1. I only get two days off a week, if full boarded and let out, should I have the right to own a horse if i only get to ride him twice a week at the least? three times if I get my husband in on it :) I want to be fair to this animal and not be the " just board it up and leave it" sort of person.

I'll let you in on a litttle secret, Horses are lazy and most would be quite happy to live their lives out just grazing a pasture somewhere.  But they are also social animals and when they bond with you they are happy to see you.  Full board provides the horse with someone to care for it daily and then you come and make those two days special by grooming and treating them special.

LOTS! Lol

Owning a horse is the most wonderful experience in the whole world!  It is worth all the small sacrifices that I have had to make.  If you have the ability to take care of a horse vital needs and think you are ready by all means go for it.  I work full time but I have to say my horses are some of the happiest, most spoiled horses I know.

 Since you don't have a whole lot of practical experience with horses, I would suggest that you start off by taking lessons. This will help in a couple of ways. First, you'll find out what kind of riding you want/like to do, and when you decide to buy a horse, you will have a direction to go in. Second, your instructor might be able to help you look, to find a horse suitable for you. Next, you'll also have a better idea of what to look for.

 Once you've taken lessons, I'd recomend leasing a horse before buying. That will give you a taste of what owning one is like. It will help to decide if you really do have the time or not, and will give you a further indication of what kind of horse will be best for you. 

 You've already gotten great answers, so the only thing I will add is that buying a horse is something that there is never a "perfect" time for -- I'm a state biologist, so I have no money and work 40+ hours a week and pay a mortgage and everything else on my own.  Did I mention I have no money?  LOL -- BUT, owning a horse was always my dream and at 26, it finally came true so four years later I can still say it is worth every second and every penny.  Do I have a bunch of money saved up?  Heck no!  But my horse still always comes first -- you can always tell a truly passionate horseperson because they will spend hundred's of dollars on feed supplements and hoof care but eat mac and cheese every month.  Yep, that's me.  

Like any dream, we find a way to make it happen and you should not feel like you have to have a million dollars to do it.  You DO need to be able to provide the horse with safe shelter, quality feed, hoof and vet care.  Above and beyond that, it's all bonus.  The horse doesn't care if you ride it as long as his belly is full and his treats are delivered!

I keep my horse at a full board facility -- even if I can't make it out there all week, he gets his meals on time and hangs out with his horsey pals.  Friends at the barn check to make sure all four legs are still attached and we're good to go.

DEFINITELY take someone with you with lots of horsey experience should to decide to purchase.  Pretty and young are usually the pitfalls of novice horse owners and neither is equated with usefullness nor do they mean a good match for a novice rider.  Start out taking a few lessons and see where the path leads you.  Horse ownership is a lesson in losing money, sleepless nights and the irresistable pull of an endless supply of accessories, but it is also the most fulfilling thing in the world!

I'm a non-breeder, so I can't address the kid thing, but lots of folks do it.  I'd say buy the horse and skip the kid, but I'm sure plenty will disagree with my take, ROFL!

Solaris:

I'd say buy the horse and skip the kid, but I'm sure plenty will disagree with my take, ROFL!

LOL, that was my thought too but I decide to be more politically correct

amberp11703:

Solaris:

I'd say buy the horse and skip the kid, but I'm sure plenty will disagree with my take, ROFL!

LOL, that was my thought too but I decide to be more politically correct

Pshaw, when has that ever stopped me!?  Life is too short for PC, LOL.

 I vote for starting with lessons, getting the basics under your belt, and then taking it from there. A good instructor will teach you a lot about horse care, saddle fit, etc., as well as just how to ride. You certainly can buy your own horse while you're still a beginner, but it's important to get one with the right attitude (easy going!). 

 I wanted my own horse for years, decades to be honest, but felt I couldn't afford it and so leased various ones. It's not nearly as expensive as owning and is a great way to get some of the feel of it - though owning your own is a whole nother step up, as I'm learning now! But what often happens is that you start with lessons, really like one of your lesson horses or maybe another horse at that barn, and find that one of them is available for part lease. There seem to be as many lease arrangements as there are horses.

It's wonderful that you want to rescue horses, but be very careful if you look into that. Until you're quite experienced, you want to avoid horses with "issues." You need one that knows more than you do and yet is patient and forgiving.

Good luck, and keep us updated! It's exciting to think of a new horsy friend coming into being!

Meggan Walsh:

I live in nevada which is a desert terrain, next year when I'm actively looking for my horse how can I tell if shoes are needed or not?

When you look for a horse look for one who is already barefoot and sound.  Find a good barefoot trimmer in your area and take his advice.

