Another who is just ‘over’ looking after horses!

pistolpete

pistolpete

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I still love riding it brings me a huge amount of joy. Only thing I’ll happily get up early for these days but the whole caring for horses hobby I’m completely over now!
Livery yards have never been great for me. My pony isn’t a cuddly friendly type so it’s mostly hands off anyway.
Dealing with hay deliveries in the rain poo picking filling water containers
I could happily stop tomorrow!
There was a time when it felt a good thing to do. No more!
It’s useful knowledge. Lucky me I can still ride without the chores. Two separate hobbies and I’m looking forward to giving one of them up one day! I wish no harm to my retired boy but if I could I’d have him on full livery!
 
I'm already tired of the daily stuff, especially as we've had to start dragging out hay earlier than expected. But I like being at the yard, seeing people there, and so on. I don't poo pick, which probably saves me. If I had to do that I would give up horses entirely.
 
Highmileagecob said:
I'm sort of with you. Looking after our rising 31yo with ever increasing special needs is not how I thought I would be spending my retirement. However, I absolutely would not trust his care to anyone else.
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I totally get this. In truth I don’t really like anyone else doing anything with mine other than giving him a bucket or putting hay out. He’s a quirky little thing. Bless him.
 
I think all those who think they wouldn’t like anyone else doing their horse due to trust issues would change their mind if the right person was doing it .
I used to have trust issues , but when I found the right people who did my horses even better than I did ( due to being at the yard permanently) the trust issues soon went.
You just have to be careful what livery yard you choose .
I used to think I loved looking after my horses , but in truth apart from the fact it kept me fit I do not miss it , and I help out when I choose , and always have time to ride .
 
I think the thing that can make a big difference to enjoying the care side is facilities and how well the yard is set up. I’ve done various yards over the years, including sole use, and you don’t realise until you’re living it in the middle of winter how the little things can impact your whole experience of trying to look after your horses. A nice concrete yard, hay store, conveniently placed water taps, auto troughs in fields etc. versus battling with bales wrapped in wet tarp, hauling hay through knee deep mud and wrestling with a hose in sideways rain to fill water buckets.
 
I totally get this too. I'm getting too old for all the heavy lifting, and so I have my horse on full livery at an excellent yard, where I don't have to do it. I know I'm fortunate to be able to do that, but otherwise I just would not have a horse at all. I'm definitely getting to the end of my horse phase of life. Maybe just one more winter and I'll see how it all feels in the spring.
 
I think conditions are just making things very hard. We had a tough winter and this summer, for horse keeping has given no let up.
Mine take me longer to do now it seems than mid winter. I’m using more hay than ever.
I also feel huge guilt, guilt that they are not getting any grass at all, especially the retired ones. I don’t feel like I’m providing them a lovely retirement anymore. This winter is going to be hideous because my fields are like dust baths so are just going to turn to mud.
Although loosing one recently broke my heart, I’m glad he doesn’t have to cope with another disgusting wet miserable winter.


Gosh, I’m a bundle of laughs this morning! 😬
 
poiuytrewq said:
I think conditions are just making things very hard. We had a tough winter and this summer, for horse keeping has given no let up.
Mine take me longer to do now it seems than mid winter. I’m using more hay than ever.
I also feel huge guilt, guilt that they are not getting any grass at all, especially the retired ones. I don’t feel like I’m providing them a lovely retirement anymore. This winter is going to be hideous because my fields are like dust baths so are just going to turn to mud.
Although loosing one recently broke my heart, I’m glad he doesn’t have to cope with another disgusting wet miserable winter.


Gosh, I’m a bundle of laughs this morning! 😬
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You have a point though. We have a large horse population for the land available and climate change is not going to make things any easier. Like you I wanted to provide my guy with a retirement worth the name. That worked well for several years but when he was put down in the middle of the worst crispy grass bit in July a part of me was relieved (needless to say it then rained and the grass sprang up 🙄). But nothing's predictable anymore, except that when we get one sort of weather it usually comes in spades.

Weirdly I became happy to ride other people's horses in later life (as long as I didn't have to groom and tack up) but enjoyed having the retired boys at home, trimming feet, putting out hay etc (not doing the electric fencing though - I took a whole load of old rope to the tip the other day in celebratory mood 😆)
 
lme said:
I'm going the other way. I do still ride but enjoy the horses themselves far more.
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Me too. I quite enjoy poo picking these days.

It's a tie, which can be frustrating. Finding someone willing to do them when I want to go away isn't always easy, but in general, I wouldn't rather not do them. I like the work, and it's more fun than going the gym to do weights!
 
As the weather is heading towards autumn I start dreading the winter with all the mucking out, filling hay nets, mud and flighty horses. I always think it’s such a grind but once I get into it I’m ok. Last year we only had 4 of them in at night for about 6 weeks, so it’s always a bigger problem in my head than in reality!
 
Don't know why but I enjoy the challenge of the care and feel like a winner when all is done, even the poo picking, just love the satisfaction of a clean paddock, hooves trimmed up ro date, yard tidy, horses greeting me with smiley faces, yes sometimes it is a tie which makes it more a way of life than anything.

