HUGE RANT ABOUT NOVICE HORSE OWNERS

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Agent XXX999

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I really think the most irresponible thing a non horse person can do is buy a horse.....

Been horse sitting....

Horse does not tie up (he pulled back once and now they dont tie him up anymore)

Horse does not get groomed - they dont know how....so they dont do it?

Horse does not stand quietly in stable when you skip out (they can only muck/skip out when he is in the field)

Horse drags you to the field...has never been taught to walk properly...

Horse then does not come in from the field....would you?

Horse was getting 3 sections of hay, twice a day...FFS it is a section B

Horse is overweight...but they dont know how to get the weight off (see above, but the odd exercise might help)

GAH

There is more....I am really cross...what a waste?

Dont even get me started with the 15 year old, £12k horse and not being able to tie a haynet or muck out, let alone trot on the right diagonal....or the other child with a wild pony who spooked in walk and she was so unbalanced she gripped with her arms, the horse reared and she was a month in Atkinson Morely with a fractured scull...

I just think it is neglegent....
 
Well everybody has to learn somewhere, I guess - sounds like you have been exposed to the worst possible example though. Do they know what they are doing wrong, would they listen if somebody told them?
 
I know we all started out somewhere but why oh why do people do that - i mean how about loan a horse first then when competent get your own !!!

Or have it on full livery if you have that much money x
 
Why keep a horse on DIY without close supervision? And whatever happened to kids sharing horses on yards full of kids and learning?
 
Completely agree on this one!
But without a compulsory 'qualification' regulated by DEFRA that all potential horse owners must have, I cant see the situation changing.
A 2 day course on basic stable management and horse care would probably suffice?? But am thinking without gov. legislation would need to be DEFRA/Insurance company driven, ie. reduced insurance costs for those with the qualification ?
Anyway, enough ranting ;0)
bec
 
I think that some responsibility should be taken by the unscrupulous people who sell their horses to complete novices knowing that the horse/pony is wholly unsuitable.
 
I totally agree and it annoys me that people like me, with lots of experience and are willing to give a horse a good home but can't afford it! Maybe you should have to have some kind of licence to have horses! Maybe you should have to pass a test in order to become a horse owner!!
 
I don't have a problem with novice owners (not that I know all that!) IF they don't mind people pointing out when they are doing things incorrectly. I mean in a helpful way and showing them the correct way not in a pointing and laughing way. For example when they haynet is tied on with a knot and left so low it is almost touching the floor when full!

Too many people think you are just trying to show you know more and interfere when you try to help!
 
Its not just novice owners.... I mean we were all novices once and we all made mistakes BUT (hopefully) we all learnt from our mistakes....
What makes me mad is when experienced horse owners continue to do dangerous things even though they know its dangerous!
Like a lady I train always ties her horse straight to the tie ring, no string, and doesn't even use a quick release knott!! When I mention it she says he'll be fine, I'm sure the leadrope will break before his neck!!!
 
The best one was about 10 years ago when a so called experienced owner brought their pony for worming over the summer and left it with no hay, when I asked why it had been left with no hay the reply was :- "THEY DONT EAT AT NIGHT"

I was speechless !!!!!! this is just one example of why potential horse owners should, for their own safety and for the sanity of the horse, take some sort of basic stable management training, there is plenty of information available these days.

I am not alone in doing stupid things in the past and we all still have lots to learn but some people just dont bother and they wont be told so I understand the frustration. It drives you round the bend.
 
I guess I was lucky - I knew NOTHING about horses when I bought my first - I'd had 2 lessons and mare came into yard for sale. To cut a long story short I bought her. She stayed in the yard on working livery and she was a total gem. I mean, how lucky can you get? I also stayed in the yard, listening and trying to learn - lovely head groom who helped me lots. See? It can turn out OK!
 
I know of horse owners who have been around horses for years behaving like this.
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I personally think that the best way to gain experience is to help at the local riding stables! i did this for years and handled every type of horse and learned loads! only then did my parents allow me to have my own horse (even then it was only on loan)!
I think its a great shame that kids cant help out now due to insurance!
 
I echo Tizzy - I helped out at riding school and with friends horses, I wasnt allowed one of my own until I was a grown up! When my daughter started riding she did the regulation saturdays slaving, then had a pony on working livery at the Riding school, it was years before we finaly had full responsibility for a horse.

