do you check your horse twice a day

MerrySherryRider said:
The twice-a-day-or-else-you-shouldn't-have-them mob don't seem to take into account several factors.

If I kept my horses in a private field without others owners and staff around, a couple of 5/10 minute daily checks would not be sufficient.

The owner who arrives once a day, spends several hours with her horses and keeps them on a well run yard with on site YO is more likely to be able to point out every bump on their horse than the twice a day owner who waves at her horses across the field.

This thread is so full of rubbish. Quality of total care, environment, hands on interaction and involvement is better than a couple of quick checks from the gate.

Perhaps some of the bullish twice a day people should change their livery yard and move to a yard with experienced staff and responsible fellow liveries, then they wouldn't be so quick to condemn other people's management.
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^^^this^^^
 
Faracat said:
I think Moomin works in animal welfare, so I wouldn't dismiss their comments so flippantly.
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Respect where it's due....

however, that does not give her the right to assume that my horses are neglected because I don't follow her ideal.

And I am replying like for like btw...I hope she's not so quick to judge when she's working!
 
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julie111 said:
That doesn't mean much, some of these welfare organisations are totally useless!
It is very offensive to say people who see their horses once a day are neglecting them or shouldn't own them, absolutely ridiculous!!
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Agree
 
MerrySherryRider said:
The twice-a-day-or-else-you-shouldn't-have-them mob don't seem to take into account several factors.

If I kept my horses in a private field without others owners and staff around, a couple of 5/10 minute daily checks would not be sufficient.

The owner who arrives once a day, spends several hours with her horses and keeps them on a well run yard with on site YO is more likely to be able to point out every bump on their horse than the twice a day owner who waves at her horses across the field.

This thread is so full of rubbish. Quality of total care, environment, hands on interaction and involvement is better than a couple of quick checks from the gate.

Perhaps some of the bullish twice a day people should change their livery yard and move to a yard with experienced staff and responsible fellow liveries, then they wouldn't be so quick to condemn other people's management.
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Absolutely! My yard is very good, we all know each others horses and get on well together. Our YO keeps an eye on things. My field neighbour casts her eye over my horse and vice versa. In fact, we all watch out for others's horses, its just the way it is and its because we love horses! And we are a fairly big yard. I go up once a day. And I will continue to do so as he is out 24/7. In the winter he is turned out for me, so I still go up once a day. My horse is happy and healthy.

And as far as I am concerned its no one else business how I manage my horse. So you can blow it out of your judgemental rear ends!! 😛 :p
 
MerrySherryRider said:
The twice-a-day-or-else-you-shouldn't-have-them mob don't seem to take into account several factors.

If I kept my horses in a private field without others owners and staff around, a couple of 5/10 minute daily checks would not be sufficient.

The owner who arrives once a day, spends several hours with her horses and keeps them on a well run yard with on site YO is more likely to be able to point out every bump on their horse than the twice a day owner who waves at her horses across the field.

This thread is so full of rubbish. Quality of total care, environment, hands on interaction and involvement is better than a couple of quick checks from the gate.

Perhaps some of the bullish twice a day people should change their livery yard and move to a yard with experienced staff and responsible fellow liveries, then they wouldn't be so quick to condemn other people's management.
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A little more direct than I've have said, :D, but yes. Very much agree.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
I don't see this thread from the same point of view as others seem to, ie the question of once a day versus twice a day checks. I see another question which is what's the alternative if once a day checks were theoretically banned? Most horses seem to me to have an ok-to-brilliant (depending on who their owner is) standard of care even if only checked once daily. If the attitude of 'if you can't manage to check twice daily either yourself or a designated person then you shouldn't have a horse' became law, that would be a lot of people giving up horses. Where would they all go? To slaughter or PTS I suspect, since the UK is already over run with horses nobody wants. I don't think the majority of these horses with their ok-to-brilliant lives and their once daily checks would prefer to be dead.

To answer the title question I'm currently a twice daily checker but have in the past been a once daily person and its likely I will be again at some point in the future.
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You're assuming that we don't check more than once because we don't care about our horses....
If it became law that all horses needed checking 10 times a day then that's what I would do....but it isn't and I don't because I am confident that my horses are ok as they are.

