Should i get my daughter a horse?
by admin on Thursday, August 11th, 2011 | 23 Comments
My daughter is 11 years old and she leases a horse at her barn. The horse she leases is the oldest horse at the barn (25) and the toughest to ride. She can walk (half seat, two point sitting) trot (half seat, two point, sitting, posting) canter (sitting, half seat, two point) and jump small fences. This summer she is going to an overnight riding camp in Maine. Her instructor says she is very good. Do you think I should get her one?
She has been begging me
She has been riding for a year and a half
yes
That is up to you.. if you are comfortable with the idea of getting her a horse, do it.
BRING HER INSTRUCTOR WITH YOU!! when you go to look at any horse.
Good Luck!
She would think you as the best mother in the world, and it would be her best friend, and make her so happy! As long as you have the time and money commitment, do it! Good luck! xx
You’ve asked 2 other questions of the exact same thing. Why are you asking again?
If you think that she is responsible enough to look after a horse, and your happy with the idea then from what you are saying it sounds like she is ready for a horse of her own. Make sure that you take someone with you that is very experienced with getting new horses. You also need to make sure that your daughter understands that she has to pick a horse that she feels confident on and a horse that she likes, not just the first one she sees because she wants a horse. good luck with that horse hunt if you decide to get one
No.
You’ve told us about your daughter’s riding experience, but nothing of whether or not you can afford the cost of owning a horse.
Just because she’s “begging” you isn’t a good enough reason to buy a horse.
Only you can make this decision based upon your situation.
I would have said yes, but seeing as how you have asked this question already I’ll have to say no. She is too young to deal with all the aspects of horse care and an indecisive parent as well.
Make sure she keeps her school grades up, does extra reading on horses, and pays attention to her riding instructor. Do not try to second-guess her instructors. What you know about riding is different from what they know.
Instead of horse, buy her at least two dozen horse books (including national Velvet if she does not already own it) and a new set of bookshelves.
Owning a horse is a big commitment, both in time and money. Since your daughter is young, these will be your responsibilities. At 11, she is too young, regardless of experience, to be responsible for the horse on her own, so this will require major and ongoing involvement & commitment on your part.
Horse care is expensive, the initial cost of the horse & tack doesn’t even figure into what you are committing to in a monetary sense. In addition to board (which includes feed, bedding, and basic care–stall cleaning and turnout), you will also have regular vet and farrier fees, regular worming, fly control, supplement purchases, lessons, veterinary care for injuries and health problems, etc.
That said, owning a horse can be a wonderful thing for you and your daughter. If she is serious about horses, then this will definitely keep her busy as she approaches those tumultuous teenage years and teach her a lot about responsibility. Because you will need to be heavily involved, this will present an excellent opportunity to enhance a close relationship with your daughter.
If you are seriously considering this, discuss everything in depth with your daughter’s instructor and also closely involve the instructor in the purchasing process. Your daughter, like most horse obsessed girls, will probably want a gorgeous black beauty that she can turn into a star. You need to be very practical in your horse search, a first horse needs to be a very seasoned and well trained animal.
there is nothing more wonderful to give your daughter a pony or horse…….
when you get her one, she will be less likely to get into drugs or run with the boys or other troubles………..
a horse gives he a sense of self esteem…….
besides with the economy, a horse is cheaper to buy now that in 2003………so it is a lucky time for you………..
give your horse that she will own…….kisses for me !!!
Yes! But only if you can afford it and have to time for a horse!
Before you jump into this and give in to your daughter’s pleas, you need to stop and think about a few things. The first is costs. Are you going to be able to AFFORD to buy and board a horse? Can you afford to pay vet and farriers’ bills, and for the pre-purchase exam? Can you afford to continue to pay for lessons for your daughter if you also buy a horse for her? Leasing isn’t the same as buying. Right now, the OWNER of the horse you’re leasing is the one who’s paying all the bills for that horse- in essence, the only thing you are paying for is riding privileges for your daughter, plus the cost of lessons with the trainer. If you buy a horse and decide to board it at this barn, your costs are going to double or even triple- and if your daughter decides to show (and I would fully expect that she will want to do this at some point) the costs are going to be even greater. Things like show entries, stall fees, food and lodging fees, show clothes, USEF membership fees, and so forth all cost LOTS OF MONEY- and your daughter isn’t old enough yet to be able to get any kind of job that pays anything. So I think that you and your husband need to do some real soul searching and decide if this is something that you can really afford and feel is worthwhile. Horses are wonderful things for kids- they teach kids responsibility, sportsmanship, leadership, and a whole host of other life lessons- but they don’t come cheap.
