do you think its too easy to buy horses these days?

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Guinness

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just wondering...more and more people now seem to be buying horses, there have been a few posts on here about owning horses being cheaper than having lessons. do you think there should be stricter controls on people who buy horses ie should you need some kind of certificate? or maybe stricter controls on breeding so that less horses are bred so they arent so cheap? or maybe its a good thing for the industry that so many people are now becoming involved and it can only be a good thing to inject more money into the industry?
what do you all think?
 
So many questions.

I do think it's easier to have a horse now - because of the abundence of livery stables etc. I disagree that owning a horse is cheaper than having lessons though.
 
Over here it would cost about the same to own a horse as it would to have 1 lesson per week, so yes I think that cost definitely has a lot to do with it.

I see so, so many people buying horses here - a lot of them don't know one end of the horse from the other - a lot of them just own a horse to say they own a horse (that one always get me
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) - but then there are others, like my 2 ladies, who are working so hard to do everything right, and they are like sponges, soaking up information so readily.

I don't think there is anything wrong with beginners buying horses, SO LONG as they have the gumption to keep them at a facility which will give them guidance and help if needed.

I also don't think that any regulations should be placed on breeding. I think it should remain as a free-economy in so far as "supply and demand".
 
Yes, I think its very easy to buy a horse especially if you have the money. I dont thikn that less should be bred so they're not so cheap because just because someone buys a cheap horse - certainly doesnt mean they are unsuitable buyers! Id say the majority of horses are overpriced IMO nowdays anyway. And I think the worst offenders are the rich people who go out and buy a top-of-the-range horse who they then cant ride and ruin!

I dont think its good if people buy horses just because they think its cheaper than having lessons! Thats a crazy reason! Horses are a huge responsibility which take a LOT of time and money to look after. Buyers should be in it for the right reasons.

I think its down to the seller to make sure they check out the homes and buyers to make sure they're suitable. And also down to the friends / family / instructors of these unsuitable / not-ready people to tell them not to get a horse!
 
I'm not so sure that horses are so cheap these days, alot advertised are quite expensive and those that are cheaper usually have either a vice that brings the price down or maybe just that bit older.

I have been looking for about 20 weeks for a horse I haven't found it too easy at all, mainly because horse have been misdescribed, I'm not sure about a certificate mind , would hope that most people who buy horses want them and are able to look after them properly, I know some people don't, but the majority do.
 
Even if I'd had a lesson every day for the last year it would still have worked out cheaper than the money I've spent on my two horses in the last few weeks and I'm not joking! I have had so many things go wrong you wouldn't believe - vet's bills, physio, new saddle, re-schooling fees as well as the usual livery bills, shoeing, dentist etc.

Owning a horse isn't predictable like paying for a weekly lesson. Things can and do go wrong and when they do they can cost a heck of a lot to put right. Anyone who thinks that buying and looking after a horse is cheap is deluded surely?
 
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Anyone who thinks that buying and looking after a horse is cheap is deluded surely?


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Not if they keep them on my farm, LOL!!
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Certainly in my area, there are many more livery stables than there are riding schools. The riding schools are booked solid at the weekends and in the evenings, so I can see why someone who wanted to ride casually would simply go out and buy a horse rather than struggle with RS lessons and bookings - and indeed, limitations.

I dont think owning a horse is cheaper than having lessons. I spend around £50 a week on lessons, I dont think I could keep a horse round here for that little.
 
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LOL!! I'm a cheapo for all of the services my lot get - they all know that, and that's why they stay.
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It has always been easy to buy a horse, it's even easier if you've plenty of money. Someone has mentioned that horses are cheap now, well there have always been cheap horses around, there have alweays been expensive ones as well. Unfortunately now people seem to be advertising all horses for more than they are worth, & wrongly describing their ability & accomplishments.

As for a certificate before you can own a horse, I can't see it ever working. There are probably 90% of horse owners in this country who have no formal qualifications in horse management, ownership. I haven't, but somehow over 30+ years I seem to have looked after my horses well & accrued quite alot of knowledge, as many pople out there have.
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hmmmm i dont think its easy buying a horse, took me ages, like someone else said because of misdescriptions etc. however with regard to the certification for horse owners, my god you dont need one for kids and i know so many people that should not have kids, or dogs, that horses should be no different. as for them being cheaper than lessons?? not sure where that came from or whether it is ellen whittaker / tim stockdale teaching or the like? that said, i am very lucky in having mine on a cheap yard that, if that was the cost alone, would match the cost of a lesson, make sense? but then theres everything else that goes with it that cant be lessened in cost, food, feet, health, happiness etc etc etc. ive never been so skint in my life as i have since buying my own - and by god you gotta love em to keep going with the costs incurred and the stress and worry. long post over, just thought i would join in tonight, been reading tonnes of threads with amused interest.
 
People have a greater disposable income than they used to have. Inevitably, more people will buy "luxury items" like horses. Whilst it is wrong that inept people should buy them, government regulation is not the answer (when is it ever).

I should point out that no person needs a licence to have children, although some are clearly unfit for the task. Noone would suggest making a child-licence mandatory.
 
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Noone would suggest making a child-licence mandatory.

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Ahh! I'm sure it wouldn't surprise anyone to hear that I actually think that might be a damn good idea.....
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Noone would suggest making a child-licence mandatory.

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Ahh! I'm sure it wouldn't surprise anyone to hear that I actually think that might be a damn good idea.....
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I didn't want to be the 1st person to say that
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Pass the exam and off you go. Fail the exam and a few things are snipped off...
 
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