It’s that age-old dilemma of is it the right thing to pair a green horse with a green rider. And really there is no right answer as it really depends on the horse and the rider. A really strong green rider can be successful with a quiet green horse in a consistent program.

Notice I said a consistent program.

This is not just occasional lessons whenever it is convenient. This is a weekly or more frequent lesson program and monitoring from a trainer. A program that the trainer can ride the horse and help with the horse’s education and confidence, so they can stay on top of any potential issues that could spiral out of hand. This option might be a great alternative if the upfront budget for a new horse is not there for the ‘been-there-done-that’ saint of a horse. But in the long run the time, and training invested will be that of the made horse.

Now in the case of the two pictured above, they are both super green and at this time it would have been a situation where they both would have ended up scared of each other just due to inexperience. But with access to lesson horses and training, they both are learning valuable things without getting into a bad situation. And soon, they will both have the necessary tools and skills to build a successful partnership.

Samantha and Collin in a recent jump school

There will not be any short cuts in this journey for either horse or rider if they are going to be successful and there will always be bumps in the road, but with the right support team, it can be done.

So whichever option you are looking at, be ready for the time and financial commitment that will be worth every penny.