do you check your horse twice a day

webble said:
What does the law class as reasonable time scales? Do they use the DEFRA 24rs at grass and twice a day stabled mentioned above? Also what classes as checking? eg topping up water and or hay and making sure there are still 4 legs and a tail?
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Checking would cover whether the horse:
"• has a suitable environment to live in
• has a healthy diet
• is able to behave normally
• has appropriate company; and
• is protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Breach of a provision of the Code is not an offence in itself, but if proceedings are brought against you for a welfare offence the Court will look at whether or not you have complied with the Code in deciding whether you have committed an offence."

For anyone wanting some bedtime reading, the Code is here http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/resources/000/263/388/PB13334.pdf

As Moomin said though, environmental factors and the animals themselves (eg mare about to foal) would play a part.
 
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Checking once a day is perfectly acceptable legally, although I prefer to come twice when they're out, with other responsible people around, sometimes it's not needed.

Poor care and neglect is entirely different and shouldn't be confused with the number of checks.

If it is custom and practice for other owners to check all horses in the field and take appropriate action, then visiting once a day is fine in usual circumstances.

No court would prosecute a livery for coming once daily.
 
MerrySherryRider said:
Checking once a day is perfectly acceptable legally, although I prefer to come twice when they're out, with other responsible people around, sometimes it's not needed.

Poor care and neglect is entirely different and shouldn't be confused with the number of checks.

If it is custom and practice for other owners to check all horses in the field and take appropriate action, then visiting once a day is fine in usual circumstances.

No court would prosecute a livery for coming once daily.
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They would, and have (trust me) if the needs of that horse weren't met as a result of someone not attending more than once in 24 hours.

As I said before, nobody can be prosecuted for simply attending only once in 24 hours, but if something happens whereby a horse suffers, and that suffering could have reasonably been prevented by someone attending more frequently, then yes, they can and do get prosecuted. It all depends on the circumstances in each individual case.

You are talking about someone else checking the horses in the meantime - yes, if someone is checking the horses in the meantime, then they haven't been left unattended for 24 hours have they? I am talking about nobody checking a horse within 24 hours.
 
My turn to get shot down . .

But to be honest, this thread has shocked me slightly - purely from the amount of people who are willing to let others assume responsibility for their horses by not checking them twice a day. As far as I am concerned, and as I was brought up if you have an animal then whatever else life throws at you, the come first. And yes that does mean that I get up at stupid o clock in the morning so that I can get the boys done and then to to work, and that tea for me and my partner is often ready close to 9pm because I do them on my way home as well.

It may be that there are others on your yard that you think are looking out for your horse(s), but tbh why should they? It's your animal and if they are looking out for yours all the time, do you not think that's a bit selfish and taking time from them that they could be spending with their own horse(s).
 
3OldPonies said:
My turn to get shot down . .

But to be honest, this thread has shocked me slightly - purely from the amount of people who are willing to let others assume responsibility for their horses by not checking them twice a day. As far as I am concerned, and as I was brought up if you have an animal then whatever else life throws at you, the come first. And yes that does mean that I get up at stupid o clock in the morning so that I can get the boys done and then to to work, and that tea for me and my partner is often ready close to 9pm because I do them on my way home as well.

It may be that there are others on your yard that you think are looking out for your horse(s), but tbh why should they? It's your animal and if they are looking out for yours all the time, do you not think that's a bit selfish and taking time from them that they could be spending with their own horse(s).
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An 'implied' agreement to check is certainly not good enough. It needs to be an actual agreement for the good of the horses.
 
3OldPonies said:
My turn to get shot down . .

But to be honest, this thread has shocked me slightly - purely from the amount of people who are willing to let others assume responsibility for their horses by not checking them twice a day. As far as I am concerned, and as I was brought up if you have an animal then whatever else life throws at you, the come first. And yes that does mean that I get up at stupid o clock in the morning so that I can get the boys done and then to to work, and that tea for me and my partner is often ready close to 9pm because I do them on my way home as well.

