Riding or horses?

[millikins]

I've always ridden but never took it very seriously until my daughter turned out to be one of those little girls born obsessed with horses. We bought a pony, then another and kept them at livery. Then I got the opportunity to rent land and subsequently buy it, I absolutely love owning land, it's flipping hard work but I can fret about the weather, too much/little grass, daisies etc. The ponies are almost incidental though I love them all, I enjoy watching them blossom and just being ponies. I still ride and think I'll feel more competitive again when the Shetlands are broken to drive which I definitely prefer to riding. Mine are here for life though we are considering a loan for one due to impending time issues.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Totallty agree it's a spectrum. And for me it also depends on the horse. All horses have been bought initially to be ridden. Amber found her way into my heart so she will be mine for life regardless. But I don't feel like that about them all. Though I still do right by them, even the ones I have not connected with so much. I do think the riding creates the bond though. Would I love Amber so much of not for her awesome power and boldness? Would we love Dolly so much if not for how hard she tries and how super genuine and willing she is?

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I love the horse first and the riding second. Eg, if Boggle could never be ridden again but I couldn’t afford a second horse he would be kept as a pet even if it meant staying out of the saddle.

This is me. Don’t get me wrong I miss riding so much whilst I’ve been pregnant but if I’m honest I’ve missed riding my pony rather than riding in general. So if I wasn’t riding because she was off games rather than me then I don’t think I’d miss it as much if that makes sense.

 

[Trouper]

Coming back to the equine world after a (very) long time following a career and family commitments, I thought I was just returning to riding. How wrong can you get?!! It only took a few weeks to realise that riding was a very small part of re-joining the horse world and it would not be complete until I could have my own to care for.

 

[Luxgood]

Good question Stormox,
For me I love horses.
I love to get to know them and watch hem interact with one another.
I don’t care so much about riding because I’m really bad.

 

[Inda]

I was in the situation where I faced having an unridable 2 year old. Her surgery scar was right where her saddle would sit. If it rubbed she was unridable.

She was backed last year, the saddle misses the scar by centimetres.

If it rubbed, she was going nowhere. She was going to be a pet for the rest of her life, continue with her chemo and all treatment as needed. It didn’t cross my mind to not keep her. She’s been mostly full livery since I bought her at 18mth.

My agility dog was retired at 6mth due to a neurological issue, I couldn’t keep one sport animal and not the other.

 

[LEC]

I have been lucky enough to have grown up with horses but I am also a farmers kid. We were taught from a very young age that they are livestock. They live and they die, we always have to do right by them. We had no money so we specialised in making ponies and then they were sold to fund the next one. As we were also constantly told ‘cows make money, horses lose it!’ With this I really love horses but I am very good at not becoming deeply attached emotionally.

I am happy to make difficult decisions quickly because the horse might not be good enough for me or Might not want to do what I want to do. I can’t keep scores of horses for sentimentality if they don’t have a job or they haven’t earned their retirement. The greatest pride I get is seeing horses I have sold go on and do a great job for someone else. Knowing that they are loved and cared for.

Horses still fascinate me as much as they did when I was a kid. I love the day to day process of riding/training and managing horses. But i wouldn’t keep a horse for the sake of it and I wouldn’t ever be a happy hacker. Even the Shetland is a test bed for my training effectiveness and experimentation to then hone for the eventers. I love competing (though often I don’t feel that) and I love riding. Above all I love horses, but I still wouldn’t keep one as a pet.

 

[AUB]

For me it’s both. But I do like to ride my horse! And honestly, if she had an injury and could never be ridden again, I would probably PTS.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Horses are my hobby, not my livelihood, and I buy them to ride, however, I feel a responsibility to ensure they have the best life regardless of whether they can be ridden or not. This has meant periods of time when riding my own horses was reduced to light hacking or nothing at all. I don't regret those times and currently I have the most amazing, go anywhere, do anything horse.
I watched a documentary about an American rancher. His life was tough, his son and daughter, ages about 7 and 8 years, out of school hours, were spending up to 8 hours a day in the saddle working the cattle. His income depended on just making enough to get by. His horses were beautifully schooled and the kids were excellent horse people.
However, his current main horse was no longer able to do the job and he had to make the tough decision to send it to slaughter. As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears and his voice broke. He hated the reality that he just couldn't afford to keep a non working horse.
I always think of that man and his sincerity when I'm faced with funding a retired horse. Riding is just my hobby, not my livelihood. It's a privilege, not a necessity, so I am able to put their needs before my own.

