[Beaker]

A good way to start with horses (again) is to get involved at an open and friendly barn, and take lessons, offer to muck stalls, as a sort of "refresher". That way you're in a learning environment, and if you attempt to make a mistake, there is someone there to correct it, or there's someone there that you can ask. In my humble opinion, it's very important for horse things to become second nature to you before you go and own one yourself. Horses are weird. They get sick easy, and you have to do things just right most of the time with feeding, and vetting, and shoeing. They're worse than little kids, and can give you twice the headache in worry.
I worked with horses for years before I ever owned one myself, all that experience made me very confident when I finally had one of my own.

[1john2 3and4]

Thank you all for the great advice! This should satisfy you a little, 'cause I'm taking it!

I figure this to be @ a two-year project now. I'll go hang with the cowboys up the road - the church, btw, is on CR 917 in Egan, know of it? - and see if someone needs some volunteer 'mucking' (should I say "to get my feet wet"?...nahh).

Y'all are wise and gracious to share with this equine noob. I will approach with caution, and after listening to you, it's great to realize how little I truly know about kids, I mean, err, horses!

I will be checking back to the thread on a regular basis. The recent hail storm hammered us pretty good, but thank God! it coulda' been much, much worse....

God Bless you fine folk!
FRegards,
john