Acquiring a young horse can be an exciting process, and often, there are many big dreams tied to it. However, it’s essential to be realistic about who you are as a person so that you can find a horse that suits you. If you are a cautious and nervous person, it is important to find a young horse that isn’t easily frightened and stressed by the smallest things or too dominant. While these behaviors can be developed over time with the horse, it’s crucial to recognize that there will be moments when you need to stay calm and composed to help the horse. This should ideally be a process you enjoy, as otherwise, it can quickly lead to unease every time you train your young horse. On the other hand, if you are a person who moves with large gestures, it’s equally important to choose a horse that can handle this. Even though you may buy a young horse that you envision fitting into your dream for the next 5 years, you must also remember to select a horse you will look forward to working with over those 5 years. Below, I’ll share some key points to consider:

1. Be Prepared for the Mentality of the Horse to Change After Arrival The young horse you bring home may not necessarily be the same mentally as the one you saw at the place you bought it. Young horses have experienced very little, so moving to a new environment can be stressful, and it may take time for them to settle in. Some horses may appear calm for the first few days because everything is so overwhelming, but they may start to stress and even become aggressive afterward. Horses are creatures of habit, and some are more so than others. It’s a good idea to set aside time for training that doesn’t only involve riding (if the horse is already ridden) to stimulate the horse and begin forming a partnership.

2. Don’t Judge the Horse Immediately Don’t judge the young horse based on what you see in the first few weeks. Wait until it has fully settled in. It’s a young horse, not an older one, so mistakes will happen. Humans are often worse at forgetting what they have seen than horses are, and I often see that if someone has witnessed the horse do something undesirable during a period when everything is new, they’ll hold it against the horse permanently.
3. Expect the Horse Not to Understand All Your Signals Again, the young horse hasn’t experienced much, so if it’s used to someone else’s way of doing things and your methods are slightly different, it’s very likely the horse won’t understand you – not because it’s “dumb,” but because it has been taught to communicate in one way and now it needs to learn a new language. This can quickly create confusion, and the more the horse wants to please, the more confused it can get, leading to misinterpretations and reactions.
4. There’s a Lot the Horse Needs to Learn Rome wasn’t built in a day, so it’s important not to take shortcuts. This can come back to haunt you later. There’s a lot the horse needs to learn, such as understanding a halter, being led, understanding that horses ride toward you when you’re riding, dealing with trailers, farriers, grooming, blankets, competitions, being alone, and much more. The list is long.

5. The Young Horse Will Grow, and Regular Check-Ups Are Essential The young horse is still growing, so regular check-ups are essential – teeth, saddle, health, etc. It may experience discomfort simply due to growing pains. Never assume everything is as it was last time you visited the horse and just go through the motions of the routine.
6. Get Help – Both for Riding and for Everything Else The first things the young horse learns are often the ones it remembers the most, so although you can correct misunderstandings, it’s far better if they don’t occur in the first place. So, get help from experts in riding, but also for all the other aspects of horse care and training.
7. Expect Problems to Arise and See Them as Challenges Problems will arise, and it’s important to view them as challenges rather than obstacles. Sometimes challenges appear because things are going well – for instance, the horse might be developing well, building muscle, and then suddenly develops back pain due to a saddle that’s too small. This issue arises from something positive but may feel like a problem.
8. Make the Process Fun Make the process enjoyable – set goals, break them into smaller steps, but be prepared for them to change. Sometimes things will not progress as quickly as you’d like within a month, but within a year, you may be much further along than you anticipated, especially if you’ve spent time working patiently with your young horse.

A young horse can bring tremendous joy, and it’s exciting to see them blossom, but it’s also a lot of hard work, where you should be able to enjoy the journey along the way.