MisssMarie
Fish Addict
No worries, it is what he is 
I'm okay and dealin with it
I'm okay and dealin with itMeet My New Horses!
- Thread starter MisssMarie
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Alm0stAwesome
Fish Aficionado
Ok! Well good luck with everything! Looking forward to hearing how things progress
MisssMarie
Fish Addict
Thanks hey, anyone know much a good trainer would be? We're thinking of sending her to like 3 months of training when she's old enough to be ridden.
hey, anyone know much a good trainer would be? We're thinking of sending her to like 3 months of training when she's old enough to be ridden.
Alm0stAwesome
Fish Aficionado
It varies hugely to be honest. Try looking up all of the big ranches in your area (or even further away to be honest) and contact them to find out how much they charge for 90 days (the pros charge in 30 day increments). I'm guessing you will be sending her there to stay for that period of time, and I do recommend that option as that way she is getting round the clock care by the pros especially as training a young horse isn't just about being on their back, as I'm sure you know BUT it can be more expensive because her feed and board comes into it. But then you save on the cost of hauling her to the trainer - do you have a horse trailer? If not then taking her back and forth won't be an option.
Also most trainers specialise in one or two aspects of the sport. As you like to ride western this may be pleasure, cutting, reining, or the rodeo sports like barrel racing and calf penning. You'll want to choose a trainer who specialises in the type of sport you want to ride in. If you just want to do a bit of trail riding and playing about in your arena at home or do a little showing in the pleasure arena, then a trainer who specialises in pleasure horses is best for you. But if you want to compete in a more "active" sport you'll want to choose differently.
Also bear in mind that while it is widely accepted that 2yrs is an acceptable age to start training under saddle that is now often being moved to three years as their bones are still developing quite a lot at 2. If you are a small person then it may not matter as much but definitely keep it to light riding and exercise until they are over three years old as damage can be done when they are young (things like ring bone for instance). This is another reason why I thought you may want an older horse as then it's not as long to wait until you can do all of the really fun stuff like start competing.
BUT it can be more expensive because her feed and board comes into it. But then you save on the cost of hauling her to the trainer - do you have a horse trailer? If not then taking her back and forth won't be an option. Also most trainers specialise in one or two aspects of the sport. As you like to ride western this may be pleasure, cutting, reining, or the rodeo sports like barrel racing and calf penning. You'll want to choose a trainer who specialises in the type of sport you want to ride in. If you just want to do a bit of trail riding and playing about in your arena at home or do a little showing in the pleasure arena, then a trainer who specialises in pleasure horses is best for you. But if you want to compete in a more "active" sport you'll want to choose differently.
Also bear in mind that while it is widely accepted that 2yrs is an acceptable age to start training under saddle that is now often being moved to three years as their bones are still developing quite a lot at 2. If you are a small person then it may not matter as much but definitely keep it to light riding and exercise until they are over three years old as damage can be done when they are young (things like ring bone for instance). This is another reason why I thought you may want an older horse as then it's not as long to wait until you can do all of the really fun stuff like start competing.
MisssMarie
Fish Addict
I have no problems waiting until 3, although I will introduce her to a saddle at 2 1/2, just putting it on her and leading her around. Not too sure what discipline yet. I'm thinking reining, trail or maybe calf penning or cutting. And definitely send her to the trainer
Alm0stAwesome
Fish Aficionado
Reining and cutting go hand in hand but due to the nature of how you train a horse in those two disciplines I don't recommend mixing them with others like the "rodeo" sports but you may be able to mix the competitive pleasure riding with them and you can obviously do trail riding on a horse no matter what they are trained in! You just need to make sure they are exposed to lots of different things so they aren't spooky when unexpected things happen on the trail because they always do!
Look for the phrase "natural horsemanship" when looking for a trainer for your girl, in my opinion it's the best style. Check out some of the books by famous trainers like John Lyons, Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli, Chris Cox and Clinton Anderson. If you go to their webpages you can see where they are going to do their training workshops to see if one is coming near you. They are a really cool thing to go to and very educational! I think Sam Lyon may be retired now but I went to one of his workshops/training days years ago and it was fantastic.
