Jul 29 2010
horse riding lessons or lease?
My skills are:
my riding abilities (walk, jog, trot, canter) and grooming, (curry comb, hard/soft brush, wire brush, mane and tail, fly spray) tack, (bridling and saddling, but only western) and working with a variety of different temperaments (cribbing, don’t like to be tied up) and breeds (mostly quarter horse, mustang, warm bloods)
Choice 1:
so for 5 for 5 lessons, once a week about 1 hour of riding time and 3 hours of general horse grooming, maintenance, different horse selection available the the advice and instruction from a knowledgeable teacher
Choice 2:
0 a month for a lease with a horse that is described by the owner as "needs and experienced rider. He is used for trail riding but is very fearful….. After 6 months of owning him i have never seen him
buck. I can get on him bareback after a long time
without seeing him. In the stable I ride in just a halter
and lead rope and bareback without even a pad on. I
had done this before and it was about 2 weeks since the
last time i rode him" after contacting the owner they said that it sounds like we might be a good fit
In conclusion:
the amount i pay is definitely a factor considering the economy today but i don’t want to rush into a lease if i’m not ready for it. what do you guys think?
i also mentioned to the owner that i was an intermediate, not expert or advanced rider, and she said it sounded like a good fit. does this make a difference?
First of all, if you’ve only been riding for 3 months and are labeled as an intermediate rider (from your previous question), I would NOT recommend leasing a horse that is meant for an "EXPERIENCED rider" Riding for 3 months does not exactly make you experienced. Also, if he’s fearful on trails and you’ve never dealt with very many bucking/rearing/galloping horses, then again, I would not lease that horse. Leasing comes in all forms, as well. It depends on the agreement between you and the owner. Some people want YOU to pay for all the bills (feed/vet/farrier) and in addition…the lease, as well. In some leases, it’s the other way around. I would personally take more riding lessons, if I were you.
Get the lessons. If you are concerned about finances, volunteer at a stable in return for riding lessons – you will learn all about horsemanship and get your lessons for free.
If a horse is advertised as "needs experienced rider" then you should steer clear unless you have many, many years experience.
Note that there are horses available for lease who are suitable for beginners-intermediate riders. Getting the wrong horse will be an expensive, time consuming and disappointing mistake – take your time and look around before committing to a horse.
i learned more when i leased then i ever did when i took lessons, and my teacher was good, too. it’s just something about the experience.
Ive always felt that if you are experienced or and advanced rider you would know it. A person should know their limitation. If you are scared to go with this horse then lease a diffrent horse that is a little more broke in. Here in Kansas you can buy horses outright all day long for 100-150 bucks each lol .
try learning to ride before another horse gets ruined!
If you can go and try this horse in different environments – road, school/field, tracks etc. and see if he is the type of horse you are used to then make the decision. It is the same as buying a horse you need to know he is suitable for you and that his owner is also happy with her horse being with you.
Try him out, if you are still not sure can you arrange a trial period of a couple of months?
Hope it works out.
The lessons are the way to go. Not only will you get to ride different horses you will learn how to be a better rider. Once you are more experienced I think leasing would be a good option. Leasons are a lot of fun and you learn so much.