How many people realistically keep their horse as a pet?

Starbucks

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Before I start, not meaning this to upset anyone at all, each to their own!

My mum, dad and I keep our horse on a great yard - loads of fab land, facilities etc. just nice.

Thing is she must have 20 liveries, and most of them seem to do nothing at all!! Not even hack or ride in the school!! If they do go for a hack it's round the block once a fortnight, which takes about 20 mins max round the lanes..

It just makes me wonder why people have a horse (especially at a fairly expensive yard), if they don't want to ride them??
 

Moomin1

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I bought my horse knowing full well that she wouldn't get ridden a huge amount. In the winter it's hardly at all due to time restrictions at work and lack of facilities at the yard.

I purposefully bought a horse who could quite happily be ridden as and when without blowing a gasket if left for a few weeks unridden. She's the same whatever - generally spooky and highly strung, but it's not exacerbated whatsoever by lack of ridden exercise.

My work means that I am very restricted time wise. Whilst I have shift patterns to work to, more often than not I do not get home on time, and I may be asked to assist with an emergency and be out long after I was meant to be home.

I suppose for me, I thoroughly enjoy having her in my life, caring for her, and being able to ride when I feel like it (and have the spare time), without having to worry about others. I like the piece and quiet of going up to cuddle her, muck out etc after a hard day at work and it clears my mind. Whatever I feel, she brings a smile to my face the second I see her. If she was never to be ridden again, she still wouldn't go anywhere, she is with me for life provided I am always in a position to provide her with the life she deserves.
 

MerrySherryRider

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Depends how the term pet is used. Mine are ridden but they are not my livelihood, they are my hobby. I enjoy every aspect of having horses for riding, for companionship and for the pleasure of being outdoors.

Any horse that is not owned by a professional, is surely a pet, even if the owner only wishes to keep it for as long as its healthy enough to be ridden at whatever level they choose.
 

mandwhy

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Your yard sounds brill OP, if I was you I'd thoroughly encourage more horse pet owning liveries so you can keep the school to yourself ;-)

I feel like I have been keeping horses as pets for some time haha, was busy over summer, had a fall and 3 months to recover, now I'm waiting for my new saddle, then it'll be winter, then I'll have exams... The list goes on I can see how life gets in the way for some people!
 

Starbucks

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Life completely gets in the way for me, hence now he's on full livery so we can go hunting - otherwise I think he'd be out in the field!

Maybe I'm mean!
 

Moomin1

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Life completely gets in the way for me, hence now he's on full livery so we can go hunting - otherwise I think he'd be out in the field!

Maybe I'm mean!

Everybody's priorities are different though, so wouldn't say you are mean.

I personally couldn't put mine on full livery (not just because there is no way I could afford it!), I couldn't bear to be apart from her and having someone else be around her more than me and develop a bond with her. That's just me being selfish and protective of her, I would want to know every single move they made around her to make sure she was being cared for properly.
 

Starbucks

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Everybody's priorities are different though, so wouldn't say you are mean.

I personally couldn't put mine on full livery (not just because there is no way I could afford it!), I couldn't bear to be apart from her and having someone else be around her more than me and develop a bond with her. That's just me being selfish and protective of her, I would want to know every single move they made around her to make sure she was being cared for properly.

See, I'm pretty sceptical about the whole "bond" thing. Badger and I understand each other from a ridden partnership point of view, he knows my car and shouts to me when I arrive (but only if he wants something!) - he likes people he knows. But when I haven't seen him for a month he doesn't go off me.

If he bonds with someone else I think that's nice that he has another person he can trust! It's not that he "loves" me, it's that he trusts me.

I have dogs too and they are not one person dogs, they love anyone!

Rambling, sorry!
 

Trinity Fox

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Well I am not the pet horse keeping type at all , I buy bring on and sell a few although am the seller from hell think interview, however do not lie about the horses so good trade off I think.

