| I am often asked this question as I travel around the | | | | course, there had been plenty of horses in that field |
| country, "how do I get a great horse, cheap?" Most | | | | before who never touched the hot wire and others |
| people are very surprised when I give them the | | | | who did touch the strand one time, jumped back a |
| answer. Below is a letter I received via the Internet | | | | step and then went on about their business of eating |
| asking exactly this question. | | | | grass. |
| "Dear Bonnie, | | | | I suggested to the horse owner that you could tell a lot |
| I've always wanted my own horse but they are really | | | | about a horse's character and his common sense by |
| expensive. Is there any possible way I can find a great | | | | watching what they do in a new situation. As a |
| horse at a lower price? Thank you for taking your time | | | | professionally trained horseman, I already knew what |
| to read my letter. I hope to hear from you soon! | | | | this horse was going to do. I knew he was going to do |
| ZeeZee" | | | | it before he even came out of the trailer, based on his |
| The best way to find the least expensive horse is to | | | | behavior when he arrived. |
| make sure you are the best rider you can be. This | | | | After less than two minutes in the field, her horse felt |
| may sound funny, but in point of fact, people who don't | | | | the need to test the fence. He flunked the test |
| have any formal training as a rider, have to spend | | | | because the hot wire bit him in the nose. What |
| more money in order to find a horse that they can get | | | | happened next is what I mean about buying a horse |
| along with safely. HOWEVER, really good riders can | | | | for his character above almost anything else. This |
| buy much less expensive horses and finish them out | | | | particular horse galloped around the field for the next |
| themselves. My suggestion to you is to invest in | | | | five minutes screaming at the top of his lungs with his |
| yourself first by taking riding lessons for at least one | | | | nose in the air. The fence bit him and he was going to |
| year. During that year, volunteer your time at the | | | | tell the world about it. I suggested to the owner that |
| stable. Clean tack, muck stalls, and offer to ride | | | | she note what he was doing and how he was doing it. |
| boarders horses while they are on vacation or out of | | | | He was galloping at full speed over rough ground that |
| town. Offer to exercise school horse or sale horses in | | | | he had never seen before with his nose in the air. I |
| the barn and volunteer to do anything else you can | | | | warned her that this particular animal didn't have |
| think of, including feeding, watering, etc. | | | | enough sense to look out for his own safety and she |
| Since you are probably going to be in the horse world | | | | would be wise to recognize that if he didn't have |
| for the rest of your life, it shouldn't seem like a big | | | | enough sense to look out for himself, he surely wasn't |
| sacrifice to devote a year to your education. After all, | | | | going to worry about her safety. Was this an Arabian |
| if you devote the first year to making YOU the best | | | | "thing"? NO, it was a character "thing," and this horse |
| rider you can be you will save money on every single | | | | lacked both character and common sense. |
| horse you buy for the rest of your life. In addition, you | | | | Endurance riding is one area of riding where you either |
| will have more fun with all those horses because you | | | | choose a horse with good character and common |
| will be better prepared to handle whatever may come | | | | sense, or you spend a lot of time in an emergency |
| up. | | | | room. The owner of the horse told me that he was |
| I would compare this advice to buying a house. For | | | | "just sensitive." If I had a nickel for every time a horse |
| those folks who are handy with a hammer and nails | | | | owner told me their maniac horse was "just sensitive", I |
| and who enjoy "working with" a house, there are | | | | would be a rich woman! |
| plenty of deals to be had in the real estate market. For | | | | Because I have always tried to respect a man's right |
| those "Bob Vila" types, they can often find fabulous | | | | to be dumb, I made the suggestion to find a more |
| homes for very little money, just because the house is | | | | suitable mount but wished her all the luck in the world if |
| in need of some basic repairs or some talented elbow | | | | she chose to keep him. As a trainer I know that the |
| grease. However, if you have no clue about how to fix | | | | difference between green broke and well seasoned is |
| up a home, or have no interest in learning how to fix up | | | | 400 hours of time, effort and work on your part. To |
| a home, you will pay the going price. | | | | start out that timeline with a horse that lacks character |
