Horse owners

[Pagosa]

This is very dangerous advice unless you have someone with the experience to show them how.
Kids need a bomb proof horse to show them the ropes. There is a reason old horses are known as babysitters.

I have a cracked vertebrae in my c2/3 from a bomb proof broke horse. There is a most likely a reason someone is selling a horse, the only good reasons is the death of the owner, divorce, financial hardship. It would be like me selling a top notch hound.

I personally believe in the op situation just doing lessons on a variety of broke lesson horses is way more beneficial and less expensive/work and his daughter will get a wide range of horses/experience. I may have stated my response incorrectly previously. I wasn't indicating that they should buy a young horse, bc they don't have the place or time to put into it.

 

[IDFireLass]

I have loved horses since I can remember.
I've never had a lesson. Folks bought me a gelding that was a good teacher. I learned to ride him with a halter before I could bridle him. Rode bareback and learned how to grip with the legs.
My horses are long gone but if I could find a couple good solid geldings I'd buy them in a minute. We have the place for a couple of horses but would have to buy hay year round. No horse trailer so there is the extra cost. I still have all of my horse equipment. I refuse to pay thousands of dollars for horses when most are spoiled pasture poodles. I don't need top bloodlines either.
No common sense in the world anymore. Everyone is out the skin the next sucker.

 

[hank4elk]

Been around them fools all my life it seems.
Hot walker @ Santa Anita as a kid. Caretaker at a horse ranch for 5 years.
Got offered 2 beauties when I moved here...Nah
Place just recovered from years of horses on it.

Good luck. Nice pony.

 

[Hem]

Most 12 year old girls have a horse thing.
I avoided that Dad trap.

 

[Outlaw99]

 

[rjthehunter]

There is a most likely a reason someone is selling a horse, the only good reasons is the death of the owner, divorce, financial hardship. It would be like me selling a top notch hound.

I thought that came along because of owning a horse!

 

[Steiny77]

Have witnessed a few folks get sucked into the horse thing big time; buy the spread, build the barns, get a big truck and trailer, tractor and equipment to take care of things, get all the horses & tack, attend all the events and shows, win buckles, trophies and ribbons, then eventually end up selling the spread and liquidating, nearly broke and living back in town.

Much like other hobbies such as boating, you can quickly get carried away with it and put yourself in a horrible financial hole.

 

[406dn]

According to the poll, I'm in the minority, I own horses and love it. Yes, they are expensive. I worked a couple of years longer to be certain that I'd be able to handle the expense.

It was bird dogs that introduced me to horses. I went to a couple of horseback trials, where people loaned me a horse to ride. I purchased my first horse at 51 years old, from a very good friend. I barely knew how to put the bridle on at first. The horse I'm on in the avatar is the horse that began my horse journey. Smokey was his name, and there were very few horses that could walk with him. I doubt I'll ever ride a nicer horse.

There is nothing, I've done in the outdoors that is more enjoyable than running a nice bird dog, while riding a nice horse. This time of year, I'm running dogs several days a week, just after sunrise.

I've had four horses, two presently, both Tennessee walking horses. They both get ridden regularly by me, either running bird dogs, just riding them, or elk hunting with them.

They have extended my elk hunting career considerably. I would not have the stamina to hunt elk seriously, without them. With them, I can elk hunt seriously for a week, two weeks, or however long, and be up for it the next day.

 

[MTGomer]

I grew up with horses. I love horses. I still have an old retired horse living out his last year in the pasture at my mom‘s house.
All that said, I’m damn glad I don’t have horses. In a perfect world there are no horses until the dead elk hits the ground and then magically your friends show up with them, help you pack it out, you give the a quarter of meat, scratch the horse on the ear, feed it a handful of pellets, and then never have to look at or think about it again until the next elk hits the ground.

Theyre like boats. They’re handy and it’s good to have friends that have them.

