Riding new horse and need advice

[KEC]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice...I've just started riding an older horse - mainly hacking and some light schooling/lessons.

The horse was 'gifted' to the present owner and now lives out 24/7. There is a shelter but not sure it's big enough for the horse to get in and turn around. The owner says she goes there twice a day but then she works away for days at a time - hubby goes up apparently. This set up is completely alien to me, also the owner has given me the tack and said just turn up and ride whenever you like. The horse looksin OK condition, can see ribs and withers quite prominent, feet are in good condition.

The owner is not massively experienced and neither am I - am I worrying about nothing and just need to get used to grooming and tacking up in a field or should I go with instinct?

Sorry for the ramble, not sure what's bugging me really. Any thoughts, advise, experiences of living out/older horses would be much appreciated.

 

[chancing]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice...I've just started riding an older horse - mainly hacking and some light schooling/lessons.

The horse was 'gifted' to the present owner and now lives out 24/7. There is a shelter but not sure it's big enough for the horse to get in and turn around. The owner says she goes there twice a day but then she works away for days at a time - hubby goes up apparently. This set up is completely alien to me, also the owner has given me the tack and said just turn up and ride whenever you like. The horse looksin OK condition, can see ribs and withers quite prominent, feet are in good condition.

The owner is not massively experienced and neither am I - am I worrying about nothing and just need to get used to grooming and tacking up in a field or should I go with instinct?

Sorry for the ramble, not sure what's bugging me really. Any thoughts, advise, experiences of living out/older horses would be much appreciated.

personally and i may be different to others, i wouldnt want to see ribs prominently. however
1) how old is horse what is current feed system
2) what is rugging situation
3) plenty of forage/fresh water available
4) shelter kept clean?
5) how big is shelter/horse roughly
6) any other issues visible? mud fever poor teeth??
o
horses can live out 24/7 absolutely fine as long as adequate shelter, food and water, rugs etc are provided and horse should be checked twice daily. as i said only my opinion interested to hear others thoughts

 

[nikkitodhunter]

This is the set-up my older horse lived in for a good many years, right up until she passed away - We just rented a field and she had a stable/shelter, we groomed and tacked up - and did any schooling/jumping! - in that field, just fine. It might take some getting used to if you're from a fancier yard but there's nothing wrong with it

In terms of it being an older horse and slightly bony, I'd agree with the above poster re: feeding and rugging. Older horses find it harder to put on weight, so many sure you/the owner is feeding enough, and maybe consult a nutritionist - most of the good feed companies have them?

My old lady had Cushings, so needed a bit of extra care, so her field shelter could be closed and used as a stable, and when she got older she was stabled overnight in a lovely cosy stable rug during winter. Would this be a possibility, if you're concerned about the horse being cold? Check the shelter is big enough for the horse - check by leading the horse is and seeing how much space you have to manoeuvre, perhaps?

Other than that though, my only other comment would be to make sure people's responsibilities for checking on the horse are set out - will one of you be responsible for feeding/watering.field checks etc? Don't want a situation where each thinks the other has done it!!

 

[dollyanna]

Older horses are often better off outside as much as possible - the movement helps ease stiffness and increases circulation and therefore warmth. My friend has always had her old Section D stabled through the winter and would have sworn that she couldn't live out and certainly not go without a rug, but this winter she decided to leave her and see - and she has gone through rain, snow, gails and ice completely naked with nothing but hay, and looks amazing for it.

It can take a while to adapt if you aren't used to working from the field, but my stable is half a mile from the field so I usually just groom and work them straight out the field, no problem.

 

[KEC]

Thanks so much for your replies, I feel much happier about the whole set up now. Chancing re your points I'm not able to answer a lot of them as I've only been up once and was a bit shocked at how easy and simple everything seemed to be - horse seemed what I needed,owner is 'normal', and local etc - and also at being given the tack! Haven't got any grooming stuff or access to it which concerns me as I don't like just rocking up, riding, unpacking then leaving.

