Do you think a basic license should be needed for owning a horse?

[cumbriamax]

no cos I would have 8 to buy licence for LOL !!!!!!!

seriously tho I doubt it would make much difference unless people had to pass some sort of exam, it would also be a tax on the responsible law abiding owners (similar to passports).

Its difficult situation helping owners that are out of thier depth I have done it several times now but it is impossible to leglislate againstpeople being naive or stupid or simply human error.

 

[showqa]

Lot of good points, although of course the difference with dogs and cats is that you're unlikely to get seriously hurt if things go wrong! True, it could well be another stealth tax and yes, probably those that really need it would find a way of circumventing it anyway.

 

[only_me]

Everyone does realise that there is such a thing as a dog licence? costs £5 from council.

I think everyone should have a licence for competing, like they do in Germany.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Yes and no !!!!!

When I was on a livery yard a few years back a family moved onto the yard who had won a lot off money and moved. They brought a pony which was a 3 yr old newly broken nf pony and the parents had no idea at all. I mean they didn't even know how to put a headcollar on. The girl had a few lessons and mummy brought her a pony. The girl couldn't even tack up.

Now my disapointment was in the people who sold this pony to them, I would never ever sell mine to anybody I felt couldn't cope.

The pony was sold a few months later.

Yes I feel people shouldn't take on a horse without basic knowledge but that goes for ANY animal so I don't know how it would work tbh.

 

[Spudlet]

Enforcing qualifications for horse ownership - no
Encouraging them, perhaps with insurance discounts - I would be all for that

I think this is a good idea, although you'd have to make insurance compulsory for that to be really effective - although tbh I do think compulsory third party liability insurance for animal owners would not be a bad thing, and you would be pretty daft not to have it what with Mirvadey and the Animals Act 1971 anyway, but there is no shortage of daft people!

The issues with a compulsory exam or licence would be enforcement - who does it and who pays for it, and the contents of the training - given how many different approaches and opinions there are, how do you say one is best? Then there's the issue of 'grandfather rights' in implementing it - because to make it work EVERYONE would need one, even people who already have horses, as how do you prove you've have owned horses or been around horses for a certain length of time? Can you imagine the uproar on here if people were being tested on their knowledge? People get annoyed if someone questions them on this basically insignificant forum, never mind them being tested by DEFRA or similar to see if they were allowed to keep their horses!

 

[orionstar]

I'd extend it to kids!!!

Far to many people have them and haven't got a clue how to cater for them!

Ditto, I know more people who dont know how to look after their children than people who cant look after their horse. On a similar note, my sister sent her boyfriend to the tackshop for a bag of baileys outshine and he came back with two bags of own brand course mix????? still confused as to how they are remotely related.

 

[stroppy]

No and I'm also sick of people sticking their noses into other business!

 

[perfect11s]

What world you living in? Get real a license for children???? get real will you.
As regards to horse liscening hmmmmm dont think it would make much difference.

Yes good idea however some people learn as they go and manage just fine other times they get in a total mess and have to be helped.. but I guess its the same with stupid people and horses.....

 

[fatpiggy]

I wish! But since there are plenty of owners out there who still ignore the law about passports, I don't think an owner's licence would get any more of their attention. I've know a family who bought a pony for their daughter despite not knowing ANYTHING about how to care for it. And when I say anything, I really mean it. They didn't have a clue how to tack up, pick out feet, what they should feed it on or even where the nearest feed merchant was. I also knew someone who bought a showjumper with a very dodgy temperament and was a right prima donna - she'd had precisely 3 riding lessons before she bought it.

And to those who think people shouldn't interfere, take the case of two little ponies that have arrived where I keep mine. Apparently they have chronic arthritis and are laminitic. Both came with the worst overgrown feet I have ever seen. All four feet completely flat on the ground, clear rings suggesting they have foundered in the last 6 months and certainly hadn't seen a farrier in easily that time, and probably more like 9 months. You don't get 5 inches of overgrowth in 6 weeks - they had feet like ducks beaks. Numerous complaints immediately to the YO and the farrier has been. Of course they are equally as crippled still because of the drastic cut back causing pain and now their poor little legs have to try to accomodate the radical angle change as well. And don't start me on the state if their so-called beds - think muck heap and you'll get the rough picture. Poor little souls.