Okay friends, the last time I owned a horse of my own I was a teenager whose parents foot the bill and made all the decisions. That was a posting trot through pony park compared to the full-on rodeo of adult horse ownership! I took the reins (literally and figuratively) two decades later, and let me just say, my first year owning a horse on my own was a bit unbridled. A wild ride to say the least.

With some grownup perspective (read: now I’m the credit-card-on-file), and a little humility, I’ve been able to reflect on FIVE of my biggest learnings this time around and I’ve shared them here with you!

Expect the unexpected and not just the unexpected vet bills that everyone warns you about. Yes, those will happen too, but I’m speaking more about adjusting expectations.  Once you’ve found your dream horse, and you’ve been through a lot to bring them home and get started on achieving your goals and living your dream, it’s not always a straight line of unobstructed flat road to get there. There will be setbacks (physically or mentally), unexpected time off, delays, plateaus’ and life’s other plans that all factor into this new juggling act. These can be emotional, disappointing, frustrating and at times you feel like you’re doing something wrong. You’re not. It’s just horses.

Startup costs are intense I still remember the moment I walked out of the tack store the first Fall I had Annie. I had just bought her a new rain sheet and a winter blanket bundle. I spent $800 on horse blankets. It was shocking, and it wasn’t the only big bill I had recently paid at that tack store.

In the first year, especially if you are new or returning to horses after a long hiatus, the list of essentials you need just to get things started is long. Tack, helmets, boots, clothes, grooming supplies, saddle pads, leg protection, these 5 blankets and more!

I’ve created a list of “Where to Invest and Where to Save” on those must-have essential items. *Spoiler Alert* I put blankets on the SAVE side of that equation and gave you some hints on how to do that.

Insurance is important I’m a bit embarrassed to admit just how dismissive I was about horse insurance at the start. Back in my day, the only horses that were insured were the super elite ones that were far beyond anything us juniors were riding. It just wasn’t as common or accessible as it is now. Now, there is a policy for every horse, whatever your needs. Part of my lack of conviction was that I was just naïve to the very serious risks. No horse, regardless of what they costs, who owns them, and how impeccable the care, are immune to serious injury, colic or misfortune. And it could happen to you and your horse. I don’t have to expereince being on the receiving end of a life-saving emergency colic surgery invoice to know I don’t ever want to be.

Partnership takes time This one is a common misconception. If you (or maybe your child) has just taken the leap from riding weekly into owning a horse that you now ride every day, you may be surprised, frustrated or even concerned when things take a few steps backward at some point. When you buy your horse, you begin the transition from the transactional expereince of a riding lesson – where those blessed school Masters take such good care of us (or which ever horse you’ve been riding semi-regularly), into the tumultuous journey that is developing a partnership. It’s a 2-steps forward and 1-step back kind of dance that is perfectly normal.

As human beings, we have good and bad days, we’re affected by life outside the barn that impacts our riding, we’re learning, we’re weak and unbalanced, we’re imperfect. Horses too have good and bad days, they have preferences, they are trying hard to learn what we’re teaching, they also have weaknesses – which most commonly is opposite to our own (thank you Murphy) – and they are also imperfect.

Learning to communicate with a non-verbal, 1000 lbs partner who’s having a bad day, is tired, frustrated, way too excited to focus, cold, hot, bothered by something, scared of the boogeyman (who by-the-way lives in the corner of every arena ever built), is just a HUGE undertaking. Some days you will nail it, other days it all goes buck wild (literally). It can take 6 months to a year to truly understand each other and start to see steady, regular progression together.

Community is everything There are so many ways I can speak to the value my barn family has added to my expereince. In no particular order;

• Second hand stuff; all those start up costs? Go to your barn family or your local riding groups on social to find good quality used tack and equipment. Someone is always outgrowing something, upgrading to something new, cleaning out a tack locker or just happy to sell something they are no longer using.

• Advice and guidance; we’ve ALL been in the rookie position and your barn family can share their expereince, tips or their knowledge with you. From the most random of horse ailments, what-to-do’s , who to call and how bad is it, really? They can also just help you wrangle that naughty pony or fit a new martingale that just looks like leather spaghetti to you.

• Cheering squad. These are people who will have front row seats to your trials and tribulations (and you to theirs). These are the people that share your dreams, understand your journey and get what a BIG deal it is when you succeed. Foster that community, be a positive contributor to it, and you’ll get it back in spades.

I hope your first year is as fulfilling, rewarding but (slightly) less dramatic than mine was now that you know just a few of the biggest lessons I learned. So tighten that girth, shorten those reins and when things get a little crazy, just don’t forget to count… 1,2,3,4 1,2,34, 1,2,3,4

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