 

[406dn]

I grew up with horses. I love horses. I still have an old retired horse living out his last year in the pasture at my mom‘s house.
All that said, I’m damn glad I don’t have horses. In a perfect world there are no horses until the dead elk hits the ground and then magically your friends show up with them, help you pack it out, you give the a quarter of meat, scratch the horse on the ear, feed it a handful of pellets, and then never have to look at or think about it again until the next elk hits the ground.

Theyre like boats. They’re handy and it’s good to have friends that have them.

Now that's a real friend.

Most people have an idea, but not really, how much time is invested in order to have a good horse. I enjoy the time it takes, it is not work, to me.

I've packed elk meat off the mountain for other hunters, and have also declined, if I thought it was unfair to my horses. I have not waited by the phone for a call to come and get an elk off the mountain. So, you are looking for a better friend, than me.

I intend to have horses to ride for as long as I can swing a leg over one.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I love horses. I could not hunt where I do without them. My wife and I are saving for a horse property. I know they will take the bulk of my money and time, and I am OK with it.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

OP - Very good questions indeed, especially as it relates to a young daughter.
While I own horses and mules and love it, specifically regarding your question, a good friend of mine's daughter started taking english lessons when she was about 10yo and bought their first horse at about 12-13, so is a similar situation to you.

Knowing the expense and commitment I of course asked about his stomach for that and he whole heartedly (and still does) stand behind happily doing it for her as such a great way for her to spend her time and energy.

They also board. One real challenge on the english side of things which you probably already know, which is a slippery slope, is that many of the young english riders value competing a lot. She will be surrounded by girls who go out and naturally I'd want to be like my friends and see if I could do it too. That will exponentially add to the expense (trainer travel expenses, hauling, etc.) not to mention the desire for a more competitive horse $$$$$.

I don't know the answer, but it might be worth looking into some way she can apply what she's learning that doesn't cost a fortune. I certainly see folks riding english sometimes on the trails too.

It is a very real investment so I feel for you. That said, with a 13yo daughter, he is still thrilled that she wants to spend so much time at the barn, taking on the responsibility of taking care of her horse and spending time with it.

Good luck!

 

[2rocky]

I think your daughter can benefit very much from owning a horse. It will teach her to be a leader, and take on scary things. Horses are big, and strong and somewhat irrational sometimes because they are not linear thinkers....Dealing with that makes for very good people skills in the workplace later in life.

Horse ownership is also very expensive because of constant non-negotiable expenses such as feed, boarding, lessons, hoof and vet care etc. As such this is a great opportunity for you to have regular conversations about budgeting and establish what her "Skin in the Game" is. If she can take on some barn/ranch chores in trade for extra lessons, or cover her show entries, she will be that much more committed to the enterprise. Or she will discover she is not as committed as she thought. My FFA project in high school was renting some pasture and boarding other people's horses with mine. I learned a lot from that experience.

There will always be the temptation to get "Better Performance Through Aggressive Spending" and people with those means often use that tool. But as we know in the Hunting world, On the ground woodsmanship and skill can out hunt the latest gear and no experience and skill. What my metaphor means is that if she spends time in the saddle with good horsemanship mentors and on a variety of horses, she will be able to get along with more horses and get more out of them.
My friend who rode professionally while a High school and JC student, got her Masters in Animal Science and is now a professor. She will tell her story of financing her entire horse experience, and she advises people to get an education good enough to get a career where you can afford your horse habit. Otherwise take the vow of poverty and go into the horse industry.

I'm looking out the window at my two hayburners as I write this. Just returned from 5 days of riding in the Sierra Nevada with 30 other horse nuts. I was able to do that because I have a career with 4 weeks of PTO that came from a college degree and 25 years in the industry. I don't have a fancy car or a boat or a summer home, because this was the outlet I chose. I'm happy with it and I'm damn proud when I can go pack out a dead elk 10-20 miles from the end of the road. Doesn't matter if it is my elk or someone else's...

