New breed of horse owners?

[FionaM12]

Personally I remember loads of horses in 80s/90s with saddle sores or white withers, shoulders rubbed bare by rugs, sore mouths from badly fitting bits, so I don't think it's anything new at all. But it is more visible with social media and digital photography.

This. I go back to the early 1970s and I remember loads of very poor, even emaciated animals in ill fitting tack and owners who clearly knew nothing. Such things were a very common sight, far more than now. Try to report the worst cases (and I did try...) and no-one would listen.

But there was no internet, so the suffering and neglect were less visible.

The standard of horsecare and condition of horses I see is much better now than in 1970.

 

[Polar Bear9]

I am only 20 and started riding at 7 so not to far back. I started out with an old fashioned style riding school in the new forest where the lady did not believe in cantering till you could trot properly and no way were you jumping till you were really ready. We hacked a lot and were expected to tack up properly ourselves or we didn't ride. I couldn't believe it when I moved to a new fangled riding school aged about 10 and within a week was cantering and jumping. Obviously I thought it was great at that age but looking back I was no where near experienced enough despite a good grounding. Was at several big riding centres with good reputations with my own horses later and the same applies. I was never told that reins could be used for more than stopping and legs used for more than starting (I was competing BS at this point which is insane). I learnt all that later.

The kids I see now often consider themselves to be 'experienced' after 2 years of once a week lessons on riding school ponies. We got a loaner for our pony who had been on 'riding club' for 2 years. This was supposed to teach you how to ride and look after your own pony but in reality all they did was sweep the yard and I had to even teach her how to pick out feet, never mind tacking up etc. That was 6 years ago and I'm still friends with the girl and STILL no one has told her the difference between a proper 'outline' and chin-to-chest, a fairly basic distinction (she won't listen to me cos she thinks as my current horse didn't cost upwards of £3000 I don't know what I'm talking about).

If I ever have kids they will not be taught like that, they will be taught how to be horse people, they will not ride unless they do all the chores and I will likely teach them bareback to start with to get their seats good enough before they are allowed to do anything else. Probably sound like an old bat at 20 but I would want my children to learn properly and be like the ladies on here who have lived a life with horses and sometimes seem to know what everything there is to know

 

[cptrayes]

This. I go back to the early 1970s and I remember loads of very poor, even emaciated animals in ill fitting tack and owners who clearly knew nothing. Such things were a very common sight, far more than now. Try to report the worst cases (and I did try...) and no-one would listen.

But there was no internet, so the suffering and neglect were less visible.

The standard of horsecare and condition of horses I see is much better now than in 1970.

I disagree on the condition, or at least it wasn't the case where I was. horses these days are in general kept far too fat, making ones in old pictures look very thin.

 

[FionaM12]

I disagree on the condition, or at least it wasn't the case where I was. horses these days are in general kept far too fat, making ones in old pictures look very thin.

Yes it's true obesity may be much more common but I remember where I was seeing many cases of genuinely seriously underweight malnurished horses. I never see horses like that now except on tv/internet.

 

[Cortez]

I disagree on the condition, or at least it wasn't the case where I was. horses these days are in general kept far too fat, making ones in old pictures look very thin.

I agree with you CPT; far too many horses seriously overweight. Malnutrition doesn't only mean thin.................

 

[Moomin1]

Yes it's true obesity may be much more common but I remember where I was seeing many cases of genuinely seriously underweight malnurished horses. I never see horses like that now except on tv/internet.

I do! Almost daily.
IMO the standard of horse ownership hasn't just deteriorated but it's become acceptable now. Of course, years ago there were low standards of care, as there always has been and always will be, but IMO there is a general 'fashion' these days within the horse world which sees people have one or two lessons (sometimes not even that), and off they go onto pre loved and buy a horse. It just wasn't that easy back then. It absolutely boils my pee seeing kids backing and breaking youngsters when they have little or no experience or basic riding standard themselves these days. Another fad which I seem to notice a lot of people being taught these days is to walk around a corner to face a jump and then go full pelt at it. Ridiculous.

