Tell me about owning a horse/pony.

We have just bought a property with some land. I love to horse ride and DD 8 would love a pony. So... tell me all I need to know about being a horse/pony owner! Responsibilities, time commitment, costs...

(Before anyone gets upset, I intend to take my time and research horse ownership thoroughly before deciding whether to make the commitment. I am just gathering information at this stage and I am not going to just rush out and buy a horse!)

Thanks!

My parents had a sticker in their horse float that said "poverty is owning a horse" :)

Sorry no real advice except bloody expensive!

I got my first horse when I was 10, I had done riding lessons since I was 6. I gained so much responsibility from it! I had to do my chores in order for my mum and step dad to pay for her aggistment & feed. I still have her now (tho she is very old) I cherish the bond we have. Its a big responsibility and can cost alot if/when the vet is called, but its all worth it.

If you dont know much yourself I would deffinatly get somebody who knows horses to go with you when you buy and a basic knowledge of riding is important. Tho riding lessons are very exxy!! You can often find very safe horses/ponies for the beginner rider. I have had a few horses since my first and worked with them too. I used to get x-racers off the track and school them and find them homes and it was very rewarding :)

If you have any direct questions please ask!!

I think it depends on what sort of lifestyle you want. Do you want to do pony club? Riding lessons? Adult riding groups?

I got my horse when I was 14, and we bought a second one a year later. Both fellas are still with us, both in their late 20's now. They live on 18 acres, have it to themselves and it's sufficent grass to sustain them (I think the ratio is one horse to 7 acres, otherwise you need to hand feed). They haven't been worked for a long time. I didn't do pony club or anything like that. We rode around home, around the area I lived. We had a couple of early vet bills, one for dermatitis (recurring) and the other for a leg injury (which was expensive - we had to do daily injections, four hours worth of stitching). They both happened when I was still a teen. The only other times the vet has visited has been in the last couple of years for colic.

Our horses weren't ridden on hard ground so we didn't put shoes on them, but had the farrier out to maintain their feet. Then there's the dentist and worming. We've had three rugs over the years for one boy, and two for the other. They have a habit of losing bibs. We've had the same gear since day one - my gorgeous second hand saddle is beautiful and soft. Looking after your gear makes it last. We used to give them hard feed when they were ridden frequently, but now they get some lucerne hay if the grass isn't of good quality and our vet advised us against making any changes to their diet at this point. Good luck, it's just the best thing, so much fun and huge reward. You'll end up with a great friend.

You are welcome to read my farm blog - we got two ponies this year for the kids, and I've had my horse since 2000, moved him to our farm in Feb.
A great start for you would be Equiculture, that I have linked on the farm blog (in my sig), there is also a Facebook page for it. Jane Myers is so, so knowledgeable and going to a seminar facilitated by her gave me so much confidence to move from agisting to keeping my horse with me!
I would recommend some proper riding lessons for your DD and yourself if you've only done trail rides (sorry, you didn't give details on that one!), but for you it's not essential, you can learn later. For your DD it's important for your own peace of mind. You will get reputable word-of-mouth leads for tack, equine services and horse-flesh through your instructors.
My DS's pony is pretty green but she is just a gem - they're already riding down our (albeit quiet) road off-lead, even though she's not been cantered under saddle yet (too wet for me to hop on and do circle and trot-pole work with her yet). DS has been having formal lessons since March and that's helped him so much. It helped that he's been sitting on a moving horse since before age 2, and I've had him on a bareback pad (gives a more natural and stable position than when they rely on stirrups), but all these things can be learned in no time. I picked up riding later in life and my instructor said that it wasn't a disadvantage, it just meant I would learn differently and with appreciation for certain concepts that kids just can't grasp yet.
It's fun, and if you're careful about what you buy it shouldn't be expensive (feed-wise). You just cannot go wrong with an Australian Pony. I got our little buckskin mare from a breeder out in Bendigo, and that's a 3 hour drive for us, but I was on a mission to get the best pony for the money we could spend, even if I had to finish off the training work myself. If you're in Vic, I can send you to two studs to have a look at what they have ;)
I would advise against the classifieds - pleeeeeeeease. Especially if you're new to buying - it's a minefield and will leave you broke! Get to know your land, join your local Landcare group, study the Equiculture materials (great, great stuff on property management that goes beyond horse keeping) and figure out where on your property you'll manage the horses, the feeding, the riding etc. Meanwhile, get the lessons happening, so that when you test-ride ponies you'll have a better idea of what is suitable for your DD's needs.
The upshot:
Lessons
No classifieds
Equiculture
Landcare

