Owning more than one horse?

B

Benjamin

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How easy did you all find it going from having one horse to have two, or more? Not talking money here, am talking time, effort etc........

Just looking for your thoughts on multiple horse ownership
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Thanks
P x
 
It was a bt toough at first...especially in the winter months when fellow liveries with one had finished and i still had another to do. You do get into a routine though and learn to work a bit more efficiently
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One is plenty - unless you have good reason to want another one (retired horse, want to ride more etc).
I went from one to three (with a full time job) and found it heavy going despite help from friends, etc.
Don't do it!
S
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I found it touch to begin with - especially as other horse was such a pig in the stable. However, routine etc. established it was no more time consuming. However, Freddy wasn't ridden....
 
I think it depends what you plan to do with them. I had 2 in the summer and used one stable and rotated, I managed to exercise them both daily though.

When I had 2 stables I was working part time so I do not really know how I would cope when working full time
 
I've found that two horses end up taking up more than double the time of one! Especially if you are riding/schooling both of them as well.
I've only had 2 to do whilst my mum has been sick or on holiday, but even a fortnight has been incredibly tiring, and left me with little energy and time to do anything other than work/horses/sleep.
 
It is much more work, don't kid yourself with the I'm there anyway/I would have to poo pick anyway routine..although this is how I justify having 3 to my OH it simply isn't true and if there was a way for me to just have one that did everything for everybody, I would
 
Knackering....

There are times I would much prefer one horse ONLY.

There again, i love my boys dearly, and once into a routine i can get morning stables done quickly.

I also find that over the winter when time is of the essence i would lunge one and ride the other. That way both would be worked daily esp when weather wouldnt allow turnout.

The hardest problem i find is getting ppl to cover me whilst im away. Its rare i go anywhere, mainly due to asking ppl to babysit so many horses.

Parents help out a lot, but i really do find it unfair to ask someone to muck out 3 horses etc, esp if its during the week or even their weekend. I tend to stick to having only one or two days away and usually over the summer so horses are out.

So there is distruption, unless you are on a yard and you can pay someone to look after them for you.
 
its bl00dy hard work, especially having two fit competition horses on DIY in the winter and working. However i wouldnt have it any other way, and im certainly not complaining! I put in a lot of hours at the yard tho. It depends how commited you want to be imo!
 
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The hardest problem i find is getting ppl to cover me whilst im away. Its rare i go anywhere, mainly due to asking ppl to babysit so many horses.

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This is what I find most difficult too! The rest isnt too bad for me though, as my mum does my pony most of the time anyway!
 
not too bad if you are an 'organised' sort of person
you can fit things in - what throws your 'system' out of kilter is if something goes wrong - like one breaking free and legging it or getting a cut that needs treatment - all adds to the time and has a knock on effect on getting everything done

insurance costs for all of them mounts up and up plus shoeing
if you can work unshod then it's more economical to have multiple horses

feeding - you will find that fitting a few bags for one horse from cash and carry is Ok - when you are feeding lots you'll need a bigger motor

once you have multiple horses you really should invest in rubber matting for thestables to save time on the mucking out - plus you start looking at ways of keeping the darlings cleaner so they take less time to get ready for rides (I've got shares in Showsheen !!)
 
I look after an extra one, and without riding, I don't find it takes up much more time. They both went out together in the mornings, I carried 2 water buckets instead of one, 2 lots of hay etc, so it added on some extra time, but didn't double it. However when I took another horse to ride on loan last year it seemed to take forever to get them both done, at least double the time.
 
Very hard work!! I have two and look after two others so four altogether in the Winter evenings (i.e. muck out/bring in/feed etc) and try and ride both my two in the evening and i have a full time job! Now they are all out for the Summer it is a LOT easier!
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Oh I know that one !!

work horses sleep work horses sleep sleepwhilstdoinghorses sleepatwork sleepwhilstriding

however you do get fitter and used to the extra work - it's just two weeks isn't long enough to get to that stage

more horses does mean you don't need to goto gym to get exercise...!
 
I have to say, this last winter I really enjoyed having just the one (for the first time in years
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) Not so much because of the workload of care, (she lives out so is quite low maintenance) but because of being able to devote so much time to keeping her fit - she really benefitted.
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However, I couldn't just stick to one, as it meant Mum and I couldn't ride out together, and the old girl is too old to do what I want competition wise, so after ages of searching I bought Bel.