 

[AutumnDays]

For me it's the horses. She's pretty much become unridden due to an old injury of mine making riding uncomfortable on a good day, and agony on a bad day, so we very, very rarely tack up and ride out anymore. But we do spend a lot of time together, and she and the dog love their hikes out... she now basically thinks she is a dog ?. All her needs are met, she is worked more than most of the "in work" ridden horses, and she has changed character in that since I stopped riding, shes more laid back, seeks out my company, and loves being presented with a new challenge (horse agility is her new favourite thing!). My new job has hours that mean I miss a lot of people at the yard, so I don't have to put up with judgy comments about me "not riding AGAIN?", and this type of interaction has become a proper destress for me, the mare and the dog... win, win!

 

[J&S]

Its almost too complicated a relationship for me, with horses, to be able to put down in writing! Horses and riding in one way or another have got me though some very dark patches in my life, from childhood to middle age. Each horse or pony has been "the best", each horse or pony has given me great satisfaction or feelings of fulfilment no matter how small an achievement or how short an attachment we have had. When I was competing it was the riding that was pretty much everything but now in late life I am more than happy to have a couple of huge hamsters (!) in the garden to care for and exercise gently. I love horses and riding them is just a bonus.

 

[SEL]

I love the horse first and the riding second. Eg, if Boggle could never be ridden again but I couldn’t afford a second horse he would be kept as a pet even if it meant staying out of the saddle.

Me too. I'm not sure my younger self would have said the same - I was all about the riding and I'm a bit ashamed of some of the positions I put horses in to make sure I could ride. Having the 2 chunkies with all their medical issues in my life though has shown to me that I love the horse first, because I can't put a healthy horse down just because she can't be ridden.

I do very much miss riding though and if the little pony can go out on loan then I am going to try and find something that hasn't yet broken and see how long we can go until I find something wrong with it.

 

[Tarragon]

I think it is both for me.
I was horrified when I met someone once while I was out riding, who said that if she couldn't compete she wouldn't want to ride. That seemed like a very foreign idea to me.
But then again, when my main riding pony became unexplainably lame, I rather surprised myself how quickly I found another pony to ride! I couldn't face not riding for long. Lame pony has rest of year off as a companion and I have loaned a young one from a friend that needs working - everyone happy

 

[Sail_away]

I don’t think it’s one or the other, or even a spectrum to be honest. I don’t think that if riding is the most important thing to you, it doesn’t mean you can’t also love your horse and keep it til it’s end days.
I have a retiree currently who was my ridden horse for 2/3 years before breaking down. I have to say that although I’m attached to him, he certainly isn’t staying with us for my sake. If I could ensure he would be safe and sound in a new home then he would be sold. But as it is, he will stay with us for the rest of his life.
I’m much more invested in my current ridden horse, we suit each other down to the ground and it feels like we’re on the same page. I wouldn’t love her as much if I couldn’t ride her because I wouldn’t have that connection to her.
I don’t really know where I’m going with this. I think I ride for the connection with the horse, not for the sport, although I like competing. And I love the horse because of that ridden connection. But equally I feel a strong duty of care to my non- ridden horse, even if I don’t absolutely love having him as a pet.

 

[mini_b]

I would think differently about this if I was able to keep my horses at home or had grazing of my own.

 

[Muddywellies]

For me, it's the horse.
I ride. Im fairly dedicated and focused on the riding and training (most of the time). I enjoy the challenge and the buzz I get when I see improvement is awesome. BUT I love my horse more than anything in the world and if I couldn't ride her anymore, I wouldnt love and cherish her any less.

 

[Flame_]

I like the journey. The up and downs, highs and lows, hopes, successes (very rarely competition successes!) and disappointments. That's a ride, more than sitting on a horse is, IYKWIM?

You can't really get that without a riding horse of some description. With pets and retirees it's more like, it is what it is.

ETA My horse is 10 this time and I get panicky about the journey becoming more about managing decline than progression, but I want to keep him so I'm trying to embrace the idea.

 

[pansymouse]

First and foremost I'm a rider but I will always care for my horse for the whole of their lives if that means not riding when they are not longer able to be ridden or enjoy it then so be it; I keep them and do my best for them to the very end.