 

[Piglet]

As others have said - horses are so cheap one can hardly give them away. As they are now more accessible, you have some well meaning but ignorant people "saving the poor thing" which is all very noble but they don't have the finances or knowledge to keep them. 30 odd years ago most of us grew up with Pony Club and learnt there or went to the local riding school and "adopted" a pony there. Either way knowledge was passed down, nowadays, where do potential horse owners gain any experience in how to take on responsibility for another expensive being. 😒😒

 

[marmalade76]

Horses are very cheap now. Anyone can own a horse, even if they have no clue as to what they are doing. I do however think some people nowadays have become rather obsessed with perfectly fitting tack; in my day we had saddles that 'fitted' almost every horse! We used crappy Jute rugs and horrific 'not very waterproof' canvas NZs; no one said anything because that's what everyone used and that was all we knew. I do think there is more ignorance these days though. Even on this forum, yeah I know no question is supposed to be seen as stupid, but ... sometimes I honestly do think 'Really?'

I have no problem with appropriately grown 2 years olds being lightly ridden, so that's certainly not a bug bear of mine. Badly bred yak type horses, yes there seems to be a huge amount of them now in the UK and I really don't think they were like that 40 years ago; back in those days they were generally natives cross TB, or Arabs. I'm just blown away by the amount of hairy gypsy cob type horses that are around in the UK now; I don't recall anyone having them years ago, they were not commonly seen except for pulling milk wagons or suchlike.

Totally agree with this. It was TBs, natives or arabs and their crosses and that was about it.

The mother of one of my son's school friends decided to start riding again after not having ridden since childhood and now has a total of eight, mostly gypsy animals including a mare and foal (should say filly and foal as mare is only three), all bar one are youngsters, ideal for the family, most of whom are still on the lead rein

 

[Spring Feather]

This. I go back to the early 1970s and I remember loads of very poor, even emaciated animals in ill fitting tack and owners who clearly knew nothing. Such things were a very common sight, far more than now. Try to report the worst cases (and I did try...) and no-one would listen.

But there was no internet, so the suffering and neglect were less visible.

The standard of horsecare and condition of horses I see is much better now than in 1970.

Oh no that wasn't the case where I lived. I lived in a very horsey area and all were kept in super condition. I was adult and living in a totally different area before I first saw an emaciated horse.

 

[Dizzle]

My horse is insured through Petplan, there was a WONDERFUL statement in their magazine that advised if your horse is lame to call the vet, not discuss it on the internet!

I think if you are experienced you can keep horses on a budget but the majority of horse owners that try aren't experienced enough to know what to scrimp on, I tried to keep my first horse (ex-racer) on a budget and over the course of three years ended up in a lot of debt. I now have a horse more suited to my needs (native), she gets the best of everything but is still kept on less than £250 a month. I don't have the experience to run a high maintenance horse cheaply and I've proven that to myself the hard way.

 

[windand rain]

What would seem contrary to the trend at the minute I do think that showjumpers and competition ponies and horses are far better quality than they used to be most of the PC horses when I was young were badly bred cob x ponies that were undernourished as babies so had massive heads and weak scrawny bodies often they were either still poor or were simply just out of proportion because they were not grown properly I would say that underworked over fed horses are prevalent now but at least most are well grown and in some sort of proportion
When I was young 45 years ago or more the horses and ponies were worked much harder and did a lot more just off grass no fancy feeds no compound supplements they either had hay alone or a bit of oats and broad bran. Molasses was your friend and a real treat for the horse mind you founder was rare although it still existed in natives and it was usually terminal

 

[smja]

I do think it's awful that there seems to be a group of people who are proud of their inexperience - 'I've only had 2 lessons and I can jump x, gallop etc.', buying a pony and 'breaking' it in themselves so they can say they've done that. I can't comment on very far back, but deliberately not having lessons so you can excuse your poor riding/bad behaviour seems to be a newer trend.

I once got asked to ride a 4 yo to see if he was suitable for a friend to buy. Horse was gypsy cob that owner had 'rescued' and 'broken in'. Horse had no manners whatsoever, barged everywhere, attempted to bite owner. Napped badly once on board, planting, spinning. Mouth as hard as iron, dead to the leg. The saddest thing was that he seemed quite bright, was well put together and actually produced some decent trot in the end - with some consistent work he would have made a nice ride, but owner was adamant that she'd 'professionally schooled' it already.

 

[Dizzle]

The mother of one of my son's school friends decided to start riding again after not having ridden since childhood and now has a total of eight, mostly gypsy animals including a mare and foal (should say filly and foal as mare is only three), all bar one are youngsters, ideal for the family, most of whom are still on the lead rein

I know similar, several horses they can't ride (but were cheap) so farm them out to an army of almost as unsuitable sharers.

 

[marmalade76]

I know similar, several horses they can't ride (but were cheap) so farm them out to an army of almost as unsuitable sharers.

