Are horses too pampered??!!

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hondatyper

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On from the posts about feeling 'obliged' to have all the latest gear for your horse and what do you give up for your horse, do you think that some people think of their horse in the same way as children? Spoiling them with the best of everything?

At my yard it seems to be just women that have horses and pamper their horses but often they end up over fed, over rugged and with little exercise (the horses that is not the women!!). OK so I could be generalising and I can only comment on the people I have experienced, but their lives seem to revolve around their horse and if, without them, or god forbid if they sold it to someone else, the horse would never be looked after to the same standard. Only THEY understand their horse fully and all it's little quirks.

These are the people that put in the yard diary, please don't turn out GG before X time, please bring in before X time, please don't feed X, it doesn't agree with him, but do make sure you include in the feed X supplements, a dash of this, a scoop of that and a soupcon of something else, make sure his hay is soaked, he has his thick stable rug on if the temperature drops below 3°C, if lower put the duvet rug on too and the neck cover, if the temp is above 3°C put on the meduim weight rug up to 10°C then he can have on his fleece.

Ditto for turn out rugs, but if it's raining please make sure the full neck rain sheet is used, depending on temperature there is a range of weights of turn out rugs available. The vet will be giving GG his annual check up at 2pm so please ensure he is in, the farrier is booked for his remedial shoeing next week and the physiotherapist is booked for Friday. I have arranged for a horse 'whisperer' to attend for a session next Monday to deal with his phobias about going through gates and being led to and from the field, and the saddler is coming to do his 6 monthly saddle fitting, although he may need a made to measure saddle at this point in his life/training/fitness.

For a while last year there was a man at our yard (ohhhhh! how unusual!) he would turn up get on his horse ride it each day for about an hour sling it in the field and go away again, no pampering, no posh rugs, give her a quick flick over with a brush before riding, no gadgets with the tack etc. The horse was perfectly well, sound and fit! This was a TB! It coped without every conceivable rug on the market and 'posh' feeds and supplements. Other liveries thought he was cruel as he didn't pamper the horse or show it any 'love', I don't think the horse was at all bothered!

Now don't get me wrong, I love my horse, he has good quality equipment, rugs, tack etc as it lasts longer but (for financial reasons) they get replaced/repaired only if broken, damaged, ripped etc not because there's a new colour this season! He is in great health, and is a very happy contented horse. I don't know if I had a more 'disposable' income, no kids and didn't have to work, therefore would have more time on my hands, if I would 'pamper' him more, but from the horses point of view I don't think he would be bothered if he had the latest rug or not!

I expect I will have ruffled a few peoples 'feathers' with this post, so don't get all wound up, it's just something I seem to have noticed over the years. I understand it's a hobby and something you can get engrossed in and we all like to think we look after our animals well but do you think some people go too far? I would love to hear about some of the OTT things that people at your yard do or get up to to pamper their horses, what's the most extravagant 'thing' that someone has done or spent on their horse which is totally unnecessary. What regime does the horse have that is completely insane re turn out, rugs, feed, supplements or handling!!!!!!!!!
 
surely if the horse is well looked after, be it in a field or in a stable, why does it matter?

If horse is healthy and well, why does it matter? They choose to spend money on something they love, so why shouldnt they? You cant tell them how to spend their money.

Maybe its just me but I feel sorry more for the horses that are underfed/not looked after/starved and worked/never see a vet etc.

my horse has a massage pad if you think that is extreme, he has it on everyday before i ride him. It is very useful and he loves it.

you havent ruffled my feathers, but silly arguement really, sure horses would be better off probably with less stuff, but if they are well cared for and healthy why should it matter to you?
 
Oh, I am one of those people you have described :( I know it too, hence my post yesterday about over complicating everything.

I agree that I dont think the horse will know the difference if it didnt have the lates of everything or slightly cheaper feed.

I was worse than I am now but since having my daughter, my priorities have changed. I love my pony but I cant afford to spend unecessary amounts of money on her anymore for things she does not need (this includes £70 a month for feed!)

