Should I get a horse or not...

[horsbirdchiwawa]

Hold on don't get mad yet, haha, read before you get upset. I do know what it takes to own a horse. I've taken lessons for 3 years, leased a horse, and owned a horse. He was sold because my parents divorced and they felt that....I'm not going to get into that. But my parents have finally finished there divorce and I brought up having a horse again and it seems like a good idea. But haven't been able to get over him; we are financially stable, but I feel like I would be betraying him if I got another horse. I know that being 15, I may seem irresponsible, but I've owned and taken care of horses. I just wanted to know if you think it's okay if I were to get a horse, or begin looking again.
I kind've just wanted to see what responses I'd get from someone elses perspective. Thank you very much!

[MokeyBird]

Hahaha, get mad at you for wanting a horse. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! NO ONE NEEDS HORSES! I DON'T KNOW YOU OR YOUR SITUATION BUT YOU DON'T NEED HORSES. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE SMART ENOUGH TO THINK ABOUT IT FIRST! Hahah, thank you dear. I needed a good laugh. All in good fun.

Okay, I do think you should get another horse. Just talking mentally. I don't know your capacity for care, but that is not the focus, so I won't touch it. You need to move on mentally.

One of the great things about horses is that they are very forgiving creatures. Your boy is not going to feel slighted by you riding, or buying, or looking at another horse. He will remember you always, but you are not going to betray him to ride another.

My broodmare is very possessive of me. She will keep all the other mares away from me while I am in the field, just so that she can have my attention all to herself. She will even nudge her foal away from me(gently, and he will usually just shove her back and come back to me). However, she only relates to the time spent at the time with her. She doesn't "give me the silent treatment" or look at me like a cheating girlfriend when I see her after working with another horse.

You need to move on. Your boy will never forget you, but if he is with another now, he has moved on. I have never known a horse to dwell on guilt and uncertainty because he has been partnered with another person, and if he is being taken care of properly, then you shouldn't either.

Also, you never learn by riding the same horse. I know this for a fact. I had about three that I rode regularly when I was younger. I rode them and only them. Now that my boys are either gone(RIP my loves) or retired and I need to move on, I know now that I am lacking a lot in my ability. Man, I need a new horse!

In short, YES you should get another horse. If of course you are financially, physically, and so forth, ready for one.

[Mangoe]

^^ that was my sitution when I got my horse! (except for the whole divorce thing :[ sorry about that) The horse I leased was sold right out from under me, I was devastated, but the horse I have now I realised is about a million times better ^^ Get a horse that is trained in the discipline you want, make a list of things you want and things you don't want. In my case my trainer took me to go see horses and we picked out a 4 year old who I'm finishing as a pleasure horse and general all-around horse. Its always nice when you have a trusted trainer with you, picking out a horse is tricky business. I was 15 (I'm still just 16 now) like you and I don't think thats an irresponsible age to own a horse when you have people helping you and teaching you! :) As long as you don't go in alone, don't worry about being 15. ;)