 

[Firefly9410]

I have been on both sides of this.

I not about competing. That is something I do only for fun and if it is convenient. But I do not buy unridable horses except for unbroken.

When oldie had to retire to walking only I was miserable spending out all the spare income and not getting what I want from it not even a trot down the bridleway on a summer day. I considered pts but it was not the right decision but also felt one almost retired horse was not an option either. I moved to a cheaper yard and bought a second. Oldie was pts when it became necessary years later.

When I had to give up for my health. New horse was unsuited to retirement due to their health or I would happily have paid for retirement as a pet and not rode. Rehoming was not in the horse's best interests so this one was sadly pts too.

I think finances definitely plays a part. Keeping retired when you have your own land is much easier than on livery particularly with the lack of turnout on lots of liveries. With my second if I could have afforded an experience private groom to keep in work and look after properly I would have done that instead.

I would never sell or rehome or pts a horse just because it could not compete at all or to a certain level. So I suppose that makes me more on the pet side of things. I do not object to people keeping horses for the sport whether that is competition or just riding as long as horse welfare is maintained. I have a problem with those who cares only about the sport and does not worry about welfare so much both in daily life and including selling or giving away horses that realistically nobody wants just to avoid the cost or emotions of pts.

 

[my bfg]

If I bought a horse that was then deemed unrideable then they're with me for life whatever, however I wouldn't knowingly take on an unrideable horse to be kept at livery, I would consider it if I had my own land and was looking for a compainion

 

[Winters100]

Totallty agree it's a spectrum. And for me it also depends on the horse. All horses have been bought initially to be ridden. Amber found her way into my heart so she will be mine for life regardless. But I don't feel like that about them all. Though I still do right by them, even the ones I have not connected with so much. I do think the riding creates the bond though. Would I love Amber so much of not for her awesome power and boldness? Would we love Dolly so much if not for how hard she tries and how super genuine and willing she is?

This struck a chord with me. I always do right by them and have never sold an oldie or a horse with problems, and have kept them with good care in retirement, but for me the connection comes through them being what I want as ridden horses. I just adore my schoolmistress, I am a fairly 'practical' owner, but for me she can do no wrong. She has earned this place in my heart by being the horse I needed, by never putting a foot wrong as she let me regain confidence after a serious accident and by being the most reliable horse that I have ever known. The same with my other 2, they have been the right horses at the right time, and all 3 have a home for life.

Of course I know that time stops for nothing, and there will come a time when they cannot do the level of work that they do now. They will then step down to lighter work, and when they need to they will retire. We will walk in the forest, and when they no longer want to be ridden I will walk beside them. All will receive the same level of care that they do today for as long as they can live a good life. I hope that when this happens I will still be in a position to afford other ridden horses, because I love the riding aspect, but if not so be it, they are my friends, not bicycles, so I believe that I owe them care when they can no longer give me the enjoyment of riding.

Edited to add that sometimes our horses really do save us. Today I had the worst day, problems with a sick family member, problems with immigration because of Brexit, problems with work.... I got to the yard and more or less immediately jumped on my schoolmistress, no saddle or bridle, just a headcollar, and took her for a fast-ish canter in the forest. That was it, I could face the day again and begin chipping away at all the problems that I needed to work on. I love riding, but I also recognise how much I owe them.

 

[skint1]

Horses more than riding, though I would like to ride one day if I can align my confidence with soundness of horse I started as my daughter's ground crew so by time I learned to ride myself I had already been a horse owner for around 10 years and never thought I would ride. I only rode consistently for about 5 of of those years, the latter 5 not so much. I am not that confident and honestly I don't think a horse was ever the better for having me as a rider, though I still have my little dreams of course, but for me it's about spending time with them first I guess.

 

[fredflop]

definitely agree there are two separate groups of people.

