Non ridden owners

[poiuytrewq]

What do you do with them?
I’m not really thinking old retired but those of you with a horse that is younger and still wants to be brain active.
what do you do to keep them occupied and is it enough to keep them entertained?
Asking as my TB is 11. He’s looking like retiring from ridden work (possibly, not 100% decided)
I’d keep him as a field ornament but firstly I don’t have enough land for a live out so he has to continue the normal routine of in day or night according to time of year.
However, he’s not happily chilled doing nothing. He then occupies himself by chasing and biting my other old happily doing nothing horse!
Everytime I look out if he’s not ridden for a while he’s bullying my old boy. Obviously not fair on either as one is being bullied the other is bored sh**less.
So tell me about yours and what you do.

 

[AntiPuck]

You may have seen it already, but i'm in this FB group, and people share a lot of ideas around enrichment, horse agility, positive reinforcement training etc. it looks like a lot of fun https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenonriddenhorse

 

[[153312]]

Walks in hand. Lunging. Long reining. Agility. In hand showing. Trec. Groundwork clinics. Trick training. Loose jumping. Liberty work.
Lots and lots you can do

 

[GoldenWillow]

Both me and pony have had time off from riding for various reasons over the years. I got hooked on classical inhand work, I started it as something to do to improve him whist I couldn't ride and was surprised at how fascinating I find it. I did have lessons from a trainer though.

 

[ihatework]

I’m afraid I’m a bit hardline.
They either retire happily. They can withstand low level work on bute (where they go on loan) or they get PTS. I wouldn’t keep one in retirement that wasn’t settled and happy.

 

[Goldenstar]

If they don’t settle and they cause mayhem in the field they go .
Tatts was always a pain in the field tearing rugs was his thing I did not consider keeping him for a moment .

 

[teddypops]

I have a 12yo Connie mare who loves getting out and about and doing stuff but she is very unpredictable to ride. I lunge her, on the flat, over poles and jumps. I long reining her around the fields, we do some obstacles courses and she comes out on hacks lead from another pony.

 

[canteron]

Try some trick training / liberty work. It teaches you masses that you can then transfer to the ridden horses.
Depending on why your horse retired you could try straight tricks - kissing : catching, standing on podiums, dancing etc or dressage moves or look at David Liechman for Spanish walk etc.
I taught one retired horse to laugh at bad jokes - it impressed people more than any of our other achievements.
And the horses really loved the attention!!

 

[paddy555]

several unriddens over the years all young 5 or so all taken on with problems so riding non existent. None of them had any problems. Out in the day and in at night. They loved it. Kept them in pairs and they did what horses do, eat sleep, play and mooch around. They don't seem to want me to entertain them. Possibly they work because I choose or sometimes they choose their pair carefully.

Doesn't always end up with the pairing I have in mind. I remember the day when Mr "Sh1t scared" jumped in with Mr "totally terrified of everything" I had a panic as to what they were going to do, they OTOH were a marriage made in heaven for nearly 20 years. "Sh1t scared" put some of his fear behind him when he took on the role of looking after "terrified" who was just happy to have a minder.
Perhaps I have just been lucky over the years, I have had no bullies.

 

[SEL]

Mine isn't a problem with other horses but starts to play with fence destroying if she's bored. Every few days we do a bit of pole work or go for a walk in hand and she's happy. Also likes supervising any work in the fields or the guy next door working on his scrap metal. I think once the grass shoots through and the hedges turn green life will be more interesting

 

[chaps89]

I’m afraid I’m a bit hardline.
They either retire happily. They can withstand low level work on bute (where they go on loan) or they get PTS. I wouldn’t keep one in retirement that wasn’t settled and happy.

This for me I’m afraid.
It’s nice to have the option to do some in hand work with them but it’s not something I’d want to *have* to do for a retired one

 

[pistolpete]

I used to take mine out for long in hand hacks. He loved it and so did I. Good for both of us. Straightness training used to be a thing. Do people still do it?

 

[Crugeran Celt]

I haven't ridden my 21 year old cob for 5 years, he lives out 24/7 with two elderly retired mares and three minis. They have about 16 acres of mixed grazing with some woodland and they are completely happy. He comes in for a brush and a bit of a fuss but to be honest he would be happy if I didn't touch him again. I walk the minis in hand but he is not interested and as he is happy so am I.

