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Originally Posted by Wait4It..boom  I second that! Even as an adult when I bought my first horse, I wish that I would have leased, to know what I was getting myself into. Even if you have been taking lessons, you could find an arrangement with a local barn to lease a horse and give it some time to find out if you're going to be able to make it to the barn as much as you'd like, if owning a horse is something you really want to do, and just to get exposure to horsey things if you don't already know (e.g., vet checks, farrier appts, feeding, etc.). And with leasing, there's nothing keeping you from looking for the perfect horse to buy later. I think leasing is like a good test drive before buying the real deal. |
Leasing would be the next logical step. A solid lease agreement will protect both parties. The OP sounds young, eager and horse crazy. We've all been there - done that. Sometimes it works out to thrown yourself off the deep end of horse ownership, a lot of times it doesn't. Hindsight says baby steps are the way to go.
The other factor the poster has not yet mentioned is the discipline she'd like to focus on. I know she said jumping but what kind? Jumping for fun out in a field or hunters or jumpers? It will make a difference in the horses she should look at.
Getting the horse, as you've all said, is the easy/cheap part. Day to day care is where the fun begins and your wallet screams. Mom needs to be fully aware of every iota of cost so there are few if any surprises for her.
OP, please don't let any of this discourage you. Just do your homework and you will have the best possible outcome. Good Luck!