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So, Why Adopt a Horse?
Adopting a horse is a great way to find a companion horse, trail horse, or even a
show horse. However, if you are look for a horse to ride, you need experience in the
saddle. Many horses come from the racetrack, so you need to know how to handle a
horse in many different circumstances. Horses are gentle and loving creatures, but
they still have prey instincts, and a perfectly quiet trail horse can suddenly be hard to
handle in "scary" situations. If you are looking for a companion horse, adopting is
perfect. Many horses that come from the racetrack or who are abused usually are
physically unable to be ridden. They still have huge hearts, though, and make
excellent companions.

If you are on a tight budget, you may consider adopting a horse because it is usually
less expensive (between $200 and $1000) to buy. However, it takes much more
money to maintain a horse throughout the year. You need to pay for board (if you are
boarding your horse), feeding, de-worming, equipment, veterinarian visits, farrier
visits, and also emergency medical bills. If you are on a tight budget, there are other
options for you, which are listed further down on this page.

Here's a list of reasons why it is a good idea to adopt a horse:

They make great companion horses.
If you are an experienced rider, many horses are suitable as trail or show
horses.
Low initial cost
You are making a horse's life healthier and happier.
We can eventually prevent this from happening:

Are You Ready to Own a Horse?

Here is a general overview of what owning a
horse requires:

Money- Unfortunately, you need to have
money to survive in the horse world. As
stated above, it's not just the buying the
horse that costs a lot of money. Supplies,
feeding, board, vet bills, etc. also raise the
costs of owning a horse. However, it is
possible to own your own horse even if
you aren't financially stable. I know people
who have put second and third mortgages
on their house just so they can have a
horse of their own. If you truly feel you are
ready to own a horse but aren't very
wealthy, you can get a horse of your own,
but you should really think ahead and
decide if it is worth it or not to spend that
much money on it. And just remember,
there are other options if you just don't
have the money, like leasing.

Experience- if you are deciding to purchase a show horse, a trail horse, or
any horse that you plan on riding, experience is very important. It would be a
good idea to have taken private or group lessons on schooling horses so you
learn how to ride safely and correctly. If you are a novice rider, I recommend
continuing taking lessons with an experienced instructor at least once a
month. It's not fair to your horse if you are constantly pulling on its mouth or
kicking it with spurs without realizing it. Taking lessons allows you and your
horse to be more comfortable together by allowing other people to point out
your mistakes.

                If you are buying a horse just for companion, I suggest you at least get
            comfortable with controlling horses on the ground. Also, buy a few books,
            so you can use them as reference if you have any questions. Two of my
            favorite reference books are The Horse Owner's Veterinary Handbook and
            Horses for Dummies (don't laugh - this book gives really helpful and practical
            information about caring for horses. I've been around horses for 8 years,
            and I still use it.) Both of these books can be bought on Amazon.

Time- If you are going to own your own horse, you need time. Most people
these days are busier than ever, and if you can't find at least a few hours each
week to visit and pamper your horse, then you shouldn't be owning one.
However, if you love your horse too much to sell it, try leasing him out to
another equestrian enthusiast. That way, there will be someone riding and
taking care of your horse, and you can get some money out of it as well. In
fact, I lease a horse named Austin. The owners rarely find time to visit, and
they are inexperienced with riding, so I ride Austin, and give him the best
attention any horse can get. The owners are benefiting from this because
they can still see their horses whenever they want, and I benefit because I get
"my own horse" for a fraction of the cost.
Love and Patience- Obviously if you are reading this, you show a great deal
of interest towards horses. Loving is what owning a horse is all about, and
it's very rewarding. If you love your horse, your horse will love you back . . . it's
as simple as that. Patience is also important. If you are frustrated when your
horse isn't listening to your riding commands, take a deep breath. Most likely,
you are the one making a mistake, and the common action to turn aggressive
will not make the situation any better. A horse's day consists of eating for 23
hours, and being ridden for 1 hour. Unfortunately, our lives aren't like that,
and sometimes we get frustrated and angry. When I am in a bad mood and
my horse "isn't listening to me", I try to fix the problem by being less
aggressive. If that doesn't work, I do a simple exercise with him, and end the
session on a positive note. Then, when I am feeling better another day, I will
work on my problem with my instructor.

Not yet ready for a horse of your own?

If you aren't yet ready to own your own horse, but you still want a special horse to
take care of and call "your own", leasing is a great idea. I know many people,
including myself, that have had great success with leasing. There are two types of
leasing: share-boarding and full leasing.

Share boarding- In share-boarding, the owner leases the horse out to be
ridden certain days each week. This is a good idea if time or money is a
factor for the owner, or lessee.

Full lease- A full lease is when the lessee can ride the horse any day.
Depending on your agreements with the owner, you may be able to trailer it to
other shows, and maybe even board the horse at another barn. Most of the
time, full leases end with the lessee buying the horse for themselves.
However, this may not be the case. Some leases last for a few months, and
others may go on for years. Again, this all depends on the contract between
the owner and lessee. Typically, a full lease costs between $300 and $450.
The owner is usually responsible for emergency vet bills, but you should
discuss this before leasing the horse. Prices vary, and are negotiable. If you
think you can't afford $300 a month, don't give up. There are cases where the
owner is loaded with money, and the lease price is very affordable. Or try
share-boarding, which is usually half the price of a full lease. Search around
barns in your area, and look in newspapers for horses up for lease. It is a
great way to introduce yourself to the responsibilities of owning a horse.