I wonder if the same could be said about stabled horses....I mean, they are living a very unnatural life...should their owners be seeing to them multiple times a day to make sure they have enough forage, enough stimulation, aren't standing in their own poo and pee for too long, blah, blah, blah...is twice a day enough? Is it neglectful?
:p
 
Serephin said:
And as far as I am concerned its no one else business how I manage my horse. So you can blow it out of your judgemental rear ends!! 😛 :p
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As I have stated many times, my problem is when there is no yard owner, nor designated horse-aware person doing the second check. I also have a problem with fellow DIYers' taking the pi** and assuming someone else will always check their horse and let them know if there's something wrong. As someone pointed out earlier on this thread, this often happens and it is not in any way, shape or form, fair. Most of those who do this kind of 'checking by proxy' I wouldn't trust to look after a dead hamster.

I generally cast an eye over everyone else's horses every time I go up, simply because I love the creatures. If something's wrong I will try to do what I can to help: replace a slipped rug, find a lost grazing muzzle, call the YO or the owner if it's more serious. But I have never expected anyone to do that for me. It would be appreciated, but to me, it's my job to look after my own horse.

It's also interesting to note that most of the more aggressive, defensive posts on here are by the 'once-a-day-is-fine' members.

Touch a nerve, did we? :p
 
nope it is the garbage spouted that annoys.
My ponies next week will have two checks the bulk of next week by the girl who rides and by me never a day goes by but I see my horses once per day I am on a course next week so will check at night the rider works from 2 til 10 so she will ride groom and check them in the morning but that is unusual.
Being defensive when attacked by self righteous no it alls is the only way you can defend what you know is right
 
windand rain said:
nope it is the garbage spouted that annoys.
My ponies next week will have two checks the bulk of next week by the girl who rides and by me never a day goes by but I see my horses once per day I am on a course next week so will check at night the rider works from 2 til 10 so she will ride groom and check them in the morning but that is unusual.
Being defensive when attacked by self righteous no it alls is the only way you can defend what you know is right
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It would help your argument if you could type in coherent English.
 
Some of the more aggressive and downright rude posts have been made by the self righteous twice-a-day-is-the-only-way posters, hence my annoyance.

As it happens, I usually check mine twice a day when out at grass. Sometimes it's 3 times, and sometimes, I stay all day. But in some circumstances, in my opinion, one trip is perfectly fine.

I absolutely refute the accusation that I 'can't be arsed' or take the p** out of other owners on those days when I make one trip. My whole day fits around my horses. They are my priority every day of the year. Even when I've had to leave without notice to deal with an urgent family emergency, I either make arrangements for the horses or go to extraordinary lengths to do them myself.

To suggest otherwise is extremely offensive.
 
MerrySherryRider said:
Some of the more aggressive and downright rude posts have been made by the self righteous twice-a-day-is-the-only-way posters, hence my annoyance.

As it happens, I usually check mine twice a day when out at grass. Sometimes it's 3 times, and sometimes, I stay all day. But in some circumstances, in my opinion, one trip is perfectly fine.

I absolutely refute the accusation that I 'can't be arsed' or take the p** out of other owners on those days when I make one trip. My whole day fits around my horses. They are my priority every day of the year. Even when I've had to leave without notice to deal with an urgent family emergency, I either make arrangements for the horses or go to extraordinary lengths to do them myself.

To suggest otherwise is extremely offensive.
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Good for you, MSR. Good luck with your horses and they with you.
 
It is apparent that either side of the argument are unlikely to agree with the other. I do hope that the most important thing in the minds of both is the on going welfare of their horses and any compromises that have to be made are for the benefit of the horse and not the owners convenience. Either way as long as the horses welfare needs are met I would be happy, sadly the freedom to be a horse is the one most ignored and to me is one of the most important. Along side being fed appropriately having constant clean water, the law states they must have the freedom to behave like a horse and to interact as a herd animal and to have the choice of appropriate shelter and protection from the weather.
Just maybe we should all be more aware of the welfare needs of horses and actually abide by the law
 
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MerrySherryRider said:
The twice-a-day-or-else-you-shouldn't-have-them mob don't seem to take into account several factors.

