What skills to have before buying your first horse?

[PaddockWood]

Has anyone mentioned figuring out who are the most knowledgeable/kind horse people around you and network to meet them and explore volunteering/helping them? What you learn being in the company of greatness is priceless.

Be open to every discipline - those who are starting mustangs and western ranch work for example. Make it a project for the next six months to explore every horse operation around you.
Yes, you’ll have rejection and wierd people and …on and on. But…

Most operations need help and if you are reliable and keep your ears open and stay in listen mode…well, it could be pretty amazing.

You can muddle through on your own with books and lessons etc but to really accelerate you want a mentor. Someone to take you under their wing. How does that sound?

[Bebe_Falcon1]

I’ve always felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge one should know in order to own a horse and am making an effort to read/learn more about things I’ve always thought were too complex or intimidating to grasp.

Books that I’d suggest (some inspired by this thread):

Official Manual of the Pony Club
Horse Nutrition Bible
Leg and Hoof Care for Horses (a Knack Guide)
An illustrated encyclopedia of horse illnesses/injuries (I can’t recall the title right now)

… and in the Threshold Picture Guides series:
First Aid
Lungeing
Worms and Worming

To learn by doing is the best, of course, but not always possible (and especially not now in the age of COVID!)

[LilRanger]

This may sound cynical, but…
Learning how to filter the opinions you are going to get from horse people. Learning how to trust yourself enough to carry through with a plan, but stay open enough to listen to others as well.

It’s tricky…

[Scribbler]

@LilRanger oh yes, that’s so important.

A related skill is how to find a good mentor and develop a productive relationship with them.

These are general life skills too.