Do horses 'go to waste' if not ridden

Inthesticks

Inthesticks

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I constantly see threads on forum's about horses being sold because they are going to waste in their current home, or people saying their horses are going to waste just because they are not riding them very often (as life gets in the way).

Do you think horses can 'going to waste'?

Is it not ok as long as they have their needs are met with food, water, vet when required and feet attended to..attention when required etc?

I cant imagine horses know or care if they are 'going to waste'?

Any thoughts?
 
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Just an excuse in my opinion.

Or, too talented for current owner.

If you like the horse it doesn't matter how talented it is, the horse doesn't know it's talented.

If the horse is bored and doing it's nut, that's another thing but too talented or 'going to waste'. I think not.
 
I saw an ad the other day that made me think exactly this. 16yo half lame shire cross being sold as a light hack, for sale as he's "going to waste with current owner" and they're "not doing him justice" :rolleyes:
 
They have no idea, they are not aware of talent they are just a horse. As long as fed watered and feet etc done as required they will ask for nothing- well mine would be ok until winter then he would ask for stable too!
I have only ridden my lad once in last 6 weeks as been ill with glandular fever and he hasn't cared if anything he has enjoyed his holiday. And would be happy to never be ridden again- unfortunately that won't be happening!
 
To be true, given the money and effort we pour into our horses I think if they are not doing what they were purchased for then they are being wasted.

It is a purely personal thing though, if merely having them makes you, their 'keeper' happy then it really doesn't matter whether they do anything or not.

I have some cracking colts at the moment, all bred to do a job, they'll be excellent cowhorses, ropers, reiners, gamers or just plain useful, sensible trail horses ... I ride once in a blue moon, if I kept them then they would be wasted and certainly not earning their keep.

I realise that I am in the minority in that my horses are expected to earn their keep, one way or another, they are not my hobby, they are my livlihood, I have a couple of freeloaders but they have earned that privilege.

:)
 
No. I think unless a horse is owned & ridden by someone capable of maximizing its full potential it will be wasted in one way or another. So every riding school horse, first pony etc is wasted by those standards. My 14.2 reached a level bs where the striding became an issue in seniors, I hardly think she regrets she wasn't sold to a junior to do ja on where she would have been a star & fufilled her potential. Even if they didn't win at that level, most horses if trained & ridden by the like of Carl hester could compete advanced bd, but nobody would call a medium schoolmaster wasted. So if some horses are wasted it follows the majority are, which sounds like rubbish to me.
Now my 14.2 is older I wouldn't want to turn her away (unless injured etc) as I think the fact she is worked contributes a lot to the fact at 23 she has no signs of age or stiffness. So if I couldn't ride her I would find someone else to rather than turning away.
 
Inthesticks said:
I constantly see threads on forum's about horses being sold because they are going to waste in their current home, or people saying their horses are going to waste just because they are not riding them very often (as life gets in the way).

Do you think horses can 'going to waste'?

Is it not ok as long as they have their needs are met with food, water, vet when required and feet attended to..attention when required etc?

I cant imagine horses know or care if they are 'going to waste'?

Any thoughts?
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We have one who will be sold as will be wasted on us. He moves stunningly and is out of succesful parents. Love him to pieces but he has oodles more talent than either of us!

We have others though who are true field ornaments and aren't going to waste. Range of ages, some could work but don't others can't. They are all in herds where they work each other and keep each other fit. These aren't particularly going to waste as aren't dripping in talent and are more than happy being feral :D

Pan
 
TBH I think it depends on several circumstances, but IMO a healthy, sound horse that isn't worked in any way, isn't going to have the muscle tone of a regularly exercised horse, so may be more prone to sustaining injuries in the field. An unridden horse is more likely to be left ungroomed for longer and may develop more skin problems, and be bothered more by flies, etc.

I would also suggest that a horse that is kept in a relatively small field (eg 1 to 2 acres) without mental stimulus is more likely to get itself into mischief and injure itself, compared to one who is in a regular routine, and has regular exercise and knows its field is its eating and relaxing time.

(I'm basing this theory on the behaviour of my own and other horses I know! :D)


However, as long as the horse has access to good forage, water, shelter and is basically cared for, feet regularly done, etc, then I'm sure there will be no complaints from the horse!
 
