Buying a horse is not something best done in a person's first twelve months of riding.

Although it may seem like a good idea when comparing the price of an unwanted standard bred with weekly riding centre fees, it is usually harder to learn, more dangerous and more expensive than continuing at a riding centre. Buying a horse is not usually beneficial until a rider is competent in the saddle.

You Learn from the Horses you Ride

Although you pay a human riding instructor to learn to ride, it is actually the horses they prepare for you, that do the teaching.

A beginner rider needs to learn on experienced, tolerant, patient, level-headed horses, usually at least 10-years-old. These horses are known as school masters and they are best for teaching beginners because they behave predictably and are safe.

School masters have been taught how to behave by experienced riders and they in turn teach beginner riders how a horse behaves. The main job of a riding instructor is to prepare good safe, schoolmaster horses and ensure a safe environment for learning to ride.

Why not buy a Schoolmaster?

While there is no reason why a beginner cannot buy a schoolmaster horse, there are several drawbacks.

A schoolmaster horse does not come cheap. While you can get a failed standard bred trotting horse for pet food money ($200-$250) you will not pay less than $3,000 for a good school master pony or $4,000 for a good school master hack. As well as buying the horse you will also have all the sundry costs of feeding, health, shoes, tack, covers and maybe a float.

Another problem is that your newly acquired and expensive horse may not behave as well, once it leaves the care of experienced riders.

An old saying amongst horsemen is: "A horse descends to the level of it's rider". Without instructors to keep a horse behaving well and without plenty of work, a most excellent riding school master could turn sour within a week. Your $4,000 horse may then fetch little more than $1000.

Another drawback of buying a horse too soon is that a beginner will not get experience on a range of horses. People who become competent on only one horse often have trouble when they outgrow that horse or move on to a more competitive animal.

Basic skills needed before buying a Horse

Buying a horse is a big commitment of time and money. Horses require checking daily and ideally should be ridden daily as well. Do not buy one unless you intend to devote this time to your horse.

It usually takes at least 12 months of lessons once a week, before a person is ready to own a horse. Before buying a horse a rider must be:

• competent at walk, trot and canter
• able to understand basic horse behaviour
• competent in basic horse mastership skills such as; paddocking, feeding, worming, shoeing and fitting tack
• competent in the basics of horsemanship and able to handle a horse safely
• prepared to check and ideally ride the horse daily

Features of a first horse

• A school master horse is best for a first horse.
• Must be over six years of age and had four years of work. (A green rider on a green horse is a combination potentially lethal for both.)
• Should have experience in the field you want to work in.
• Should be appropriate for your level of ability and commitment.

NB. Some top competition horses require a lot of skill to ride at their best and a lot of care and attention to look after. It maybe unwise to make such a commitment if you are not capable of making use of it, especially when there are plenty of hardy crossbred horses and native ponies that can get by with far less attention and expense.

Hint: The best school master ponies are the ones you buy from a family with seven kids who have one-by-one outgrown their faithful family retainer. Such a pony is worth its weight in gold, but will probably go to the best home rather than the highest bidder.

Benefits of owning your own Horse

The main benefits of owning a horse are the opportunity to establish a bond and the right to train and use your horse in whatever way you like. While beginners gain little from this, it is essential for sporting riders for whom the commitment to caring for a horse is only a part of the overall effort that goes into training and competing.

The main difference between beginners and competitors is that although both learn from horses, competitors are also teaching their horses. Most riders prefer to control the horses they invest so much time, effort and money in training.

Being the exclusive rider for a particular horse allows you to reach a level of synchronicity and companionship not otherwise possible.

Leasing

It is possible to lease a horse instead of buying. There are pluses and minuses to this option. The main plus is that you do not have to commit to an expensive purchase. This is especially valuable for young riders who will outgrow horses every few years.

Unfortunately leasing leads to more trouble than anything else to do with horses.

Downsides include having to convince the owner that you really are willing and capable of looking after their horse. The horse may come with certain rules about what you may or may not do with it. You may work hard at training the horse and just when it is ready for competition the owner may take it back.