As far as having some kind of test or a license, its a good idea in theory, but unlikely. After all any numptey can get pregnant and have a baby, why should the government give a stuff about horses.
 
I read these postings with great interest, why? because I am a novice and have only been around and riding horses for just over a year.

I have learnt to ride and understand horse behaviour and stable management mainly from my very patient and understanding wife (who owns her own horse) and from other riders using the stables.

I can appreciate the frustrations, after all we all make mistakes and sometimes (unless unsafe to the horse or others) it’s a good way to learn.

I would be very happy to take part in a course that provided a good grounding for stable management & caring for your horse, but for now I’m happy to pick up hints and tips from a great bunch of dedicated riders at my local stables…
 
We were all/are all novices once...and I guess as a novice, it's hard to find sources of advice...
The BHS had some kind of basic qualification to address this, I think - was it 'Horse Owners Certificate' or similar? But has anyone ever done this/heard of them running/run them?
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Also echo tizzy , I didnt get my first horse until I was 16/17 ... I helpd out at the local riding school when I was 6/7 years old , I am now working at that riding school , On a saturday when the kids come for their lesson ,I advise the parents to let them stay and help out with leading and mucking out , and all the usual duties that happen around the yard .

In my opinion people should not be allowed to own a horse until they have had several years of experience of working around horses in every aspect .
 
I am a novice owner, having only had George for 3 months now. However, I have been riding for 30yrs, I helped at my local stables for 10yrs when I was a kid, and I shared a horse with a friend for 4 mths or so at the beginning of this year. I then made sure that I chose a yard with part livery where there would be lots of people to help. Although some of the stuff the 'experienced' owners come out with amazes me, '3hrs turnout a day is plenty for any horse' 'they don't need to eat much at night'??
 
I'd rather be on a yard of keen novices than a yard of complacent experienced people... Nothing wrong in being novice - everyone has to learn.
 
I think a lot of people now buy horses before they are experienced enough - both in riding and stable management. This is OK if you are on a good yard with helpful and knowledgeable staff and other liveries, but all too often they end up on DIY yards with no supervision. Some liveries on my friend's yard still ride out with their brushing boots on with the strike pads on the outside and (worse still!) rode their poor horse with its snaffle back to front for two weeks. Sadly they also think they are really knowledgeable and good riders, and are less than receptive to polite correction!
 
Maybe the problem is that a lot of the riding schools/yards are more wary of having child 'helpers' for fear of the mass of Health and Safety legislation, and the compensation culture?
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Yes the BHS still arrange training and testing for the Horse Owners Certificate, and for novices the Riding and Road Safety training would also be helpful.Speak to you local county committee for details
 
I regard myself as a novice horse owner, although Ive had horses for most of my life, I probably have never been the most accomplised rider but Im prepared to learn and have done so in the past year of having my horse Murphy.
Willingness to learn, adaptability and common sense are a few of the most important attributes a new owner can have, and those attributes are not always apparent in EXPERIENCED owners!!
So long as a horse is happy, safe and loved who cares if his owners dont know piaffe from passage or how to put bandages on...??
 
Thanks, the_watcher, I was just interested whether they were still happening as I haven't heard much about them recently.
Perhaps the BHS needs to promote them more...to encourage uptake?
Are you a BHS bod, then?
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Well yes, at the moment, have been a county committee secretary for four years. Also horsewatch co-ordinator for several years..with the recent increase in thefts of horses I am questioning whether I am giving Horsewatch enough time. With a family and a full time job something has to give, so it may have to be the BHS (I think they'll cope
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Feu; I think you are in the wrong job where horses are concerned. With novice owners you have to have patience in helping them learn. You need to be competent at putting forward the correct way to do things without resorting to unkindness. You'll find that, in real life, if you advise people in a gentle fashion they are more likely to listen to you particularly if they see that you showing results with their horse.

How people choose to bring up their horses is no-one else's concern EVEN if you are being paid to work with these horses. If you don't like the way they do things, then quite simply, don't take the job.

I have a number of novice horse owners at my yard; two are backing their young horses themselves (with some input from me when needed) and they are doing absolutely fantastically well. I don't think it has to do with novice people being useless, it has more to do with them being intelligent enough to figure out that the teacher is showing them ways which will help them.

Inherent knowledge of horses does not come easily to a lot of people and these so-called rubbish novice owners are the product of being dopes who can't think logically OR because they have lost faith in their human mentor.....
 
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