Buying My First Horse

“Opinions are like butts; everyone has one,” my Dad told me over the phone as I was crying. I had just come back from a riding lesson where I spent almost the entire lesson trying to hold back tears while I was being lectured about how unknowledgeable I was about horses. 

When the time comes to finally buy your own horse it can be intimidating, but mostly it should be an exciting time for any rider. I could not wait to start looking around. I was, of course, open to advice from my mentors and parents because it’s a big financial decision, but ultimately, I’m a grown woman, it’s my money, and it will be my horse.

When I first announced that I would be buying a horse, the horror stories I heard filled me with anxiety. I was made to feel as though I was going to be just another fool who would be scammed because of my lack of years in the equestrian world. I was told how many horses I should look at, how long I should take before responding to an offer on a horse, and so on, as if there is some secret formula for buying the perfect horse at the perfect time and at the perfect price. Every horse I looked at was too old, too young, too green, skinny, crazy, or too