Older peeps: is it a myth that there are more owners with less horse knowledge now?

[FionaM12]

As anyone here who knows my story is aware, I was around horses in the 1970s, then had no contact until two years ago before returning to horse owning.

So I remember very well what the standard of horse care around my area was in the 1970s.

I keep seeing it stated here that there are more owners with little knowledge of horses around now than there used to be. I have to say that isn't my experience.

Back then, where I worked and kept my horse, there were some top class yards with well qualified staff, a few dodgy yards and many private stables and farms who did DIY livery. The horses at these were owned by a variety of people, some of whom had little (and in a few cases I remember, none whatsoever) knowledge and training in horse care. There was of course no internet, so unless someone had advice at hand, or used decent reference books, their knowledge did not improve much.

Of course there were lots of well-informed owners too. But it does seem to me that the internet (such resources as this one!) seem to have improved the sharing of knowledge and I see no evidence that things are worse nowadays.

All the above is of course solely based on my own observations and experience so is hardly representative . So what do people here (who are old enough to remember 20 or 30 years back) think?

 

[Maisy]

I quite frankly, wonder how my first horse ever survived!!!! haha

He lived out with 31 other horses (mixed herd)....he was forever coming in with bites etc but a bit of blue spray and out he went again!

He had one old (heavy) new zealand that I could barely lift, that fitted so badly he had a constant sore on his chest, until the invention of 'bossy's bibs'!!!

He used to eat god knows what! I felt sorry for him on cold nights so would just give him a bit more!

I don't think his saddle (which I bought with him) was checked once until I bought him a new one about 9 years into owning him. He was ridden in a snaffle despite not having (m)any breaks I never considered changing his bit.

His teeth were done as and when, and I never had anyone look at his back....

Yet he seemed perfectly happy and was very rarely sick or sorry!

.....when I think of how mine are mollycoddled now, its positively scary!!!

I first had him 21 years ago.....

 

[Littlelegs]

I'm 31, so don't have clear memories of 30 yrs ago, but certainly of 20 yrs ago. I think to an extent, the fact disposable income is now higher, more people can afford horses. And sometimes they don't have the knowledge to back it up with, because growing up lessons, ponies etc weren't a financial option.

 

[WelshD]

I think there are many more clueless owners around but I do think there are an awful lot of really clued up people, some of the hoof knowledgable people on here could leave a few experts standing

There is more knowledge based on fact nowadays, more access to more research and less old wives tales (not saying that some if those aren't valid mind)

I do think though that some are softer on horses than they need to be and won't accept that they are pretty strong and tolerant to weather, pain, work etc than we give them credit for

 

[FionaM12]

I'm 31, so don't have clear memories of 30 yrs ago, but certainly of 20 yrs ago. I think to an extent, the fact disposable income is now higher, more people can afford horses. And sometimes they don't have the knowledge to back it up with, because growing up lessons, ponies etc weren't a financial option.

But we do keep being told that it's NOW that we're in the worst recession?

I kept my first horse on next to nothing. I think I gave the farmer about £1 a week for DIY

 

[attheponies]

I started riding at 7 in the 1960's at a dodgy little riding school. Spent hours all through my childhood helping out at various riding schools and went to college, but I think things have moved on so much since then. There seems to be so much science in keeping horses today particularly in feeding and exercise.I just feel that I've carried on learning all along but there is always more to know.

 

[FionaM12]

I don't think his saddle (which I bought with him) was checked once until I bought him a new one about 9 years into owning him. He was ridden in a snaffle despite not having (m)any breaks I never considered changing his bit.

His teeth were done as and when, and I never had anyone look at his back....

It seemed to almost be "one size fits all" for saddles then.

And teeth.... I only remember anyone having their horse's teeth looked at if when its teeth were so long it wasn't eating well.

 

[monkeybum13]

I'm 19 so I wasn't around in the 70s but my mum certainly was and has owned horses for years so I share the same views as her. I echo the comments that horses are far too easily available now and people see horse ownership as a right and not a privilege.