It's nice to be back up to two, and to be able to ride with Mum/Weevil and look forward competing, BUT I am already stressing about making sure they both get enough hours work (not helped by the rock hard ground at the mo
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). Like BBs said, in many ways it would be nice to just have the one.
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(Also, if you're soppy about your gees like me, be prepared for the guilt about getting an new one - or maybe that's just cause Star is such a green eyed grump pot
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SSM, if you need a ride on an opinionated big bay mare, then I can offer you a fix?? If you are prepared to take a little road trip down my way?? H. x
 
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more horses does mean you don't need to goto gym to get exercise...!

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If only this was true.
I had 6 horses to look after this winter, 6 who for 3 months were kept in 24/7.
I have a walker which helps but loading them on and off there twice a day, riding my two plus looking after my retired chap too was shattering.
Over Xmas i looked after YOs horses and her house which is at the bottom of the Yards drive.
I dont think i have ever felt so tired in my life. I work 9-5 in an office, even the village road was not accessable so for 4 months ive had to walk to the yard which takes nearly 10 minutes (3 times a day) i still didnt lose any weight
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I jsut got more drained lol
 
I think it depends on your circumstances, how your horses are kept and whether they are in work or not. I have three, but keep them at home, work from home, and they are out at grass most of the time. In addition, one is daughter's pony and one is retired, so I only have one to ride. For me that set up works well and is not too time-consuming, but would be more strenuous if I had to ride another one as well.

Whilst I was commuting to London to work I had, at one time, two horses on full livery, but again one was out of work. Didn't make too much difference timewise, but was a huge financial burden
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!
 
I find it harder having two than one definitely, my OH rides and helps whenever he isnt at work, but he only gets a sat afternoon and sunday off, isnt in during the week until 8.30pm, so its pretty much just me!

I had a friend riding one but she has just taken a horse on loan closer to where she lives before xmas, riding two can be a chore at times.
 
You get very very efficent - I keep 3 at home, out 24/7 and ride 4/5 times week. I spend an average of an hour doing them a day not including riding/inhand practice with the youngster. I have everything for the morning (haynets, feeds, rugs) lined up to the night before - I also put overnight rugs over fly/sweetitch rugs so I only have one rug to remove in the morning. I feed from round bales so only hang up 2 nets to stop bullying - again, labour saving! Feed wise..I buy in bulk using the jeep get about 6-8 weeks worth in one go as with so many different bags you just can't fit it all in a normal car..or you're there every week which is a pain!

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This was my first winter only owning one in many many years and I have to say, although I miss Royale something awful and not a day goes by when I don't think about her, it was truly blissful only having one to do. It would of course have been heaven had Georgie not gone lame in January for weeks and week but thats another story!
 
I feel it is a huge jump going from one to two horses. I compare it to having two children rather than one. I would also say it depends where you keep them. I have my own field so I do not have to consider anybody else, but when I was on DIY livery it was very stressful. For some reason they even seem to get on others nerves as well. Dont know why. Prepare for it to take up more than double the time of one horse too - I always seem to be in a tizz running from one horses to the other. I dont work either out of the home that is -[I do plenty of work in the home though] and do seem to feel tired. A lot more so than having one horse. I must add though it is very rewarding to own two horses.
 
The trick is being organised and having a good routine. I am lucky as my 4 are kept at home and are all turned out together and they all get on really well. It can be hard work mucking out 4 boxes every day but that's where having a horsey husband comes in
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When i went from having 1 to 2 horses, i found the jump VERY hard to get used to. Suddenly it was 2 sets of everything and especially hard to get used to during winter months. However, without noticing i got into the routine of having 2, and when i sold my younger pony, i felt completely lost having 1! I didnt know what to do with myself. Then back in November, i got the chance to buy back the pony i had sold and i did, i then had 3! But oddly, the jump from 2 to 3 wasnt half as bad as the leap from 1-2! If that makes sense!
 
..is alot more work
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Especially if you have high standards...
I used to have 3 of my own ( 2 to ride)and I also looked after 2 ponies(not ridden), as well as a near F/T job. I loved them all dearly and cared for mine until their end . I still have Jazz and TBH it is great to be able to devote my time to her alone.
I wouldn't even consider another one to ride BUT if circumstances dictated I would take on another as a companion only.
Each to their own though
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Allow double everything - time and money or allow more money and have part livery.

I can save time exercising by doing ride and lead - both the C's can now trot figure of 8s, 20 m circles, change the rein, walk and trot transitions and walk 3 loop serps in the school together and I also hack out with them. They can also be loose schooled together though this still occasionally turns into two hooligans trotting along and play fighting rather than working.

We only have two horses as Cairo is my OH's and I missed having my own horse, hence getting Chancer. I personally would have a second horse only if the other was too old or had problems that meant I could not ride - one is normally enough for me.
 
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