Are there less horses about?

millikins

millikins

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As title. Sure I don't see as many out hacking, farrier said he'd lost between 20-30 last year due to natural wastage, the unsound ones pts rather than retired. Anyone know any reliable surveys done? I'm in a very leafy bit of Surrey, an area usually fairly insulated from rece:confused:ssion.
 
I am not sure, I lost my beloved horse suddenly last month and cannot afford another right away, well I could buy something but it wont be what I want.
i had heard that quite a few have been lost to colic around the area of late...
 
I think their are definitely less places to hack and I dont see many out and about as I use to round my way. We lost some of our hacking due to footpaths with barriers(where yes being naughty we did use to ride some of them.....as there were no barriers but due to officialdom etc those little gaps are lost). Ramblers did a good job.

Sometimes its not just busy roads that make it impossible its the bridges built for ramblers that use to be ditches round our way. I know it was wrong but since childhood we did sneak along them and noone batted an eyelid, now with so many people discovering their rights, fines etc etc all gone.

We have menage fever round our way too. Posh box and off to the show, a lot of people ride at home and box out.

Am sure I will get shot down but its true! Well thats my observation!
 
I'm in North Manchester and there are more horses than ever in our area... I think alot of the farmers are struggling so are converting their buildings into stables and having horses on their land.
 
My farrier has observed that a lot less people hack out these days and stick to the confines of their fields/schools.

There are still a lot of horses in our area but a lot are simply field ornaments / people don't ride for whatever reason and horses are generally becoming pets rather than being exercised to any great degree.

Not saying this is wrong but when I look at when I started riding (nearly 20 years ago eeep) horses were exercised and kept super fit whereas these days, a lot of them get minimal exercise and of course with roads being busier and faster, a lot of people are scared to go near them.
 
And my hay man has observed that less people are wanting hay, or not as much!

I think this is because prices shot up last year, and people have switched to haylage in part - I certainly have as it gives better feed value than hay and has reduced my hard feed need.

Also, on speaking to someone in the Hunt recently, they said they've been inundated with horses to be PTS this year, where old and infirm horses used to become companions, now people can't afford to do that.

So yes, I think maybe there are.
 
That's interesting. I'd agree about more people riding in schools especially, but surely not all the kids? Most of them seem to have vanished too!
 
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