What age should I get a horse?

Question

I believe I am mature, and responible enough to own my own horse. I know just about EVERYTHING about them. I have been riding for about 8 years. Do you think I am ready?

P.S. I am 14.

Additionally, I am home-schooled, so I WOULD have the time to care for it.

Answer 1

If you can afford the horse (you, not parents), take care of the horse everday and supress all his/her needs, then you can begin to have a horse leased to you so you can gain more responsibility over time before giving 100% on your own horse. Once you have a horse leased to you for awhile and you get used to the responsibility, the bills, the vet visits, the riding, the taking care of constantly everyday, with saving up for those emergancies and the buying of one, then you can begin your search for your own horse.

You can't possibly know "EVERYTHING" about horses as no one does. Not even skill vets. Horses are a never ending learning experience. I been riding/owning for 12 years and everyday is a new learning experience.

Answer 2

Well, think about this- what are you doing after high school? Going to college? If you are, what are you gonna do with a horse? Leave it at home where you never see it and your parents are stuck taking care of it? Or taking it with you, and cutting down your options (there must be a stable nearby, you can't keep it in the dorm)? Also, if you take it with you, how are you gonna take care of it or pay for it's care? College students are notoriously poor of money and time.
Right now, a lot of your life depends on your parents...you may be mature enough for a horse, but your situation isn't. I'm eighteen and I may have a pretty good opportunity to aquire a horse for a pretty reasonable price, but it just isn't practical yet. Be patient and wait until you can have the horse and enjoy it too.

Answer 3

I had been riding for 6 years when i asked for a horse. neither of my parents have any knowledge but i felt i knew loads. All the same i went and started working at the stables across the road where i was trated like garbage. I kept going because i was dtermined i would learn more and prove to my parents i could own a horse. after a year of working there i gave up because i was being sworn at but i didnt give up, i went and helped at some other dealers yard where she was lovely and showed me how little i knew. she helped me with all my knowledge then found me a lovely horse.

While some people say dealers are a bad idea i think they are great. I would not have got through those first few months if it was not for her. As we kept our horse on our land i was quite isolated and had to make friends with neighboring horses and owners.

So my advice is work at a reliable yard, learn about the people then ask them to help you look for a horse and care for it once it is your own e.g. buying tack, problems on the flat.

you may also consider where you keep your horse because it is very hard to get help when on your own land and livery can be around £400+ a month.

But if you are truly commited then go for it. I am also 14 and do not regret it and have found some knowledge can only be learnt when you have to face problems yourself! but don't be afraid to ask fro help.

P.S. If you get a horse, join the pony club. Its a great way to make friends and start a riding career

Answer 4

I depends on wether you would board it or keep it at your house as well as leasing or owning. the main difference is vet and health responsibilities( money ). If your parents are fine with it, id say go for it. being mature doesnt come in until you DO take care of other people's horses and excersise them. Thats what i did- i learned alot. You will become more Mature once you own your horse. I dont know you so i cant say if your ready or not- thats just a question to ask yourself

Answer 5

well I got my first horse when I was eleven. But I had my parents support. Boardign and caring for a horse is VERY expensive and you won't likely be able to pay the hundreds of dollars monthly that it will take to care for him. If you parents are worried about the costs also, you could try to get a part time job to help them out ( thats what I had to do) or talk tothe owner of the barn where you would keep him and work somethign out where you work for him board or at least part of it.
talk to your parents and your instructor. Buying a horse is a very big resposibility because aside from buying the horse there id monthly upkeap and board and vet bills and farrier bills. But I know how you feel :) when I got to high school my parents couldn't afford to keep my horse anymore and so I dont own one anymore. But I work at a local barn and help people exersice there horses and one days when I'mout of university I'll be able to own another one :) for now I'll just take when I can get.
good luck :)
and even if you can't get your own horse, keep riding :) cause there are plenty of opportunities that will pop up if you stick with it.
p.s. I am 21 :)

Answer 6

Well, I don't know just about everything about them and I've been riding for over 24 years. And owned my own for well over 10 years, caring for them on my own property.

But, instead of buying a horse, can you lease one? That way you can prove to your parents you are responsible enough to own a horse without acutally buying one. Once you have that established, then work on a. buying the horse you are leasing, or b. establish how much you can afford to pay for a horse and buy your own.

Leasing a horse allows your parents to give the horse back if things don't work out, and without sinking money into buying you a decent horse. That, and they don't have to worry about selling it themselves.

If you tried and failed now, there's always later. You're young yet, and there will always be horses aorund for you to own as you get older.

Answer 7

That is really up to your parents. If you don't have land to put a horse on there is the additional consideration of where to board the horse and how much that would cost. Sometimes it's not a question of are you mature enough to take care of a horse but can your family support it.

Answer 8

Probably. I got a horse when I was eleven. You just need to realize they take a lot of time and work. You have to get up early and feed them and turn them out into a pasture so they can graze. And I have to carry hay out to our pasture in the winter so they can eat. You need a pasture too. One acre of pasture per horse. And they need excersice.
Good Luck it'll be a blast if you do get one. I am 13 and have three horses now. Make sure you get a well behaved one, a Quarter Horse is what I recomend

Answer 9

I got my first horse when i was only 4 years old, and kept her until I was 13 years old and that was because she started having problem because she was 15 when my dad bought her for me and she was 25 when she was put to sleep, and when I had my children they each got their own horse when they was toddlers if they want a spefic horse I would say yes with conditions, such as them cleaning and feeding the horse if they was not wiling to that then the horse would have to go.

Answer 10

If you're ready to muck your horse's stall daily, keep up on training, daily grooming, pay for or help pay for: the horse itself, training lessons, feed, hoof trims, shoes if necessary, boarding fees if you don't have room at your place, tack, coggins testing, teeth floating, vaccinations, hay, etc., then you're relatively ready to own a horse. I don't know where you live, but here in Minnesota, the hay to horse equation is 100 bales of hay to 1 horse per winter, if it's a normal winter. If you decide now's not the right time to own a horse, I hope that you'll be able to own one sometime; they're worth it!
A lot of people think you have to have all sorts of equipment for horses...some things you do need, like grooming brushes, hoof picks, shampoo/conditioner, sweat scraper, fly spray, halter, lead rope, long line, the essentials. Extra stuff like fly sheets, fly boots, turn-out sheets, hoof shine or hoof oil (unless you're planning to show a lot), polo wraps, boots...really, extras like that aren't necessary. I've had my gelding for 21 years and my mare for 7 years, and I've never needed any for either.