With all this in mind, I have another question to pose–Would it be more beneficial to seek out an experienced horse to get show miles on, or green horses to develop more “training” type of skills on?
I know I probably can’t get a definite answer to this from someone who doesn’t know me well as a rider, but I am curious as to which set of skills people feel can be more beneficial in the long run.
There really isn’t a right or wrong but it is definitely easier to improve your own riding when your horse knows their job…my point was that there are a lot of us who still got pretty far in Eventing on a different path. My experience was not really a choice…it was what I had as a result of no funding! So I rode what I could as a brave teen…which meant a lot of green or feral horses. I watched as many lessons and clinics as I could (and now the valuable resources you have online are extensive). And my competition goals had to wait until I have more money! (And I moved to east coast where it was easier to work and compete).
I do think that many riders with green horse experience have a similar background…it is what we could afford. My point was don’t get discouraged if you cannot really afford it right now…many good riders couldn’t either and they still got good.
I lived on the East Coast and moved to LA for grad school. While there, I was able to ride for free at an eventing barn while working with their green school horses. I could never have afforded to compete in the West, the distance and expenses were out of range. In the East, you can haul in to a competition that is close by for one day and be done. In the West, most competitions run over three days, and the hauls are much longer, racking up the expenses. In the East, I have competed quite extensively, even while on a budget.
If your budget for a horse is limited, what is your budget for competitions?
Such a great question that too many people do not ask. My advice is 100% ride experienced. Since you are still relatively new to eventing (1 Novice I think you said), I would recommend a horse who can teach you over you teaching them any day.
While yes, you may learn some things and gain knowledge in training with a young green horse, the reality is unless you are in a very solid consisten program that journey is a going to be a very long and at times very painful one where you may make mistakes that can take years to undo. When riding experienced horses, you learn what it should feel like, you learn to be confident, and to have fun and to focus on your skills which are truly still developing.
A lot of people want to be able to say they trained their horse, but I am reminded of a comment by Kyle Carter, who talked about riding “nice” horses riding whatever horses you were given. Basically, a rider who can make a crap or difficult horse look good is seen as someone who can “ride anything” and maybe even a good rider, but a great horse will make the rider look even better.
You are young, you have time, go for the experienced horse, even a part lease, to gain competition experience and learn on. Wait on the Greenie who needs to be taught until you are knowledgeable and confident enough to teach that Green horse how to jump, handle terrain and solid jumps and answer the questions asked by the course, a packer will help you learn these things. Also help you meet people and make contacts that can help you learn of the better Green offerings…that are never advertised.
From your other questions, it sounds like you also need to learn more about the things that make up a good Eventing prospect and, most important, make contacts with active competitors and trainers in your region who, down the road, can be of great help to you. The more you know, the less you need to depend on the opinions of others…who may or may not have much practical experience with enough horses to guide you.
Watch, watch, watch and watch some more, the more horses you watch going around, the more educated your eye will become. Doesn’t cost anything but gas and maybe lunch. Listen around the schooling rings too, learn who the better riders and trainers in your area are- hint, they may not be the flashiest or biggest winners. Just the ones that can help you learn the most.
Pedigree knowledge is fine and there are strong and differing opinions BUT you must first look at the horse in front of you. As you get a better eye, you can see some common physical things that translate to a good jump. IMO a good canter usually can be developed into a good jump and is a far better indicator then the trot so many get hung up on., IMO . Learn to pick that out in any breed, like an Appendix fur example.
When I was much younger, made some really bad, expensive mistakes and bought some really unsuitable horses I thought I could teach, cost more then just spending more on a better one that could teach me enough to teach a Greenie anything beyond WTC stop and steer,. Like to see more young people get some packer time and get more involved in the specifics of their chosen discipline (like jumping) as well as get aquainted with their local competitors and Pros who may do more then ride and teach, as in buy and sell in quantity.
As I got older and became better known in my horse community at the time, I actually bought my best two horses in the 50 yeas I owned, one Western, one Hunter 20 years apart, when somebody called me…I wasn’t really looking either time. And they were both drastically reduced in price, one was downright cheap.
Patience, knowledge and knowing many people tends to turn up more opportunities.
Thanks for the responses and honest advice everyone! Sounds like I should put my energy towards looking for an experienced horse to lease.
In terms of show budget, I’ve been limited to only doing 2-3 events a year for the past 4 years that I’ve been eventing due to the costs of hauling out to events in CA (about $400 round trip in my area). Events typically add up to around $1,000 a weekend when all is said and done, so I’ve tended to make the call to take more lessons/local clinics rather than show. Luckily, I’ll be moving up to the central coast this fall and will be about an hour away from two HT venues, so hopefully it will get easier to get more miles at shows with less money going towards hauling and hotels.
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