| Using the "Bob Vila" example, I would point out to you | | | | is the equivalent of choosing to walk down the aisle |
| that even Bob doesn't take on every house he sees. | | | | with a man that you know is a moron. If you choose |
| First, he carefully examines the "bones" of the | | | | to devote 400 hours into a horse with no character, |
| structure to determine if the job is worth his time. The | | | | you will end up with a "well trained" horse with no |
| same is true with horses. If you are a trained, talented, | | | | character and the first time he is pressed into a corner, |
| well mileaged rider, you can look over a horse and | | | | what will come out of that corner is his true character |
| quickly decide whether or not the animal is worth your | | | | every time. |
| time and energy. As a professionally trained horseman, | | | | Less than 60 days later, the horse owner ended up in |
| I always look for the fundamental soundness of the | | | | an emergency room with torn ligaments in her knee. |
| animal first. After that, and equally important in my mind | | | | The owner was on crutches for a long time and finally |
| is the character of the animal. Anything else after that, I | | | | turned the horse over to a trainer who thought he |
| can teach to the horse, but I can't fix a horse that is | | | | would make a good cutting horse because he was |
| physically wrecked and I can't change the basic | | | | "so handy on his feet." Was it the horse's fault that the |
| character of an animal anymore than I can change the | | | | owner ended up in the emergency room? Absolutely |
| basic character of a person. | | | | not. It was no one's fault but the owner who not only |
| Character changes are one of the few areas that are | | | | witnessed all the signs of a horse with a lack of |
| completely in the hands of the individual. I'm sure | | | | character, but was actually told by a professional that |
| everyone has met someone in his or her life that was | | | | the horse had no character and was never going to |
| a complete jerk. As you well know, all the begging, | | | | be a horse you could put your trust in. |
| pleading and threatening in the world didn't change that | | | | Any trained horseman would have spotted the |
| person at the core of their being. The only person | | | | character flaws in that horse before he came out of |
| powerful enough to make that change was the | | | | the trailer, just as I had done. So, as I mentioned earlier, |
| individual themselves. The same is true of horses and | | | | the best way to save the most money on all the |
| here is a perfect example of what I am talking about: | | | | horses you will own in your lifetime is to invest in YOU. |
| I met a woman in California who was in her 50's. She | | | | Do all that you can do to ensure that YOU are the |
| decided that she wanted to do endurance riding on a | | | | best-trained, most well rounded rider you can be. This |
| more serious level. Her present mount was a very | | | | means learn to ride Western and English. Ride with |
| suitable, kind, generous, trustworthy Quarter Horse | | | | professionals in all styles of riding that you can access. |
| cross mare, but she had been convinced by the other | | | | Find a riding instructor that you trust and you respect. |
| competitors that in order to be competitive, she would | | | | Make sure their credentials include a safe, effective, |
| have to buy an Arabian. Although the woman had | | | | fun, well-rounded program. I suggest that you spend a |
| ridden for many years, she had limited experience with | | | | day visiting the stable of your choice and watch the |
| Arabians and little or no formal training as a rider. | | | | lessons being given. If you hear a riding instructor |
| She bought a green broke, young Arabian horse that | | | | screaming and yelling at students, keep looking, you |
| was sold to her as a perfect endurance prospect. | | | | haven't found the right teacher yet. |
| Prospect means the horse is unproven, but has | | | | If you want specific information on how to find the |
| demonstrated talents that might be suitable for that line | | | | perfect first horse for you, check out my book, "A |
| of work. After owning the horse for a few months, | | | | Parent's Guide to Buying That First Horse." It is filled |
| she asked if she could bring the horse to our home for | | | | with helpful information on exactly this topic. |
| a month or two because her fields at home were too | | | | I want to hear from you! If you have any questions, |
| muddy. We agreed and the horse arrived a few days | | | | comments or suggestions that you would like to share |
| later. I quietly watched the horse after warning the | | | | with the rest of us, drop me a line at: |
| owner that there was a live strand of hot wire running | | | | Bonnie Marlewski-Probert |
| around the entire field at the top of the fence. Of | | | | P.O. |