am I too old to get a horse at 31? I live on a farm (beef cows)we have a barn & lots of hay, room to ride, and I have time as a (mostly)stay at home mom. we have already considered the time and $ involved, but what are other things to consider, and how do i learn to understand horses, and how to care for them? how do i learn to work with them? We are looking at an 11y/o mare -1/2 morgan, 1/2 quarterhorse. what do you think? thanks!
2007-10-25 04:54:48 · 33 answers · asked by Amy 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
no your not I'm 33 but have had horses since i was 5 you are never to old go for it and enjoy your future purchase
2007-10-25 04:59:52 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good mix. Morgans have an extra gait and is very smooth and both breeds are intelligent. Check your yellow pages or a local farrier to see if there is a riding school near you. You can also contact your local FFA chapter or 4-H group. It would do wonders for a kid that has the knowledge to help teach you. It would be a mentorship both ways. Before you buy the horse though, have a vet check it. Are you going to want the horse for working cattle or pleasure? Will you eventually want to compete or show? Horses also need to have a farrier see them every 4-8 weeks. Make sure you get educated in simple things like the proper fit of a saddle (to you and the horse), different bits and their use, what is the horse used to? Check the library in the kids section for horse care. It is so much more basic and easy to understand than the adult books. They need their teeth filed and floated. But definitely find someone that will not look down at you for your willingness to learn. Even if you have a local high school rodeo chapter. A lot of the kids are very eager to teach. I find they are far more patient than the adults.
2007-10-25 05:09:29 · answer #2 · answered by standinglynx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would definantly ask as expirienced horse owner in your area for some tips and hints. When buying a horse there is tonnes to consider like:grooming supplies, shelter, saddlery, what kind of saddles (I will recomend a treeless since they are the best for the horses back and you can feel the muscles move), bridles, bits, have you ridden before? It also depends on if the horse is healthy, if there is a connection between you and the horse. I hyave been riding and working at farms for about 10 years and I still dont know alot. I have also been asking my parents for years but we never had the property and now im 16 and im too old since ill start collage or university in 2 years and i dont know how long it would take to buy or sell one. And you are not too old. I know people who are in there 70s that are still riding.
2007-10-25 05:05:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. Most difficult horse you’ve ridden and why? My mare Sammy. She's very spooky and is prone to bolt!:P 2. Describe you and your horse’s connection. Strong bond, we both trust and respect each other. I'm the only one she really trusts and has opened up to. 3. Western or english saddles, why? English, i've never ridden in western but would love to sometime. 4. Least favourite breed, why? I don't have a least fav breed actually. 5. Biggest horse pet peeve. bareback pads. Totally takes away the point of 'bareback' I just don't see how it can be called riding bareback if there's a pad with a girth etc. 6. Describe your ideal horse. Tbh, my horse Sammy is my ideal horse. I have a bond with her and she loves me. what more can I ask for? :) 7. Have you ever been scared to get on a horse? If so, why? Each time I get on Sammy, had a few bad falls from her. haha! 8. Most expensive piece of tack you own. I'd say my hackamore. 9. Boots or polo wraps? Boots 10. Trail riding or ring work? I love trail riding but only ride my girl in a school for safety reasons. 11. Favourite tack brand. Don't have one 12. How tall is your horse? 13.2hh 13. Do you prefer short or tall horses? Tall! 16hh+ Is ideal. 14. Cowboy, paddock, or tall boots? Paddock 15. What’s your horse’s registered name/show name? Shamrock 16. Any nicknames for your horse? Samsters, Madam, My star 17. Worst medical issue you’ve had to deal with, horse wise? Nothing serious, yet. 18. Worst fall? When I fell off Sammy 3 years ago, busted up my tail bone really bad. I couldn't walk for days and it still plays up every now and then with me. 19. Ever ridden side saddle? Nope, but would love to try. 20. Ever ridden a saddleseat horse? Nope. 21. Where was your horse born? Ireland 22. What was your horse bred for? Driving I think. She was broken to do that originally. 23. Does your horse load well? Not too bad, show her a feed bucket and she's straight on! 24. How many saddles do you have? None! 25. Nylon or leather halters? Why? Either. 26. Ever ridden a mechanical bull? Yep! 27. What discipline are you least experienced in? Show Jumping 28. Indoor or outdoor arena? Outdoor 29. Is your horse push-button? Hmm. not really. Well, she goes forwards well, it's just stopping her that's the problem, lol. 30. Ever taught a lesson? Not really, I have helped out in a few proper ones and have gave my friend who had never ridden before tips etc. 31. Bareback or under saddle? Bareback 32. Green horses or push button? Green horses, but riding a push button is nice once in a while. 33. Favourite coat colour? Black! 34. What breed have you always wanted to ride? Friesian. 35. Most recent fall? Earlier this year, I was mounting Sammy and she took off, I fell off as she sped round a corner, haha!
