Looking after a friend's horses and...

Katie__Connie

Katie__Connie

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I'm looking after a friend's two horses this weekend... one is a connemara and one is probably a TBx type...
Now these horses get ridden probably about once every two months if that... and they both come in at night over the winter...
It just got me thinking... that is such a lot of work for the owners every day for such a tiny amount of riding... TBH i dont see why the horses cant live out... It's totally their choice its not that it bothers me but just got me thinking... what do you think?
 
I was in a simular situation with mine, one elderly and 2 youngsters. A lot of work and a lot of money for absolutely nothing in return.... (apart from the love of it
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They are now in a field living out. Luckily Izzy is 3/4 years old and although turned away at the moment she is my riding horse.
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Perhaps they get as much pleasure from looking after them as they do riding, it's not the be all and end all for everyone. I for one just love spending time doing all those horse related things, I even like poo picking xx
 
Lucyfer- Yeah that must have been annoying.. thing is... these two are both perfectly able to be ridden (not young/old/lame or anything!)

Annie&Amy- Yep thats a good point
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I have owned my old gelding for 15 years now. When I went to Uni and for a couple of years after I stopped riding him apart from the odd hack (maybe every other month) yet he was on DIY (stabled at nights) and I still did all the hard work paid out the money etc. I kept him as a big pet rather than a horse and enjoyed looking after him and spending time with him. At the time I said if he died he would not be replaced.

I moved back to East Anglia and not having the social life as I had had before decided to start riding again and now we are regular happy hackers. I even bought a 2nd project horse 18 months ago, in the summer I ride both horses most days!

Sometimes in the winter mine will have a month off. They do live out as much as possible - came in at nights 2 weeks ago when the snow arrived and will be back out as soon as weather improves.

I wonder has your friend owned her horses for a long time? And has she always ridden them so little? Things change and lives get hectic. Horses need caring for on a daily basis (and everyone has their own standard of care) but riding can be put on the "back seat".
 
Yes, she has owned certainly one of them for many years and her and her sister have never done much with them at all... apart from the odd very very occasional trot round the block...
They are just like pets which is fine and good for her if she enjoys them
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My point was just that keeping them stabled when not in work seems to be unnecessary work and money... thanks for all your thoughts its an interesting debate
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Since I lost my girl it's not the riding that I miss, it's spending time looking after her and being with her. I'm very lucky that I still help my best friend with hers though xx
 
I sometimes winter my horses out and sometimes bring them in at nights during the winter - however, my decision isn't related to whether they are working or not! Sometimes it is related to the weather conditions and the amount of horses on the land - lots of wet weather and too many horses may mean they come in at night to save the pasture. Another factor is that when you have horses with very different feeding needs it is easier to have them in at night to give them different diets - for example, soaked hay for a fatty and adlib haylage for a poor doer.
 
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Another factor is that when you have horses with very different feeding needs it is easier to have them in at night to give them different diets - for example, soaked hay for a fatty and adlib haylage for a poor doer.

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That is such a good point
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Doesn't really apply here but i hadnt thought of that
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I know quite a few people like that who probably do it for the love of it. At least the horses are being looked after regardless of whether they are being ridden or not, better that than them end up in the wrong hands. After my recent experience of lending my horse out to someone, if I didn't have time to ride my horse anymore I'd rather her stand in a field doing nothing also.
 
My horses would live out 24/7 365 if I had the land to support this method of keeping them, ridden or not. But mine come in at night during the winter months to save what pasture we have from getting completely trashed.

I'm sure your friend has her reasons for stabling her horses and if she and her horses are happy then that's all that matters!
 
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