New breed of horse owners?

marmalade76 said:
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..
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Very wise choice... I'm not biased at all. of course. ;)

I've seen some lovely allrounders by Master Design GA. He may officially be a show/halter horse, but his get really seem to be able to do everything.

*wishes that I had the cash to put mine in foal by him*

I do think that there is a place for good quality gypsy cobs. They have some very good attributes and suit some people very well.
 
I'd like to know where these enormous amazonian women come from who are often riding them (facebook horses) during "display". So many horses allegedly 16hh but with feet level with the girth and short stirrups! Which magical tape-measure are they using? As for "the kids" - a riding school owning friend told me that she didn't undertand how all her "helpers" weren't really interested, and would scoot off at the last minute to go shopping/cinema. Mind you, I suppose back in the 70's/80's we didn't have Primark or cheap cinema tickets either - it was either hanging around the stables or at home!
 
Horses can be bought cheaply. Quality horses still carry value though. Not to say quality horses cant be bought cheaply and made if you have the skills. Horses rarely be kept cheaply, unless you live in an area where land is cheap and plentiful.

Keeping horses well in Surrey, with vaccinations, good shoeing, appropriate bodywork, saddle checks, vitamins and minerals, haylage, worming, good second hand rugs etc. is NOT cheap.
 
3OldPonies said:
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.
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I don't look down on them because they are not highly bred or feral. I am sure it is possible to get a "highly bred" cob. Personally I don't like cobs because they are ugly!
 
LinzyD said:
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.
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Exactly!!!

That said I know of people who can't afford their horses but still care for them to the highest standard, letting their own confort standards fall. I also know of people who should know better and can afford their horse proper care who don't.

I also confess to being the owner of a cheap and fairly unremarkable poorly bred hairy gypsy cob. He wants for nothing, has regular physio to help his development, even though there is nothing 'wrong' with him. His made to measure saddle cost way more than him - but he is worth every penny!
 
Darremi said:
I don't look down on them because they are not highly bred or feral. I am sure it is possible to get a "highly bred" cob. Personally I don't like cobs because they are ugly!
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How very dare you!!!! My fellow has a very dapper moustache and the ladies love him.
 
I must have rose tinted spectacles, but as a child I rode for a dealer who would buy a job lot of ponies from Ireland unseen, supposedly broken. We would then spend the summer hacking them all over, down the sides of main roads and try and do our version of schooling in a paddock. Most of us rode poorly but with such determination, with not a lesson among us, and all I read in the only book there was in the school library about riding for some reason didn't seem to work.
These ponies were no trouble and always sold well.
Not all travellers breed rubbish and a lot look after their animals, my neighbours put mine to shame, their feathers are beautifully clean and the sheds immaculate but to the unknowing they would be just a field full of cobs. A good cob will always sell but the travellers like small ones so unfortunately most are small black and whites, or x trotter for racing so they are not really breeding for the riding market. The leisure market wants a nice solid horse with a calm temperament, you could tell ten of them to one flashy supposedly well bred one with OK confirmation.
 
Another downside to horses being so cheap is that it kind of gives false hope to those who had already resigned to the fact they wont have a horse until many years down the line.
I had my horse for a total of 7 weeks, before deciding that the workload was too much to handle on top of college and trying to find a job to support said horse whilst still having the time to look after and teach him.
The most he is every been sold for is £50. He is a purebred, welsh section D from Nebo lines with a gorgeous bright bay coat, four white socks and a blaze. I was given him by a friend struggling to sell him, and after having known him for a year I was delighted to have him. Livery was only £25 a week, free straw and haylage/hay and with the weather improving so a reduction in feed costs and all his rugs, kit etc. with him, for the first time ever it seemed plausible.

Because of the drop in horse prices and value of horses, I ended up with a two year old colt. In the time I had him I spent between £500-600 on gelding and injections (as the gelding had complications and required additional vet visits) and I found it impossible to find a part time job on top of college to support him so I gave him away to my cousin (knowledgeable horse owner).

Although horses are cheaper to obtain and keep, people forget that the same amount of time needs to be put into the horse, especially if you're on your own. I did everything I could to keep him happy and well, and although it took a lot out of me, and he was my first (and not overly suitable!) horse, he was never lacking for anything, never looked scruffy or uncared for and a lot of love was put in. Everyone commented on how well he looked, even the vet!

Novices/newbies can look after horses if dedication and knowledge is put in and there is some lovely horses among the "throw away" mass of horses that go for meat/pts because nobody wants them. A scared, wild, hardly handled baby can turn into a little gem if given the chance! There is hope for us all xD
 
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