Yes, people (including me, despite admitting that I like neither coloureds nor gypsy animals ) are always being invited to ride.

The other thing I've noticed these days is that no one wants to learn and advice is often taken an insult.

 

[FionaM12]

Oh no that wasn't the case where I lived. I lived in a very horsey area and all were kept in super condition. I was adult and living in a totally different area before I first saw an emaciated horse.

Where I rode was near Liverpool and was very horsey, but very mixed. There were quite a few professional yards, from superb show yards through riding schools which varied greatly in quality, to many DIY farm livery places and many horses kept at owners' homes. I can well remember one or two kept in gardens.

The difficulty was, as I remember, that if you did see real cruelty there didn't seem to be anything you could do. In about 1972 (I was 16) there was a retired racehorse in a field, whose teeth had grown so long she couldn't eat. She was probably in her late teens which wouldn't be thought old now. Her emaciation was really extreme, and the poor girl tugged at the grass but couldn't grab it due to her teeth. Several people, including myself, phoned the RSPCA and other charities but nothing happened. Thinking this might be because we sounded like kids and had no clout, I asked a very well known (FBHS) instructor had they seen the mare and could they do something. I was told in no uncertain terms that the mare's condition was a disgrace, but no respectable horseperson would "get involved" for fear of damaging their own reputation.

At least now the internet makes information and advice available as well as a source of contacting charities, running campaigns and generally being able to act when extreme cruelty (such as that poor dear mare) is seen.

 

[Orangehorse]

I wasn't from a horsey family at all, but my sisters and went to Pony Club, including hacking to rallies, and I unceasingly read horse books. Some were story books like Ruby Ferguson and Pullein-Thompson, or magazines, and instructional books, so I was picking up a lot of knownledge. I wanted to know how to be a better rider and look after my pony (I am still learning too!).

What is worrying is how little some people know and many don't seem very interested in learning anything. Incidentally, none of my ponies ever had laminitis.

 

[WindyStacks]

I think some very interesting points have been made about cost and knowledge. We all tend to think out horses are expensive - but compared to 35 years ago everything is dirt cheap. I remember a horse-owning friend of my mum's saying "if you have to ask how much it is, you can't afford it".

As a result I milked my lessons, borrowed horses for PC camp and read every single book in the library with any mention of a horse in it. My thirst for knowledge had no bounds!

Facebook seems to highlight the very epitome of fields full of gypsy cobs loaned out to hapless friends (not mine!).

 

[Moomin1]

Just saw a post on FB of a young girl saying her horse came in non weight bearing a few days ago, and she is asking where she can get bute without calling a vet first. She says "it's not in pain, just lame". Give up.

 

[Gloi]

This. I go back to the early 1970s and I remember loads of very poor, even emaciated animals in ill fitting tack and owners who clearly knew nothing. Such things were a very common sight, far more than now. Try to report the worst cases (and I did try...) and no-one would listen.

But there was no internet, so the suffering and neglect were less visible.

The standard of horsecare and condition of horses I see is much better now than in 1970.

I got my first pony back in 1972 and remember some very dubious things back then. The good thing was that there were a lot more riding schools round here and lessons were actually affordable although the standard of horses/teaching wasn't always the best. One of the ponies at one was an ancient, docked, ex-pit pony who, although only about 12h scared us all because of how keen he was on biting people.
There was a horse sale at the long gone local cattle market and people sometimes got ponies there but the main source for those who knew no better was a local dealer. Everything he sold was either 4 or 12. 2 friends of mine bought '4yos' who were around 18 months old who the dealer had broken in. To make matters even worse one of these had been bought for my 13yo friend by her much older 'boyfriend' as a present, which we thought was great at the time, not realising why he was buying her presents. Another pony, bought as a 12yo from the dealer by a friend was a brilliant jumping and gymkhana pony, we were quite envious of how good it was, unfortunately it was well over 25.
My family knew nothing about horses when I got my first, not ideal, pony - a 3yo who had been in the riding school for a year or so where I'd looked after him as a helper. He'd never been ridden alone when I got him so he napped for England but I'm as stubborn as he was and over the next year he eventually became a great pony who'd do anything for me and I learned so much from him which was useful later.
There were also some sweet-itch ponies around which were a pitiful sight. Nobody knew what caused it or how to treat it so there were some very raw and bloody ponies about every summer.
I also remember being out riding with a friend on some local wasteland one day and my friend complaining her pony wasn't jumping very well that day. The next day someone rang here up and said 'Your pony's foaled' and she said 'Where's she fallen?' but no, she'd had a big bay colt who grew 2 hands bigger than his dam. The poor mare had been on a diet for getting fat.

