Pet or bought to do a "job"?

[be positive]

Most people I know that own a horse buy them for a purpose, to ride, many through age or injury can at some point no longer be ridden or do the job they were purchased for so need to retire, reduce workload or be pts.

I am lucky I have my own land and keep them in retirement with the ability to have another to ride if I wish, I do not regard them as pets until they can no longer work when they live as field ornaments and companions.
I bring on some to sell again they are not pets but here to do a job then do to a new home and have a decent future in whatever sphere they are prepared for, I take responsibility for them while they are here, find a suitable, hopefully, long term home and happily send them on their way having had a good start, if for any reason they cannot work I would not pass them on.

Recent posts show some people think of horses as pets first but I do not know many people who would go out and buy a pet horse in preference to a riding horse, it may become one but it is usually bought to do a job first then possibly becomes a pet as time goes by.

Is it realistic to think people should have a horse for life, keeping them until they die of old age or are beyond veterinary help?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Mine was bought to ride and I promptly lost interest and all my brave pants! I have him as a pet, I enjoy seeing others ride him. I don't know if I could ever sell him, he's my big dog!

I know of two people who have or are getting ponies they can't ride purely as pets. There's an older lady at the yard who has two horses who are never ridden. I understand it, I was so looking forward to going to see mine today that I could hardly sleep!

 

[robden]

They are part of the family!

 

[Wagtail]

When I buy a horse my intention is to keep it to the end. However, that said I would not buy one that wasn't rideable in the first place. My most important consideration though is temperament. I wouldn't have a horse that was unpleasant to be around. My personal view is that a horse, like any other animal is or life. I accept that I am in the minority here. Also, things can happen that mean an owner can't fulfil those intentions. Death, illness, divorce, redundancy...

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

to do a job, but is very much loved

 

[Molasses]

both, job and pet
bought to do a job, well more like a hobby really - i wouldn't call it work exactly

 

[touchstone]

I enjoy riding, but would still keep my mare in retirement providing she was comfortable and happy. She was out of work for two years through injury, but I still loved just having her around, rideable or not, she is now twenty, so we may be facing retirement in the not too distant future.

However, I am also a realist and appreciate that not everybody is in the position to keep a horse forever, and I've seen some people end up neglecting their horse because they simply couldn't afford to keep going, but wouldn't make responsible decisions. I have also seen old horses that are obviously in pain kept going for far too long having a traumatic death because the owner wouldn't pts earlier. I'd rather a horse had a shorter quality life than a prolonged painful or miserable one.

 

[Marchogaeth]

I think it is? Or at least it should be. I have a 9/10yr old pony and I will keep him until the day he dies. If he needs retiring, so be it! He is my everything and he's a good boy, the very least I can do is to care for him the best I can. I do however think that far to many people see horses as equipment, for want if a better word. It's seems people are far too ready to move horses on after they are no longer considered useful? We forget that they are animals, with thought and feelings, perhaps not in the same respect as us but emotions none the less. I see being able to ride my horse as a bonus, -don't get me wrong, we compete in dressage, go out on fun rides, to the beach ect. but if there came a point where we could no longer do these things, it would make no difference, I will always keep him safe and happy and well and I do not believe that is nearly enough to repay the years he has given me.
I think, that when we as people take on a horse we should aim to provide a forever home? Just like we would fit a dog or cat. I know that when I bought my boy, I promised him I would give him the best life I can for as long as he lives. I think that this is right? That these animals give us so much the very least we can do take care if them for as long as they need us to?

 

[Goldenstar]

To do a job but they are my very great friends too .
I do not look at them as pets.

 

[noodle_]

my current one was bought a companion....but her field mate was pts... so now shes my main one...she lives out 24/7 away from me so i see her every other week (suits me)!

but next year she is being broken to be a dressage horse - either for me or on loan to someone else....either way she will remain in my care for the rest of her life....so yes working animal!.....

as she is only rising 4 i could not have her as a pet for the rest of her life...

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

A bit of both for me. I only have my youngster and sold a rideable horse in order to keep this one. However, he has obviously been kept with riding in mind but because we have spent alot of time together we do have a great friendship. So, if I'm honest I really think it would depend on my circumstances at the time. I would like to think I'll have my boy forever but I am a realist.

 

[Little Alfie]

To do a job, of course

To keep the wife happy

She's worth it

 

[be positive]

To do a job but they are my very great friends too .
I do not look at them as pets.

A sensible view, as expected from GS, they can be friends while doing what they were bought for, given a great life with respect if and when the time comes that they can no longer do that job.

I have no problem with people viewing their own as pets, many people get as much out of caring for them as they do the riding, or more in some cases, especially when they have been part of your life for years.

 

[Jesstickle]

I can imagine keeping a trusted servant until the very end. But buying an unrideable one with no intention of ever riding it? No.

 

[EffyCorsten]

Their job is to bring joy and contentment to my life through existing and riding they have to let me love them of course that's their job my lovely therapy pets!

 

[Little Alfie]

I can imagine keeping a trusted servant until the very end. But buying an unrideable one with no intention of ever riding it? No.

What about a rescue ?
If you could afford it of course

 

[Jesstickle]

What about a rescue ?
If you could afford it of course

No, not if it was un-ridden. I don't enjoy shoveling ****, grooming, stroking them or cooing over them. I like riding them.

