Trying a new horse

Circled an ad and ready to visit a potential equine partner? Read our advice first to make the most of your trial run

TRYING A POTENTIAL new horse is a bit like making friends. You need to make sure you’re on the same wavelength, but at the same time know that building a relationship takes time. Thankfully, if you’ve done your homework, there shouldn’t be too many surprises. We’ve compiled the following tips to help make finding a new horse as straightforward as possible.

Before you get on board

It can feel strange riding a new horse, so before you go, ask friends if you can have a sit on their horses to get a feel for various different types and shapes. Once at the yard, ask the seller to demonstrate everything you want to assess before trying the horse yourself. See him ridden on both reins and in all paces, as this will reveal if he’s better on one rein or has any bad habits. When you try him for yourself, don’t feel under pressure to emulate the rider who shows off the horse. Stay in your comfort zone and remember the seller knows the horse and will try to impress you. If you’re a keen hacker, make sure you’re given the chance to do so, either when you try him or on a second visit. When you start off on a hack, stay behind your escort until you get to know how the horse will behave. Bear in mind that sometimes you can get on a horse and feel comfortable immediately — but on other occasions you may need to return for a second ride, perhaps with an instructor. If you still don’t feel confident second time around, it probably isn’t the horse for you.

‘If you don’t feel confident second time around, it isn’t the horse for you’