Lots of pics of the herd today (warning mucky horses)

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henryhorn

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www.narramorehorses.blogspot.com
I decided in the light of the statements made about the rescued horses perhaps I 'd better have a close look at my lot..
They don't get groomed, sometimes have knots in their manes etc , but seem to thrive living out 24/7 with shelters.
They all look fine apart from one old mare who has not properly recovered after foaling last year, but is covered but not fat. By spring she should be fine but incidents like Amersham do make you wonder how other people would view your horses, ours live very different lives to the average stable kept horse roaming over a large acreage and access at all time to ad lib food.
If I told you how much trouble I had crossing their fields with my dog with me you wouldn't believe how fast the oldies can run when chasing a dog... I ended up waving a stick at them to keep them away, and the poor dog shot out under the fence in the end!
www.narramorehorses.blogspot.com
 
They all look very happy and relaxed.
Our youngsters get grot stuck to them too from lying in the barn, but like yours as their coats change it all comes off.
I hate to think what people think of my grotty pair. Their tails and feathers are dreadlocked in mud.
 
Nice pics and they all look happy and healthy, outdoors always seems better to me than cooped up in stables, more natural.
The doggys gorgeous
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Lovely herd you have there.
I hate to think what people think about my pony, VERY hairy and dirty, not exactly skinny any more either as he is living out 24/7 as a companion for his companion.
I couldn't see the fox either!
 
I'll give you a clue. Click on the actual fox pic and look for the skinny tree in the middle of the picture.
We are on the lower slopes of Dartmoor, it's generally warm and wet and main problems we get are rainscald, also lice which we treat every year at least twice.
According to my vet it's perfect breeding conditions for both and you just have to accept that and be ready for them. Last year pouring a cattle lice treatment on every single horse worked a treat.. I spent a whole afternon on my own worming/doing them for lice and chopping manes and tails shorter.. It was pretty hard work but very satisfying in the end. having this many is a bit like cattle, you have to mass dose at the same time for anything for it to work.
This year I'm doing worm counts instead on many, but the youngsters and really ancient ones have to follow a normal worming regime, they seem more suceptible than anything else at those ages.
I must take more pics as these are only a few, there are several mini herds nearer the house with the youngsters in, or horses that need keeping a closer eye on.
There are around forty plus altogether , mostly ours but also lots of retired ones like those shown.
The youngsters sometimes get bought such as Solstice as foals and left here until they grow up, she's going to Yorkshire Riding Centre to be broken when older, she will make around 16. 1hh and is going to be such a fab mare ..
I really wish we had kept that one!
 
I would hope that anyone with any knowledge would tell the difference between horses kept out 24/7 with adequate food and shelter, and those who are malnurished and with skin conditions. Not a rib to be seen among your lot!
 
some of my lot.....
usually up to their eyeballs in mud!

some haven't had their feet picked out for 4 months..as for being groomed..forget that!!!

have 2 x 2yr olds that are out in the back field that had the farrier to them last august...and that was it. no grooming, feet picking..nothing just fed hay...they'll be wormed next weekend for tape...so they'll probably get some hard food for being good!

t barn will be cleared come spring, ready for the next lot of occupants who will be bought sept/oct.
some of mine, even now, their spines/ribs can be felt, but thats how they arrived..but they are definitely not starving..

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the grey in the foreground on this one would be described as "emaciated" by alot of folk on here if it were gauged against the SF ponies....
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better picture of him...
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Hi Sue, all your horses look very well looked after to me. They all look happy and have very "happy" tummy's. You do extremely well, seeing as though you're meant to be retired!!

We've been down South today, spent a day back in Dartmouth and then down to Stoke Flemming to the beach there, it's been such a beautiful day, the views have been stunning. I love looking at Dartmoor on days like this
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xxx
 
I spotted the fox! (Took some finding and I have a 22" monitor). It must be interesting having retired horses and wondering about the history of them all. The weather today has been gorgeous.
 