I hope not. I had so many plans for this summer but between irritating circumstances, the weather (no surface so fitness / jump training isn't the easiest) and my sodding land rover dying every other week, actually getting out to compete is a bloody nightmare :mad:
 
ItsAllPoppyCock said:
I think it's true to say that some horses cannot just be left, some are too clever and need a job to do but no, I don't believe they can 'go to waste'. Like I said get bored and be a s*1t, yes - Go to waste, no.
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This describes my boy Kal . . . without work he gets bored and is a nightmare . . . plus with this Navicular diagnosis work is the best thing for him . . . but, yes, I wouldn't say he was wasted if he didn't work . . . just not necessarily as happy as he could be.

P
 
I think some horses are 'wasted' as field ornaments...of course most horses are happy being fed, watered and having company but there are definately those that need/are happier in regular work.
I guess its personal preference, some people have the room and inclination just to keep a horse and are happy with it to just sit in a field. Personally I would always want a horse of mine to be fulfilling a 'role'. I guess part of its because I'm so ambitious and competitive, whatever I do in life I try to improve and be the best and I guess that attitude extends to horses in the fact that if the horse has the potential to go on and compete etc. at a high level then in a certain sense it is being wasted if its just sat in a field, although of course I agree that the horse, in most cases, probably couldn't care less!
 
Horses don't have ambitions and I'm sure the majority are happiest when they're doing what they've been designed to do - eat, have a wander for more to eat, doze and sleep :)
 
Not riding a horse is not wasting it. However not riding a horse that is healthy enough and old enough to be ridden has knock on issues. Firstly should the owner need to sell it is harder to find a home for it so the prospects for that horse may not be so good as one that is ridden. Secondly the bond you get with a horse that you can ride is somehow stronger for the shared experience of riding. Missing out on this will not bother the horse but it for some but not all owners they will miss out and may feel it is a waste for that horse not to be in a home where they will be used for riding especially if it is sane and sensible or would be amazingly good at a particular role. Thirdly not being ridden for some horses means fewer checks on its well being.

This is not the case with all non ridden horses but can be with some.
 
I think if a horse is worth a lot of money and very talented, it is going to waste, so to speak, sat in a field and the owner would be better off finding it a home where it will be in work.. But if owner is happy having an expensive lawn mower then who am i to judge?
 
I 've been thinking about this a lot recently as a pony at my yard is, imho, going to waste. Do horses get bored ? Do they feel jealous because their neighbour gets all the attention ?? Hmmmmm. I don't know, just keep out of it. Such a crying shame tho. :(
 
Couldn't really say as each of my 5 are all individals and they seem to go their own ways when grazing, but they do enjoy their me time when I groom them. From the 2 mares that aren't ridden, to the 2 boys who get ridden when we have the time to my youngster of 13 months, (could you say a youngster is wasted).
 
I'm just enjoying messing around with Alf at the moment. I've not ridden him much since he arrived - mainly because I felt he needed a holiday, and also because he is taking a while to settle in. I don't feel he's being wasted because he's a field ornament at the moment. I've got him booked in for a full investigation into his hind leg stiffness, and although he's sound, I don't feel entirely comfortable working him until I know what the score is. I'm happy for him to chill out in the field (now that he has given up being a prat and IS actually chilling out-touches wood!). There's plenty of time ahead for me to do stuff with him - I'm just not in a rush at the moment. He's just remembering what it's like to be a horse at the moment, so its time well spent.

DYING to ride him though!
 
None of us dispute that horse are fight or flight animals....they're also eat and s**t animals!

As long as they're happy and well looked after they don't bloody care if they could be doing Prix St George with Carl Hester or playing chase me Charlie in the field over home made jumps.

However I do believe that some horses can be affected mentally by a sudden change in workload, and (a bit like some people) need to be in constant work to keep them satisfied. But that doesn't mean going out to competitions every weekend, it just means being ridden and getting the attention they need every day.

I don't think any horse is ever "wasted" as long as it is loved and cared for how it deserves to be.
 
ItsAllPoppyCock said:
I think it's true to say that some horses cannot just be left, some are too clever and need a job to do but no, I don't believe they can 'go to waste'. Like I said get bored and be a s*1t, yes - Go to waste, no.
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I think that's about the situation. BH is proving absolutely awful at being left. He's miserable not working and watching me do stuff with the other one.
 