Im afraid this year, I am going to only be giving her what she needs, and not what she might need.

2 unecessary purchases I made for my pony were her made to measure dressage saddle and Elevator bridle. My pony is 26, we dont compete, nor would I consider myself a fantastic rider. However, I was having lessons with a dressage trainer at the time and thought these purchases would help me ride better.....derrr!!!!!!!! I love my saddle and will never get rid of it but if I am honest, I didnt need either purchases and could have saved myself £1000!
 
No,not at all, nothing wrong with wanting to look after your horse well and give it the best if that is what people enjoy doing there is nothing wrong with it ( I for one am guilty!!!)- far better than being neglected IMHO, I think every one does things differently that's all, and it's better to let them get on with it.

As long as the horse isn't over or under fed, then its all good! :)
 
Oh it doesn't 'matter' to me, and I understand that it's their hobby as much as it's mine! and of course it's good that they are well looked after, just interested to see how 'far' some people go in the course of looking after a horse!
 
I am a spinal therapist and have started seeing, over the last few years, more and more yards where the horses are "pampered" to the extent that they are never rug-free and in the winter some wear such a huge weight in layers of sheets, quilts and duvets etc that I am frequently seeing pressure sores on the withers causing the horses concerned constant low level pain. One owner even told me it had taken her 3 years to build up her horse's tolerance to the number of rugs she put on him!!!

Now I am the first to admit that I can spend a fortune on accessorising my horse (boots and numnahs usually :rolleyes: ) but over-rugging is one of my pet hates mainly because it is done supposedly in the horses' best interests.....

But hey! Support your local saddlery I say :D
 
I do find that when I look on Project Horse I get a bit irritated.

There seem to be lines of extremely well groomed, well fed and well attended horses that do b*gger all except stick the equine equivalent of two fingers up at their owners. If these horses were in a riding school doing 6hours a day for their living it might be a very different story.

Sweeping generalisation by the way so don't shoot me:cool:
 
Yes mine prob is, I always put him first and he's always on my mind, I love him more than anything or anyone, he is my reason for doing anything at all. I am over the top about his welfare and way of life I think, I reckon my mates would say that about me!
 
RebelRebel said:
I do find that when I look on Project Horse I get a bit irritated.

There seem to be lines of extremely well groomed, well fed and well attended horses that do b*gger all except stick the equine equivalent of two fingers up at their owners. If these horses were in a riding school doing 6hours a day for their living it might be a very different story.

Sweeping generalisation by the way so don't shoot me:cool:
Click to expand...

They don't stick their fingers up I don't think, maybe their owners can't manage them properly and then the poor horse gets the blame!!.... (some of the ads are highly amusing though....)
 
Some horses are, I'm sure. I keep horse on a riding school where the school horses are turned out every night all the year round and come in during the day to work. They are only rugged when absolutely necessary.

I'm sure my YO thinks I am a bit soft with mine as I bring mine in at night during the winter and sometimes even use stable rugs!

I won't skimp on tack, farrier visits, vets or necessary feed - but i really don't worry about anything else.

However, if somebody else wants to indulge themselves and their horse, as long as they aren't killing it with kindness, good luck to them!
 
K27 said:
maybe their owners can't manage them properly
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Yes, you are right... but don't get me started on the owners! I would get all of them down the riding school too to learn old fashioned horsemanship from somebody with a voice like a fog horn who could spot you leading horse incorrectly five miles away :D.
 
yup, mine are pampered. Not to the point of being fat or rigged up in unnesessary tack, but more rugs than they need, whispered good night, groomed and petted loads and chatted at with sweet nothings while we ride! I don't think it does them any harm what so ever though, neither has turned around to me yet and complained at the regular wardrobe changes!
(btw, I don't consider 6 monthly saddle checks and the physio out regularly to be pampering - I wouldn't work with a bad back or if I was uncomfortable and I don't expect them to either!)
 
As someone who has just moved to full livery from only ever having the horse on DIY livery in my adult life - it does actually also sound so much worse written down!

