Big Fat Horsecare course

Miss L Toe

Miss L Toe

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A horsecare course for travellers, sounds like a good idea, except that any change in their ideas of welfare are likely to be ignored as "our culture cannot be altered".
Does anyone really think that they will stop driving ponies at speed on public roads because of a course they once went on?
 
I think it is very unfair to suggest that only travellers need a horse care course - I come across many so called experienced riders who would benefit from one! I think everyone should do the BHS Horseowners certificates before they are allowed to buy a horse.
 
Cheap and easily available horse-care courses for anyone, sounds like a good idea.

Horse-care courses aimed purely at travellers just sounds like biggotry.
 
I agree its not fair to lump all travellers together. Some care for their horses well, some bad like the rest of the horse world. I wouldn't really want mine tethering but then again I'd prefer it to being stabled for 22 hours a day. The broodmares near me belonging to them do have a foal every year up till they're too old but otherwise are perfectly well cared for. Happier life than a lot of horses near me have. And do you really see anyone cruel enrolling on it?
 
If any one thinks forcing people to get a piece of paper will solve well fare issues they had better get back to the drawing board.
 
Reading the article, this line jumped out at me

"Education is a major priority and it’s important the industry includes everybody in this.”

Yet the initiative singles out one particular group, not very inclusive imo.
 
Miss L Toe said:
A horsecare course for travellers, sounds like a good idea, except that any change in their ideas of welfare are likely to be ignored as "our culture cannot be altered".
Does anyone really think that they will stop driving ponies at speed on public roads because of a course they once went on?
Click to expand...

I am interested by your comment driving ponies at speed on public roads and curious about what you mean by that do you mean illegal road races or are you saying people travellers and others should not be trotting their horses and ponies on the road in carriages.
I do horse driving trials and when we get the horse fit we trot on the road it easier for the horse than grass as the carriage runs along much easier my horse trots happily at about 12 kms an hour at the moment would you consider that at speed? as the horse fittens we drive more and more on grass which is hard work for them .
What's the difference between that and trotting on the road ridden should that be stopped as well .
I am not being argumentative just trying to show how difficult it is to be
Prescriptive with what people do.
 
Sorry but for me so many of the travellers horses ae better looked after than a lot of others. Yes they are tethered, but they aren't locked up in a 12x12 stable all day, over fed, then pulled out and expectedto perform while hopelessly overweight and un fit are they?
Maybe a course aimed at ALL would be a good idea, although not run by the BHS, as I have very little time for the horse owner certificate.
 
Goldenstar said:
I am interested by your comment driving ponies at speed on public roads and curious about what you mean by that do you mean illegal road races or are you saying people travellers and others should not be trotting their horses and ponies on the road in carriages.
I do horse driving trials and when we get the horse fit we trot on the road it easier for the horse than grass as the carriage runs along much easier my horse trots happily at about 12 kms an hour at the moment would you consider that at speed? as the horse fittens we drive more and more on grass which is hard work for them .
What's the difference between that and trotting on the road ridden should that be stopped as well .
I am not being argumentative just trying to show how difficult it is to be
Prescriptive with what people do.
Click to expand...
I was thinking about illegal road racing, as for trotting on roads in general, fine if used as part of the fittening program, [obviously you don't need a horsecare course], but it can damage the legs and joints if overdone, most driving horses will happily go along at their own pace, they are using the hind legs for propulsion, so there should , in theory at lease , be less damage. One could speculate that almost any "work" will "damage" a horse, I know my boy would happily live in a nice field with his herd, only coming in to his stable to avoid cold and wet.
PS I find my horse goes much better on tarmac now he is barefoot.
 
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