MyEquineSource

   Buying a horse can be a very time consuming endeavor, with all the different horse breeds and skills to choose from. The more you become familiar with the process of buying and selling horses, the better your chances will be to end up with the horse to fit your needs. There are many avenues to look for the horse you want, like a local barn, tack shops, newspaper classifieds, and now you can go online and look through thousands of horse for sale classifieds. Take your time and don’t get to overwhelmed. If you make the selection process in a hurry, you might make an unwise purchase. Plan to take from one month to one year to find your ideal horse. Understandably, if you are without a horse, one year might sound like a very long time, but you can use this time to become more knowledgeable about what you want by taking lessons.

   The first thing you must determine is what you really want from a horse, and to what extent you will be using him/her. Will the horse be a trustworthy companion or wonderful Dressage prospect? Buy taking the time and comparing the different classified ads presented to you, will help determine your priorities. Be sure to use the advanced search features each online classified horse website has to offer, this will help you to narrow down your search results.

   Once you have found the horse you want, its always a  good idea to get a professional opinion when you are buying a horse. Whether or not you use an agent to help you select your horse, you should always have a basic veterinary pre-purchase exam performed. When you seek out professional advice, pay for it and then listen to it! When your instructor or veterinarian cautions you about a horse, it is for a reason. When seeking advice, it is best to a well-respected professional that has no vested interest in the horse sale.

   Here is a breakdown of what to look for when a horse is for sale:

    * does the horse fit your needs 
    * what skills does the horse possess
    * does the horse have a good temperament
    * do comparisons of other similar horses
    * does the horse fit the selling price
    * get professional advice
    * are there any lessons with the sale
    * make sure to have pre-purchase vet exam
    * can you afford the upkeep on a horse (such as boarding, feed, and veterinary care.)

   Stay focused. Keep in mind that you are selecting a horse for a particular reason or desired skill. There are many decisions and compromises lying ahead, so it helps if you set your priorities clearly at the outset.

   If the overall purpose of the horse is to teach you how to ride rather than to carry you to the winner’s circle, then the selection process will emphasize different traits to fit your needs. If the horse is intended to be a long-term project rather than a stepping stone, you may need to invest more time, effort, and money in your purchase. Remember to take your time and use the tools at your disposal, such as online horse classifieds, you will thank yourself in the end.

Sean Russell - Owner and Operator of MyEquineSource Horses for Sale Classifieds

The Guide Horse Foundation has had exceptional interest from the following types of people:

• Horse lovers - Blind people who have grown up with horses and understand equine behavior and care are ideal candidates.
  
• Allergenic people - Many people who are severely allergic to traditional guide animals and find horses a non-allergenic alternative for mobility.
  
• Mature Individuals - Many people report difficulty dealing with the grief of losing their animals, and  horses tend to live far longer than traditional guides. 
  
• Physically Disabled folks - Because of their docile nature, Guide Horses are easier to handle for individuals with physical disabilities. They are also strong enough to provide support, helping the handler to rise from their chair. 
  
• Dog Phobia - Individuals who fear dogs are often comfortable working with a tiny horse.
  
• Outdoor Animal - Many individuals prefer a guide animal that does not have to live in the house when off duty.

Read more about this wonderful foundation here The Guide Horse Foundation 

Horses will teach your child responsibility. Make sure that your child does all the work involved in caring for the horse. Everything from feeding, cleaning stalls, grooming, saddling and riding. Children will want to ride but they may not always be eager to do the work. Children almost always fall in love with the horses that they handle and they will want to take good care of them. Once they know that the horse depends on them…

1. Learn Responsibility - Horses will teach your child responsibility very quickly. Make sure that your child does all the work involved in caring for the horse. Everything from feeding, cleaning stalls, grooming, saddling and riding. Children will want to ride but they may not always be eager to do the work. However children almost always fall in love with the horses that they handle and they will want to take as good care of them. Once they know that the horse depends on them and that in order to ride they have to take good care of the horses, they will learn to be more responsible in other aspects of there life.

2. Learn Trust - Horses must be able to trust their handlers. One of the first things that your child will learn about handling and riding horses is to be trustworthy and dependable, because if the horse doesn’t trust its handler it will not obey him/her. This can be a very valuable life long lesson for your child.

3. Learn to be Open Minded - Every horse is different and will have to be handled differently. A good horseman never stops learning, even experts and trainers will admit that they learn something new everyday from their horses. Horses will make your child realize that learning is an on going process that never ends. This can transcend into other aspects, such as school and relationships.

4. Build Confidence - Horses are large and intimidating, so naturally it takes a lot of confidence to be able to control one. Letting a your child handle a gentle horse will do wonders for their confidence. Most people are naturally a little bit timid, especialy a child of horses because they are so big. By handling a gentle horse children will overcome their fear and learn that they can safely handle and control the same animal that they were once had great fear of. The better your child learns how to handle the horse, the more confident he/she will become. When children do well with the horses that they handle, their confidence goes up and their self esteem improves. They now realize that this huge creature they were once afraid of is a beautiful and loving animal.

5. Learn Patience - Horses are like children themselves, and training a horse is much like teaching a child. When your child has become a confident and skilled rider, letting them help train a horse will be an excellent experience for them. Horses require a lot of patience because training a young horse involves a lot of repetition and time. This is a lesson that will follow them in all aspects of life.

6. Self Discipline - Horses take a lot of time and work, so your child will have to be dedicated to learning how to ride and handle horses effectively. I have found that dedication is rarely something that children lacks when it comes to horses. People, especially young people, have a natural attraction to horses and enjoy spending time with them. However, because horses are a lot of work your child will soon learn self discipline. For example, instead of sleeping in in the morning, they will be up and out feeding and cleaning. Horses must be fed twice daily and have access to fresh water at all times. Their stalls must be cleaned regularly and they must receive regular exercise. This will take a lot of time, but most people find that it is worth it for the time they get to spend riding, or just being with horses.

7. Teaches Sensitivity - Horses can be very sensitive creatures. They have keen senses, and can sense if someone is afraid, angry, happy, etc. They communicate with body language and are very sensitive to their handler’s body position. Because horses are so sensitive, the handler must be also. The handler must be able to tell how the horse is feeling and why it is behaving the way it is. The handler must learn to interpret the horses body language and to communicate effectively with the horse using its own language. When a horse misbehaves, the handler must decide whether or not the horse is doing so out of fear, stubbornness, anger, pain etc. and must respond appropriately.

8. How to Learn From Our Mistakes - When your child first starts learning to ride and handle horses they will make a lot of mistakes and will learn quickly not to make the same mistake twice. That is what horsemanship is all about. When a rider makes a mistake he/she cannot deny it. They must acknowledge the mistake and correct it. The rider must move on after correcting the mistake and not dwell on it. Handling and riding horses will teach your child to use their past mistakes to improve their future horsemanship skills and this will tanscend into other aspects of your childs life.

9. Learn Respect - Children will learn to respect their horses and themselves. Horses are large, dangerous creatures and they demand respect, yet in order to be handled safely they must also respect their handlers. By learning how to handle a horse, children will become more respectful of there horse and its nature. By being trustworthy, confident and responsible your child will earn the respect of there horse.

10. To Have Fun - Last but certainly no least, your child should have fun and enjoy being apart of the horse life style. You don’t want to put too much demand on your child, you need to let them have fun with there horse as well as know when its time to be serious.

I hope the information provided here will help you realize how important it is for you to find a creative yet fulfilling way for you to teach your child all aspects of owning and caring for a horse.

Author

Sean Russell - Owner and Operator of http://www.myequinesource.com/