Here are a few links about barefoot trimming

http://www.texasnaturalhoofmanship.com/

Check out the Effects of Diet article on this one

http://www.aqha.com/magazines/aqhj/content/2008content/08november/Barefoot%20Trim.pdf

http://www.healthyhoof.com/index.htm

 You have already gotten some great advice.  In general listen to amber and solo.  They know their stuff. I think you should go with lessons for at least a year.  It could be that all that you really want is to have horses in your life, not necessarily own one.  Try to ride one horse.  My cousin loves horses and she started taking lessons and I let her help me with my guys.  In less than a month she was bored with it.  She loves them and wants to look at them, but they aren't really her thing.  There is nothing wrong with that.  If you take lessons, learn your stuff and decide that is the thing for you, then NEATO and welcome to the horse world! lol.  I also want to say way to go on the rescue idea.  If you take lessons and learn to ride before you get a horse, then a rescue ( I should point out adopt from a rescue agency, don't try to self-rescue as that is a LOT more work) should be a great option.  There are so many horses out there that need a second chance to show how great they are.  I would also have to agree with solo and amber on getting horses and skip the kid, but that is just my preference, or adopt a child....that is a great option as well.  As far as money and boarding-  be willing to poor money down the horse's mouth.  They can get pricey, or they can be super easy keepers that cost next to nothing.  I don't have money stockpiled.  I am 19 and putting myself through college and I have 3 horses, 3 dogs, 4 cats, a pig and a bird.  I work my butt off and boy is it ever worth it.  For me anyway.  They always come first. That may not be what you want, or they may be. If not, oh well, good for you for trying something you have always wanted to try, and if it does, like i already said Welcome to Horses!

 The cost of leasing can vary, depending on the agreement between you and the horse's owner. It really just depends on what each one of you are looking for in the lease arrangement. 

The barn where I currently take lessons leases out their lesson horses. I don't know the specifics because I have no desire to lease one (I have two of my own), but it appears as though the girls are allowed to take the horse out when it's not involved in lessons. I don't know if they are allowed to take them off-property or not.  The barn takes care of all the care (food, vet, farrier, etc). I would think that is probably the simplest lease arrangement on the side of the person leasing the horse.

I just think leasing is a really good idea in the beginning, because you don't invest so much time, money, and emotion into something you might find out later you didn't really want. It would have been good for me to have leased a horse before I bought one. I can't really say that I "wish" I had leased first, because I don't have any regrets on either of the horses I own. However, I'm kind of lucky that it turned out that way, especially with my first horse. I really had good people looking out for me (my then instructor and a friend of hers).

The thing with lessons is that there are sooooo many different types of riding to do, and different horses are better suited to different disciplines. So, before you buy a horse, it is a good idea to try different types to see what suits you best. I started out taking western lessons, because that is what I knew growing up as a kid. I liked it OK, but wanted to learn to jump, so I switched to English (luckily, before I bought my first horse).

Some horses do OK in both English and Western, but the two are so very different in the way you ride, that I don't always understand how. I would think they'd end up very confused. I mean, I get confused sometimes because I have a really good, fundamental Western background and there are things I have to "forget" when riding English. 

Even within English/Western, there are different sub-disciplines. And then there is endurance riding, trail riding, gaited horses .... so many options!

Good luck; this is one of those situations where all of the research can be a lot of fun :). 

Hi Meg,

I have to put my two cents in about leasing/owning and having horses in your life. 

1. I work a 40 hr week and commute to & from work 2 hrs each way.  Once I found a barn that offered both english and western, I took lessons for about 2-3 months, now I half lease one of my lesson horses.  I usually ride Mondays, Wednesdays (lesson night) and Friday nights and some Saturdays mornings.  I'm a mother of three children, 20, 17 & 15, kids are always gone somewhere. My husband and I work opposites, he's off the beginning of the week and I'm off on the weekends. So, this is my life. He does go with me on some Mondays and Wednesdays (if he's off).  He does it for my enjoyment and has now said he wants to do it to.  I'm very happy and we're saving up for two horses.

2. My lease horse is 15 yr old mare arab/qh laid back horse. I like where I'm at because as I progress, there are other more advanced horses to ride.  There are also girls who board their horses and when I'm out there, they say hop on and I cool their horses down at the trot or walk (more advanced horses).  I get to ride other horses to find out what I really want temperment, discipline etc.

4. Buying my first horse will be that much better knowing that I've done my homework and have prepared for his or her arrival on that special day.  Hopefully sometime next year. 

5. I lease so it's all covered, however, as the months go on, I've been buying stuff for her too... as I build my bond with her, it's as if she is mine, so even though I pay my monthly lease I find myself asking her owner does she need anything extra like supplements, horse blanket or slinky for the winter.

6. Of my children, it's my 17yr old who likes horses, the 20 yr old hates outside and the 15 yr old is allergic to horses. It can be hit or miss.  Me personally, I think that's something you and your husband will have to decide for your life, not us.  But, as stated before, it can work.

7. Please, please communicate with your husband!  I truly believe that is vital for any relationship. My whole goal was to buy a horse, I didn't care what it took.  Until I talked it over with my husband and with his advise I know that my horse will be in one of those stalls (along with his horse) next year. Horses has changed both of our lives.

 I hope this helps. 

ameretouch:

each month I buy something new from my wish list (darn catalogs come every weekend)..lol 

Ebay is my downfall, LOL.  Just be careful about buying saddles from there.  I have got lucky a time or two but have also got some Junkers.  Alot of the cheaper saddles have extra wide trees that do not usually fit most horses.