Musing:keeping horses at home feels like a never ending episode of the Crystal Maze.

Mine are kept at home and like you I had to get a companion to mine as he cannot be left alone......so 1 became 2.

Other than that I genuinely love it. The only issues I have is holiday cover, even if it is only for a night, there is no one around to check on them :(

They both live out though so it makes my life easier and are semi retired.
 
Just a quick phone post but you have all really made me smile so thank you! I am going to try, once Shelt is over this bout, to get OH to lead her out whilst I hack, hopefully building up to ride and lead... He is a keen cyclist, do you think he could lead the shettie
 
now_loves_mares said:
Just a quick phone post but you have all really made me smile so thank you! I am going to try, once Shelt is over this bout, to get OH to lead her out whilst I hack, hopefully building up to ride and lead... He is a keen cyclist, do you think he could lead the shettie
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Can we have pics please if Mr Now_Loves_Mares does ride and lead off the bike!?:D
 
Brilliant post and thread!

Feels nice to know I am not alone with the Crystal Maze of Getting What You Wish For!

My own story is scarily similar to others here..

Moved here with 2 ridden horses, one could not be left alone so we bought a pony for Horse #1. Fine.. as I never ride both at the same time.

Then #1 horse died. Have Horse#2 and Pony#1. Pony #1 is lonely when we are out so we purchase a pony for the pony :rolleyes: So, now we have Horse#1, Pony#1 and Pony#2.

Sell, Horse #1 and purchase Cob#1. Pony#2 turns into appalling bully and tortures Cob#1. Electric fencing no issue to Pony#2. Husband (#1!) is loosing patience with continual vet bills and continual 2am repatriations of Pony#2 to it's own field (with Pony#1, away from Cob#1) .. Rehome Pony#2 as has now caused 800quid worth of injuries to Cob#1 not to mention fencing costs.

Discover Pony#1 is fine left alone as long as stabled with haynet. Carry on happily until Cob#1 breaks. Cob#1 goes to new loan home with light work, Horse#3 arrives.

Horse#3 and Pony#1 co-exist very happily apart from Pony#1 needing permanent diet and Horse#3 being a poor doer (it would be just too easy otherwise wouldn't it..) Can leave Pony#1 at home in field (if out for less than 2-3hrs, in stable if gone all day) but cannot leave Horse#3 alone without Pony#1 in sight :rolleyes:

Fine for now as SmallSon only rides pony periodically in arena, will become issue if SS wants to hack out or take Pony#1 to PC or similar. Will probably have to buy Pony#3 for Pony#1 ...

I mentioned this to Husband .. he went to the pub to drown his sorrows :D
 
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BeanyG said:
Hmm I had horse 1 on livery but moved him to my own place, so got horse 2 as a companion, horse 2 won't stay on own so getting horse 3, although horse 1 & 2 will be going out together so horse 2 is going to be on it's own, this is where horse 4 comes into play :s
It just goes on and on, going to end up with a herd soon!
And then that's some poo-picking!!
N&F
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:D I've got 6 so separation isn't a problem. :D My fields are too wet most of the year to pick so I have them harrowed and rolled when it's dry enough. I do keep mine off the grass for quite long periods though so this works well for me. Got a local farmer who does the work on the field and spreads my rotted muck as well. My fencing isn't perfect (ongoing repairs/replace) but I have more problems with other animals breaking in. Mine have never broken out except once they got into the garden and out onto the luckily very minor, single track road. :eek:

Two were visiting the Connemaras two fields down, one was waiting at the gate nervously and I could hear the sound of mini hooves (Shetlands ) trotting off down the road. OH had to drive round to cut them off. I can laugh about it now but it wasn't funny at the time.
 
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I went a step further than horses at home, because I am so blimming clever and knew EXACTLY how a livery yard should be run I decided to get one for myself... Now, I not only have God knows how many manic horses to keep happy but equal number of slightly more manic owners, too :o
Oh, I have the facilities, but I seem to spend all the time maintaining and repairing them, rather than using.
I have too much grass, followed by not enough grass, I turn out too early/too late, I bring in too early, I bring in too late. I feed too much, I feed not enough. It's never-ending.
 
Maybe sometime at a livery yard would help?

you would have an arena to use, experienced help and could let the wet ground rest.

You may decide you like it and stay or miss your own space and be glad to get back home?
 
Great thread, I love having my neds at home but it definitely feels like you spend more time on things like DIY than riding and enjoying them!
 
Hmmm.... read all the posts with increasing amusement!! We may have the chance to buy a house with land this year - in fact we fell in love with one with 5 stables, an arena and 7 acres that came with a girl that helped out in return for free livery - "perfect!!!" thought I, "now I only need the one horse that has been kept at livery for the last 6 years... oh but surely 2 horses won't work because of separation anxiety, should have 3 ideally? Then what about the cost of fencing, water, field maintenance, and muck disposal? The stables need a new roof, the field shelter needs repairing and we have no equipment for harrowing the school........"
Luckily the house has already sold.....oh well :D:D
 
A very quick reply to this fab thread as I am at work. So lovely to read that I am not the only one that feels like this! I shall sit down this evening and read through everyones posts for pure reasurrance! Thank you all for making me smile :)
 
oh dear oh dear this all sounds so very familiar :D :D :D
BUT remember it maybe darned hard work and juggling and worry but it beats a bitchy livery yard any day of the week! :D
 
Suechoccy said:
On the plus side, all the things we've learnt which we wouldn't have learnt if we'd had them at livery:

1. Types and costs of different sorts of fencing, posts, rails, lekkie tape, lekkie rope.
2. The development of biceps from using post-thumpers to get posts in.
3. Thicker posts are more expensive but don't snapoff at the bottom when used as scratching posts.
4. Pros and cons of various fertilisers.
5. Identification of all manner of plants and trees.
6. Inventive ways of preventing pipes and troughs freezing. Inventive ways of collecting wate if you don't have mains water.
7. Inventive ways for hay storage if you don't have a barn.
8. The cost of roadplanings. The use of shovels and wheelbarrows to spread them around gateways.
9. Effective earth-staking for lekkie fencing.
10. Sourcing rat-proof feedbins for zero cost.
11. Use of hammer, nails and how a cordless drill really is a girl's best friend when it comes to anything to do with DIY at the field.
12. Improving skills with paintbrush and felt marker to postcode everything.
13. Inventive schooling - legyields on byways, circles on odd pieces of grass you come across out hacking, if you haven't got a school.
14. Inventive jumping - objects you can jump outhacking if you don't have a school.
15. Astronomy. Gazing at the stars at night makes doing the horses in the dark much more wondrous. I found Andromeda the other night. fantastic.
16. Birdsong. Listening to and id'ing the birds while poo-picking makes poopicking and weeding more fascinating.
etc
etc!
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Thanks for this post - Its made me feel much better - For the first time realise Im not a jack of all trades I am in fact a master of some !!!!

And to echo NEVIS - I wouldn't change it for the world either as those moments of the sun going down, a hot coffee and 6 content horses is my sanctuary.
 
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