2016-04-10 04:32:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you're not too old. My husband was your exact age when he first got into horses --he married me :) and he has adapted quite well.
One thing I would advise, if not taking riding lessons to start out, is to find a knowledgeable trainer or horse owner in your area that you could "borrow". You might offer to help with stalls or something if they would help you learn to ride on your new horse you're purchasing. Or if you know someone well enough, just get pointers from them.
Another thing you can do is get advice online. This site is good, and there's also a horse talk forum on http://www.liverystable.net where new horse owners often ask questions. You can read up on different feeds, things not to do with horses, and current ideas.
As for the mare you're purchasing, is she broke for a beginner? Often it isn't the size, breed, or color that are important, but how gentle and well-trained your first horse is. If you get a problem horse, it could easily injure you and scare you off from riding the rest of your life. Here is an article I wrote on "How To Buy A Horse". It lists things to do, questions to ask the seller, and how to handle it when you first bring it home to a new place. http://liverystable.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66
Good luck! Oh, and one more hint: if you're asking more horse questions on this site, post them in the Horses section. More qualified horse people "hang out" over there, and they may not see your question if it's listed in "Other Pets". And a hint on some people who always give good advice are: Mulereiner, LisaM, DressageRider, PaintGirl, JeffSadler, and Everbely.
2007-10-25 05:09:53 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, you are never too old to get a horse. I've known people in their 80's to get horses.
The easiest thing with me to get to know how to care for them and understand them is to volunteer at a local horse stables. Help clean them up, learn to tack them up, and so on. If you don't know how to ride a horse, take some lessons (even if you don't plan on ridding...it helps understand a horses body language). Learning to work with them just takes practice. It took me a while to learn how to.
The 11 year old mare sounds good, but don't forget to get a vet checkup on her. Mares tend to be more tempermental than geldings so make sure you ride her and are comfortable with her before you buy her.
If you go out to look at the mare, take a friend who knows what to look for in a good horse and have them inspect the horse, to make sure everything seems alright, and she's something you can handle. Have the owner ride her first, to show you what the horse can do. Have the owner change the lead foot while cantering. If he fails to do so, ask why, for there could be something wrong with the horse.
Good luck!!
2007-10-25 05:04:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You're never too old!!! If you need more info on how to care for them, check with your local county extension office-they sometimes offer classes; or take riding lessons. A good instructor will teach you everything from the ground up-not just the riding part. 11 years old is a good age for a horse, she should be calm. And Morgan and Quarterhorses are great-mixes are great, too. Good luck!
2007-10-25 08:01:39 · answer #7 · answered by But Inside I'm Screaming 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no maximum age to start learning to ride. It sounds like you could be a great horse owner and have thought properly about this which is great. You can learn about horses by reading books but the best way to learn is from experience. Plenty of stable yards would probably be very willing to help you learn- most horsy people are really helpful and will give you all the advice you need.
Talk to anyone you know with experience with horses- friends, neighbours, vets, farriers, instructors, tack shop owners etc.
If the horse is fairly calm and capable of doing whatever you are planning to do then I think this sounds great!
Have great fun with your new horse
2007-10-25 06:36:43 · answer #8 · answered by Flugel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
31 is not too old to get a horse. You will learn by asking questions (your vet, blacksmith and feed dealer are good souces of information), reading books and websites on equine care, and by trial and error (not too much of that, I hope). If you know of someone experienced who would like to board their horse at a private stable, you could offer to board one horse for free or at cost, if the owner will share their knowledge with you.
As far as buying a horse, if you are not experienced, make sure you not only have a vet do a pre-purchase exam on the horse you are considering, also pay a trainer/riding instructor to go with you when you try the horse. The vet will let you know if there are any physical problems with the horse, the trainer/instructor will be able to help you determine the horse's suitability for you and your riding skills.
2007-10-25 05:06:39 · answer #9 · answered by margecutter 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Oh gosh! Go for it!!! You are never too old to have horses in your life!
As for learning, try hanging around people who already have horses, read books, do as much research as you can. Start with checking out local vets and trainers.
Owning a horse is a HUGE responsibility. The one who pays for your lack of experience is the horse. Always keep that in mind. See about leasing one....that helps with some of the care and ownership responsibilites.
My suggestion, start with riding lessons. Some trainers have programs for horse care. Ask ask ask! And I wish you good luck! Hope you decide to go for it if you find out you really want to do this!
2007-10-25 05:04:54 · answer #10 · answered by Tira A 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are there any horse riding schools in the area that you could go to? I'm sure that they would help you learn how to ride and care for a horse. Likely too you could buy and board a horse there and they would help you learn how to care for that horse while you get set up at your own farm once you know the needs of the horse. Definately you are not too old, I think it is a great idea!
2007-10-25 05:00:46 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