Horses are expensive. IF you have your own barn and pasture then your already on a cheaper route.. You should have 4 acres for each horse btw to graze without being too crowded and so they can have enough grass.
If you are afraid of horses then I would start slow with riding at a stable. I have had horses all my life and love them. They can do scary and dangerous things obviously you know this from riding, but at the same time I would relax about that idea too. If you have a good horse, with a good bond with you then you shouldn't as much. Horses (like other animals) trust you, love you and look forward to seeing you and hearing your voice. Its not all bad and terrible, but at the same time they are animals of prey.
True story:
My boot got stuck in the stirrup once while I was riding alone and re-mounting my horse from closing the gate on our way back home. While this was happening my other foot slide off the small hill I was standing on to get back on my horse (my horse is a QH/Belgian/Paint). I literally was hanging there with one foot sideways and stuck in the stirrup. I also only had one rein in my hand from when I slide so quickly down the hill. Point being, I calmly spoke to my girl while I untangled myself. She could have run off back to the barn, and I would have hit my head off the logs or her hooves and could have been seriously hurt or dead. Instead though, Peaches just looked at me like as if I was the biggest most inconvenient pain in the butt and waited. I will never forget that day among others because of the bond and trust we have with each other I have talked her down. Also teaching your horse what is ok and what is not. Our horses were raised around guns, cannons, heavy equipment, loose dogs, etc and anything else "scary". We showed them there was no reason to be so flighty at a young age and because of that it is a rare laughable moment when they are actually spooked.
Good Luck. Don't forget to have some faith in your riding abilities AND your horse.
but yes, he was an amazing dog!! So sweet and gentle. My brother has 2 Pyrenees mixes now because of him, although they are mixed with a lot of other things, and very different from each other but both great dogs. We just love Pyrenees here. And wow he will probably be big!! Gator I think topped out at 147 his later years but he was a bit overweight then, he really should have been maybe 140 or even 130. But he was definitely a big dog. But a sweetheart. Unless you threatened us lol