 

[lar]

Just saw a post on FB of a young girl saying her horse came in non weight bearing a few days ago, and she is asking where she can get bute without calling a vet first. She says "it's not in pain, just lame". Give up.

Saw that too. And then got stroppy when she was advised to call vet. There's a reason why Bute is prescription only!

 

[misskk88]

I agree that everything is too accessible, some 'horsey people' are worried about the flashiest horse and tack, want to jump on the trend wagon and have little regard for welfare or care.

The biggest bug bear for me is new owners buying horses that are not suitable first horses because of its looks or price (I.E too big, too sharp or generally far too higher level of ability for them to handle), and then the horse gets labelled as naughty, ends up being shoved in a box/out in the field, loses its confidence, and then gets sold on for peanuts to another home where they are unlikely to cope with the ability or personality of the horse.

HOWEVER, in my opinion, I think regardless of experience and years of working/being around horses, anyone owning a horse for the first time is a 'novice'. Suddenly the responsibility of care and costs doesn't fall to the yard or owner, and you realise just what extras can crop up that you never expected, no matter how much you factor in every little cost (queue plenty of extra rugs as mare likes to destroy hers- not cheap!). I also think that inexperienced owners who want to learn and have their horses health at heart, are better than most knowledgeable, but downright ignorant owners. It is those who either have no knowledge or no sense, and seem to disregard the basics as they are too lazy or too stupid to do anything that pee me off.

On another note, I think something really needs to be done about this whole overbreeding situation. It worries me that anyone can set themselves up as a 'breeder'. There are so many well bred, good quality horses out there, yet we seem to have a saturated market, with more and more badly bred youngsters being added to it.... many of who are destined to have very sad, and very short lives

 

[Moomin1]

Saw that too. And then got stroppy when she was advised to call vet. There's a reason why Bute is prescription only!

Yes that's the one! Absolute idiot!! Loved how it went from non weight bearing to 'sometimes non weight bearing', to still a bit lame, to not in any pain at all now...

 

[armchair_rider]

I do! Almost daily.
IMO the standard of horse ownership hasn't just deteriorated but it's become acceptable now. Of course, years ago there were low standards of care, as there always has been and always will be, but IMO there is a general 'fashion' these days within the horse world which sees people have one or two lessons (sometimes not even that), and off they go onto pre loved and buy a horse. It just wasn't that easy back then. It absolutely boils my pee seeing kids backing and breaking youngsters when they have little or no experience or basic riding standard themselves these days. Another fad which I seem to notice a lot of people being taught these days is to walk around a corner to face a jump and then go full pelt at it. Ridiculous.

I don't disagree with you but I wonder if there are other factors involved. I get the impresssion that a lot of us on here who didn't have ponies as kids read everything we could and helped out at riding schools. Kids nowadays don't read as much as they used to and I get the impression that Health and Safety has put paid to helping at riding schools/work for rides.

 

[Darremi]

Sad situation

Incidentally does anyone else worry a little that in 50-100 years time there will be no decent horses in the UK. They will nearly all be gypsy cob

Oh no!! Cobs are just awful to look at and supremely lacking in athleticism. What happened to all those lovely 15.2 ISH types that are great for those starting out?

 

[marmalade76]

Yep, the gypsy cobs seem to be taking over! Whilst there are some nice ones, these are well out numbered by the poor quality. I will be after a youngster in a few years (my boy is in his mid teens), think I 'll go for an arab..

 

[3OldPonies]

I get the impresssion that a lot of us on here who didn't have ponies as kids read everything we could and helped out at riding schools. Kids nowadays don't read as much as they used to and I get the impression that Health and Safety has put paid to helping at riding schools/work for rides.

I was one of these kids, and I know that if I hadn't of done my time helping out at a livery yard, reading H&P magazine on our miniscule lunch breaks and all the books I could get my hands on when at home I wouldn't have had so much as half a clue when I did eventually get my first shared pony. I've never been one one, but I can't imagine that 'own a pony days' or the odd stable management lesson at a RS if you can get one can compare.

Experience like that is so invaluable and you just can't get it these days. OK, my riding never evolved much, and didn't until I left school and could pay for my own lessons, but oh boy did I learn a lot about handling eveything from a shire to a shetland (literally), stable management, how to look after tack, general care and the importance of being tidy to stay safe.

