New riders being enthused about getting a horse isnt a new thing. When someone takes up riding, the all-consuming question on their mind is, When should I get a horse?If they are at all familiar with horses, they probably have some idea of what kind of horse they want. Maybe its a pure white Andalusian, with a mane down to its knees. Or the striking black Friesian, trotting with its knees high in the air. Or maybe they want a warmblood like they saw on the Olympics, to take them to the heights they dreamed of.People newer to horses often have very limited information when they are picking horses. Very understandable, how could they have more? They just started! But most of their horse viewpoint came from movies or the Olympics or any other fantasy that has no basis in how horses actually are.They dont know what they dont know about horses.They dont know that learning about horses with a safe, experienced horse is best. Or they cant afford the safe, experienced horse and just assume all horses are the same. This naive viewpoint has caused many novice horsemen to end up in trouble with a horse they cannot manage.Consider this a Public Service Announcement The dream horse is not what you think it is.The First HorseI follow a woman who has been documenting her start with riding on youtube. Shes not a new vlogger, she has been vlogging about her life for years, but the horses are new. Im not sure how long shes been riding, but unless she rode when she was younger, shes clocking in at under a year. Nice enough lady though, Im not going to list her name.(By the way, I also have a YouTube Channel, you should check it out! Subscribe!)She just posted a vlog talking about buying a horse from another Youtuber. She did a test ride, thought he was great, and shes going to take him on trial. This is all good and fine. The horse seems great, hes an older gentleman, capable of taking care of her while she learned. Really, a great first horse.When she talked about him in the vlog, she made several mentions that he was not a dream horse, but its okay, because hes still a great horse. I was honestly a little dumfounded, because in my mind, this guy WAS a dream horse. He was a safe, kind, gentleman of a horse, able to take her out on the trail rides she loved, let her make learning mistakes on him and forgive, and he was an impressive 17 hands high, and a gorgeous gray. How is this not a dream horse?A different but very similar beautiful horse. Credit: Courtney Noel Studio (which is me)I dont know what she had in her mind was a dream horse. Maybe she too was dreaming of the dramatic baroque horse, or she thought she needed a young show horse, but she was almost apologetic that this horse was not the dream horse. He was older, she said, and although she was not specific, she just said he wasnt a dream horse. (I feel a little bit sad for the seller to be hearing that, the horse is clearly well loved!) Maybe she thought her followers would have expected something fancy and flashy, as shes primarily a luxury influencer.She seems to have a really kind heart, but it was making me cringe every time she spoke about him not being a dream horse. She had no idea how much of a dream horse that horse was. A horse that you can just saddle up and take out on trails with no prep? Yes, please! A huge horse thats safe and gentle? Yes, yes, yes. And hes a big, handsome, thick bodied, flea bitten grey, so hes going to look great in photos. (Shes going to have a lot of fun cleaning him though!)He is a senior horse, so she thought he might have to be retired soon, and while that is a possibly, he may also still have years of riding ahead of him. Unless theres specific issues besides the crime of being old, this should not be a strike against him.Interestingly, I got the impression that she actually did think he was a dream horse. She was gushing over him. Maybe she just thought she needed something more.But shes not the only one. Riders everywhere dream of the horse that will give them, more, whatever that might be. More prestige, more speed, more height, more glamor. But do they actually need, more?Its especially common with people newer to horses. They start riding (or sometimes dont even ride yet) but in their heads theyve had an image of what the perfect horse looks like. So they just buy it, like they are ordering a shirt on Amazon. Ive seen it happen several times. They dont quite know what they are doing, and they end up having problems.Perhaps they are just dreaming of the fantasy, with none of the reality.Thats not to say that a dream horse, doesnt exist. An experienced horseman (or one with the guidance of an experienced horseman) often seeks out a specific horse for a specific purpose. These people know what they are doing. They know why they are seeking this type of horse, and what they plan to do with it. Certainly some of them are going to wish, dramatic solid black horse! But thats more of a bonus rather than the primary reason for the horse.Its the novice or beginner riders who have a misguided version of their dream horse. They dream of very specific circumstances that dont reflect the reality of horses. They think of the one moment of the Andalusian racing across a beach. Doing a perfect course of high jumps at a prestigious show. Galloping through open fields on a Friesian with their mane whipping in the wind. Its that perfect moment of riding that is idolized, not the hours and years of training it takes to get to that point. They are seeing the horse as though it is a robot, functioning exactly as they wish, designed to their own specifications. It is an accessory or equipment, and much like a skier might buy the most fastest skis to win a race, its is the quick fix to being a successful rider.Searching for a Dream HorseWhen I was a kid, I too dreamed of a big warmblood to show with. Id never even done shows that warmbloods were meant for. But still, dreaming doesnt hurt anyone. I ended up buying a senior quarter horse, and I had a blast with him. Even when my ambitions were more than he could handle, I got a second horse, and he was the guest horse for my friends. We really had blast with him. He was trustworthy, kind, and completely forgiving of our teenager antics. No one turned down a ride on him. Thats a dream horse.I had a friend that cycled through 4 horses in the few years we were friends, constantly searching for that dream horse. She wanted a horse for reining, then it had to be a specific color, then after she got a young one, she needed a different trained one. She started out with a fully trained horse, but decided he was too dull. Then she got a foal of some fancy reining breeding, but decided she couldnt train it. Then she wanted a specific color, but decided it wasnt suitable for reining. It was all over the place. Really, she just became a horse dealer at that point.She was focusing on all the wrong things. She thought very specific things would make for a dream horse: color, breeding, a certain height. But she was missing the essence of what a dream horse is: a horse you can get on and ride.Basically: a well trained horse. But also, the part that many dont think about the well trained rider. She didnt take lessons, or seek out any of her own training in order to work with any of these horses.The well trained rider can work with a horse and transform it into a dream horse. Its the age old saying Most people dont need a $50,000 horse. They need a $1,000 horse and $49,000 of lessons.The dream horse is the illusion of the quick fix. Its supposed to be the secret to winning at shows. Its the impressive horse that gets you stares and admiration. Its meant to impress others.But theres no dream rides when the rider doesnt know what they are doing.A Dream Horse, or a Dream Rider?Maybe my own dream horse? I did eventually get my own fancy warmblood, the horse I dreamed about as a kid. Hes pretty cool, no doubt about that. But hes still a horse, who requires training, time, and money to become an actual dream horse. I still cant just get on him without lunging because I dont trust him. Hes too big and strong to take chances with. I want to just hop on and hit the trails, but I dont think Id survive the ride. I now have a much bigger appreciation for Vintage and Berry, who I could ride anywhere. But of course, it took a while for them to become like that, too. Horses dont just spring into existence being perfect.It will happen, eventually though, I would presume. He just needs more rides. And I need more training.The rider is what makes the dream horse. The rider is what keeps the dream horse going. Even a great horse could be ruined by a rider who doesnt know what they are doing.Im not trying to gate keep fancy horses. But I am trying to push for more knowledge before jumping in.In the case of the vlogger, shell be completely alright. She being helped by her very knowledgeable friend, and she really has the right idea overall. Shes already on the right track by getting the right horse for her to learn on. I bet shell soon forget about the idea of the dream horse, once shes gotten a few rides on what really is a dream horse.The Dream horse, certainly exists. But its not the fancy, flashy expensive horse breed. Its the dependable, good natured animals that we look forward to riding. We can count on them. Each ride makes us remember why we ever fell in love with this sport to begin with. And its us, doing our best to be riders that our horses can trust and count on. Its being the dream rider, that our horses can count on.The post The Myth of the Dream Horse appeared first on An Equestrian Life.