The next thing to consider is TIME. Horse ownership requires HUGE time commitments. These animals aren’t like a dog or cat- they need constant care and attention, or they won’t stay healthy. If you decide to board a horse at the barn your daughter rides at, then who’s going to take responsibility for making sure that the horse is fed and has his or her stall mucked every day? Suppose your daughter gets sick, or she gets involved with lots of school activities? Are you prepared to take care of the horse yourselves, or pay someone to do it for you? What about the continuing need to take your daughter back and forth to the barn every day? Who’s going to pay for all the gas and upkeep on the car, not to mention the insurance costs? That’s something else to consider. 11 years old isn’t 16, you know. It’s going to be 5 more years before your daughter will be old enough to get a license and drive herself. When I was her age, my parents wouldn’t take me anywhere that was horse related, no matter how much I begged them- and I had to ride the bus to school. I couldn’t take lessons or lease a horse, and there was no way my parents were going to foot the bill to buy one. I didn’t actually get my first horse until I was 16- and that was only because we moved out into the country at that time. If you get a horse for your daughter now, there is the risk that she may lose interest in riding as she gets older and enters her teen years. And what’s going to happen when she discovers BOYS? Have you considered that? There have been many cases in which parents got a horse for their daughters only to have the girls lose interest once they turned 13 and the hormones started hitting. Most of the time, the parents end up getting stuck with a horse they neither want nor can afford to pay for- and the horse is the one who loses out in such circumstances. Still another point to consider is your daughter’s maturity and skill level. Your daughter has only been riding for 18 months, which is NOT a long time. At this stage, she’s considered to be an advanced beginner, and she needs a horse who is past his or her first youth and who will build her confidence. You also need to consider your daughter’s height, weight, and physical build. If she’s on the short side, she needs a smaller horse or a large pony. If she has long legs, then she will need a taller horse. Finding the right match is not always a simple process- and you and your husband need some expert help in doing this. That’s why you need to take your daughter’s trainer with you when you go to look at prospective mounts for your daughter. You should also get in touch with the trainer’s vet and farrier, because these professionals are often in a position to know what kind of horses are available which may be suitable. Vets especially are great sources of information about who’s buying and selling in a given area, simply because sellers are usually clients of theirs. Another way to get information on suitable horses is to check the classified ads of publications such as the Chronicle of the Horse, Practical Horseman, and the like, or go online to sites like dreamhorse.com. But beware- buying a horse sight unseen is a mistake. Dreamhorse and sites like it are NOT for neophytes. It takes real experience to know when a horse is suitable.
Good luck to you. I hope I’ve given you some food for thought.
Personally, I would wait a few years. Horses are a big responsibility and they are an expensive pet. I would wait until she can actually contribute to paying for the horse and have a few more years in lesson. Doesn’t matter how well she rides, she needs to know a lot more then just how to stay in the saddle. But care and first aid and other such things that would be needed for a responsible horse owner. Things that you can’t just read in a book but get from personal experience.
It depends. Do you have enough money to support the horse by paying for boarding fees, tack, vetinary care, ect.? Is your daughter responsible and does she have experience with taking care of horses? If your answer is yes to these questions then you could definitely get her a horse. I got my first horse when I was 12 and it was the best thing that has ever happened to me.
I got my first horse when I was 5. I had no experience at all, and she sounds like a very good rider for her age! I would definately say yes! *Be sure to let her ride the horse before you buy it, I’ve had some bad experiences. Hope I help!
wait until she is a bit older and has been riding longer, she will see more things and know different ways of solving problems and she will probably outgrow the horse sooner or later.