It is recommended that a copy of the lease be held by leasee, leasor and a third party. The notice for return of the horse should be three months. Some experienced riders insist on a lease-to-buy agreement.

Leasing can be excellent, but it's up you to make sure that any lease you enter into, will suit your needs.

Reaping what you sow

You get out of life what you put into it and it's the same with a horse. It is a big commitment, but the rewards can be even greater. Some people go to incredible lengths in the face of great difficulties to own a horse and in doing so, enrich their lives.

Advice on learning to ride and handle horses from Stonehurst Farm head riding instructor.

When to Start Children

The earliest that children should be sent to a riding school is the age of five. Before that, they are too young to learn anything. If you do have access to a pony, then younger children will benefit from being led around on it until they are ready to learn to ride.

Where to Go

When it is time to choose a riding school it is best to find an approved establishment. The best and safest instructors usually have qualifications from Britain, Germany or Canada or locally from the New Zealand Pony Club Association (NZPCA) and the New Zealand Equestrian Federation (NZEF).

A certified instructor will use safe methods and practices of instruction and have a first aid qualification. An established riding centre will have facilities which will allow students to progress in safe stages within a comfortable environment.

Learning the Basics

The craft of horse riding is something you learn from doing, not being told. The instructor’s job is to set tasks for students so that they can learn the feel of the walk, trot, canter and gallop within the safe confines of the learning arenas.

Riding is taught in an arena because it is a safe enclosed space in which the students and horses feel comfortable. As skills increase, students are safe to move into larger arenas and progress their skills, learning to change gait, turn smoothly and halt.

Leaving the Arena

Once students have learned the basics, they should move out of the arena onto a trotting track or cross country course. These environments present a new range of possibilities and challenges which they can now safely tackle.

Many people, both children and adults resist this stage because it is frightening to leave the safety of the arena, however it is essential. Mark Todd says he learnt more about the rhythm and feeling of a horse while mustering cattle bareback on a farm than anywhere else.

The independent seat

Once a rider is comfortable in the open it is time to introduce equestrian disciplines to further their skills. It is best not to specialise in one discipline too early. If a student wanted to ride Western, it would be time for them to start working on the range of Western disciplines.

The ultimate aim of riding instruction is to help students reach a point where their hands are independent of their legs, and their legs are independent of their seat. English riders call this an "independent seat". Followers of natural horsemanship say it as learning: "to follow, feel and think with their horse".

The "independent seat" lies at the heart of all riding and is the basis of all equestrian disciplines and activities. Stonehurst Farm advocates maintaining a wide equestrian interest in order to develop this ability. An early specialisation tends to retard development and ultimately makes success at the highest levels less likely.

A Horseman’s Education

Horse riding is naturally the focus of a riding school, but it is not the be-all and end-all of a horse education. People who own their own horses should also develop horsemastership and horsemanship skills.

Horsemastership includes subjects such as paddocking, knowing what and how to feed, worming, shoeing and floating your horse. The best source of this information are the New Zealand Pony Club Manuals. Some schools will teach these subjects when it is not possible to ride.

Horsemanship is a controversial subject which covers how best to handle and ride your horse. Some schools, such as Stonehurst Farm, incorporate horsemanship into riding lessons, but the subject is too broad to cover in riding classes.

Horsemanship and horsemastership become most important for people who wish to own their own horses. Some riding schools teach these subjects, usually by holding a camp where students are around horses for 24 hours. While there is nothing like owning your own horse, there is no point buying one to learn these subjects. A horse is a 24 hour a day, 365 day a year, commitment. It maybe better to learn horsemanship and horsemastership from a good riding school.

Joining Pony Club

Buying a horse is a big decision requiring a major commitment of time and money. If you do intend to buy a horse for your children you should consider joining the local pony club. If you do not own a horse your children can still join pony club as associate members.

People at pony club will usually be happy to assist you with buying a horse or pony. Pony club is an excellent place to learn about riding and one of the best places to learn about horsemastership.

Pony club certificates will help you get work in the New Zealand equestrian industry and even help you get a job as a groom in the UK.