Haniki they have fascinating history. one arab arrived with a 22 foot rope for handling him as he had a habit of standing on back legs and waving his front legs in your face, after five years here he is so chilled out the rope has never been used. his owner lives in India and visits him twice a year. I send her pics via email so she knows how he is.
Another couple belong to a famous horsey author, and one is Andalusioan is an ex Spanish army horse who then show jumped. he can be very difficult to do things to, a remnant of his days terrorising the spanish army cadets I reckon.. he now kisses us on the face, but we do watch him whilst he does it..
Several more were much loved general competition type horses who for various reasons (arthritis?navicular/kissing spine) got retired early in life. Their owners visit to see them and again, I send them emails.
Another is here just for a few months whilst her owner tours the world, it's nice for her to log in somewhere exotic and see her horse's muddy face looking at her.
Several seem to have no real purpose for their owners, one is a lovely coming six year old but has been here over two years. Oh she's very happy and playful and always whizzing about with the babies but quite why they have her I don't understand.
Probably the funniest herd member is the mini shetland, who spends all winter out with the big boys. Last week my husband rushed over to him a he thought he was stuck in the deep mud outside the barn, it was almost up to his tummy. We moved him to less wet ground just incase. he is a demon at the feeders, is scared of nothing and despite having all that acreage to roam on plus ad lib haylage stays fit and without laminitis.. He is at least 34 and sound as a pound..
It has educated me a lot about various ailments such as tendons and various leg injuries, I can say with conviction all have gone sounder since arriving here. Quite a few have an L on their backs freezemarked to prevent them being passed on, what a good idea..
The main herd have youngsters and brood mares mixed in, the 4 year olds then leave the herd for breaking, despite little formal training they are all used to being stroked and pushed about by the other horses, so tend to be easy to do as a result.
The biggest learning curve has been seeing how they thrive without the usual comforts most owners give them.
Yes, they can cope fine without having their feet picked out daily, just the occasional foot trim
Yes, they can cope with being plastered in mud and never groomed.
Yes, they are well mannered because their life within a social background has taught them that they have to accept some people/horses are more dominant than them, and some they will never like much, so avoid them..bit like real life I suppose
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I think if you asked my horse their priorities in life they would reply food/water/mates/freedom.
Shelter isn't high on their priorites, neither is having themselves groomed (other horses do it to them).
They couldn't care less if they never see their owners either I am sorry to say!
Other horses replace the owners and are far more important to them.
It's very touching to see all the mini herds and couples within the big herd. There are two coloureds who are virtually always within 20 feet of each other. A Tb and a cob mare who again live as a pair. The mares gang who actually split up into real family members, with grandma, Mum, daughter and then a two year old/yearling etc all grazing together..
I was amazed at first to see some stick with their own colours.. Coloureds will graze with chesnuts and greys even a spotty but bays/blacks are chased away.
Chesnuts like their own colour but allow greys to join them..
I spend hours just watching daft things like the above, it all helps in the lifelong quest to understand horses and their minds..
Sorry, I bet you wished you hadn't asked now!!! I'll shut up..
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Great pics, stunning views and super looking horses HH.
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You keep yours in the same way as I keep mine - and they are very happy and healthy.
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What a great post, Sue, about "real life" horse owning where the horses have a much more "horselike" way of life.

I'm particularly interested in the colour thing!

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I was amazed at first to see some stick with their own colours.. Coloureds will graze with chesnuts and greys even a spotty but bays/blacks are chased away.
Chesnuts like their own colour but allow greys to join them..

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I'll be watching mine with interest as although I've a new chestnut (as you know!) and a new bay who have never been out with the "herd" I'd already got a gut feeling that the ginger boys were going to be best together and then I think I'm going to put in my little grey girl with them and leave the bolshy bays together. Decisions, decisions and too much waffle.

I do think horse lovers do need to realise that real life involves poo, mud and excess hair. The Disneyworld approach where someone with a pan and shovel appear everytime a horse poos just doesn't happen. I couldn't believe it when I saw that - I had to stand there for ages watching the animals and every time anything besmirched the floor of the pen a liveried attendant whizzed out and whisked it away - incredible.
 
There are few domestically owned horses who have the privilege of living like this. It always amazes me that you can identify any one of dozens of horses from the other side of the field! They look fab, relaxed and content - who could ask for more?
 
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