Look for the phrase "natural horsemanship" when looking for a trainer for your girl, in my opinion it's the best style. Check out some of the books by famous trainers like John Lyons, Monty Roberts, Pat Parelli, Chris Cox and Clinton Anderson. If you go to their webpages you can see where they are going to do their training workshops to see if one is coming near you. They are a really cool thing to go to and very educational! I think Sam Lyon may be retired now but I went to one of his workshops/training days years ago and it was fantastic.
MisssMarie
Fish Addict
Will do!
Would pasture, stall or paddock board be better? Our weather doesn't get too bad. Though it does get rainy in winter
Would pasture, stall or paddock board be better? Our weather doesn't get too bad. Though it does get rainy in winter
Alm0stAwesome
Fish Aficionado
The main benefits to stabling is 1) ease of access to the horse (if they are being worked daily for example) 2) keep their coats from getting bleached in the sun (important for show horses) and limits their opportunity to scrape themselves up, which they are all very good at and 3) protection from the elements
I used to turn mine out during the day in the winter (I wasn't showing then and it didn't matter if their winter coats got sun bleached) and turn them out at night in the summer for the reasons listed above. It is better for the overall health of the horse to be out as much as possible as long as they have access to shelter when they need it. The rest is all for our benefit as horse owners so you have to find a balance between the two. Practicality is important after all. If you've got to spend half an hour trekking through a huge field to catch your horse for a session everyday, that's a pain! In all honesty it will be up to the trainer as to what they can be bothered with if they are doing all of the work! If you are asking about how you should house her long term - I always preferred keeping my guys in the barn apart from getting turned out for maybe 8-10 hours a day. But I was keen on making sure they were always neat and tidy with dark coats yada yada but it's more expensive to have them in stalls because you've got to provide hay, whereas grass is "free". Your horse will be fine and healthy in each scenario as long as they are getting a decent amount of time in the pasture, it just comes down to what you are happy with and what you can afford.
If they are getting turned out with a bunch of strange horses they may get a little beat up at first as well while the pecking order gets sorted out, it's not usually a problem long term. So that's something else to consider when you're sending her away if you're going to go for pasture board.
I used to turn mine out during the day in the winter (I wasn't showing then and it didn't matter if their winter coats got sun bleached) and turn them out at night in the summer for the reasons listed above. It is better for the overall health of the horse to be out as much as possible as long as they have access to shelter when they need it. The rest is all for our benefit as horse owners so you have to find a balance between the two. Practicality is important after all. If you've got to spend half an hour trekking through a huge field to catch your horse for a session everyday, that's a pain! In all honesty it will be up to the trainer as to what they can be bothered with if they are doing all of the work! If you are asking about how you should house her long term - I always preferred keeping my guys in the barn apart from getting turned out for maybe 8-10 hours a day. But I was keen on making sure they were always neat and tidy with dark coats yada yada but it's more expensive to have them in stalls because you've got to provide hay, whereas grass is "free". Your horse will be fine and healthy in each scenario as long as they are getting a decent amount of time in the pasture, it just comes down to what you are happy with and what you can afford.
If they are getting turned out with a bunch of strange horses they may get a little beat up at first as well while the pecking order gets sorted out, it's not usually a problem long term. So that's something else to consider when you're sending her away if you're going to go for pasture board.
MisssMarie
Fish Addict
For her permanent situation, I was thinking Pasture board, because she has been living her whole life around other horses basically running free up until December when training began, and I heard that way she gets more excersize as well. And, I'm going to be stabling her near a local state park, so, I can take her for "walks" as she does better on the lead. I love hiking there, and I think it might be a good experience for her to get to see new sights and sounds. Ideas?
Alm0stAwesome
Fish Aficionado
Sure, horses are tough animals. As long as you make sure their feet and teeth are healthy they are fine in most suitable environments. Will her pasture have a run-in shed or anything so they can get out of the rain if they want to? She would be fine without but it's a nice thing to have if possible.
I'd go for stall/ stabling, that way she has a safe place where both you & her can get to know each other.
If she's been used to running free with very little handling, then just pasture might mean you have problems catching her.
Tbh I'd think twice about going for that one & find one that has been more handled
If she's been used to running free with very little handling, then just pasture might mean you have problems catching her.
Tbh I'd think twice about going for that one & find one that has been more handled
MisssMarie
Fish Addict
She's not completely wild though, she is very sweet. The person I know who met her gave her a grooming and she adored it, so, not like she doesn't like people. and the pasture has a run-in, or it has at least a shelter (depends on which pasture she gets put in).
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