I help out with a charity and we get horses surrendered to us with stuff like ligament and tendon issues/ kissing spine/si etc. people just want to compete and know they can't sell the horse, but choose not to give give the horse time off or rehab it. they just want to move on to the next animal to compete or ride. the irony is that they are usually surrendered with quotes like ' I just want what's best for him', while at the same time offloading the cost onto a voluntary organisation for an animal that requires medical attention and often remedial work by farriers and physios. I genuinely think people fool themselves into thinking they love horses, and they might actually like horses on some level but actually it's the personal challenge that competition/riding brings that is the basis of their core, not the relationship with a partner or particular animal.

on the other hand you see people paying full livery for elderly horses that require tons of vets bill, because they love the animal to bits regardless of what it can.

interesting… out of interest why does the charity accept these broken down horses instead of telling the owners to PTS? My own experience with charities is not good. I had a healthy, but “full of character” horse. my personal circumstances had done a 180 turn in 24 hours, and this horse would have been the sort to end up on the dodgy dealer merry go round. Charity would have been the best option to retain ownership. I rang about ten charities up. Not one could help. Some couldn’t be bothered to ring me back, others advised PTS, yet I knew their fields were full of cripples that would never serve a purpose except mow their fields.

 

[smolmaus]

interesting… out of interest why does the charity accept these broken down horses instead of telling the owners to PTS? My own experience with charities is not good. I had a healthy, but “full of character” horse. my personal circumstances had done a 180 turn in 24 hours, and this horse would have been the sort to end up on the dodgy dealer merry go round. Charity would have been the best option to retain ownership. I rang about ten charities up. Not one could help. Some couldn’t be bothered to ring me back, others advised PTS, yet I knew their fields were full of cripples that would never serve a purpose except mow their fields.

I only work with a charity so pinch of salt here, I don't decide who comes and who doesn't but sometimes we just don't have room. An owner who has just had a change in circumstances and wants to retain ownership is going to fall below genuine welfare cases in terms of urgency. We do have one case I know of with a similar circumstance to you but the owner is very involved and is doing her best to help the rescue in return and the mare has been fully signed over. That's one out of 50-ish equines and a special circumstance.

 

[paddi22]

interesting… out of interest why does the charity accept these broken down horses instead of telling the owners to PTS? My own experience with charities is not good. I had a healthy, but “full of character” horse. my personal circumstances had done a 180 turn in 24 hours, and this horse would have been the sort to end up on the dodgy dealer merry go round. Charity would have been the best option to retain ownership. I rang about ten charities up. Not one could help. Some couldn’t be bothered to ring me back, others advised PTS, yet I knew their fields were full of cripples that would never serve a purpose except mow their fields.

a lot of the horses though that come in with kissing spin/si/leg issues (if it's not too severe) often come right with time/physio/corrective bodywork and often rehabbing barefoot. if a horse with mild kissing spine goes to a rider who can understand the work needed to keep it strong and happy in work then they stay in work for years a lot of the time.

In your case I disagree charity was the best option to retain ownership, most owners in that situation would loan horses out first, it might take a while too find the right person but it does allow owner to keep an eye on the horse and retain ownership. . I agree with Smolmaus that if you have the option for a serious welfare case you would take that over an owner that just wants to surrender a horse that could go on loan. I disagree that all charities have fields full of cripples. ours have horses that need time off, to be let down, to let leg strains heal. we put to sleep any horses that aren't field sound, can't do a job (even as a companion).

to be honest though, most of the surrenders are generally just horses that have been ridden in bad tack, have sore backs, teeth issues or just not been given proper manners. they generally come right after some work.

 

[milliepops]

to add to the above ^ if the charity is doing a good job of getting the sound ones out to new homes, then you'd expect their fields to have the doddery old things that were not now rehomable. I used to work at a charity and considered it a hugely important part of the job to get the rehabbed horses trained on and ready to leave. there was a waiting list for them so they didn't hang about for long once they were ready.

 

[smolmaus]

We absolutely have fields full of cripples tbh. I don't know if it's just that I've only been there during covid and the insane horse market but we haven't had a sound horse through the gates the entire time, or even a nearly sound one. Anything that can be sold is sold. Even the mare I mentioned above has cushings and might struggle to find a soft landing.

 

[stormox]

interesting… out of interest why does the charity accept these broken down horses instead of telling the owners to PTS? My own experience with charities is not good. I had a healthy, but “full of character” horse. my personal circumstances had done a 180 turn in 24 hours, and this horse would have been the sort to end up on the dodgy dealer merry go round. Charity would have been the best option to retain ownership. I rang about ten charities up. Not one could help. Some couldn’t be bothered to ring me back, others advised PTS, yet I knew their fields were full of cripples that would never serve a purpose except mow their fields.

So are you saying a charity should take healthy but quirky horses over elderly or unsound ones?