Best way to get some horse care experience?

[Sooty]

Hi all
How did you build up your experience of general horse care? I have just started to take lessons at the ripe old age of 40 :) and one day I'd love to own a horse of my own.

So .... what's the best way of learning the practicalities of horse care? Obviously I can read books (any recommendations?) but I need hands-on. Do liveries take on voluntary workers for this purpose? I am old but willing!;)

Hope you can give me some advice!:p

[Showjumper]

How about volunteering at your local stables? Or applying to share a horse - if you choose this option though, make sure the owner's aware that you're a novice and that the horse is a docile schoolmaster type.

[maverick927]

the best thing that helped me with my horse care was working (voluntaring) at an animal sanctuary. It gave me loads of hand on experience and i was helping a good cause. It also gave me an oppurtunity to do basic riding (I could only walk and trot at that stage) as I got to bring the pony's back into fitness after being mistreated.

[$@R@H]

YOUR LOCAL RDA!!!

Volenteer at your local "Riding for the disabled(RDA)" stables. I am going to start doing that in about 2 weeks. You will learn valueble horse,people, skills and your be helping a valueble cause.

[virtuallyhorses]

Turn up early for your lessons and stay a little late is the easiest - ask if you can tack up, groom and help put the horses out (or in the stable whichever applies). That's all I did apart from devouring every book and magazine I could ;). But of course if you go the extra mile you'll be that much more confident when you do buy.

It depends on how nervous or confident you are I guess, I felt a total duffer having never even picked up a horse's hoof before I started trialling my boy - but then you just dive in and away you go (I've even cleaned a sheath now!) .

Everyone starts somewhere, so if you can find the right sort of people - either at your lessons and\or later wherever you graze\stable your horse - you'll find its a very co-operative thing. No one knows it all (although some pretend) and every makes a total goose of themselves at some point (frequently :D ) - putting blankets on backwards, trying to drag them off without undoing the leg straps - A kind horse will only smirk behind your back instead of falling hysterically to the ground :D

BTW Good for you on taking up riding - I do like the idea of us oldies outnumbering the lithe young things out there ;)

[helen1h]

i have just heard of a place where you can get a 5 day holiday that focuses on how to care for a horse. There website is www.equestrian-centre.co.uk i think. They do lots of riding holidays to suit all capabilities and it is probably worth considering if you would like your own horse.

[Jay.o]

i agree with most people here !
volenteer at you stables or ask to go a bit early and stay late to tack up and groom !!!

[K&K]

I agree wtih $@R@H - a local RDA is the way to go. I volunteered at one for four years, and they taught me SO much, I wouldn't have a horse today if it weren't for them. Sweet, kind horses, nice people and a good cause :)


www.prda.org is where I volunteer.

[Sooty]

Hi again

Thanks for all your suggestions. I've decided on a multi-pronged attack (trying to remember that I do have a full-time job AND a family as well :p )

I have contacted the British RDA to ask whether they have any yards close enough to my home where I can help out. Unfortunately their website doesn't have any location info.

I'm also going to make a general nuisance of myself and start loitering round the yard where I take lessons :cool: - hope they don't get too sick of the sight of me!

...and I've also had a look at the equestrian-centre.co.uk site and have since started to save frantically for a week's course that includes horse care. Have also put husband on diet to get him down to their maximum weight limit so he can come too (we go to lessons together) :D

So hopefully I'll be an expert before I know it! :rolleyes:

[Tootsie4U]

Just a thought, well, actually Im saying this based on experience -

Some stables get "disturbed" when people help out. Yes, its true, believe it or not. Many livery owners get in trouble for it as its a big liability issue. Also, unless you know the place in and out, you may just get in the way. Talk to the owners of the place to get their opinions.

Good luck!

FYI - I volunteered at a stable for a few months, they liked my work so much they hired me and I even get paid now! Am I lucky or what!!! No better way to learn than hands on experience

[Sooty]

Thanks for the warning! Yes, I'll definitely talk to them about it first

[Sundance]

Hey !!

how bout helping at a vet clinic ??