Also, check out RIRDC website (govt website) on their publications - some are free, some are downloadable, all are excellent. You may need a Property Identification Code (PIC) for horses (we had one already from our steers, by the time we brought the horses on) from DPI.
This is very exciting! Take your time and be very, very objective when looking at horseflesh - with your level of experience (from what you've written, without further elaboration) it sounds like you can't afford to make any decisions from 'the heart' yet.
Equiculture will not lead you astray. The package of booklets she has is top notch - I have them all and they are our bible for the horses! Which reminds me, I have to give her feedback on them, as I was one of the first people to have the whole new set :)
We just drenched our horses, only one has rugs on (and he's not mine - he was looking too skinny and a bit poorly, so asked the owner to come and rug him to see if it makes a diff, if not he'll go back to her previous arrangement till she gets her own property), we just moved them to a strip for grazing before we turn them out into a bigger paddock with more grass for winter (we're on 160 acres, so have a few more options to play with, but never as much as I'd like!) and I may be looking at getting in hay for them. They're unshod and I plan to keep them that way. I had a horse chiro out yesterday for the buckskin for some soreness her loose patellar ligament has caused and that set me back $95, but probably cheaper than a vet call out. The horses won't always need a vet, there may be some other service you can use before using the vet. Someone at Pony Club or the riding school is always outgrowing tack and clothing, so keep your eyes peeled for that second hand gear. And rugs, if you must get them, are far cheaper online - the synthetics are all made in China anyway (and most canvas, too, except Skye Park rugs, from the big commercial brands; you'll always get local makers which cost more and come with great service), so go online if you can.

I have had my own horses since I was 12 and even now at 32 I have 6! They take a fair amount of time and money but aside from my husband and kids they are the love of my lives!

Morning ladies, thank you for your responses.

I have ridden over the years at every opportunity - friends horses, trail rides. Several years ago I started lessons as an adult and had weekly lessons for about two years. I would say I am a competent rider, but might not be awarded too many style points! DD has only ridden a handful of times, a friend owns a pony and she has done a couple of short trail rides. I would certainly make sure she has professional lessons before we considered her owning her own pony.

The home we have bought is on 3 acres... is that enough land to keep a pony and a horse? We are very close to bush parkland of 50 odd hectares with riding trails for horses, so plenty of safe space for riding and exercising them. I am prepared to feed the horse/pony as I realise 3 acres wouldn't provide enough.

Is the difference between a horse and a pony just the size, or is it actually the breed? Mayaness, we are in Vic and I would love the name of reputable breeders, thank you. How much does a well trained pony for a beginner rider such as DD cost from a breeder? Yes.... I have been perusing classifieds!!

I have never heard of a Property Identification Code... will have to research that! Will also check out the other websites you have suggested Mayaness, thank you.

160 acres.... makes our 3 sound like a suburban block (perhaps I should claim that parkland as my own...)!!

Thank you so much for the information, ladies... off to check out Mayaness' blog.

If you know any horsey people that can go with you looking at horses out if the classifieds aren't so bad. I bought my boy that I had for 15 yrs out of the paper, he was the best horse I ever had! But saying that my riding instructor came with me.