Is horse care begin compromised? Hell yes, there are some right idiots that own horses, that could barely look after a doll let alone a large living animal You can pick up horses so cheaply know and the lack of decent riding schools that teach stable management add to the problem.

 

[FionaM12]

I know horse-care has changed enormously since then, and there have been lots of threads on that topic.


What I was hoping on this thread was to discuss the relative knowledge/standard of ownership between, say 30+ years ago and today.

 

[FionaM12]

Is horse care begin compromised? Hell yes, there are some right idiots that own horses, that could barely look after a doll let alone a large living animal

Believe me, there many, many right idiots then too!

More than I'm aware of now, in my experience.

And horses were easily available in the 1970s too. You could pick them up for a song. I remember people keeping them in their gardens!

 

[monkeybum13]

Believe me, there many, many right idiots then too!

More than I'm aware of now, in my experience.

And horses were easily available in the 1970s too. You could pick them up for a song. I remember people keeping them in their gardens!

There has been a huge increase in horse ownership as years go on has there not?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Horsecare has changed I think, mostly for the better - eg, modern fabrics for rugs, more choice of bedding etc, transport etc.

However, feeding has almost come full circle with quite a number of people (as I find) who prefer to feed more straights & not going for 1 mix for convenience.

Horse/pony keeping has also changed, in that there is more 'fussiness', less horse care (grooming, strapping & the like) and on the whole more freedom to the horse/pony (being out) but sometimes at detriment to the horse's figure, hence the appearance of many obese animals these days.
More people have transport = less animals being fit due to hacking to events in the past.

I think its become far less rigid/less military, regarding daily care & routine, this is not a bad or good thing, just a 'relaxation' of the 'old ways' of doing things

However, there is a lot less knowledge among new 1st time horse owners (IMHO), but those I meet seem to be very keen to pick up tips etc

I think the internet has also opened an 'eye' to those who have been there done that & may well be horrified about reading some of the treatments or escapades that happen these days - in the past they would never have made 'national' (or international) reading but still went on all over the place, I'm sure!

 

[FionaM12]

There has been a huge increase in horse ownership as years go on has there not?

There are many more people, ie a huge increase in population. I honestly don't know how the figures pan out re the increase of horses per head of population.

Here my own experience isn't very useful, as the area I grew up in was stuffed full of horses then, but there are few now.

 

[Merlin11]

There is also a lot more information available now. When I was younger you could buy a book about horses and you learned from your instructors and other horsey people but that was it. Now the information available on-line is huge but you also have to decide what is good and not so good.

 

[cavalo branco]

Having learnt to ride in the 60's in Kenya and later, in UK I would say that horse care knowledge is better now. As others have said, knowledge was often quite basic (could the expense of vets now mean that owners take more care??) Certainly, saddle fitting, teeth, excellent farriers, physios and better veterinary diagnostics are readily available now.

Against that, I think that kids were braver and had more fun with their ponies in the 60's and 70's before 'elth and safety dominated everything. You could keep a pony or two without breaking the bank because it lived out year round and I don't remember being crippled with insurance and vet's bills

 

[Anglebracket]

What I was hoping on this thread was to discuss the relative knowledge/standard of ownership between, say 30+ years ago and today.

Perhaps people were more knowledgeable in the past because there was less to know (i.e. it was easier to know everything there is to know).

 

[fizzer]

I do think that years ago that

a) There were possibly not as many yards, more farmers have turned to horse yards in last 20 yrs

b) Most horses/ponies I knew of were all worked/had a job

c) Families tended to share than have one each

d) Lots more people probably went to a riding school for a longer length of time before purchasing.

 

[EQUISCENE]

There has always been ignorant horse owners but as other have said the choices are greater nowadays and there is more easily accessible information on horsekeeping for those who want it! Years ago working horses were just fed oats, rugged in the stable in jute and turned out in canvass - people didnt have the money to over react with every little scrape and had to learn from others about the basics they didnt often look for excuses to why the horse wasnt going well - it was just ridden through it or turned away!

