Plan A:
COST PER MONTH- $200
Deductible- $1500
Max out of pocket- $8500
What I pay after deductible- 20%
Copay- $20-40
Plan B:
COST PER MONTH- $70
Deductible- $2750
Max out of pocket- $6850
What I pay after deductible- 25%
Copay- $35-75
I foresee lots of medical issues for myself in the near future. Which would save money?
For context, I have an eight-year-old thoroughbred. He was given to me as a jumping horse after the horses that I jumped for other people kept getting sold. He has been jumped before here and there, but otherwise has very little training. He came off the track and then sat for three years after being a “lesson horse.” He didn’t do much during his time as a lesson horse if my understanding is correct. I have been working with him for a little under a year. I don’t have much experience with training a horse, other than jumping them. I ride for fun. I do not plan to show this horse. He is just my personal riding horse. I decided, however, when he was given to me that he was too green to jump, and then I wanted to teach him some basics first. I’ve been taking it slow. Extremely slow. I am almost a year into working with him, and although I am enjoying teaching him laterals and putting nicer gaits and transitions on him, I’d like to start introducing him to cross rails and smaller jumps. He still definitely has some things to learn and perfect when it comes to lateral movements, but I’ll be honest, I’m beginning to get bored with it. I am confident riding all of his gaits, and along with teaching him lateral movements and dressage type things, I would like to start jumping him a little bit. Is it a big no-no to jump a horse before you’re finished perfecting all of their other flat work moves? I don’t know how long that’s gonna take, but I’d like to start enjoying my time with him. Again, I’m confident in all of his gaits, and yes, we have things to work on, but is it the worst idea in the world to integrate a few smaller jumps into our work in addition to continuing our never ending flat work? Please no harsh judgement or anything. I’ve been told by a friend that I need to wait until he’s thoroughly experienced in these other movements before I even think about jumping him, but I personally feel ready with him. Obviously, I’m not gonna go jump him around a 3 foot course or anything, but I think that it would be fun to switch things up in between working on our lateral movements by having him go over a small jump or two. What’s the general consensus on this? And if you wouldn’t jump him yet, what all would you expect him to be fantastic at before jumping? Please be kind and remember that he is my personal horse that I ride for fun.