I too would recommend contacting the pool company that services the pool now. They should have a lot of insight as to the operation and maintenance of your pool. Ask them to show you the equipment, how it all works, and ask for the manufacturer/model of the equipment as well....this will help with future equipment maintenance.
I would NOT recommend simply turning off the pump. It should be on a timer and set to run xxxx amount of hours per day based on where you live and the climate there this time of year. You'll want to understand how long the pump should run per day during each season, how often to clean your filter..be sure to find out the type of filter you have (cartridge, DE, or Sand).
These are the first steps in understanding the type of maintenance you'll be looking at.