When people first get into horses, they often have the idea that they will need or want to own one. Statistics show that a large majority of first-time horse owners leave ownership within a year or two. Is this because it’s difficult? Not really. It’s more because these new owners, through no fault of their own, jumped into the deep end of the pool without first knowing how to swim.

To have a Horselife, you need not ever actually own a horse, nor do we recommend owning a horse until you’ve taken some educational steps first, to ensure a happy and safe experience.

First, take lessons in the area in which you’re interested, whether riding, driving or ground handling. Even if all you ever want to do is have a horse in your backyard, or go down the trail for a quiet ride, lessons will dramatically increase your enjoyment of horses. Shop around until you find an instructor whose training specialties match your inclinations.

If you have competition in mind, holding off awhile on horse ownership is also a good idea, for two reasons. One, it will allow you to be certain of the path you wish to take. Do you enjoy dressage, or western pleasure? Reining or eventing? Take the time to play around with a sport for a year or so, and you’ll be more certain on your choice. Second, in one year of steady effort your skill level will expand exponentially, meaning that a beginner horse you fell in love with in the beginning may not be the one you want just a year later. Breaking up is hard to do, and horses are too expensive for most of us to collect.

Speaking of expense, you should know that there is no reason you ever have to own a horse at all. All across the country, in cities, in suburbs and in the country, there are horses underutilized by their owners and available for you to ride. The terminology is “leasing” a horse, which means you pay a monthly fee, usually just a portion of his upkeep, to be allowed to ride a certain number of days. These lease horses are available for both heading down a trail for fun, and for competitions and shows.

Bottom line, before considering horse ownership, you should have a basic understanding of nutrition, the veterinary and farrier care required, and a good foundation of “horse sense”. From a hands-on perspective, you should also be able to handle the average well-trained horse safely in all kinds of weather, both in confined areas such as an arena, and out in the open on the trail. Lastly, you should work with a well-regarded professional to act as a “buyer’s agent”, to ensure that you make a good decision with your new partner.