We have pointers my dad races, and used to have a riding trekking school, all the horses were kept from the school until they died, I have three sec a welsh types all rescues as so dire at sales I have been at, a welsh b, and my lovely sec d who is a looker but a loon.
I also have a big fat coloured show cob type bought in to sell we think he is a rig, he is nappy hates horses he has not been with for 100 years and now has bone spavins, came form a terrible home he is a big fat useless pet,he is horrible sometimes never with me only with new horses, he cannot help it would be easier to pts but I think he deserves some life, and he does improve all the time and is always good for me but pretty useless, we have several retired ones who are pets I guess, and I am sure there will be more along with the blind sheep, the rescued chickens and the stray dogs.
We are all happy I pay for them it does not affect anyone else , my family are the same, you cant always judge a horse on it's use for you sometimes there is more to it than that.
As long as the person keeping the horse is caring for it in an adequate manner it is none of our business.
 

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I have one, he retired at 14 due to KS. He is nice to have around and it is not his fault that he is crocked. However, as I don't have my own land he is going to cost me approx £15,000 over the next 10 years - quite a punchy amount.
 

fidleyspromise

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I've got one I'm not sure will be ridden and I've had her 3 years. She's happy being fussed over and groomed and getting little walks.
My ridden one isn't ridden much.
They are pets first and foremost to me.
 

noblesteed

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Mine was bought to compete locally for fun, then sell when the time came for me to have a family.
BIG mistake, as soon as I fell pregnant I couldn't bear to part with my horse. I have now had him nearly 5 years, he was on loan at his yard while I had my little boy and he was tiny. But he didn't get the care he needed so I have him back at a yard near home and I am managing with an 8 month old and horse on DIY. He doesn't get ridden more than a couple of times a week but I am really enjoying having the time to myself to muck out and mess about with him. So he is now really a big, lovely, fuzzy pet!!!
I thought about selling as at just 13 he IS wasted with me, but in a couple of years we should be able to do more, he's really safe so would be great to lead a pony from, and I'm hoping someone to exercise him will turn up in spring...
But aside from all that I found out I'm pregnant again!!!
 

Shantara

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I would have one as a pet! I seriously thought Ned was going to be a pet, when he decided to act up as I just didn't see a way around it. Now he's being good again, I can ride him for a little while longer.
I would have bought him, even if I couldn't ride him.

I didn't get my dog for a job, or when I had my cat, so if I couldn't ride him, I wouldn't hold it against him for not having a job either.
 

Fuzznugget

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Currently they're both pets. The sec a more so, but being that we are underwater & can't do much aside from turn out, they're all a bunch of pets. The TB gets ridden & is fantastic, calls to me when he hears me come out of the house, and will be with me as long as possible (he's a loan horse); the sec a is only a baby and was bought for less than meat price, will get her going when she's old enough, but for now she is enjoying being fussed over and being the token companion pony to all!
 

Crugeran Celt

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I have 5 and they are pets, 3 of them are miniatures and the plan is to drive 2 of them but they are only 1 and 7 months at the moment. I have two big horses, one is a retired due to health issues and has been for over 10 years the other is the cob which I do ride but not often enough. I think of them as pets and love just looking after them.
 

Ahrena

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Loaaads of people don't really ride at my yard and I don't really understand to be honest. Each to their own and all but..

I have 3, one is retired so a pet but that's different. One is a semi pet haha she's rideable but I can't do what I want with her (its a work in progress...has been so for 7 years -_-'') but she's not really sellable as used to have a very serious rearing problem and I don't want to risk it coming back by selling her, plus I love her too much :) and my other is my eventer so he has a job to do. Having said that he'll be 15 next year and when he can't event anymore he'll be an expensive pet too.
 

Ibblebibble

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how do you know that people aren't riding? unless you're at the yard 24hours a day :confused: most people don't see me ride because i ride during the day, i work part time so 3 afternoons a week i'm often the only person on the farm.
I don't have a problem with people who only want a horse as a pet,( i haven't ridden since september for various reasons) my horses, my choice and most importantly my money;)
 

haras

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My arab broodmare is now just a pet. she's only 11, but won't be bred from again, as she had colic surgery when she was in foal last time.

I love her to bits and she is just a huge pampered pet. She's kept on a yard with facilities that we rarely use, but I like the yard and the stables are sociable, which is important to me. She very occassionally goes on the walker, but thats it! Whilst she is backed, she's very sharp and would need re-starting, so I've chosen not to go down this route.
 

kym

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My boy is now a pet but only because he is fully retired due to injury. He is 26 and prior to retiring him last year he was in full work of hacking, schooling and showing.
 