It may be that there are others on your yard that you think are looking out for your horse(s), but tbh why should they? It's your animal and if they are looking out for yours all the time, do you not think that's a bit selfish and taking time from them that they could be spending with their own horse(s).
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I'm not sure if this was aimed at me, but I did used to check mine once a day. As I've said earlier, I had an agreement with some other people whose horses were in the same field as mine that they would check my two in the morning and make sure the water trough was full and the fencing was fine, and when I came up in the afternoon, I would do the same. This worked out well as yes, it took some time to check the other horses in the field, but not to the extent it would to travel to the yard an extra time a day. It worked out well for everyone involved and meant that every horse was checked on at least twice a day, if not more. I didn't just expect people to check my horses, I talked it over with the other people in my field and a spoken, not implied, agreement was made.
 
Doormouse said:
That's completely fair enough if you are sharing a field and you check theirs to return the favour. Sorry, I wasn't really meaning to have a go at you its a very sore subject with me because every morning just at the moment my horses take 20 mins and then I spend another 30 mins sorting all the others out because I know their owners won't be up until the evening and I hate leaving them uncomfortable.
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As you run the yard can you not insist horses are attended to twice a day?

I live on the yard so not really relevant but you would be told if you didn't check your beast twice a day without prior arrangement with someone to do it for you :p.

Both I and the YO do late night checks and hay and poo pick our own in winter too though, I don't mind doing that for people noone is going to want to actively come down at that time but to check everyone ok/rugs attached/not colicing is so very worth it!
 
I'm a twice a day girl! :D sometimes one of those visits is by OH so it is just a head and legs all in the right direction kind of visit but 99% of the time it is me.
 
Doormouse said:
Thats all well and good that someone would have noticed and called you but what if it was an emergency and the horse needed to be got in and the vet called straight away. Why should someone else do that for your horses?

I have liveries that only come up once a day when their horses are out and it drives me mad. Fly masks are forever coming off and I hate seeing the horse looking unhappy because the mask is off so I go and put it back on, but by the time I've done several in the morning I am running late and don't have the time I wanted for mine. Why should I have to do that for people who can't be bothered to come up twice a day?
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You could go up six times a day and the emergency happen when you're not there.
 
I often check twice a day in summer. However they're checked by YO in the morning when she waters (they are on part livery) and then my field mate goes down around lunch time and checks, I go down mid afternoon to ride or groom, check fieldmate. They're then checked again in the evening around 6 by YO then last check at 11pm. Checks by YO are whether they're sound, eating and drinking properly. She also puts on rugs and feeds, puts on flymasks etc. Fieldmate check is a quick look for blood or excess flies, quick spray with fly spray etc. Then my check is hands on thorough.
 
magicmoose said:
Mine check me!!

As soon as I open the door to come out of the house, or pull up in the car, there they are. I would like to think that its because they love me, but I know that they are just hopeful of being fed!
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This applys to me when ever they see me they come to the field gate or call from the stable, they are at home and my husband would rather they didn't do that as it chews up the gateways but I don't know how to stop it. When I'm at home they get checked many times a day even if it's from the other side of the fence. When I go to work they are checked twice a day
 
When mine is out through the day I only check once unless I need to change rugs ect. However our YO lives on site & is good at making sure horses are well in owners absence. If she were in a field in the back if nowhere I would want to have her checked twice.
 
Twice a day.

Always go morning & evening (or late afternoon if winter).
Also poo-pick each time as only takes 10 extra mins - means I can also check the field boundaries twice daily too :)

I cast an eye over next doors as am there a good hour earlier than her on weekdays, she does the same look-over at mine too when she comes twice daily :)

I dont know of anyone going once a day, except those who are on livery.............
 
I bring my show ponies in every night so the cob who is companion comes in too. If they are not out he gets checked when I drive past my field but I wouldn't physically get out and check him.
 
equi said:
I bring my show ponies in every night so the cob who is companion comes in too. If they are not out he gets checked when I drive past my field but I wouldn't physically get out and check him.
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So he wouldn't even get checked properly once a day then?
 
Once a day here too. YO Lives on site and can see my ponies through her window. She checks them all at 5am when she gets up, and then is around all day before doing a final check late at night. Both liveries on either side of my field look out for my ponies, as I do theirs. Both of which tend to be up most of the day. I am up about 5pm till dark so they are watched, so to speak, the majority of the day. It would be a complete waste of my time to make a second trip. We all have each others vets numbers etc and would call a vet at the first sign of trouble. It works for us.
 
