Should I consider buying a horse?

Right now I'm only 15, I can't drive yet and so I'm not looking into buying a horse this year. But I am getting a job making 15-23$ an hour starting in january.

So in my previous threads I stated I may be moving barns with des and blah blah blah. None of that is happening, I'm dropping the coach I have right now and the mother of the girl I lease destiny from will be coaching the two of us for under half price of what my lessons used to be (40$ each going to 15-20$) my mom does pay for my lessons and will continue to do so as long as I wish to take them.

My coach, when she learned I was to no longer take lessons with her, told me it was a stupid idea to stay with destiny when the horses at her new barn were so much better suited for me and could top off jumping much higher than destiny can (she tops 2'f-3' because of something to do with her knees). Right now I don't need to increase the height I'm jumping at, I need to improve my position. And so I told her I'd be staying with des where I am.

My real question is, my position will improve withing the next year (up to when I can start driving myself to the barn) and I may need a horse that can jump higher, the girl I lease des from/ her mom only have 2 horse, one for each of us really.

I was wondering if you guys think it would be smart of me to invest in a horse of my own some time next year? Sorry if I'm confusing!
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I know this isn't what you want to hear. I would stay with my coach and keep working on position and then when the time came I'd probably lease a horse that could do the increased heights. The reasons I suggest staying with your current coach and leasing the next horse are these: As you say, within the next 6 - 12 months your posistion will have improved to the point you're ready to move up. The economy is terrible right now and while you 'think' you have a good paying job in Jan, that could change anytime between now and then. Leasing a horse leaves you a little more wiggle room if the horse turns out not to be what you wanted, you can lease more horse than you can afford to buy and if, God forbid, you should lose your job the worst thing that will happen is the owner takes back the leased horse. You're not put in a position that if you lose your job your horse goes hungry. And if at 18, you find that demands of life, school, boyfriend, whatever are such that you no longer care to have a horse, you can just finish the lease and return the horse, not worry about having to sell it.

What I see happening in my mind's eye is this: You stay with your friend and her mom, in 3 months you have stabilized your position and in 6 months you've totally outgrown your leased horse and are ready to move up. You've now burnt your bridge with your coach and she won't have you back though she's got the horses you need and you can't find another coach you like as well with the good horses....leaves you out in the cold with no horse and no coach.

My friends mom actually has more experience than my coach has, I think what I might do is just, if I do happen to outgrow Des I'll lease another horse from someone at the barn. The economy in Canada isn't really bad, and the job is with my fathers company.

Okay, reading that over makes me sound like I'm totally not agreeing with what you said and I'm being a witch, but I agree with you and thanks so much for the advice. :)
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