I will do all the above in exchange for an hour a day of riding. And if they have been a good friend I will return the favour in retirement if I can. But no. Not as a pet.

 

[jeeve]

Is it realistic to think people should have a horse for life, keeping them until they die of old age or are beyond veterinary help?

No it is not realistic- without discussing the ethics of "owning"/ buying and selling animals as property - I have to say it is completing unrealistic to commit to owning a horse for life. You do buy a horse for a purpose, say child's pony, and that child moves on to a bigger pony, and so your options are keep the pony or sell it/rehome it. It really is often in the pony's interest to move it on, because it still has something to offer someone else.

But if the pony is unsound/dangerous/not suitable for further use then it is your responsibility to take care of that whether it is to provide a retirement home or PTS.

Having said that we have collected 7 ponies/horses, I recently sold 2 smaller ponies 8hh and 11hh that the kids absolutely had all out grown, they were ridden by each of my three kids and then had a long spell while I finally made the decision I was not doing the ponies any favours by holding on to them, they were bored and fat. Plus our paddocks over crowded. I am now sorting the rehoming /sale of another pony atm.

It is hard to do and I procrastinate on it - but I found good homes for the first two. I really should be selling two, but I'll revisit that later.

One of the reasons I am for rehoming/selling is that often the financial capacity to look after your horses can change and you really need to keep the numbers manageable so that they receive the best care possible (and not turn into neglect cases). Secondly, overstocking is not a good idea for extended period of time. Finally, the horses/ponies are happier and sounder in work than as retired ponies.

 

[be positive]

What about a rescue ?
If you could afford it of course

The rescue that has been let down because the owner did not take responsibility for it? if more owners did the right thing by their horse, or did not breed with no thought to the future then rescues would be few and far between.
I agree with Jesstickle, big difference between taking on an unrideable one and keeping one that had done you well in retirement for a few years.

 

[Little Alfie]

That's fair Jess

But some people don't ride and still get a lot from the bloody expensive eating & shyting machines

 

[NinjaPony]

Both. I bought my little pony initially to ride. 7 years later he is still here, despite the fact he is 11.2hh and arthritic. He does light inhand showing for fun but that's not important, I love to spoil and take care of him and he will be with me until the end of his days. I bought my Connemara to do a job; to be my safe, sensible pony that I can do dressage and a bit of showing with. He does his job extremely well, but he is also a pet and will also be with me until the end of his days.

 

[Jesstickle]

That's fair Jess

But some people don't ride and still get a lot from the bloody expensive eating & shyting machines

And that's fine by me! Horses for courses Just because they aren't pets to me doesn't stop them being pets to someone else. I don't really think of a goldfish as a pet either but loads of people would. It's all what you make of it really isn't it? As long as everyone is happy

 

[Mithras]

Neither really. Bought to build a partnership with. When they compete and start doing well, they become indulged pets! Some pets win more some months than it costs to keep them!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Job, pet, mill stone, heartbreak in that order.

 

[Cortez]

To do a job but they are my very great friends too .
I do not look at them as pets.

I agree with this ^^^ Our horses work for a living and help us to make ours. They are not pets, but highly thought of colleagues.

 

[lme]

Ours were initially intended to do a job but have become family members who we potter around with at the weekend. We don't have our own land, or time to look after horses on DIY but have still managed to accumulate 5 horses and ponies including two in 'proper' work, one who really only gets ridden at weekends when the weather is good, an outgrown / injured pony who is having a year off and will only ever do light work and my old girl who has been retired for 10 years. I can't guarantee anything but would like to think they will have a home for life with us.

 

[Copperpot]

They are my pets. I love riding but if I couldn't ride I wouldn't part with them. One had a year off and tbh I don't do much with him now. He's 11, I've had him since he was 5 and I intend to keep him until he no longer has a good quality of life then he will be pts. Hopefully that is many years away. He's a lovely "person" thou and makes me laugh most days with his antics.

 

[blood_magik]

I have a pet and one bought to do a job.

The pet will stay with me until the end - I owe it to him.
The one bought to do a job isn't any different to the pet - The day will come when he's no longer able to do what I bought him for and I don't think it would be fair to pass him on when he's done everything I've asked of him.

 

[Brightbay]

They are my pets. I love riding but if I couldn't ride I wouldn't part with them. One had a year off and tbh I don't do much with him now. He's 11, I've had him since he was 5 and I intend to keep him until he no longer has a good quality of life then he will be pts. Hopefully that is many years away. He's a lovely "person" thou and makes me laugh most days with his antics.

Exactly this (although he was 4 when he came to me). He is with us for life. Riding makes up a tiny percentage of what he gives to us. Our love for him isn't conditional on performance or ability, it's because he is who he is.

 

[Mahoganybay]

I have a horse to ride, I love them to bits but I Want to ride.

My first horse I kept 2 years in retirement before she was pts through medical reasons, but I bought another horse to ride, so had two, fortunately I could afford it / had the time.

My second horse was unrideable for two years approx out of the 5 years I owned her, but I had my daughters horse to ride, so again had two.

I am now down to just my daughters horse and have never been in the situation where I have an unrideable horse with no other,

I would never pass on a aged or lame horse and would pts without hesitation.