I second the suggestion of getting a horsey person along with you if you respond to any classified ads.
If you google Brosha Park (just out of Bendigo) you'll get a really old website, but the contact details are current and you'll get an email response from the webform. They are training up a beautiful gelding called Trojan, who's 6yo. He's not proven, but he has a beautiful little temperament. At the moment you could get him for under $2000, but give them a call and see what you can work out if you want to go meet him, if you are willing to spend what you save on a good trainer to finish him off. I passed him over because my boy is not given to being sensitive and could easily make a pony like that a nervous wreck, so I went with another pony they had, who hadn't done as much and wasn't as 'pretty', who seemed more suited to DS - and she so is! Also, there's a stud called Mithril Welsh Ponies, in Kilmore that has a couple of fantastic little ponies for sale - one is Curlylocks, the other is Wiki. Same as with the Brosha ponies, you'd need to find a good trainer to finish them for riding. When I started looking I was shocked at how much I'd have to part with for a nice natured and trained pony - about $5k and then some! So, given my background (I finished breaking my own horse), I decided I could train a pony for DS to go on with and spend less if I got it now. To get a trained pony for NOW would have just broken us, so I'm a step ahead of where DS is at, training her myself and he rides at his own pace with her (they're both at the same level, anyway!) and rides the school pony on Saturdays. Does that make sense? There are good trainers around, just, again, go word-of-mouth :) Breeding is important with ponies, but it's not everything - the handling it receives is also going to affect its nature.
Otherwise, if you come across a Brosha pony or Mithril, rest assured it's had a great start to life and will be a good bet.
The Equiculture info is especially useful for small properties, so that's right up your alley - 3 acres, 300 acres, it's all doable, it's a matter of smart and diligent management. You may only have to supplement with hay if you investigate your grasses and play around with your fences, laneways and paddock set up. Horses don't need the pasture that's designed and marketed for cattle - all that sugar content is no good for horses and you end up with problems. Same with hay - most horses don't need lucerne. It's funny cos we feed horses, conventionally, the same way we did 150 years ago and use them soooo much differently from how we did then! Same with stable and paddock design - these things were designed when horses worked ALL day long EVERY day for our convenience, and stables are still built in this way, even when horses work infinitely less, even competition horses.
Anyway, some things for you to think about!

Wow Mayaness... We are so the same! I got my first horse green and broke him, broke my Clydie (rip) and have nearly finished retraining my ex racer to be a showy. Next I'm re breaking my Welsh x Arabian pony fir Dd & Ds to ride.
Sorry to hijack thread!!

We are so NOT the same, Jak...a SHOWY??? Ha! Not in a squillion years! LOL ;)
Where in Vic are you, Nickle? On the off chance you're in the Yarra Valley, there's a brand spanking new Yarra Valley Equine Landcare group (it's also on Facebook) that will be a great port of call for you.

I'm a showy!! My horses have more expensive outfits than me and my car is nicer than my house just so I can tow my horse float (which is also nicer than my house LOL.) Horses are a delight but they are hard work, super expensive and lots can go wrong.
Are there other horses around you? Horses are herd animals and get pretty lonely and vocaL on their own :)

Hi,
I am a qualified riding coach and horse trainer in the ACT area. I have been breaking and training my own horses for about 25 years. I have been riding for 40 years.
I would strongly suggest you find a qualified coach with the EA (Equestrian Australia) and check out some of the local pony clubs. For the type of riding you want to do I would strongly suggest older horses (over 10 years) with experience of the type of work you want to do. Riding schools usually give a very good grounding but owning your own horse is completely different because the "one owner horse" gets heaps less work and repitition than the average riding school horse. In other words what is easy on a good school horse can be quite a challenge on your own horse.
If you are keeping two horses on 3 acres I would suggest you use stabling in the evenings (or reverse stabling in summer) to rest and save the paddocks. As mentioned above Jane Mayers also has some great ideas. I keep my three horses on 5 acres and I do this and manage to maintain a certain level of grass even though I am officially overstocking my property. The other good thing about stabling is you maintain a routine with your horses and you can monitor their feed intake which is vital for ponies (they can get too fat and founder easily)
Costs vary.
In our area the cost for one horse that is in light work being kept as suggested on a small space would be as follows.
Weekly
Feed (small hard feed and some hay daily) approx $30
Every six weeks
Farrier for a hoof trim (well managed bare feet are cheaper and in many cases better for the horse) $40
Worming paste $10-$20
Yearly
Vet/equine dentist for teeth maintenance and general health check $120
Incidentals
Rugs (I usually buy good quality ones that fit the horses well, these last about 5-6 years) $200
Additional vet costs for illness injury $200 (this is based on my well managed horses/per horse over the last 15 years,,,,,keep in mind it can be very very expensive for some treatments)
Average lesson cost $50-$120 for an hour. I know some people who pay up to $200 for a lesson and others who have got friends who help them for nothing. Good coaches have insurance and also can advise you on ongoing horse care and other management issues.
Good safe horses have no price. I personally think a well bred and trained horse for $5000 is pretty cheap. That is in fact slightly less than the cost of production for a broken and working well behaved horse.
I hope this all helps,
Good luck on your equine adventure!

