Can I buy a horse and learn to ride it with minimal experience?

You certainly can – in fact most horse owners are relatively novice.? This said, I might caution you against jumping into ownership too quickly.? Horses range from “free” to very expensive, but regardless, they cost the same to maintain – a recurring expense equal to a car payment more or less.

Before deciding to purchase one (and lacking a sufficient frame of reference to really know what you want), you might consider taking lessons with a master using an experienced school horse.? This will give you some time to develop a frame of reference, understand the kind of horse you really want, if it’s something you really want to pursue, etc.