 

[PurBee]

Rehome your tb as a companion?… to someone who has young horses they bring on? Having an older yet still playful horse in a young herd has many advantages.

If you dont have time for the amount of in hand work he thrives on, as you‘re unable to add to your herd with a youngster to play with him due to limited land, rehome as companion seems viable option…especially if he’s an easy to keep tb.

 

[blitznbobs]

My mare was not happy retired at 7 due to hind leg lameness in multiple joints — i tried to keep her as a field ornament (i have a few) but it really wasnt for her she lost the plot completely… im afraid the only answer was pts — one of the hardest decisions ive ever had to make but i believe it was the right one

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’m currently not ruling out pts. This is just a wonder at another option. I won’t loan him out, unless it was too a friend very locally so I could guarantee the companion post! I trust no one in that situation. He looks amazing and would be an easy drug up and pass on. He doesn’t deserve that.
I think I have a few options, to keep and try to entertain him, reading a few of the comments above though makes me think in reality no I don’t really want to be having to do that most days for the next 10 years. He’s also pretty strong and a bit stress to lead out as I found when my saddle was away for repair a while ago.
Or I try and find a long term close affordable proper grassy field for him to chill in that I can still look after him. I do have a place for him to go at the end of March for a few months to A, see if he gets better with complete rest and B, see how happy he is with a herd and massive space. Sadly that’s not a long term arrangement, but potentially could find similar.

 

[lme]

What’s the best way to ensure that a young sports horse that isn’t going to have a ridden career grows up into a happy field ornament / non ridden horse.

At the moment he is very happy in a herd of youngsters and is already very good to handle (he has needed regular physio from 9 months old so has had to be) but I am thinking ahead to when his field mates come in to be backed.

 

[poiuytrewq]

What’s the best way to ensure that a young sports horse that isn’t going to have a ridden career grows up into a happy field ornament / non ridden horse.

At the moment he is very happy in a herd of youngsters and is already very good to handle (he has needed regular physio from 9 months old so has had to be) but I am thinking ahead to when his field mates come in to be backed.

Maybe put him in with the next generation of youngsters?

 

[throwawayaccount]

my 10 y/o mare has been retired for about 8/9 months fully, living out mainly in the summer (with daily checks) and coming in for a groom/fuss now and then. when the autumn hit, she was stabled at night again and out during the day. I spend a lot of time sitting with her in the stable, grooming/scratching her and taking her for little plods around the yard inhand.

she may possibly be able to do some light hacking as she's having cartrophen and shoes back on, but if not I'll probably start doing a bit more groundwork with her just to keep her ticking over /interested

 

[My_old_warmblood]

What do you do with them?
I’m not really thinking old retired but those of you with a horse that is younger and still wants to be brain active.
what do you do to keep them occupied and is it enough to keep them entertained?
Asking as my TB is 11. He’s looking like retiring from ridden work (possibly, not 100% decided)
I’d keep him as a field ornament but firstly I don’t have enough land for a live out so he has to continue the normal routine of in day or night according to time of year.
However, he’s not happily chilled doing nothing. He then occupies himself by chasing and biting my other old happily doing nothing horse!
Everytime I look out if he’s not ridden for a while he’s bullying my old boy. Obviously not fair on either as one is being bullied the other is bored sh**less.
So tell me about yours and what you do.

I have a non ridden young pony (7). He’s been lightly backed and enjoys a lunge one day in a while. Some pole work on the ground, so playing with me, a cuddle and a scratch.. come to think of it, he’s just a big dog!
i can’t be bothered to break him in lol. Besides, he’s a rescue so I’m more than happy for him to enjoy life as my field decoration. I might break him in one day though. Maybe….

 

[honetpot]

I think as long as they have mates, they are happy. I have one that was backed at four but was never going to do a job, so since then he has just been out back his mates who he has known since he was a foal. The old pony, who in his day was a competition pony, would be happy if he never saw another person again, unless they have a bucket of food. I think the trick is matching them up to the right companion.