First horse and new owner help

Buying your first horse—or finding your feet with one?

Thinking about buying your first horse? Already have one and discovering how much there is to learn? Perhaps your child is the horse enthusiast and you are trying to catch up.

Come to Triquetra Farm in Wallan for practical, personalised learning with Jane and our horses. Build your knowledge, develop your handling skills and feel more confident about the everyday realities of horse ownership.

Jane has had horses in her life for 55 years. She welcomes the questions you might feel embarrassed asking elsewhere—and the ones you haven’t thought of yet.

You don’t need to know where to start

Buying a horse can be exciting, daunting and occasionally a little overwhelming. There is the horse itself, then the feeding, feet, equipment, agistment and transport. Before long, you may find yourself wondering what you have let yourself in for.

Our sessions are for people considering their first horse and owners building their knowledge and confidence. You don’t need to arrive knowing the terminology or having a list of clever questions.

Tell us what you are thinking about, what you already know and what feels uncertain. We will shape the session around you.

Confidence matters as much as knowledge

You might feel comfortable riding but less sure about catching, leading or handling a horse on the ground. You might love horses but feel nervous when one gets close. Or you may have bought a horse and discovered that things feel rather different without someone beside you.

There is no need to pretend you are more confident than you feel. Working with our horses gives you time to practise, ask questions and understand what is happening.

Jane can help you recognise a horse’s responses, communicate more clearly and build confidence at a pace that suits you.

A first horse for your child is a learning curve for you, too

When a child wants a horse, parents often find themselves learning a whole new world alongside them. Riding lessons are one part of it. Knowing how to care for the horse, supervise safely and recognise when help is needed is another.

Parents and children can learn together at Triquetra. We can talk through the practical responsibilities, what your child may be ready to do and where adult support is needed.

Jane remembers her family’s first horse. They tied it to a downpipe and thought vacuuming it clean sounded like a good idea. Neither was one of their finer moments, but she has never forgotten what it feels like to start with enthusiasm and very little knowledge.

Everyone begins somewhere. You are welcome to begin here.

Before you buy your first horse

We can help you understand what to look for and which questions to ask before buying a horse.

Topics might include:

The kind of riding you want to do and the experience you bring.
Why temperament, training and suitability matter.
Questions to ask the seller and what to notice when viewing a horse.
The role of a veterinary pre-purchase examination.
The facilities, support and ongoing budget you will need.
What to organise before bringing a horse home.

We help you become a better-informed buyer. We do not source horses, attend purchase inspections or select individual horses for you.

The care that continues after the purchase

Owning a horse involves regular care, whether you ride every day or only occasionally. We can help you understand what that looks like in practice.

Depending on your interests, we can discuss:

Feeding, forage, water and changes in a horse’s condition.
Daily checks, grooming and recognising when veterinary advice is needed.
Hoof care, shoeing versus barefoot and why regular attention matters.
Agistment, fencing, shelter and the facilities to look for.
Routine care and the costs that are easy to overlook.
Rugs, bits, saddles and choosing equipment suited to the horse and its use.

Getting a horse shod once does not tick the hoof-care box for the year. We will help you understand the ongoing jobs, who can assist and what questions to ask your vet, farrier or other specialist.

Handling and introductory groundwork

Good groundwork helps you understand your horse and communicate more clearly before you ever get into the saddle.

Using our horses, Jane can help you explore leading, personal space, clear cues, timing and recognising the horse’s response. You can learn how your own actions affect the horse and practise encouraging softer, more willing responses.

The aim is to give you useful skills and a better understanding of how to work with a horse. Sessions focus on care, handling and groundwork. Riding tuition and specialist work with behavioural problems are best discussed with appropriate instructors or trainers.

Floats, loading and getting there

Buying a float is only part of organising horse transport. You also need to understand whether your vehicle can legally tow it with horses and equipment aboard.

We can help you identify the questions to ask before buying a float, including:

The float’s suitability, condition and weight limits.
The weight of the loaded float.
Your vehicle’s towing, tow-ball, axle and combined weight limits.
Whether you need your own float or another transport arrangement.
Preparing for loading and understanding the basics of handling a horse around a float.

Where practical and appropriate, a session can include loading work with our horses. Vehicle ratings and legal requirements need to be checked for your particular combination; we can help you understand what information to obtain.

Learn with Jane and our horses

Jane brings 55 years with horses, including breeding and starting her own and taking one of her stallions to national champion. She combines practical experience with a willingness to explain, listen and help you make sense of what you are seeing.

All sessions take place at Triquetra Farm using our horses. You can practise and build your understanding here, then take those skills and ideas home.

You do not need to own a horse to attend, and visitors do not bring their own horses to these sessions.

Learn more about Jane and her story.

A session shaped around you

You might want a practical introduction before buying, help with the responsibilities of your child’s first horse, or time to build your confidence in handling and groundwork.

Tell us what you would like to learn. We will discuss a suitable session length, what we can cover and the price before you book.

We are at 215 Wallan Heights Road, Wallan, Victoria, less than an hour north of Melbourne. Sessions are by appointment. Wear sensible, closed-toe footwear with flat heels, preferably leather, and clothing suited to the weather.

Bring your questions

You don’t need to own a horse—or know the right questions—to come and learn.

Tell us a little about your situation, your confidence around horses and what you would like help understanding. Jane will help you find a useful place to start.

Enquire about first-horse and new-owner learning.

Phone: 0419 554 047
Email: jane@triquetra.farm