good doer / poor doer

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minkymoo

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Can anyone explain to me what a 'good doer' and a 'poor doer' means? I have always assumed it meant whether they were clean in the stable etc, but I have read some ads and it doesn't make sense in the context.

Can anyone explain?
 
A good doer is a horse that does well on its feed and is not hard to keep condition on. Alot of natives and ponies are good doers.

A poor doer is the oposite. Alot of TBs and elderly horses are poor doers.

Hope that explains it a bit!
 
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ahh, so if a horse is a poor doer, it can lose condition quickly and may not be so keen on eating all it's dinner? Sorry to put in laymans terms!

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Yes, that's about right. Although it also may eat plenty, but not put much weight on from it, if you see what I mean?
 
Not quite...the poor doer will eat all it's feed but will still lose weight & condition specially through the winter months. You would need to up the feed/ hay & probably use a feed balancer aswell to try & keep the weight & condition on. They also need to be well rugged so they don't waste energy trying to keep warm.

Natives.... well they are mainly good doers & they can put on weight eating fresh air.
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Is that any clearer to you
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T_Z - I would say a horse that doens't keep weight on because it won't eat is a poor doer as well, wouldn't you? I used to have a horse who wouldn't eat - it was a nightmare trying to keep weight on him. I used to spend an hour twice a day sitting with him and handfeeding him his feed. He would weave the weight off as well.
I think if a horse is difficult to keep weight on for whatever reason, so long as it is not something that can be easily 'fixed' ie its teeth need doing, then it is a poor doer.

Likewise a good doer can be a horse that doesn't eat much, but holds it's weight, or a greedy horse that puts on weight easily.
 
IMO yes - I would say if they do it to the point that it is hard to keep weight on them they are poor doers. It would be a bit pointless to say 'would be a good doer if he didn't weave/box walk'! It's a bit of a grey area though, as some horses have vices which can be managed, by say, not leaving them in on their own. In this case, if the horse was generally a good doer, but if left in on it's own would weave etc, I would still say it was a good doer, but mention the vice.

Are you looking at buying then?
 
Am having a bit of difficulty at the moment with the person I loan from. really I am thinking about a loan where I can take a horse onto the yard I am currently at as I find loaning with the owner slightly stressful to say the least! possibility to buy but will wait & see!
 
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