I echo the start small and sloe. Get less animals than you can support to get to grips with the handling.
If you can visit other smallholdings that's great. It gives you insight, experience and ideas. I wish I had gone on some courses before getting the holding.
I spent a few years on here reading before we got a holding and asked for subscriptions to country smallholding and smallholder as presents.
As CC has said we often post when things are going wrong so you see the worst of it. I found that helpful as a lot of problems we have come up against rang a bell with something I'd read here or in a magazine. We don't learn from the trouble free days but they do occur!
Buying from a good breeder helps as well. I'm sure Fieldfare is sick to the back teeth with all my sheepy questions but he's still answering! A good breeder will help you with all the paperwork to start with and it isn't as daunting as it seems. A good local club is very helpful too!
Despite all that I am still full of questions. I think it's a never ending learning process!
Dans
Oh and Hi