You Spell The Word, HORSE, T..I..M..E..
By Charles E. Worden, Sr.*

I want you to know, before you get daddy to buy you a horse or a pony, that purchasing the animal is just the tip of the ice-burg, so-to-speak. You had better have the mindset that you are about to make a major commitment, both from a monatory point of view as well as time. And, you can spell time with a capital “T.”

So, before you run out and purchase that horse, you are going to need to know how to take care of one. I don’t mean to lock it up in a pasture and check on it once a day either. What I mean is to learn to care for the animal, by grooming and seeing to its health needs, while learning to bond with the animal. There are several good local teachers for this. Most teach short courses (eight to ten lessons) that help you gain confidence with and around the horse. They will teach you to read the horse’s body language, so you can better understand what the horse is telling you.

Say, you may even want to learn to ride your horse.

Chances are, you know what discipline you want to pursue. If you do not, there are two major disciplines that you will need to choose from, English riding and Western riding. Learning either of these disciplines, and the skills necessary to be a good rider, takes time. Get a good teacher, and put in the practice time with your horse.

If you are not of a mindset to contribute a great deal of time to your animal, I suggest you forget the horse and buy a cat or maybe a pet rock, if you can still find them.

On the other hand, for every hour of devotion you spend with your horse, you will reap four wonderful hours in return. It is very difficult to think of anything else when you are with your horse. I can not tell you in the space allotted here, the joy you will get in return from your new best friend.

But, remember it comes with a price tag. I like to think of horses as children. My wife and I have reared 5 children, and I can see a great deal of human like action in my yearling colts that I saw in my three boys when they were young. Boys will be boys, whether they are horses or human. But, with the horse verity, be careful not to get in their way, as they are bigger than you are.

I do not believe your horse would intentionally harm you, its recognized owner. However, with more than one horse in a barn, one horse (usually the older one) will always be the dominant animal. The dominant horse must always exert that dominant position or loose it. Again, learn to recognize the horse’s body language. You could become a causality by accident. There are loads of books on this subject or as suggested earlier, find a good teacher. Take the time to inform yourself.

Find a Vet you like and trust. You will spend several thousand of dollars on costumes, tack, transportation and fees. A good vet is a good investment for your horse’s health. It will fall your responsibility to keep good records. Know when immunizations are due and get the vet in to do them. Get the horse on a de-worming program and stay on it.

Keep the horse’s feet in good condition. The guy that puts shoes on the horse is called a farrier. The hoof needs to be trimmed and the shoe reset every six weeks. Find one that is good, and he will help your horses feet stay healthy.

Enjoy your new friend, and your new responsibility. Welcome to this wonderful Equine community. There is nothing like it.

Happy Trails to you.

Charles