Horses - worth yet another go?

[vee]

Having had horses for a good part of my adult life (and like most horse owners, taking the rough with the smooth), I am now contemplating entering 'the fray' for one last time, before it's too late. Past experience tells me NOT to go there, but please tell me I'm wrong:

- Livery yards are a hot bed of mean-spirited, know-all, control freaks
- Yard owners are economical with the truth e.g. 'all year turnout'
- Instructors won't get on on your horse anymore
- Vets are not to be trusted
- Vendors are not to be trusted

- NOBODY is to be be trusted!

and yet

Horses are the most wonderful, spiritual creatures, who, in the end, put us all in our place.

What to do?

 

[Snowysadude]

Go for it if you think you are experienced enough and feel that you need one or want one, as you say at the end of the day its the horse.

- Livery yards - find the right one, we dont have a yard owner present (he bought the yard to stop it being developed as houses so has nothing at all to do with the yard) and its actually amazing, we have a yard manager but she just keeps the menage harrowed, the fencing maintained and the herds in order and we do the rest so its fab!
- Instructors - I have one that will get on my horse no problems
- Vets - I trust mine, just tell them your not insured if you dont want to be ripped off (even though I am!)
- DONT trust vendors go with your eyes wide open and get multiple opinions from multiple people and dont be afraid to ask others you see on the yard if the oppurtunity arises haha!! Try to get videos and stick them on youtube, its how I found out about my horses previous life (bought off of dealer and old owners saw vids of him on youtube) and I know many others who have similar experiences.

 

[Paint Me Proud]

- Livery yards are a hot bed of mean-spirited, know-all, control freaks
yes some are but they are also hot beds for friends, good laughs, support and happy memories.

- Yard owners are economical with the truth e.g. 'all year turnout'
Not all of them!

 

[Chellebean]

Having had horses for a good part of my adult life (and like most horse owners, taking the rough with the smooth), I am now contemplating entering 'the fray' for one last time, before it's too late. Past experience tells me NOT to go there, but please tell me I'm wrong:

- Livery yards are a hot bed of mean-spirited, know-all, control freaks Mine isn't like that! mine is actual full of people who I would consider being friends! An I have to say my YO is great too!
- Yard owners are economical with the truth e.g. 'all year turnout' We have full year turn out! Even though my gelding is stuck in the box We are starting to take over an extremely large field over time, so we have pretty great turnout!
- Instructors won't get on on your horse anymore my YO has offered to do the first jump on Ollie! finally got him up to weight but he then he damaged a tendon on his right fore!
- Vets are not to be trusted Vets semi trusting, depend on how much you believe they are after money lol
- Vendors are not to be trusted My Vendor for food is great... as long as I order by Monday! He is 30 miles away and only delivers once a week lol

- NOBODY is to be be trusted! you should always use your gut when it comes to the creature you own and love

and yet

Horses are the most wonderful, spiritual creatures, who, in the end, put us all in our place.

What to do?

I would so go back into ownership! I hate being without one of the most expensives animals on the earth I also know I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for my chesnut beastie in my siggy

 

[Dexter]

Horses are more addictive than crack although my experience is they cost about the same, in money, time and stress as a crack habit

On a serious note, I've given them up a couple of times when it hasn't really been practical for me, and I inevitably I end up with them again.

I had one of the best mornings of my life last Sunday. I didnt actually achieve anything, never mind ride! But I groomed the foal and had foaly snogs, watched my princess pony poncing about dong her arab impression, and had scritches from the yearling. It set me up for the week. When work got stressful or tedious I knew I was doing it to keep the ponies and it just made it all worthwhile!

 

[DaisyOscar]

Horses are more addictive than crack although my experience is they cost about the same, in money, time and stress as a crack habit QUOTE]

I lol'd at this, i'd say its true!

OP please don't be put off having horses by worrying about other people like snarky people on livery yards etc. Stuff them-it's your hobby.

You will be absolutely fine if you go about it carefully, have a snoop about your local area and try to see if you can find a nice livery yard now so that you'll be ready when you getyour horse. If that makes sense.. I'm a little tired lol. Ask local horsey people their honest opinions about vets/yards/instructors etc.

As for not being able to trust vendors, we're all in that boat I think. Just take your time and do lots of noseying first.

 

[mystiandsunny]

Livery yards can be great, as can all that other stuff really (except for the nastiness at yards unfortunately).
Vets - the impression I've always had from mine, is that if you're insured, they'll throw the book at it. If you're not, they'll be careful. My horse is far too precious to me emotionally, for her to get anything but the best - I'll be cautious about treatment, but within reason. Her recent injury cost a lot - not in vet visits, but in antibiotics, anti-inflammatories etc. On her head, open to the bone, with a chip almost loose (attached at one end only), I wasn't willing to take any chances.

Likewise, we persevered with our pony's illness to the limit of the insurance money (and a little beyond), and in the end the right treatment was found and she's now happy, living out again and back in work. She's still recovering from the toll it took (not grown a proper winter coat, one hoof still growing funny, not quite as full of energy or as good a doer as she should be), but she will get there, and we're both so grateful she's still with us. If they hadn't had the freedom to try anything and everything, maybe we'd never have found the one treatment that would work. They ok'd every change of treatment with us, we could limit or not the number of x-rays they took, so the choice was there.