Buying Your First Horse
Thinking about buying a horse or pony for your child?...Buying him or her is only one of the steps. To get the greatest possible enjoyment:
-Your child must continue their riding education. Get the child and the new pony off to a good start with some lessons from a professional trainer/coach. You won't regret the investment.
-Ensure that your child is firm, calm and clear in the "aids" (signals) given to the pony. If your child does not give clear directions, then the pony cannot give a clear response. To allow a pony to do something incorrectly twice is to train him to do it i.e. running out on a fence, not standing while being mounted.
-Do not leave young children unattended while handling horses. This is a recipe for disaster! Very small or inexperienced children may need several lessons on a lead rope and/or longe line. You wouldn't just hand the keys to a child and tell them to drive the car alone, so don't expect to do that with a thinking breathing animal.
-Make sure that the pony has plenty of exercise and good food as a lack of either will make him unhappy.
-Don't feed treats by hand as this may teach the pony to nip as he begs for more.
-You must have properly fitting tack (saddle, bridle and bit) so that riding doesn't cause the pony discomfort, which may cause him to become lame or behave badly. Your child must also ride in boots with a proper heel and a certified riding helmet. It is the law. It also just makes sense. For more horse/pony care tips, ask your professional coach and/or vet and read as much as possible! These tips apply to adults buying horses too! [Courtesy of http://www.garrisonequine.com]
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