First off, am I ready? Here are a few things I can do:
Wash a horse safely, tack up, tack down, properly groom, lead a horse to different barns, mount and dismount both bareback and with a saddle, walk and trot and canter with a saddle, walk and trot while neck reining (working on the neck rein canter), walk and trot (fast trot) bareback, three patterns while at a trot, figure-8 patterns at a bareback trot, go from a standing position to a canter, how to tell if you are in the correct leads, games (egg and spoon, magazine race, bridge, and gate), ridden multiple horses with different personalities, know how to keep my balance at walk and trot (both bareback and in saddle), can stop a horse quickly from a canter, western pleasure, how to settle a spooking horse, leg pressures, and leading the horse on ground at a run. There's probably more, but I'm rambling a bit.:)
The horse I'm looking to lease is for western pleasure, and some other disciplines, and it would be an onsite lease. That way I can ask for help if I really need to. I know that I might be a newer rider, but I feel that I will learn really fast if I had my own horse, or in this case leasing one. It's hard to really bond with a horse if you're only taking lessons, and sometimes you only ride a certain horse once and your instructor puts you on another one the very next lesson.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com My other questions would be:
1) How much should a good onsite lease cost each month? Is $ 150 too much for an appendix quarter horse gelding?
2) The horse has an old injury and can only be ridden a few times a week. This of which is fine by me since I wouldn't be able to get out there that often anyway, but could this make the horse slower and have more trouble doing certain things? I wouldn't want to hurt him.
3) Should I ask if I could ride the horse before we decide to lease just so I'm assured that he isn't injured still and to see if we really click?
4) Are most horses trained with the "click" sounds and drawn out "kisses"? That's how I was taught.
Thanks ahead of time, especially if you read all of this!: D
Alrighty. To answer the question as to whether you're ready or not, you need to have your instructor help you find a horse that will suit you. There are some horses who are going to be below your level that are good for you because you can work on you. For a first lease though, you will want a horse that is not difficult so that you can get the feel of leasing.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
1) My lease is is $ 215 per month. I would say $ 150 is a good price for an on-site lease.
2) There is a lesson horse at my barn who is 18. He had a broken shoulder once that never quite healed properly so he can only canter on one lead. I don't think having a past injusry would be a problem if it is healed and he is ridable. Just make sure you don't strain him.
3) If you feel like you should, go for it. You have to make sure you and the horse get along and that you actually like riding him. I rode the horse I am leasing now two times before I actually started leasing him.
4) I don't know about that. Most lesson horses aren't I'm pretty sure. But again, I'm really not sure on that question.
Yeah you seem pretty mature and sensible and trying to improve you riding and yes leasing your own horse will teach you so much more than any lesson horse.
as it would be you first horse i'd recomend getting a 'first' horse or a 'begginner' horse
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com 1) well my first loan horses were free, we looked after them, fed them, paid the rent, rode them ect. So i wouldnt know sorry:/
2) yes if he can only be ridden a few times a week then it will restrict him from doing certain things like jumping, or galloping up a feild: D or long hacks.
3) yes definitly. For all you know this horse could be a nutter: D it'd be worth your while to ride him first, he could have bad ground manors ect. And for your first horse that wouldn't be the best thing ...
4) not all people use those on their horses, but horses respond to it, i always do with mine, especially one of them because if you kicked her on to go faster she'd probally gallop up the feild and buck me off: D
hope i helped: D
1. Depending on where you are, $ 150 sounds about right for a partial lease.
2. I would ask for a vet report regarding his limitations. A lot can go wrong with old injuries.
3. You are fully entitled to test ride the horse at LEAST once before you agree to a lease.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com 4. You'll have to ask the owner/trainer how the horse has been taught. The majority of Western horses I've seen do respond to verbal cues (ie, clicks) but some horses are trained more with just leg pressure or reins , etc.