Mine doesn't get much fuss (and definitely not too many rugs, I actually need to stop my yard putting one on her) but as soon as I start explaining it suddenly sounds like I'm a nightmare owner just because I want to make sure her bed always has banks (I'm not running the risk of her being cast, thanks!) and wanting special attention paid to her feet now she's getting some grass (lami sufferer). If you're the one doing it it's just common sense and part of the daily chores, but explaining it all make you sound paranoid! Equally, if all you have to do is go down and ride it can feel really, really weird not having more to do, and I can imagine that creates more impetus to mess around!

Generally though, I completely agree with all your sentiments - I just dread to think what ends up written in the yard diary after some of my perfectly sensible emails of instructions about her feed!

I could also do with a foghorn instructor again.
 
OWLIE185 said:
Todays horses are not ridden out enough.
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clipped out and over fed!

I see it all of the time.

We all love our horses but there is the saying "killing with kindness"

I know one person who stables his horse 24/7, clips it out, over rugs in the stable, doesnt ride, and feeds every conditioning feed under the sun in huge amounts. Then sells it on because it is "too much for him to handle" and goes to another dealer and gets a new one!!


He loves his horse and no expense is spared and he does all of the above because he believes that this is the best thing for them! He gets very upset and wonders why he can not find the "right" horse.
 
I don't presume to tell people how they should treat their own horse. As long as the horse has his basic requirements met, I see no reason to be bothered why owners choose to do things the way they do. I really really don't "get" people like the ones OP describes, but that doesn't mean I dislike them - they just have a different view on horses than I do.

Personally I prefer horses to be allowed to be horses, than to be wrapped up in cotton wool and treated like house pets - they may be "pets" to us in the literal sense but actually they are still, essentially, wild animals. I think it's better for a horse's psychological wellbeing if they live a more "horsy" life. I like them to live out as much as possible, to be left furry in the winter, to only have rugs when the weather's really bad (and by that I don't mean 6 degrees or a bit of wind or half a morning's drizzle!) - in general, to live a more natural lifestyle.

That being said, I do also believe that some horses are much "softer" than others, and are genuinely happier with these "pampered" lifestyles than being left to rough it ;)
 
I suppose if it doesn't damage the horses welfare (ie, I won't turn out in case he gets kicked/cold etc etc :rolleyes:) then it doesn't bother me.

Phil lives out. He had a handful of hi-fi lite with his lami-lite through winter. He has a chaser clip and lived in a standard neck m/w (200g) from November, through all the snow, until march. He is ridden in a cavesson bridle with a loose ring, lozenge snaffle and saddle. Only wears brushing boots when on the road, and only because they are hi-viz. He wears a numnah occasionally, but can be ridden without. Gets his jabs, physio, vet for vaccinations and dentist when needed. I think he's pretty happy and healthy and thats what matters to me :)
 
I'd say that most horses are too pampered yes, but I think a lot of that has to do with marketing, most newer horse owners are made to feel terrible if they don't have the warmest rugs, feed specific supplements etc etc.

I was brought up in the days when only hard working horses (and hard working is probably a whole different ball game to today's version!) were rugged and clipped, and those rugs were blooming hard work, so heavy and cumbersome. Most feeds were straights you mixed yourself, so more time and effort involved; but the smell of barley boiling was lovely! Nowadays we just open a sack and ta-da! Instant gratification. So in general it has become easier to pamper our horses. I hate to see horses over rugged and stabled unnecessarily too, but I am guilty of sticking a rug on a native that is a complete wuss in cold wet weather! I also have to be quite hard though, no overfeeding or access to hardly any grass, so it is my one weakness. :o
 
im one of those people
because my mare is a stress head; and is hard to handle and ride
thats why everything has to be done meticulously... and almost obsessively to keep her sane.. people may think im mad, but im so paranoid about her injuring either herself or others if she isnt looked after exactly the same as i look after her; in the same routine....

yes she is pampered; boots on for turnout, boots on the walker, rugged up most of the time; and i would wrap her in bubble wrap if i could because i love her so much and cant bare anything to happen to her!!

x
 
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