If I kept my horses in a private field without others owners and staff around, a couple of 5/10 minute daily checks would not be sufficient.

The owner who arrives once a day, spends several hours with her horses and keeps them on a well run yard with on site YO is more likely to be able to point out every bump on their horse than the twice a day owner who waves at her horses across the field.

This thread is so full of rubbish. Quality of total care, environment, hands on interaction and involvement is better than a couple of quick checks from the
Perhaps some of the bullish twice a day people should change their livery yard and move to a yard with experienced staff and responsible fellow liveries, then they wouldn't be so quick to condemn other people's management.
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I don't need to move yards thank you my horses are at my home .
And no one has said as far as I can remember that it has to be the owner but it has IMO to be more than others looking out for each other it has to be twice a day caught rugs off and checked properly .
However I am responsible for my horses , I know and accept that all horses can't have the lifestyle mine have .
 
Goldenstar said:
I don't need to move yards thank you my horses are at my home .
And no one has said as far as I can remember that it has to be the owner but it has IMO to be more than others looking out for each other it has to be twice a day caught rugs off and checked properly .
However I am responsible for my horses , I know and accept that all horses can't have the lifestyle mine have .
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You would be hard pushed to find many owners who, no matter how many times they visit, would do a full rugs off check, even once a day. People often have different standards and the standard of some of the multiple checks can be pretty low
 
windand rain said:
You would be hard pushed to find many owners who, no matter how many times they visit, would do a full rugs off check, even once a day. People often have different standards and the standard of some of the multiple checks can be pretty low
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But you see that matters little to me I am responsible for my horses not anyone else's .
Thankfully .
 
I too am very happy with accepting my responsibilities as a pony owner and I try my very best to give them a happy and contented life with the very best of everything they need. So I guess we are singing from a similar hymn sheet. This is why I rent land and mostly keep myself to myself where I can keep things the way I want them without having to follow livery rules
 
Goldenstar said:
I don't need to move yards thank you my horses are at my home .
And no one has said as far as I can remember that it has to be the owner but it has IMO to be more than others looking out for each other it has to be twice a day caught rugs off and checked properly .
However I am responsible for my horses , I know and accept that all horses can't have the lifestyle mine have .
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I have chosen not to have mine at home as I'm not in a position to have or want the number of companions and extensive facilities they have at a livery yard, so for me, they have a lifestyle that is perfect for them.

Once a day checks are fine on particular days. Designated person to 'cover' me is not needed. I just avoid liverying with idiots.
 
MerrySherryRider said:
I'm wondering what sort of yard those who feel they are the only ones who will check their horses are on.
It can't be one with an excellent YO and a great community of owners who feel responsibility goes beyond their own horses.
I'd hate to be on a yard like that in case something happened to my two between visits.
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This is what I'm thinking. I don't have any formal agreements, or even any verbal that I am aware of, where someone on the yard will officially check my horse. I do however know for certain that I am on a yard that everyone looks out for each other. I know that if I was down checking my horse, I would be the type of person to bring in and call vets and owners should there be a problem with someone elses horse. I also know that my YO is around and pottering the yard and fields and will always be there to help. If a horse is loose whilst everyone is at work or school, she will catch or herd into a field nearby so they are safe - without any agreement. It is just the type of yard I am on.
 
dark_prince said:
I also know that my YO is around and pottering the yard and fields and will always be there to help. If a horse is loose whilst everyone is at work or school, she will catch or herd into a field nearby so they are safe - without any agreement. It is just the type of yard I am on.
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That's the YOs job. That's why you pay to be on a livery yard.
 
I resent that some of the people that only bother with their horses once a day claim that people that do multiple checks do them badly!

Just done bedtime checks. Nets that were put up at 7 were nearly empty so put more up, stupid boy had kicked his water trug over so refilled that. Poor ****** would have been without food and water for about 10 hours had I not done 4th check today...
 
Fides said:
I resent that some of the people that only bother with their horses once a day claim that people that do multiple checks do them badly!

