re: Want to learn about horses - have never really ridden one

No, she will be getting her DVM from LSU.

She doenst want to know if she wants to do small animal or large. I told her she needs to take the job that pays the most so we can get those loans knocked out.

congrats to the new Doctor!!

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OP lives in Mandeville, and he can go to a couple of the riding schools around here.

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plannin on it

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I just envision OP at Tractor Supply trying to get electric fence and Ivermectin one weekend wondering what he used to do for fun before horses.

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I'm not a dipshit, I understand that its a lot of work and am not waking up tomorrow and buying a horse

dont really see any problem with getting some input from someone who has experience in something I have interest in and always have

I actually welcome the negative comments, I understand it not all sunshine and roses and there are some shitty parts, probably a lot, but I want to get an understanding of what those are as well as the positives.

this is step 1 of at least a year long process of me maybe getting a horse, MAYBE after I get some experience riding, taking care of horses, seeing what all goes into it, i'll decide that i should get one, but this will definitely not be an impulse decision

luckily, my aunt owns a tack shop (dont even know if thats the right word) in sulphur so I should be able to get a few discounts when im stocking up on some supplies in the future!

They aren't cheap that's for sure. They seem to always find ridiculous ways to injure themselves.

Some people really go off the deep end with supplements, blanekets, tack, etc... and that gets really pricey.

They can be worth it if you really enjoy riding and do it often. I'd go buy someone's older quarter horse if I was going to get one. They can get lonely and some do better with goats or other pasturemate

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Horses are expensive and you having an inside track on free vet services makes your advice skewed.

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Ironically, vet services are the things I use least. I guess I've been lucky cause in 20+ years of horse ownership I've never had a major medical event. My biggest expense, and one least cited here, is regular feeding- feed and hay.
But every complaint or negative mentioned here is applicable to most hobbies. Fishing, hunting, golf- they are all expensive and all require time and a commitment to be successful. It really boils down to your perspective about your hobby and what you put into it.

Old broken-down horse doc here. Work on them all day and then go home to mess with my own. If you find them enjoyable they can be rewarding and therapeutic. Aubie''s right--get an older, gentle, well-trained horse with no vices, maybe a couple of them. If you don't want 2 then a companion like a goat is a good choice. Got a neighbor that was new to horses and bought an unbroken Arabian mare so they could, "learn together." Didn't take him long to decide he hated horses and everything about them.

Late to this thread but my daughter has been doing the BREC camps every summer and is now taking weekly lessons which are a good deal at $27 an hour (horse and instructor). We bought some gear (boots, helmet, chaps, etc.) but that's it.

I have gone with her on a Saturday and done a trail ride for $35/head which was fun.

May be a good way to get your feet wet.

We are city dwellers so if we wanted our own horse it would mean either boarding or moving to a place where we could have land and a barn (very far from BR nowadays). Then you have the vet bills, farrier, feed, tack, trailer, tow vehicle, etc.

It can get expensive quick.

No sir. Organic chemistry destroyed any hopes I had of that career.

Well if you've got that much of it, it ain't hard to figure out. She's the only "equine only" vet over here.

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But every complaint or negative mentioned here is applicable to most hobbies. Fishing, hunting, golf- they are all expensive and all require time and a commitment to be successful

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When I was around 20 years old I sold out. Truck, trailer, saddles, horses... everything. If I could get $5 for a set of spur straps I sold them. Bought a half ton truck, a 4wheeler, and had a lot of fun. Didn't have to worry about being home every morning and evening to feed. Could just throw my rigging bag (bull riding) in the bed of a truck or a friends car and strike out.

Has been very hard and expensive to get back where I was. 15 years and I still haven't found the right horse. Instead I have two pasture pets that I can't unload