That's a good suggestion to go to a barn to see if you can learn some things. Also, check your want ads or the local feed store for a Horse and Pony paper. There might be some ads in it for horses to rent. Some people who own horses rent them out to a person when they don't have time to spend with them. Horses are very expensive, especially when they get sick. Also, before you buy your saddle, remember the seat sizes. The bigger your rear, the bigger seat on the saddle you need to get. So, if you're really small, I think they start out at 13". I think it's great that you want to rescue a horse. I would love to have my own place and have my horse in my back yard.