 

[LinzyD]

There are multiple socio-economic reasons for the current situation. To cite just a few that spring to mind:

- the demise of the Pony Club, because people only want to go to competitions, not rallies, not unmounted educational sessions, and especially not duty days.
- the demise of affordable, accessible riding schools because of the prohibitive costs of insurance and compliance with health and safety legislation. In many areas DIY livery is cheaper than a weekly lesson if you can even find a school that is still operating.
- health and safety and employment legislation (for better or for worse) that makes it difficult for young people to work informally to gain knowledge or work for rides
- the generally low value of horses, which is engendered by a multitude of contributing factors such as longer lifespans for horses, continued over-breeding that has not been commensurate with increased lifespans or economic recession, closure of abattoirs and other low cost disposal options
- technology that has opened up routes to market that were not previously available, thus encouraging further overbreeding of low value animals. For example, many of the animals sold on Dragon Driving and via FB would not meet the standards required for most public auctions nowadays, but the internet provides a sale outlet for the poorest, weakest and worst bred animals imaginable, even encouraging 'sympathy' purchases. Technology not only makes us more aware but actually is a major contributor to the current situation.
- a general sense of 'entitlement' in society, so whereas there used to be a sense of having to work for things, wait until you had learned about things, saved up, etc, there is now a prevailing feeling that young people in particular should be able to have things immediately.
- a general lack of appreciation for the knowledge and experience of others and for knowledge that has been built up over time; again, with technology you can get instant information, so no-one wants to take the time to learn
- and on a more positive note we have more leisure time and more disposable income than any generation before us and as a nation of horse lovers it stands to reason that this would be an area of expansion.

 

[Spring Feather]

Incidentally does anyone else worry a little that in 50-100 years time there will be no decent horses in the UK. They will nearly all be gypsy cob

Oh no!! Cobs are just awful to look at and supremely lacking in athleticism. What happened to all those lovely 15.2 ISH types that are great for those starting out?

I was back in England earlier this year for the first time in many years and I have to say I was very surprised to see so many fields full of gypsy cobs. I travelled all over and it was noticeable to me just how many there were. I wonder if there will be a swing in a decades time though. Who knows.

 

[Woolly Hat n Wellies]

- a general sense of 'entitlement' in society, so whereas there used to be a sense of having to work for things, wait until you had learned about things, saved up, etc, there is now a prevailing feeling that young people in particular should be able to have things immediately.
- a general lack of appreciation for the knowledge and experience of others and for knowledge that has been built up over time; again, with technology you can get instant information, so no-one wants to take the time to learn

These two in particular make me really sad. I absolutely agree with both, but I hate feeling like one of those people grouching about 'the younger generation', I'm sure people said the same about my generation when I was that age too. But I had it drummed into me as a kid (at home and at Pony Club) that the horse comes first. Always. It doesn't matter if you're bursting for the loo, or desperate for a drink, or hungry or tired or fed up. You make the horse comfortable before you do anything. Now at local shows I see kids jumping off and grabbing a drink and a sandwich while pony stands sweating in his tack, even without a slackened girth. My share horses' owner's daughter, with whom I share them, is 12, and she used to be very proud to ride her dressage tests with her mane and tail plaited with her own hands, but so many ponies turn up with perfect plaits clearly done by mum that now she wants us to do it for her, because she feels like she looks scruffy compared to them. If I was a judge I'd far rather see slightly scruffy plaits done by the rider than a spotless pony all dolled up by mum. My friend is generally very good, but she does sometimes need a kick up the backside, and it makes me very sad when I think of all the kids who would jump at a chance to muck out, never mind groom a pony, and I'm hearing "Do I have to wash her socks for the show? They're all green and it takes aaaages" from someone lucky enough to have two.

But then again, I suspect my mum thought I was lazy when I was 12, so I don't know whether this kind of attitude is just more visible today. Teenagers have always been teenagers after all. Perhaps a faster pace of life today makes young people who have grown up with everything being instant, coupled with the natural pain-in-the-bum-itis which most seem to contract as the teenage years approach, find learning too long a process!

 

[3OldPonies]

This is going to make me unpopular - I love all those gypsy cobs. Don't get me wrong I don't condone how a lot of them are 'kept' for want of a better word, but for all their faults (and most are to do with their 'owners' and breeding(or lack of) they're a pretty hardy bunch. I don't think they should be looked down on just because they're a bit feral some of them and not highly bred warmbloods or thoroughbreds.