I have long term health issues so my horses can go several weeks doing nothing or can do light work when I feel well and in a particularly good patch they may build up and get out to do some low level BD. I felt guilty during the periods they did nothing when I had them on livery stabled at night with limited turnout. Now they live out 24/7 I dont feel so bad when they are doing nothing. They do seem to really enjoy being tacked up and taken for a hack and my exracer in particular is much happier when in work. I don't feel they are wasted because they are not in regular work but I do worry about the negative impact it has on their health, suppleness and mental well being. Having them livig out 24/7 at home allows me to give them more attention and even when I am unwell I'm usually able to fuss over and groom them for even a short time everyday which I think they enjoy.
 
I guess a horse can be 'wasted' in our eyes if it is not being used to its full potential, but I imagine that can be said of a lot of horses. Provided a horse is happy and adequately provided for then I don't think there is any problem with them being unused! Unless it is particularly detrimental to their welfare for reasons of their mentality or because work is largely beneficial to their health.

No doubt many people would say our horses and ponies are wasted but I think they are happy. I know full well that my horse would rather be left grazing than do any work (and she is the most 'wasted' of all).
 
What's wrong with just owning a horse or two if you just love them?

There's no law to say the horse MUST be ridden or worked...

As long as they are well-cared for and give the owner pleasure, who gives a chuff if they aren't getting out and about?
 
I'm told regularly that my mare is "wasted" with me as she is very talented and even if i do say so myself is very nice to look at (if you like coloured WB's), I happy hack once a fortnight if i feel like it, if I don't, I don't, I do lunge or long rein regular as she has a tendancy to be a fat lump. I see her twice a day every day, she gets everything she needs and I spend lots of time grooming, making a fuss, just owning her really and I have absolutely no intention whatsoever of selling her.

So far as i'm concerned she really doesn't care about tootling around doing her own thing and she never hots up if not ridden for 2 weeks or 6 weeks, she's exactly the same when I get back on.
 
My fantastically schooled and fit horse went on a summer holiday from college then caught strangles so was off from June until Jan and I rode about 5 times maybe (the field she was liverying I'n was miles away from the yard). Yes she lost all her muscle and other from pootling
round the field bareback she maintained her schooling really well. Yes the muscle needed building up and she was unfit but she hadn't forgotten anything.
 
Of course not!
I think people would do far better being worried about horses which are condemned (and I use that word deliberately) to living alone than bothering about whether someone else rides their own horse or not.
We have a 30 yr old cob who the farrier compliments on her lack of stiffness but she retired 5 yrs ago after a week-long bout of colic which it took her months to get over. I kept a mare for about 12 yrs whose only job was to be a companion to those who were left at home.
 
I actually currently have a young mare for sale, she is 6 and was intended as a broodmare but didn't mature until she was 5. I have decided not to breed for a while and I really do think she will "go to waste" if not backed and ridden until she is 8 or more years of age. She is a lovely girl, pure TB, but out of all my horses, she truly does need to be doing something and I don't ride. So yes, I have put going to waste in my ad, as I really do feel she is. As for whether she cares, no, she doesn't - she is happy plodding about the field with the other horses - but she is also very happy when asked to do something like lunging etc, she really enjoys it. I would love to see her as a useful competitive horse for a teen.
 
I have several that are happily 'going to waste', they live in their herd and generally only have to look pretty and seem content with their lot. Out of all of them there is one who is an equine genius and is smarter than most people but unfortuately on 12 hands so we are constantly on the look out for a small rider with a sense of humour. He should have really been palamino and in a circus so in between paymates he spends his time getting into trouble and annoying his field mates.
 
I didn't used to think so but I do wonder since getting my horse aged 12. He had had a really nice home for the previous 6 years, doing light work, but had little muscle tone and was just an ordinary bay horse. Now fit and competing regularly, he looks like a different horse and looking back, it was as if he was switched off. Now, after 2 1/2 years work, he is remembering things like canter pirouette, his balance is much better and his legs are better too, as I stretch him before I ride, and they used to be all cracky and crunchy but not now. He appears to enjoy competing and hacking, but I dare say he was happy enough before too, as he had plenty of company and turnout.
 
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