I know a fair number of you out there have horses. I am finally getting myself into the position on my farm where I'd like to start putting things together to have a couple horses. My thoughts at this point is that one will be a lawn mower from a local equine rescue and the other will be my lesson horse. I know very little about proper horsemanship and riding and a bit more about driving.

I'm planning to take lessons to start with. I guess that's where my questions begin.

How do you find a qualified riding instructor for the various forms of riding? It seems like dog trainers anyone can put out a shingle for instruction without much in the way of qualifications. Is there any kind of accreditation to look for? Sadly google and the various horse forums aren't very enlightening on the topic.

Speak with local equine vets, horse tack shops, feed stores, etc... Also visit local stables and ask about experienced trainers. See which names continue to come up and set up appointments to meet and talk with them and then request to watch a few lessons to see how they relate to folks and their style. If there are any local horse events I would also hang out there for a while.

Make sure that any lawn mower you get is HEALTHY Melissa. Horse care can get very, very expensive, and I've learned at Dream Catchers that feet and leg issues are huge.

Good luck in your, exciting endeavor ! (And purchase a good helmet.)

When I was very young I had a horse with no saddle, so I decided I was going to learn on my own, without a saddle. My experience was certainly learn by doing, so I never had the formal instruction. While I think my bareback experiences taught me correct seat position, balance, I wondered how I survived some of the experiences! When I had kids, I wanted them to have formal instruction from the start. In my area, the lesson time includes tacking, grooming, so the less you know, it sucks up the actual riding time. There are many great instructional videos out there that you could start familiarizing yourself with now, when you actually have your trainer and the horse, things will be better understood.

Finding a trainer, I would follow Barbara’s advice. Equine Rescues usually know many trainers, and they can help you find your lawn mower. Good luck!

We didn't use saddles or helmets when I was little either. While I'm sure I learned good balance, my seat position needed a LOT of correcting when I was older and started competing. I also don't want to think about what I must have done to the poor horses' mouths trying to stay on I was so little that my legs couldn't wrap around a horse's barrel, and they sort of just stuck out sideways I know I got hurt a lot.

When my daughter started riding she joined a pony club. SUCH a great thing for kids; they learn everything in a hands-on way and learn to be part of a team, to exhibit good sportsmanship, safety, etc. When she started competing she had the support of her pony club friends who were often competing in the same shows. I know, probably not relevant to THIS thread....

There's something to be said for learning things from a qualified person to start with. I think in the long run you save yourself a lot of money and heartbreak. I would consider lessons (the suggestions already offered for finding such a person are great ones) before getting the horses. That way you can develop a rapport with someone who can mentor you.