Am I a numpty?

Snowy Celandine

Snowy Celandine

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I see a lot of threads which mention 'numpties' and I am not quite sure what they are so I thought I'd ask :confused:

I own and ride a 13.3 hh pony and I am 5' 6". I also have a 14.2 hh pony. I know nothing at all about equine nutrition, barely anything about equine health and have never mucked out or clipped a horse. Does this make me a numpty :o
 
i would suggest that for your NY resolutions you invest in a good veterinary book and gen up on equine health even just the basics.

As for mucking out - well if they arent stabled you wouldnt have to would you?

I would not label you as a numpty, just not well informed.
 
I would see a numpty as someone who may now know everything but won't ask either. Someone who will take risks regardless of what this means to the horse's health.
For instance, you know nothing of nutrition, did you just go out and buy random feed for your horse, or did you get expert advice on what to feed? I.e. phone a feed company or ask a knowledgable friend? You can know nothing but as long as you have the support required - someone who does know horse health - then that's the important thing.

Regarding mucking out - some horses are on full livery for whatever reason, so their owner won't be mucking out either. Doesn't make you a bad owner.

We're all at different stages of learning, regarding horses and as long as you strive to care for them and - get the vet when required, instead of posting on here as to what to do, then I think you'll be fine. :)
 
No, but it probably means your mum is a numpty for not making you do any work! My 13 year old son would come under your description. It makes me a numpty for being such a perfectionist and doing it all myself! Actually he does muck out when told to - pretty well too!
 
Oh dear, I suspected that I might actually be one of these numpties that everyone talks about :( Honey08 - my Mum hasn't got a clue how to muck out either so she wouldn't be able to advise me how to do it. Both horses are stabled at night and part of the day in bad weather by the way.

I am not 100% sure what my ponies eat if I am honest :eek: I know they both get hay and an apple each if I go up to see them but, apart from that, I've no real idea what they eat.

I guess I am lucky not to have to muck out but I wouldn't want to get rid of my horses because I am undeserving of them. I love them and they seem pretty healthy and happy as far as I can tell.
 
Does that mean you're on full livery then? and that they're fed for you etc by the yard?

I've worked on various livery yards, and these are often our fave type of livery!

As long as the ponies look ok, then great. Perhaps try and find out a little more - just in case you ever have to move or do them yourself?
 
Snowy Celandine said:
I see a lot of threads which mention 'numpties' and I am not quite sure what they are so I thought I'd ask :confused:

I own and ride a 13.3 hh pony and I am 5' 6". I also have a 14.2 hh pony. I know nothing at all about equine nutrition, barely anything about equine health and have never mucked out or clipped a horse. Does this make me a numpty :o
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You may or may not be a numpty, but without posting the full reasons why you dont feed or muck out or visit your horse every day ( full livery ??) you are inviting forum members to have a right old go at you :eek:
Puts tin hat on, and stands back:D


























Or a troll...........:D
 
Yes, they are both on full non-ridden livery. I am ill at the moment so I haven't been able to go up every day like I normally do. One of the grooms rides for me and my OH and daughter ride too.

The livery yard owner is brilliant and she looks after all the horses as though they are her own. It's a BHS approved yard and I am completely happy with the standard of care both ponies receive but, like I said, I know very little about day to day horse management so, in the eyes of some of you, I am probably a numpty and undeserving of a horse as Ladyinred points out.
 
Well we all had to start somewhere.
If you want to learn then you can, get some good books to start and when you are better ask for some advice at your livery, if you can do part livery when you are well anough, you will get the hang of it, but still have help.
 
Snowy Celandine said:
Yes, they are both on full non-ridden livery. I am ill at the moment so I haven't been able to go up every day like I normally do. One of the grooms rides for me and my OH and daughter ride too.

The livery yard owner is brilliant and she looks after all the horses as though they are her own. It's a BHS approved yard and I am completely happy with the standard of care both ponies receive but, like I said, I know very little about day to day horse management so, in the eyes of some of you, I am probably a numpty and undeserving of a horse as Ladyinred points out.
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Well no then. You aren't a numpty because a numpty would be trying to look after the horses themselves without any help or advice. You recognise you don't know so you seek guidance. Seems sensible enough to me :)
 
Thanks :) Yard only does full livery so I can't learn that way, unfortunately. I did my BHS stage 1 a few years back but I am not sure how much I can remember :o I need to get better health-wise and then I can start learning a bit more about the daily care. I am interested but I have been ill for a long time and, when I was well, I worked incredibly long hours so I couldn't spare much time other than a couple of hours a day which I spent riding and grooming.
 
Thank you jesstickle :) The thing is, I am very aware of my many shortcomings vis a vis horse management :o I love my horses and I was very selective when I came to choose the yard for them. I chose the yard before I bought them :D I just think that I would like to learn a bit more about their care if I can get better and be well enough to get some hands on experience.
 
why not ask your yard owner if someone can teach you if you are interested in doing so? I know when I've worked on full livery yards, liveries have approached us with just that. BUT do make it clear you're not intending to swap from full livery or move your horse, just that you want to be able to learn how to do it. That way you won't get your yard owners back up! You can always ask a good instructor (pref with BHS stable management if you want to do more BHS exams in the future, as they have a special way of doing things) if they can give you stable management lessons instead of ridden ones every now and again.
 
Snowy Celandine said:
Thank you jesstickle :) The thing is, I am very aware of my many shortcomings vis a vis horse management :o I love my horses and I was very selective when I came to choose the yard for them. I chose the yard before I bought them :D I just think that I would like to learn a bit more about their care if I can get better and be well enough to get some hands on experience.
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Well if you feel well enough definitely just ask at the yard if you could maybe follow them around a bit to see what they do. Just explain that you aren't checking up on them, merely that you want to learn. And if not then buy yourself a couple of books and get revising for when summer comes and you're feeling better and you can get out and do! :D
 
Thanks Ella and Jess :) I was having twice weekly lessons until I got poorly but having stable management lessons or following the grooms around for a morning or two would be very good if I can get well enough to do that in the future. Everyone who works there is lovely and I am sure that they wouldn't mind letting me see exactly how the horses are looked after!
 
Snowy Celandine said:
Thanks Ella and Jess :) I was having twice weekly lessons until I got poorly but having stable management lessons or following the grooms around for a morning or two would be very good if I can get well enough to do that in the future. Everyone who works there is lovely and I am sure that they wouldn't mind letting me see exactly how the horses are looked after!
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Of course they wouldn't because you weren't a numpty and chose yourself a nice yard!
 
I do hope you get better soon, meanwhile if you have the funds available why not look into a distance learning course? It won't give you the hands on but it will give you some of the theory and keep you occupied!

Maybe equistudy (Warwickshire College - went there and reccomended both there and distance learning) the horse care series? If your interested give them a call, all very friendly and done in your own time.

http://www.warwickshire.ac.uk/courses/subject_areas/equine_and_farriery/distance_learning.aspx
 
well numpty is one of my fave words and have used it on here, however, i am very selective over the use of it and I don't think you sound like one, If you can afford full livery and aren't in the best of health, then what's wrong with that. My only concern would be that for some reason you couldn't do full livery any more and then you would have to sink or swim on part or diy.
Mucking out isn't rocket science, any numpty can do it :D but the care of the horse isn't quite so straight forward. well it kind of is until something goes wrong and you have to know your horse and what to look for to recognise that there is something amiss.
I think it would be a good idea to shadow someone on the yard and maybe you could do a distance learning thing on equine nutrition or something like that.
ets just seen Ellas post and that horse care one looks like it would be the very thing for you.
 
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