 

[pines of rome]

I quite frankly, wonder how my first horse ever survived!!!! haha

He lived out with 31 other horses (mixed herd)....he was forever coming in with bites etc but a bit of blue spray and out he went again!

He had one old (heavy) new zealand that I could barely lift, that fitted so badly he had a constant sore on his chest, until the invention of 'bossy's bibs'!!!

He used to eat god knows what! I felt sorry for him on cold nights so would just give him a bit more!

I don't think his saddle (which I bought with him) was checked once until I bought him a new one about 9 years into owning him. He was ridden in a snaffle despite not having (m)any breaks I never considered changing his bit.

His teeth were done as and when, and I never had anyone look at his back....

Yet he seemed perfectly happy and was very rarely sick or sorry!

.....when I think of how mine are mollycoddled now, its positively scary!!!

I first had him 21 years ago.....

This sounds just just like my first horse back in 1976, no mollycoddling back then and I only lost him a few years back aged 36!
It does make you wonder if all the suppliments, wormers and checks for everything are really necessary?

 

[9tails]

As with anything, there are those that want to learn and soak up as much knowledge as they can. And there are others that don't. I think that the internet is a wonderful invention as you don't now have to take the advice of the clueless but experienced know-it-all anymore.

 

[Wundahorse]

I don't think things in that way are any different.What i do know is how much i have to learn,that horses are a lifelong learning curve and there is so much more to gain from continuing the learning process.I never thought i would ever do a dressage test but i have and I've been placed on my daughters pony.We never had arenas but now it's an essential.There are so many improvements in all areas,tack,rugs,clothing etc that i wonder how we ever did without.I do have to say that there is less freedom and too much traffic compared to today.

 

[FionaM12]

I think that the internet is a wonderful invention as you don't now have to take the advice of the clueless but experienced know-it-all anymore.

On the internet you have the choice of hundreds of these to wade through.... but there's some useful stuff too!

 

[anuvb]

Interesting question OP - I don't think there is less knowledge but I do think there are fewer old 'horsemen/women' around than there used to be... you know the sort that knew exactly how to poultice, what to do if colic occured etc etc.

What I do think has changed has been people's expectations. Riding/horse owning is much more accessible now because of the increase in people's disposable income. In some ways this has brought much improvement (better Health and Safety, better welfare standards for example) but it has also meant people are often unrealistic about what is involved in ownership, and not matching their ability with the type of horse they purchase. 30 years ago we all went for a decent horse with a leg at each corner which could do a little bit of everything. It didn' matter if it had a wall eye, or a bog brush mane. Nor did it matter if it bucked off your little darling every lesson - after all we learnt by the seat of our pants!

Now people go for the ones which can compete, look pretty etc but don't necessarily want to put the time or effort in to teach it the basics. Overall horses are much more commercial than they used to be and if it doesn't suit it is often sold on, rather than the time and effort put in to turning it around.

I don't know whether it's worse or better than 30 years ago - just different!

 

[quirky]

I think things were simpler back then, in a way

Food - straights and straights only, no other choice.
Supplements - pretty much vitamins only.
Back person/physio - didn't exist.
Dentist - didn't exist.
Barefoot - it was a choice, nothing to brag about. Diet or science again, didn't come into it.
Saddler - again, not many around and they operated differently than they do today.

Riding itself seemed to be more fun orientated, people to seem to be quite ambitious nowadays. They don't always seem happy/impressed with the good mannered non-flashy horse. It seems the flashier/more badly behaved it is, the more impressed we should be .

 

[lula]

Perhaps people were more knowledgeable in the past because there was less to know (i.e. it was easier to know everything there is to know).

oh, i dont think so.. i dont know if anyone exists who knows 'everything there is to know' about horses.

even the most experienced horse people will tell you there's always something new to learn with horses .