HaffiesRock said:
Once a day here too. YO Lives on site and can see my ponies through her window. She checks them all at 5am when she gets up, and then is around all day before doing a final check late at night. Both liveries on either side of my field look out for my ponies, as I do theirs. Both of which tend to be up most of the day. I am up about 5pm till dark so they are watched, so to speak, the majority of the day. It would be a complete waste of my time to make a second trip. We all have each others vets numbers etc and would call a vet at the first sign of trouble. It works for us.
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That's different though - your horse isn't getting checked once a day. It's getting checked numerous times a day by arrangement. :-)
 
My TB I used to check twice a day when he was out 24/7 as he was, well, a typical tb and could injure himself in a padded cell.

My hardy native I can get away with once a day, in fact she's on full grass livery so the yard keep an eye on her during the week and I only see her at weekends.
 
Dizzle said:
My TB I used to check twice a day when he was out 24/7 as he was, well, a typical tb and could injure himself in a padded cell.

My hardy native I can get away with once a day, in fact she's on full grass livery so the yard keep an eye on her during the week and I only see her at weekends.
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So is your hardy native exempt from illness and injury?
 
I go twice a day but still didn't stop mine from having colic while I wasn't there. If you go twice and spend a couple of hours theres still 22 hrs you are not there
 
I always check twice a day, including checking for digital pulses or footiness at this time of year. In my experience it is easy to miss things like the start of laminitis if you just glance at them in a field making sure they have four legs. Last year my neighbours elderly horse was laid down on the morning, which wasn't unusual as he often had a nap, but he lifted his head and looked at me, I went over to check him and the poor lad had been stuck there all night unable to get up. I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't gone over.
 
Penny Less said:
I go twice a day but still didn't stop mine from having colic while I wasn't there. If you go twice and spend a couple of hours theres still 22 hrs you are not there
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Yes but there's less time between visits in which your horse is potentially left suffering.
 
The one time I tried going once (literally one day) I went the next day to find one lame and one injured. It's just not worth the risk, for me. I'd never forgive myself if something drastic happened and I could potentially have prevented it by being there. I always go twice or arrange cover - I would never expect other people to "see if my horse is ok" if I haven't specifically agreed it with them.
 
Who's more at risk ?

Horses on rented land and seen twice a day by the owner, or horses on a livery yard with an on site YO and other liveries but checked by owner once a day ?

Additionally, while a 2 brief checks are good, spending 2-3 hours during one visit while working with your horses, tells you far more.

If the threat of prosecution was aimed at owners who only visit once, it could be argued that the number of checks would tell you very little about the quality of care, particularly when some owners idea of a check is a glance at the field from the yard whilst clutching a coffee.
 
MerrySherryRider said:
Who's more at risk ?

Horses on rented land and seen twice a day by the owner, or horses on a livery yard with an on site YO and other liveries but checked by owner once a day ?

Additionally, while a 2 brief checks are good, spending 2-3 hours during one visit while working with your horses, tells you far more.

If the threat of prosecution was aimed at owners who only visit once, it could be argued that the number of checks would tell you very little about the quality of care, particularly when some owners idea of a check is a glance at the field from the yard whilst clutching a coffee.
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But a livery owner who is checking horse throughout the day by arrangement does not constitute a horse being checked once per day. I am talking about horses who are ONLY checked once per day.

Of course the quality of the checks matter. As does the frequency. Neither are exclusive - an owner should ensure their horses are being checked properly, and as frequently as possible.
 
Mine live out 24/7 I spend about 4 hours per morning with them every morning regardless of weather and circumstances but they are on rented land with a landowner on site. He know nothing about horses but if he chanced to see blood or them in difficulties he would phone me. Horsey neighbours also cast and eye over them and break ice if needed just as I do for theirs. So mine are visited once a day but I spend a lot of time with them in direct contact with them. If they were nearer I would visit lots of times when I walk the dog but they are 10 miles away so not really within walking distance
 
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