Just done bedtime checks. Nets that were put up at 7 were nearly empty so put more up, stupid boy had kicked his water trug over so refilled that. Poor ****** would have been without food and water for about 10 hours had I not done 4th check today...
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That's the beauty of self filling water troughs and 24/7/365 grazing....no running out of either😎
 
MerrySherryRider said:
I have chosen not to have mine at home as I'm not in a position to have or want the number of companions and extensive facilities they have at a livery yard, so for me, they have a lifestyle that is perfect for them.

Once a day checks are fine on particular days. Designated person to 'cover' me is not needed. I just avoid liverying with idiots.
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There fine for you that never would be for me .
I would never accept my horses just being' looked 'at in passing .
A check has to be a proper check for me .
 
Spring Feather said:
I'm not! I bet they are terrified to say so on this thread now :biggrin3:

In the defence of Moomin, I do get exactly what she's saying. I honestly don't know how people can only check their horses twice a day let alone once. It would give me palpitations if mine went for hours without being checked.
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Doesnt it depend how far you live from the yard, and how observed your horses' fields are?

Spring Feather - your horses are at home - checking is easy. If you had to commute to work, and lived 15 minutes drive from the yard - would you really check your horses more than twice a day?

I am on a DIY yard, my horses are checked twice daily, but they are observed (live on a hill) by dog walkers, other liveries, the yard owner, a great many people turn around in the turning point above their field, and there are neighbouring grazing fields on three sides with complete visability into my fields. Everyone helps out. e.g. when fencing came down in another field - horses were rescued, and checked, and moved fields before owners came down.
 
bouncing_ball said:
Spring Feather - your horses are at home - checking is easy. If you had to commute to work, and lived 15 minutes drive from the yard - would you really check your horses more than twice a day?
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I just wouldn't put my horses in a position where they weren't being checked numerous times every single day I'm afraid. If I did not have horses at home then I would keep them at a livery yard WITH an onsite 24/7 experienced yard owner. However, even then, if I only had to drive 15 minutes from my home to see my horses then yes of course I would see them a minimum of twice a day, fully supervised yard or not.
 
Fides said:
I resent that some of the people that only bother with their horses once a day claim that people that do multiple checks do them badly!

Just done bedtime checks. Nets that were put up at 7 were nearly empty so put more up, stupid boy had kicked his water trug over so refilled that. Poor ****** would have been without food and water for about 10 hours had I not done 4th check today...
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If he knocks the water over now, he'll still be without water for 8-9 hours. Try securing the bucket with a tyre or a clip.

You could also ensure they have enough hay for the whole night. It isn't rocket science. Though when we have ours stabled, the YO's do night/morning checks for the yard. It's normal on a good yard.
 
dark_prince said:
This is what I'm thinking. I don't have any formal agreements, or even any verbal that I am aware of, where someone on the yard will officially check my horse. I do however know for certain that I am on a yard that everyone looks out for each other. I know that if I was down checking my horse, I would be the type of person to bring in and call vets and owners should there be a problem with someone elses horse. I also know that my YO is around and pottering the yard and fields and will always be there to help. If a horse is loose whilst everyone is at work or school, she will catch or herd into a field nearby so they are safe - without any agreement. It is just the type of yard I am on.
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My yard is like that, it's been a surprise to realise that some people stay on yards where other people can't be trusted not to turn a blind eye to their horse's companions.

I never feel put upon when I adjust another horse's rug in the field or bring one in to check for an abscess or stone trapped in a hoof. It seems a bit mean to begrudge the few moments it takes and its a chance to observe how the horses are in their free time. It's part and parcel of livery yard life.
 
I go up a minimum of twice a day, my mare is in hard work so is on 2 feeds a day, does nobody feed their horses once turned out? In the morning I feed my mare/change rugs going by wether on all 4, check water every time I'm up there. My pony is now in by day so check his pulses and stable him, only takes about 1/2 hr in the morning but has to be done. In the evening they all come in to be worked/feed etc so I'm up there for about 3 hrs in the afternoon after work. Yard is about 8 miles away from home but I wouldn't dream of only going up once a day unless I had a reliable person to check for me but tbh would rather do it myself.
 
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