Geez, I'm outta here, this is too much :p I'm drowning in showy-ness! I don't even have a towing vehicle, let alone a float...for now...and have theoretically sent us bankrupt by eyeing off the Boeckman Floats catalogue with great zeal...!
They CAN be hard work, CAN be super expensive, and don't have to be. Lots CAN go wrong, for sure - in all sorts of silly ways that you can't plan for. Last year, almost to the day, we brought home a gorgeous TB with a beautiful nature and fabulous movement that we got for not much (had been off the track for 9 months and wasn't much good to the trainer who lived on a small block - he just wanted a good home for his country winner). Cost us as much to buy and bring him down from Kilmore combined as it cost to put him down when he broke his leg a week later :(
Mind you, my QH x that I still have has only seen an after hours vet once (touching wood furiously!!) for a suspected colic that resolved itself with some relaxant drugs. My horse cost me $1200 in 2000, so he's been a true bargain!
True that, Joeve - they are definitely safer kept in a herd, or within sight of other horses if they must be kept alone in a yard. Even if you got a little shetland to keep a bigger pony company, that would be good - horses need to be horses, and herding is pretty fundamental to their psychology. Brosha Park breeds the Australian Ponies and Shetlands (I didn't know about the shetties till I got there to look at the Oz...and came home with one of each!). So, if you could do with a lawn mower... ;)

You ladies are a wealth of information, thank you!

What is reverse stabling? I am guessing it's stabling during the heat of the day and turning the horses out at night when it is cooler?

How big does the paddock need to be? We would be fencing the paddock area ourselves and also building the stables/tack room. How big do the stables need to be?

Are two horses together enough company? I don't think there are any horses on the property's of the immediate neighbours (can't be sure though!).

Am I correct in thinking horses only need shoes if they are ridden regularly on roads (or other hard surfaces)? Kateo, why is it better for the horse to be barefoot? (Which would be my preference, as it costs less and we would be riding on dirt trails. Just wondering why it is better for the horse!)

Keep it coming, ladies...

One thing all potential horse owners need to know.......
I say this with the greatest of affection..... horsey people are all crazy :p

Oh, Onyx, be noice! We're also sensitive...;)
None of our horses have shoes - I took shoes off my boy years ago, when he was still in competition training. There's a few websites around, and if you google barefoot trimmer you'll come across Carola's website - she's in Sth Gipp, but travels everywhere, and just her site alone has heaps of info :)
DP has been learning to trim using the tools here at home.
Don't allow a vet or farrier to do your horse's teeth - there are dental specialists out there who train specifically in this field, not as a sideline. Teeth are too important to mess around with - it's all they have between their gut and starvation!
Yep, $5k IS a reasonable price to pay for a pony that's well bred and been there, done that. That was beyond our reach, so we went with the cheaper option that I've had some experience in, which won't be the path you can take. That's why I mentioned that if you go with something greener, it will be cheaper to buy and then cost you for training...making the horse about the same cost as a BTDT horse that you can just go on with.
One thing I won't admit to DP (but he already knows!) is that the cheapest part of horses is buying them ;)

But not as crazy as dog show people lol lol ha ha!!!