helps a bunch. I don't know if you want a horse to ride or not but I am assuming so. I rode for almost 6 years before owning a horse. Not because I wasn't experienced enough but because it costs around $15,000 per year not including showing. I was probably ready to own after maybe 3 years of going to the barn everyday and lessoning once to twice a week. What you need to do is take lessons and be around them. Good luck. Glad to know your not the type to just jump right into owning when you don't know much about horses!! :)
2. Look around. Find some local barns, maybe a place that gives lessons. Ask if you could clean stalls, brush horses then you could get some free lessons too. Or find a local horse rescue. I work at one and its a truly amazing experience every day. She owns 30 plus horses, and feed clean stalls. Then work horses, we started braking some last week. We do camps, im one of the more advanced riders there.. I show ect. So I actually got to teach a few kids how to ride on my own, which was again.. AMAZING!! and I have learned soo much that I have moved on to my horse. just look in the paper, Maybe join a local horse 4-h group? Im in one, you don’t have to have a horse to join. You will be able to talk to people that have horses, volunteer ect
3. Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders. Lots of people don't understand how big of a responsibility is and think they can just go out and buy a horse because they feel like having one. You are very right, you need experience first. Kentucky = horse central, so lucky you! You probably have several opportunities awaiting in your community. Look in the phone book, at the local tack/ feed store, or on the internet for a local stable. Find one that seems suitable for a beginner (probably not a racing stable), and call them up. See if they would be interested in a volunteer. (they may even hire you for pay, but it is somewhat unlikely. Hardly any stable can turn down a volunteer though). They may be a little quizzical to why you want to help for free, but just explain the situation and tell them about how you need experience around horses. With your logic I believe once you get your feet wet you will do just fine. When volunteering at a stable you will have people all around you to answer questions and help you out.
4. I would go to a local barn and ask if you can shadow the owner/trainer/grooms. We have people come to the barn I ride at all the time that ask to shadow and "learn the ropes". When you do this you will learn about feeding, grooming, mucking stalls, turn out, and maybe some riding too...basically everything about barn management and what it takes to own a horse. It wouldn't hurt to take lessons there either. Make sure you talk to the person about how long you can shadow for (how many hours a day from_to_) and the conditions of shadowing. When I shadowed I was allowed to ride/have a lesson in exchange for helping out all day, but you would have to talk to them about that. Good Luck!
5. Set up an appointment and come down for the day (but not in 90 degree weather). We will host you all day and not charge you a dime. 14 in the herd. If you like to learn, pack your lunch, bring your folks, and be ready to absorb. Raindrop Ranch Columbia, KY (only about an hour from you) I have an email link from my avatar.
6. Find a stables and volunteer some time working around the horses.
7. If you are under 21, look up a Pony Club in your region and attend a few meetings. Don't be deceived by the word "Pony". One of my kids has a 17 hander, the other is 16.2. It's just a traditional name for a kid's mount. You don't have to own a horse (please DON"T until you have lots of experience and cash), you just need to be able to borrow one for lessons. Go ahead and purchase the USPC Manual for the "D" level - you can find used copies on Amazon. It's the BEST beginners guide to what you need to know, and the info works for English or Western - safety is the priority. Lessons are included in Pony Club and it's all very organized, like Scouting for the horse-crazy!
8. Find a riding stable you like, and start taking lessons. Ask if you can volunteer on the weekends to help clean stalls or feed the horses. A lot of people don't realize that owning a horse isn't all about riding, you have to know how to take care of them too. Volunteering to help around the barn helped me learn much more about horses than any book.