 

[HaffiesRock]

From what I remember from my first pony 20 years ago, everything was so simple.

Horses were out 24/7, rug option were new zealand or stable rug (if you bothered), feeds were all straights, hardly any laminitis as horses were worked regularly and hard.

I think today's problems are people keep horses as pets and not working animals. Some are so pampered its no surprise they have problems. They are over fed and supplemented, kept in stables with tons of hay/haylage etc. I know of hairy cobs in heavy weight rugs getting massive meals and tons of hay when in for 14 plus hours a day. That would have never happened 20 years ago.

I keep my pony as I did my first. out 24/7, naked, fed minimally, barefoot and worked. Hes the happiest horse I know!

There is so much to know now, that wasn't known 20 years ago. So I dont think people are less knowledgeable now just there is so much more to know.

For example in the last couple of years (before joining this forum which is great) Id never heard of kissing spine until my friends horse was diagnosed, never knew hoof boots existed even though I keep my pony barefoot and when my friends mare developed mud fever I had to google it! Its a constant learning curve of which some people are more keen to learn than others. xx

 

[HayleyDL]

I don't know if it's a case of less knowledge or more mollycoddling.

My boy is 4. Unclipped, in a medium weight turnout atm and will be until he tells me he needs more he also gets 2 slabs of hay a night (12 hours) and still has some left in the morning. He's out of work so gets a handful of chaff for dinner as a token feed.

I've been told, several times, that for these two reasons I don't have enough knowledge to own a horse. He "should" be in a heavyweight t/o and stable and getting more feed as he's "a growing boy"

 

[HaffiesRock]

I don't know if it's a case of less knowledge or more mollycoddling.

My boy is 4. Unclipped, in a medium weight turnout atm and will be until he tells me he needs more he also gets 2 slabs of hay a night (12 hours) and still has some left in the morning. He's out of work so gets a handful of chaff for dinner as a token feed.

I've been told, several times, that for these two reasons I don't have enough knowledge to own a horse. He "should" be in a heavyweight t/o and stable and getting more feed as he's "a growing boy"

So agree with this. I have been called cruel for keeping my pony unrugged and turned out! xx

 

[Tinypony]

When I were a young lass ponies lived in a field with no shoes on. They got wormed, and in the winter they got some hay. They weren't worked particularly regularly or hard to be honest, but seemed none the worse for it and were dragged out at weekends to do a bit of jumping, hacking or going to shows. It was simple.
However, if a pony broke, it was much less likely to be put in a stable to recover for a long period of time, or to be sent to an equine hospital or have complicated investigations done to it, or be given long term and expensive treatment. If you could sort it out with a bit of help from the vet then all was good, but I don't think that things went on so long before pony was pts quietly at home.
I think personally that in my little orbit there were just as many knowledgeable horse people and numpties as there are now.
However I do think that people need to take on board that reading internet forums does not give an balanced picture of real life. People are much more likely to share problems and worries on these forums, or maybe ask for advice, than they are to just tell you what a nice uneventful rides they've been having all month.

 

[JoannaC]

I think there are a lot more diy yards than before and less grazing. We kept our ponies at grass livery and the YO's word was law. We did what we were told and learnt loads from it. Nowadays kids with non horsey parents tend to land on diy yards and the poor parents have a fast learning curve. A lot of ponies are now kept in as their simply isn't the choice of living out 24/7 round our way and people are expected to just get on with it. Horses don't get to be horses or get the same level of work they did back in the day hence why there seem to be far more problems than we ever had. Veterinary care has also improved but sometimes I wonder if it's the best thing for the horses. We end up spending 1000's of pounds keeping horses alive and it's not always in the best interest of the horse and probably also has an impact on the number of unwanted horses as we aren't replacing them as regularly. I think there were just as many numpty's back then but they had the support network of the YO who would soon put them straight!!