 

[406dn]

My brother's two daughters took horse riding lessons when growing up. They both rode English. His older daughter REALLY wanted my brother to buy her a horse. They settled on renting a horse for them to ride. I told my niece that if she really wanted to have horses in her life, she could do it as an adult. Where there is a will there is a way.

His younger daughter was not as horse crazy but enjoyed riding, as well. I have taken each of them riding with me. The older niece went with me when I ran my dogs. I think that is a life memory that will stick with her.

When my younger niece graduated from college, I asked her if she would like to ride in Yellowstone Park, before she embarked on her professional career. She was all in, on that. She enjoys everything that comes with camping with horses. The only slack I cut her was, she slept in my camper. I slept in the horse trailer. We rode three different trails in Yellowstone. I hope someday she will tell her grandchildren that her uncle and her went horseback riding in YNP.

This is her on Buster, while riding on Specimen Ridge. The vistas were as you would expect. We saw a grizzly bear at a comfortable distance, so another memory for her.

 

[HappyCamper]

We have several horses and fortunately have the property and necessary arrangements to make it work so my wife can enjoy them. I’m not a fan of them but can tolerate it. My biggest gripe is the lunacy of horse crazy people. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen, impossible to understand, and almost contagious. They Throw away gobs of money and time for what - A chance to drive hundreds of miles to an event where more loonies are? I’m equally passionate about hunting but I don’t need to mortgage my future or buy into all the trendy junk to enjoy it.

As for your daughter, that’s great she’s enjoying it. I’d just recommend having a firm limit to how much you’re willing to spend and dedicate to the hobby. People tend to forget it’s a hobby, not a way of life.

 

[Marshian]

Yea, just in my brief encounters these last few months I’ve seen the single moms and families just hemorrhage money and my daughter tell me how so and so’s family has all this stuff. So yes, the challenge to avoid wasting a ton of money on a hobby is real. As much as I support her hobby, if I never saw a horse again, I would be more than happy. They do nothing for me at all.

 

[Salmonchaser]

From our experience, kids and horses,

My brother's two daughters took horse riding lessons when growing up. They both rode English. His older daughter REALLY wanted my brother to buy her a horse. They settled on renting a horse for them to ride. I told my niece that if she really wanted to have horses in her life, she could do it as an adult. Where there is a will there is a way.

His younger daughter was not as horse crazy but enjoyed riding, as well. I have taken each of them riding with me. The older niece went with me when I ran my dogs. I think that is a life memory that will stick with her.

When my younger niece graduated from college, I asked her if she would like to ride in Yellowstone Park, before she embarked on her professional career. She was all in, on that. She enjoys everything that comes with camping with horses. The only slack I cut her was, she slept in my camper. I slept in the horse trailer. We rode three different trails in Yellowstone. I hope someday she will tell her grandchildren that her uncle and her went horseback riding in YNP.

This is her on Buster, while riding on Specimen Ridge. The vistas were as you would expect. We saw a grizzly bear at a comfortable distance, so another memory for her.

View attachment 335479

she’s wearing a proper hat, great looking country.

 

[BuckRut]

Yea, just in my brief encounters these last few months I’ve seen the single moms and families just hemorrhage money and my daughter tell me how so and so’s family has all this stuff. So yes, the challenge to avoid wasting a ton of money on a hobby is real. As much as I support her hobby, if I never saw a horse again, I would be more than happy. They do nothing for me at all.

Where was the horse at on that goat hunt? You could have packed in a wall tent and been way more comfortable.

 

[ismith]

Where was the horse at on that goat hunt? You could have packed in a wall tent and been way more comfortable.

I've been horseback in that country; you need real good ones up there.

 

[406dn]

From our experience, kids and horses,

she’s wearing a proper hat, great looking country.

It's a good thing you can't see the saddle .

Nearly every field trialer ride a trooper saddle of some description. In truth they are a very versatile saddle.



This is the late great Smokey. We are on the boundary line of YNP here. Later on this ride, we rode into a herd of bighorn sheep.