First Horse Stories!

Hello everyone, I'm a wacky, horseless, art student who is working towards owning a horse. Grated, that is still a few years away. On top of simply saving up, I still need to take some lessons, relearn the basics and get more experience in horse care. Of course, the fact that I cannot possibly have a horse for a few years isn't stopping me from looking. For example, I came across this guy earlier today and I keep having to return and stare at him. If only he was in Canada, and if only it were 3 or so years in the future >_< http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse...rse_id=1299061)

But that's a story for another day. I would like to hear people's stories of their first horses, how you worked up to owning a horse, pictures, ect!

As well, what are the plans of other horseless people to work up to owning a horse?

Im still with my first horse and working towards my second! Lol
I don't think anything really can fully prepare you for horse owning because every horse is different, you just have to learn from them but teach at the same time...wow...sounds like what my grandma said about having kids... lol
When I first got my horse geez he was a wreck, he was skinny and muddy and horribly treated and he had NO MANNERS at all. It was terrible, but him and I sort of clicked lol
I remember one time I was so mad at him for...o yea he had bucked me off and god I was ticked beyond measure and I was stalking around screaming and hiting stuff and I (i hate to admit this) but I yanked on his halter and he wasnt expecting it and was almost on top of me but he rolled onto his back haunches and sat down on his butt to avoid trampling on me and I knew right then that he was the best horse for me and even though he had made me so mad I still loved him
Lol ok im done with the mushy stuff lol
this is me and him when I first got him the first day I rode him...

and here we are I think about two months ago lol sorry its a little blurry it was taken with my phone lol
Good luck with your search!!!

Thats a great story, thank you!

I know each horse is different, but I figure taking riding lessons again and volunteering at a stable certainly cannot hurt. Unfortunately, the town I'm in for foundation year doesn't have a stable, so these next few months will be spent doing research on everything about horse care, feeding, first aid, riding, conformation, ect. Then about two years of lessons/working at a stable, and then I'll see if I feel ready to own a horse and provide for it it's entire life.

My 1st horse was free. My friend told me of some people she knew who were giving away 2 old horses coz they were selling their farm, and said she was getting 1, did I want the other?
I knew there was no way that my parents would allow it, but thought, what the heck, she's free, can't hurt to ask... and they said YES!!!
We called the owners and sussed them out, and they sussed me out too, which was good. Then, bcoz they were about 3-4 hrs away, we hired a float, drove up there, caught her loaded her and took her home. No vet check, no riding, no nothing. All the things you aren't supposed to the owners said that if there were any probs to just bring her back, and we figured that since they were giving her to us when they could have gotten some money from the knackers, then they probably weren't shady or anything.
My mare hadn't been touched in five years, but she walked straight on the float, and was no trouble to handle, ride, anything. She's been an absolute angel, im so blessed to have her!!!

you are right lessons and volunteering can not hurt you also might find your first horse that way lol
Do you have friends that have horses? You could ask if they would let you help them some and ride some of their more experianced horses, that's how I started lol

I took dressage lessons at a riding stable for four years until one day the trainer told my parents she was moving, but leaving her lesson horses here for a while and said I was allowed to ride them. I rode them for about 2 months, but when you're only allowed to do circles and exercises in the arena no faster than a canter, it starts to get a little boring. By this time I was in 7th grade and met a girl at school who had volunteered at the stable for a day, and had bought a pony who they were taking to the sale because he was flighty for kids for $200. (Tbh, this pony was abused before the stable had bought him, so he was very timid and scared about everything.) Now she worked there, so she could pay off Tucker's board. So I started to help out at the barn, and when Tiffany rode her pony, Tucker, I would ride one of the barn's trail horses. Eventually, they decided I should start riding a horse that needed more miles on it, which happened to be Athena, my future first horse. She was a total knucklehead when I first rode her, and was afraid of everything, but it was all worth it. I rode her for about a year, bought her, got a job at the stable. Now about 4 or 5 years later I bought another horse there, except this one was supposed to be a trail horse, but was just a little too green for people who had no idea how to ride a horse. So I took him in. :)


Athena - last fall


Playboy - this summer with Jesse holding him