Littlelegs

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Me. Mine are ridden regularly but first & foremost are pets. Mine is my 14.2 I've had since I was 10. When I was pregnant, I had her & my comp horse, & one had to go. Practically there wasn't much difference in sale value, both were in their prime, & although she competed far lower than he could, she's one of those gold dust types. Like a first pony to handle, will nanny a novice kid anywhere & still more than capable of doing more advanced stuff with an experienced child/teen. So she would have sold quicker. Horse meanwhile was my perfect match to go further, pony was outgrown leg wise & ability wise. However there was never any question which I would keep. Much as I loved him, my relationship with her was different. I wouldn't really choose to ride a 14.2 schoolmistress, there's no challenge for me, but because I love her, its different. If she couldn't be ridden, she'd be loved exactly the same. And when daughter outgrows her 11.1, she'll remain as a pet for the rest of her days.
 

Brightbay

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Mine's a pet :). Even if I couldn't ride or he couldn't be ridden, he would still be just as rewarding to have around.

Funnily enough, he is, and has been for some years, the only horse in his herd being regularly ridden (albeit one is only a baby).
 

Pearlsasinger

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Depends how the term pet is used. Mine are ridden but they are not my livelihood, they are my hobby. I enjoy every aspect of having horses for riding, for companionship and for the pleasure of being outdoors.

Any horse that is not owned by a professional, is surely a pet, even if the owner only wishes to keep it for as long as its healthy enough to be ridden at whatever level they choose.
This.
Ours retire with us as well but surely most horses in the UK these days are pets.
 

FionaM12

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how do you know that people aren't riding? unless you're at the yard 24hours a day :confused: most people don't see me ride because i ride during the day, i work part time so 3 afternoons a week i'm often the only person on the farm.

At the previous yard I had Mollie on, I knew many of the liveries weren't ridden because their owners told me so. They hadn't been ridden for years.

Some of the owners felt bad about not riding and thus "wasting" a horse, but I don't see it as anyone else's business, as long as the horse is well cared for, who cares? One or two of the horses were unsound or very elderly and retired, but others were young and healthy but unridden.
 

Hippona

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Before I start, not meaning this to upset anyone at all, each to their own!

My mum, dad and I keep our horse on a great yard - loads of fab land, facilities etc. just nice.

Thing is she must have 20 liveries, and most of them seem to do nothing at all!! Not even hack or ride in the school!! If they do go for a hack it's round the block once a fortnight, which takes about 20 mins max round the lanes..

It just makes me wonder why people have a horse (especially at a fairly expensive yard), if they don't want to ride them??


Because they can afford it.
Because they want to.
Because they don't have to justify to anyone else their reasons why.....
 

posie_honey

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mines a pet :D
she even tries to come inside and is often seen peering in the windows to find me :)

i happen to compete her too - but first and foremost shes a pet for life
 

shmoo

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Mine is an accidental pet, I try to kid myself I'm some amazing horsewoman but I hug her and feed her and hug some more.... oh, and ride a teensy bit. We aren't very good at that bit really.

Pet all the way... and quite proud of it !
 

Rueysmum

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Both mine are retired now and are both pets on DIY. Much less stressful than having to ride them, especially in this kind of weather.
 

Equilibrium Ireland

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Well it didn't start that way but if I'm honest mine are pets. They're ridden 5 days a week at the least. Some have competed. Some will again but they are a big part of the family and I have to accept that other people will view me as a pet keeper! I also have a 13 yo mare that most likely wont be having babies anymore and I get stick for keeping her off of more serious breeders. I can't see how I'd get rid of a mare that gave me beautiful babies that made decent money. Or my 17 yo ex racehorse who has old injuries that leave him light work only.

So yes I'm afraid I'm a pet keeper.

Terri
 

Roasted Chestnuts

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My oldie is now just a pet :) he costs me very little to keep other than round about 30 quid in feed/hay each month I've guestimated and a 20 quid hoof trim every 8weeks that's it.

He can go a hack and I get him out to help condition his feet but essentially he is just a pet now, he owes me noet though had him 12 years in the new year :)
 
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