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Questions for horse owners!!

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Cinnyluver

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Thanks for all the info! I'm planning on having at least $1,000 saved for emergency vet and then whatever extra money I have then. The place where I will be riding usually is a sand arena...so would shoes be necessary? I may try trail riding during the summer though so if I did that would I need shoes? I am going to go talk to my neighbors today and I'll ask about boarding, farriers, and vet expenses around here. They have 5 horses that spend most of their time out in a pasture. They have a barn with 5 stalls. One is used for supplies, one is used to keep their dogs in, and the other three are not in use right now, but are usually there for if one of their horses gets sick or injured. Then they have a big dirt area where the horses stay at night.
I don't know if this is a big deal, but they have 3 cows and breed them sometimes so is there anything I should know about keeping horses around cows?
 

roxynoodle

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A sand arena is generally ideal for riding. It provides good footing and good cushion. Whether your horse needs shoes will probably depend on the horse. I see also you are in Utah where the humidity is probably low. That can lead to dry hooves, which may be more prone to cracking. I'm sure your neighbors and others in your area can answer your questions about that better than an Ohioan who has more humidity than she would like:)

The more you can save before you get your horse, the better.

I was going to suggest an off the track Standardbred (not a Thoroughbred) if you have harness racing in your area. Standardbreds are used to being harnessed and handled every which way and used to crowds. Usually you can saddle them right up and get on without fazing them in the least. They need some work on "steering" but learn quickly. They are also pretty much bulletproof. And they are often inexpensive to buy or you may even get one free from a race owner who just wants his/her horse to go to a good home. One of my friends just loves them, and my riding coach did as well and turned quite a few into eventing horses.

Some Quarterhorses and other related stock horses might have the urge to round the cows up, but otherwise I doubt there will be any problems.
 

Cinnyluver

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Great news! I talked to my neighbor today and he said that he will be willing to let me board a horse in his stall if I do work for him!! I'm so happy! So my horse will literally live right behind my house where I can see it all the time! This is so much more convenient for me than a stables.
I talked to my horse back riding teacher about farriers today. She said that I do not need shoes unless I will be riding in rocky areas. She also said that her farrier charges $50 each to trim a horses feet and costs less if not all the hooves need to be trimmed. Does this sound like a good price? Also, people say I'll need to trim my horses hooves about every 6-8 weeks depending on if they need to be trimmed...how do I know when my horses hooves need to be trimmed?
I was talking to my neighbor today and he asked me what I was looking for in a horse. Like, did I want a competition horse, a trail horse, a working horse... And now that I think about it, I don't really know. I honestly just want a best friend to just ride and enjoy. :) I originally thought it would be cool to get a trail horse, but then I realized that we won't have a trailer to take it places (unless I REALLY need to then my neighbors can lend me one) and I would need someone to go on trails with and none of my family members or friends have horses. So, I guess I just want a riding buddy!
I got dog walking business cards and I'll be passing them out tomorrow. I'm also going to be working on some paintings and might sell some prints or even originals. :) I have a babysitting job that earns me about $50 a month. If all goes well, I hope to start looking for a horse by next late summer/fall.
 

SallyQZ

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That sounds like a great price, but horses need ALL their feet trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks. I have my farrier scheduled to come out every 6 wks automatically. If you wait until the horse NEEDS a trim, you will have problems. Hooves can crack, splay out, and weaken. Trimming every 6 to 8 wks will help maintain a correct hoof - there is more to hoof care than appearance. The angle of the hoof is crucial, and the sole/frog of the foot needs maintenance too. While horses will wear their hooves down as they are ridden, it will not be done in a balanced manner. Even if the farrier just shapes the foot a bit, the hoof needs to be trimmed every 6 to 8 wks. This is not an area to try to save money. No hoof, no horse!

A trail horse is generally considered to be a more dependable sane horse. Going down the trail quietly means that the horse can deal with surprises, like dogs or mountain bikes or deer jumping from the bushes. Competition horses are often so athletic and reactive that they can't deal with surprises. My holsteiner gelding is like this. When he's fit enough to show over fences, he's a disaster on the trail. A grasshopper jumps out and he explodes. He can spin like a pony, and he bolts. He's spun me off onto the ground so fast that I wasn't even aware that anything startled him. :D

What you need is an all-round horse. One that can go down the trail, and isn't soured by arena work. There are lots of 4H or pony club horses for sale that have experience in multiple areas. I used to show my horses english, western, and still go on long trail rides weekly. If a horse has a decent brain, he will be capable of doing lots of things, and it keeps him happier too. Horses get extremely bored with just arena work, and they'll start acting out & misbehaving if they are ring sour.

You really need to join Pony Club or 4H. This will give you LOTS of information as to what horse will suit you best, and give you lots of options for training goals, etc. It's fun too! That way you will have people to ride with on the trail, and possibly even shows eventually.
 

Cinnyluver

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I don't know if this is going to work out. :( I just found out my neighbors are getting a divorce so I don't think I'll be able to use their barn. And even if I did keep it there or anywhere, I would have to do hard work in return and once I get a job and later on go to college, I won't be able to work for them and boarding around here is way too expensive for me. Also, we don't have a trailer so I would never be able to take my horse anywhere. It would just be stuck in a stall and be able to run around a small sand arena every day and that's it. The more I think about it, the more I think maybe I should wait until after I have my own house and horse property to get a horse. My mom said to just keep saving up my money and see if things work out and if they don't, then I can just continue horse back riding lessons and enjoy being around my neighbors horses.
 

SallyQZ

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That's a very wise decision. This illustrates the risky part of acquiring a horse on the assumptions that a neighbor or family member will help out with boarding needs. People DO get divorces, or move, or want more horses of their own & need the space. That's why it's always the safest approach to be able to afford full board & care. That way you are not at the whim of someone else. Unfortunately, this takes a LOT of money which makes it nearly impossible for young people. :(

Continue your lessons, and see what happens. You may find a partial lease, or a friend with spare horses. You never know until you try!
 

Amaterasu

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I didn't get my first horse until March of this year. I had to wait until I was an adult to afford it and take care of it.

Keep taking lessons and consider doing a half lease somewhere. That way you'll learn not just about riding but about taking care of a horse. It is a huge responsibility, 100x more so if you keep them at home (which is highly undesirable if you've never had a horse before).

$500 is nothing for a good horse unless you get lucky and you have no real goals beyond just doing some light trail riding.

Here is what I've spent so far since March, not including the price of the horse:
- $490/month for board
- $40/month for the farrier (more expensive if your horse needs shoes, mine is barefoot)
- ~$400 total so far on supplements, joint injections, electrolytes, wormers etc
- $800 on vet including medications, the pre purchase exam etc.
- $2300 on a nice used dressage saddle
- $600 on misc (bridle, halter, lead rope, side reins, fly spray, boots, salt blocks, grooming supplies

And that's not including what I've spent on riding lessons and training for my horse or my riding clothes.
 

Cinnyluver

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I think I'd be able to afford everything but boarding. I've had people offer to board my horse if I work for them but I won't be able to once I get a job and go to college. So for now I've decided to wait on getting a horse.
I'm friends with a good bird breeder near me and I'm starting the consider getting a baby blue and gold macaw from her since I can't get a horse yet. Not a for sure decision yet. A lot of planning and research will go into it if I decide to. For now I'm learning what I can about them in case it does happen. :)
 
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