RIDER EXPERIENCE
Rider experience is an important aspect to consider when purchasing a horse. It is rarely advisable to match an inexperienced rider with an inexperienced horse.
Without appropriate experience, it is almost impossible for an inexperienced rider, even with the help of a trainer, to adequately guide the further training required to produce a well trained horse on which an inexperienced rider can learn without either the horse or rider being frustrated.
It is also important to consider your future goals with our horse. The various disciplines of dressage, jumping, endurance, cross-country and western riding (whether for recreational or competitive purposes) will all require different gymnastic training programs and attributes (of both horse and rider) in order to be successful in the career chosen.
However, whatever discipline you choose, a horse going in balance is the basis of all foundational training.
Questions to ask include: What are they best built for? In what discipline will they likely be most happy? Decide whether or not you would like to compete in your chosen discipline, as competing will bring a barrage of new health, fitness and financial requirements.
Again, we always remind people that the task of taking these animals that are not designed to be ridden, add a saddle, rider and then ask for a lot of different gymnastic tasks (which have to communicated to them in terms THEY understand) is a task that requires considerable planning, knowledge and resources.
