I often wonder when I would have gotten a horse if things hadn’t gone as they did. After my favorite lesson horse was sold when I was in college, I decided to wait until I could have my own. As I finished college, my friend’s racehorse trainer was looking for a home for one of his horses. I didn’t have a job lined up, didn’t know where I’d be living…I can’t remember how much time elapsed from when I first met him, but right as I moved 1.5 hours away to my first job they decided they needed the stall. So my friend arranged a place for him until I picked him up about a week later.
Without that “push”/urgency, I’m not sure when I would have decided to pull the trigger. Though I had looked at one horse before graduation, so maybe finding one soon was going to happen either way.
A slightly different scenario, but here goes.
I had a horse (paid for by my parents) when I was a junior, but we sold him when I went to grad school.
I missed horses, but I also missed the performance aspect of competing.
I connected with the local Pony Club, taught Pony Club Lessons, and helped run their Pony Club Rally. I also got in some riding exercising hunt horses for the Pony Club DC.
But I knew I couldn’t afford a horse of my own. In particular, with a horse, if you are “broke this month” you can’t delay paying board, or the vet, or the farrier… But I had grown up going to motorcycle road races (my father’s hobby), and knew you could race safely (if not necessarily successfully) "on a shoestring. So I bought a bike and started motorcycle racing. On the month’s I was broke, I would just delay the motorcycle expenses.
Once I finished grad school and started working full time, I kept racing, and then got a faster bike, which was ore expensive to run (top end rebuilds every race rather than once or twice a season.
One day I realized that, with the amount of money I was spending on the bike racing, I could afford to keep a horse. So,after10 years, I stopped racing (though I still worked corners) and bought a horse of my own.
Shop around. I’ve boarded more often than not at private facilities (I’m also an apt dweller). Never be put off asking private people about boarding your horse. I have often worked off some board by working for the farm. I’ve done this in pone shape or another for decades. I currently barn-sit for my barn at a pretty great rate for both of us. I had to tell them that I would not accept the free May board for the short time I barn-sat. I told them I’d only take X off the board in May. I love my BOs and we’re good friends.And I think this is fair. They are freakishly happy that I stay at the barn and know most of the animals (including their pets) and am responsible.
So many BOs are happy with boarders that can help them out. Don’t be afraid to ask!
Hate to break hearts but unfortunately the sweet little sales mare is out of my comfortable budget! Sure I could probably swing it but at the end of the day I’d really like to leave myself a safe cushion for both horse and human emergencies, god forbid anything should happen.
But if anything, just being put in the situation made me realize that, hey, maybe I am ready to pull the trigger on something if the time and price and ride is right. Half leasing has been fun but I do desire more and I would really like to find a good match for myself rather than having to take what is available for lease (which, granted, nothing wrong with that - I’m a believer that there is something to learn from every horse. But for the amount of money I spend on this sport I’d like to find something specific for me).
We’ll see what’s out there 
I started taking lessons off and on when I was 28. When riding just one hour a week wasn’t enough, I started doing half leases. That got old when I could only ride certain days a week, but I didn’t think I could afford my own and convinced myself I should keep leasing. When I was 40, I took a fall on a horse who simply stumbled on his overly long toes and came up bucking. I hit the ground with room to roll and took the entire force of the blow on my leg. It blew up like a balloon. I lost the use of it for 6 weeks before finally getting muscle contraction back. Once it was mostly healed, I realized I was only one fall away from being able to ride, and I wasn’t getting any younger. I decided to just make it work financially and got my first (and only to this day) horse. It was by far the best decision I ever made. Yes I ate pasta for many years and have had to not go on those fancy vacations my friends take, but it’s so worth it.
As for the what if’s, you probably need about 2K/yr to cover shot & shoes. A good insurance policy is worth it’s weight in gold. Hopefully you get a horse that is not hell bent on impaling itself on everything in sight. Trust your gut when looking at horses. If a seller won’t answer your questions, walk away. If you feel over faced when you test ride, walk away. If the seller won’t ride it before you get on, walk away. Spend the money on a pre-purchase exam. I’ve stopped counting how many people bring home new horses only to have the vet out a month later and find out it has something very wrong with it. For your riding level, if you can fix things during your ride on your own without a pair of eyes on the ground, you’re ready. Of course take lessons, but ultimately you’re the one riding it the most and need to be able to keep up the training between lessons.
I’m a big fan of the mantra, “Life’s too short. Just buy the damn horse”.
I rode as a kid, but stopped when I went away to college and then spent years working on my career.
Went back to riding because a non-horsey friend wanted to try it and I got hooked again. She lost interest, I did not. Bought my first horse at age 29, lost my last one this past November. I am 75.
When I was thinking of buying, a boarder in the barn told me to consider the “investment” I was making in terms of three things: time, money, and emotion. And she said emotion could be the most costly. She was correct.
No regrets.
i’m sorry you lost your horse. And particularly if when you say you lost your ‘last one’, you mean no more horses for you…? Have you done anything to get a horse back in your life?
@eightpondfarm, thank you for asking.
I go to the barn still and help out–groom, muck stalls, clean tack. My trainer has been wonderful and gives me rides on one of her retirees.
I needed time to grieve, but I think I am almost ready to get another one. My trainer and I have begun the discussion.
I have considered the possibility that a new horse might outlive me, but I have left a large sum of money to my trainer (whom I absolutely trust) to keep said horse in the manner in which I intend for him/her to become accustomed.
i am so happy to hear that!!! Thank you for that good news
I think i was 30 when i finally got around to buying my very own first horse, and from that point on, i knew… I knew that i never wanted to live without a horse in my life. I’m 68, and have a farm full of horses. The youngest three are only 4. They might outlive me… i hope we end about even. My plan is to move somebody onto my farm as caretaker when i can no longer do the physical work.
No fun updates to give but just want to come back and emphasize that I think this thread plus some right place right time events really pushed me in the right direction towards ownership.
I am kind of on the fence financially to be able to make the reoccurring costs work (board is not cheap these days and I absolutely understand why!) so I am not rushing into anything. But when the time is right, which is hopefully not too far off, I feel a lot more “ready” than I thought I did when I first made this post. I’ll keep you guys updated if/when I find my critter