The horse is 23 and seemed to be in good health. I'm going tomorrow so will check teeth and feet. Not sure about rugging, water system. Feeding is a large bale of hay that the two horses can access as and when needed and the owner mentioned a supplement for hooves, the ground seemed ok-ish but they are being moved soon. The shelter was dirty but the owner was up cleaning it when I went up. I think I'll take nickitodhunters suggestion and try and lead the horse in and see what space is like

 

[Barnacle]

What type of horse are we talking about? Maybe I missed it... But most horses can live out all year round just fine (and it's potentially better for their health too) so that wouldn't concern me. That the horse has a small shelter wouldn't really worry me either - the horse probably doesn't use it that much - most don't. If you can see one or two ribs, chances are the horse is actually a healthy weight. Most British horses are fat and an older horse won't be well-muscled. If it's more skinny than that it's probably related to age since many older horses find it hard to put on weight but perhaps the owner ought to be giving more than hay. I'd be more concerned that you can't groom - you should buy yourself a brush and hoof pick at least to make sure the girth area is clean and the feet picked. Those items don't cost much.

 

[KEC]

Hi everyone, just thought I'd give an update. The horse has now moved to a different field with great grazing (8 acres) and has about five ponies for company. The owner isn't keen on rugging at all and will only put on a waterproof one when's it's really bad rain wise. She also mentioned about not picking the horse's feet out as this wouldn't be done in the wild - she said she's really into natural horses, horses being how they should be. I only thought ab forewords that having a human on their back isn't natural but did explain at the time that if I'm putting my weight on her I need to make sure they're ok. No offer of hoof pick though.

The owner has said she's a novice riding and I'm beginning to think she is with everything else too. Not ridden for a while cos of the weather and not sure whether to give it up as a bad job - last time I went to ride I couldn't get the horse to the gate to groom and tack up so maybe she'll decide for me!!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

This does sound rather like the blind leading the halt!

If the owner doesn't want you to pick out the hooves, there is nothing to stop you having a quick look at them to check that there is nothing untoward stuck in the mud that has gathered in the hoof before you ride and then again after you ride. The debris will drop out if you have a short trot on a hard surface, in fact it may well drop out after a few walk steps on a road. You say that the feet seem to be in good condition, so owner must be doing something right and it sounds as if she has the hooves trimmed regularly.

Horses in full coats i.e. unclipped don't really need rugs unless they have no shelter at all available in the very worst weather. Their coats are often healthier than those who are rugged up to the hilt in warm weather.

I don't quite understand why you couldn't get the horse to the gate - did you go into the field or expect her to leave the grass and her companions to come to you at the gate? You will probably need to go and collect her.

If you like the horse, I can see no sensible reason to give up at this stage.

 

[SpringArising]

- Horse lives out in company
- Has access to grass and hay
- Feet are in good nick
- Owner tends to the horses twice a day

What are you worrying about exactly? If the owner found this thread I would imagine she would be quite upset and cross.

Aside from her not wanting you to pick out her feet, which, OK, is a bit odd, there's really nothing strange going on IMO.

 

[KEC]

Thanks for your replies. springarising - I have spoken to the owner and she is fully aware of my thought so know she wouldn't be upset or cross. She quite happy that I care so much to ask all kinds of questions rather than jumping on without a second thought for anything or anyone else.

My concern is that we are relative novices and inexperienced in horse care (as perarlsasinger says!)and I wanted to get more experienced people's thought and opinions.

 

[Barnacle]

Umm... I think it's fine for you to continue riding etc. But the hoof picking thing sounds a little bit loony honestly...

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Had another thought .......... Is the horse barefoot? Her feet will not collect anywhere near as much debris as a shod horse's feet do, so owner might just be concerned in case you start digging into the feet with a pick. Does she maybe brush the underside of the feet instead?

 

[KEC]

Had another thought .......... Is the horse barefoot? Her feet will not collect anywhere near as much debris as a shod horse's feet do, so owner might just be concerned in case you start digging into the feet with a pick. Does she maybe brush the underside of the feet instead?

Yes she is barefoot!! And the field is in a really condition so probably not going to pick up too much as you say

 

[Barnacle]

I ride several barefoot horses and if their feet aren't totally flat, they will still get stuff stuck in there. It's also no different picking out a shod foot - you're just as able to dig a hoof pick into a horse with shoes as one without as the sensitive parts are (obviously!) not what the shoes are nailed into...