And riding and training is the reward, really its all tough and absorbing In many ways, but I do think a regular break even short couple of days is a great help mentally

Eternally grateful to those who help out, bless them
 
I know what your saying.
We are in the process of selling up and downsizing .Have gone from 6 horses ( natural wastage! all gone over 15 years due to problems associated with old age) down to 1 who currently has company with a neighbour's Shetlands.
When we finally move to the lovely little cottage we have bought and our sale is finalised ( hopefully fingers crossed end of September/October he will be moving into retirement grass livery very near to the cottage.
We do have an acre paddock but he can't be on his own plus the paddock needs completely re fencing and tidying up and will be easier to do with him in retirement livery.
With the paddock I do have the option to bring him home but would need to source a companion. and I really want to get off the merry-go-round of horse ownership now.
I think I will take a break from having horses at home for the first time in nearly 50 years and then review how I feel .
He is 21 and when his time comes I don't want anymore horses.The retirement grass livery fits the bill.
We shall see but it will be nice just to put the dogs in the caravan and take off without the cost and complexity of having to sort out horse care.
End of an era for us.
 
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I like having them to look after more than riding. I used to be all about the riding, but injury and illness means it's not a pain free experience any more. I've purposely rehomes ones that can't/won't be ridden because it doesn't matter to me. There are times when I do think should I try riding again, as one could be brought back into riding as a very gentle hacker, but I always manage to talk myself out of it/horse goes lame/illness flares up etc. I'd quite like to set up a track retirement livery type thing on a farm we've inherited, but the location isn't great, and the cost to get the place to any standard would be huge, before getting a livery in place! That said, the way life is going, I have found myself thinking that maybe once these guys have decided it's their time, I won't get any more and move away from looking after horses and farming. But also, then what would I do with myself?!
 
My last horse was pts.2 years ago,still looked after my friends mare at same yard she went last year. I've been doing DIY for about 30years in all weathers yard only 10 minutes away, I miss the physical side and riding but the thing I miss most is the warm smell of a horse. My pocket is a bit heavier as well
 
I'm finding it pretty onerous, having 3 on a track at home completely grass free. All hay has to be wetted due to my old boy coughing on dry hay. EMS horse needs soaked hay (at night) and timothy haylage in a pen on her own, to keep the weight off. It all takes so long, especially as EMS horse needs as much exercise as possible so I ride her most days for at least an hour- and I'm working part time too. I'm getting too old and knackered to keep this up for many more years and am really not looking forward to winter. I do love them though, and I still love riding.
 
I love the looking after and the companionship of horses.

Always loved the looking after and pony cuddles even as a kid. I remember coming back from a weekend hack (I was then a weekly boarder with mum looking after her during the week) and mum saying that she’d done the mucking out for me. I was very miffed as I was looking forward to the mucking out!

What I won’t miss is the worry of whether I am doing my best by them at all times with the changing climate. I am down to two from three, having lost the youngest which was the homebred. I won’t be buying another, but I might well foster again from a charity.
 
Sometimes I resent it when I have other things to do and I have to run out and sort them out but if I’m honest I wouldn’t be without them - they give me purpose and I’d be bored without them. I still enjoy the riding but equally enjoying pottering around doing jobs. It can get a bit lonely sometimes having them at home but the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
 
poiuytrewq said:
I do love looking after them. I am very happy mucking out and almost enjoy poo picking etc.
it’s just the guilt of the weather and conditions we have to deal with.
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Mine is on part livery and still waiting for an assisted DIY space to come up. I have felt so guilty not being able to just toss mine some extra hay and to have him on all feed that I want (I have to pay in addition). He has been hangry lately and it makes me feel awful. All I can do is try and steal an extra armful of hay now and again for when he is in (as far as I am concerned I am paying for someone else's feed as I buy my own so why can't I get a little extra hay from time to time)
 
lynz88 said:
Mine is on part livery and still waiting for an assisted DIY space to come up. I have felt so guilty not being able to just toss mine some extra hay and to have him on all feed that I want (I have to pay in addition). He has been hangry lately and it makes me feel awful. All I can do is try and steal an extra armful of hay now and again for when he is in (as far as I am concerned I am paying for someone else's feed as I buy my own so why can't I get a little extra hay from time to time)
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That’s something I’d not really thought of, other than reading somewhere recently about some poor person who wasn’t allowed to hay at all in the field. I suppose at least I am fortunate in that I make the decisions.
I’m dotting little piles of hay, barrow and barrow loads all round the field. Theory being its a bit more interesting than standing at a pile stationary.
Some of these yard rules do seem unfair and difficult to deal with.
I suppose on the other side of the coin if livery clients are paying a price based on x amount of hay and then years like this that’s not enough but also prices are higher. It’s tough for yard owners as well I guess.
 
criso said:
I wonder if part of it is not getting anything back if he's not affectionate and wanting to interact with you.

I enjoy spending time with both current and previous horse aside from riding because they've wanted to spend time with me and shown it in an engaging way.
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Yes you’re right. He is the most aloof horse I’ve ever known! Doesn’t help!
 
poiuytrewq said:
Some are just like that and it’s a bit sad! I had one that didn’t really give a damn if I was around or not! It was ok for me as I had the ponies to cuddle
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Quin doesn’t give any affection! Neither does the Connie share pony but the Spanish Arab boy stops me in the doorway to rest his face on me! So sweet.
 
I put my 2 mini Shetlands on full livery for a 6 week break nearly 2 years ago... Despite being 20 mins away I pop up only every couple of months. I appreciate not everyone is in the position to do this, but I also was "done" & owed them the security. Sorry you're feeling this way just now it's tough.
 
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