Let me just tell you what happened with my daughter and her horse and then you determine if you are ready to get her a horse (yes ask your self if you are ready cause trust me you will do more work with this horse than you think you will) PS my daughter has just turned 16
My daughter horse choked on his feed and got very sick (he only had a 30% chance of living). this is what mom had to do twice a day everyday (even during a severe storm that popped up while i was in the barn)
-grind up 18 pills and manage to get the horse to take them
-take his temp (thankfully he was ok with that thermometer up his butt *my horse would have KICKED me)
-for the 1st few nights stand there with him all night (and still go to work the next day) and tap on his lungs every few hours just so he was able to breath a bit easier
-give him shots for his fever
-give him HUGE shots of antibiotics 2x a day for 10 days.
-clean out a very nasty abscess on his neck
And the MOST IMPORTANT part… shell out over $2,000 in vet bills… and that did does not count the extra feed and hay that he has to get now to put back on the weight that he lost.
So ask yourself are you prepared to handle something like that coming up??? Dont get me wrong my daughter helped but she is not able to drive so i had to dive to the barn and she was afraid to give the huge shots to him
Your a nice mom!
However, I would wait. Horses are very expensive creatures. And they need a lot of attention, because you never know what could go wrong. One second your horse would be Absolutely fine the next second your horse could have colic. And that’s very dangerous to the horse and to your wallet!
I’ve been riding for 8+ years. And my mom waited until my 4th year, but at that time i leased a horse. And then after a year of leasing a horse (he died of colic) she got me my current horse, Chief. To tell you the truth I really like that idea because it had a lot of room for me to know more about horses and problems, ect.
You also have to check with other family members (husband, sons, daughters) and see what they think. No one in my family (except my mom and dad) are interested in horses, i have 2 other brothers but I mean if you want to have a horse the whole family could ride and have fun with and call a family member I would suggest thinking it through.
And because your daughter is begging you for a horse, doesn’t really mean you should get a horse. Seriously, my mom told me I asked for a horse when I was younger than 5! BUt I’m 14 now and I have a horse. So wait a little longer.
Horses are a big responsibility! But its really worth it!
Hope you see things though and decide whats good for everyone!
Good luck!
as long as you plan to board the horse and keep her in lessons i see nothing wrong with it. but if you dont plan on paying for lessons on top of board, then i say no. supervised, she should be able to grow and become a better rider, unsupervised shes going to think she knows it all, disregard orders, and all in all get herself hurt. at a year and a half she has the basics down but is not experienced enough to have and ride her own horse without supervision of her riding or care practices. she also at this point doesnt know how to properly care for a horse. theres way more to it than feeding, grooming, mucking stalls, and riding.
No.
Yes you should.
But be willing to come with her to the barn at least every other day(horses require lots of exercise and responsibility and that means many trips to the stable, your daughter is 11 an I don’t mean to be rude but she is young and it will probably mostly be your responsibility)
Know the expenses involved (horses aren’t cheap).
If your daughter goes away can you take care of the horse? Again with her age and how it will mostly be your responsibility. If you don’t know is her instructor willing to help you?
Do you know how you are going to get all the supplies needed for the horse? (Not just brushes and halters, but a saddle and a bridle which can be expensive)
If you are sure you know this is something that is doable then you can start looking for a horse.
Don’t pick one out for her as a surprise.
If you are going to give her a horse make sure she knows so that way she can be there when you are trying out horses. You don’t want to pick one out for her and have the horse NOT BE SUITABLE FOR HER. I put that in caps because if you buy a horse that she can’t ride or handle, then you are stuck with a horse that your daughter can’t enjoy or more seriously can’t control and it might be dangerous.
Your daughter knows exactly what she can do with horses. Let her pick out one. She will probably feel better knowing that she helped pick out a horse that she connects with.
yes definitely
she seems ready and experienced enough so why not 
just make sure the horse is good around humans, fully broken in etc. and make sure it’s not too big or too small for her, all the normal things haha
also make sure you have enough money as horses aren’t cheep, its not just buying them (which is also alot) its looking after them, buying feed, buying grooming tools, getting the farrier, dentist and vet out etc. hope you’ve been saving up
xx
definitelyy.
horses are a girls dream and once they get a horse it will become part of them. but don’tt forget horses need time and a lot of cash so NEVER buy a horse unless you can ride and care for it also try out a few horses first .remember looks aren’tt everything make sure the horse is EXACTLY what your looking for.when trying out a horse make sure it can do a bit of everything such as cantering,jumping,hacking,easy to handle ect. good luck hope you find what your looking for 