Should horse owners be made to pass a basic care course before they own a horse/pony?

[Berpisc]

No, it would never work. Quite a few riding schools have closed down around here over the years; a couple because they were fed up of the amount of insurance that had to be paid. I learned a hell of a lot as a kid helping at my local riding school, but this is as far as I understand, a lot more difficult for kids to do. Some of the reasons for this are sound, but kids do miss out a lot.
It is also far more difficult for riding schools to let their clients be challenged a little in terms of riding and being on the yard. A symptom of our times maybe.

Wealth is no barrier to ignorance ecarylloh, it is true.

The experiences people have posted do remind me of the original Black Beauty story.................Anna Sewell made the point about ignorance then.

 

[rhino]

A friend of mine took up riding, and I was astonished to find that she was having jumping lessons within about six months.

I jumped in my second lesson (and second time ever on a horse).

 

[Donkeymad]

An ability ro ride, and even ride very very well, does not give an ability to actually care for a horse.

 

[Nash2]

I'm sorry but the more you pay for it the more you care for it?

What a load of rubbish - what kind of people do you deal with? - I paid £800 for my youngster and he is kept on DIY livery. I go up every morning at 6.30am and see to him and straight after work. He has everything he could ever need and if it was the choice between something for me or him he comes first every time. He has his back and teeth done every 6 months and his feet trimmed every few weeks, worm counted etc.

I know people who paid £10,000 for their horse and yet won't call the vet if it can't put it's foot down.

I don't know what the answer is. There are people who to me are not particularly 'horsey' yet have a horse. When I was a kid I waited for my mum to come back with 'Horse and Pony' for me every Thursday and helped at the riding school every Saturday as well as my weekly lesson. I read every book going and went to watch at shows. I was obsessed. I remember my mums friend turning up on our drive on her cob one day to take me for a ride and I nearly collapsed with excitement. I don't really see this in kids anymore. On our old yard one mother used to pay for her daughter's horse to be mucked out whilst she sat on a bale of hay watching it being done because she used to cry if she had to do it. Can imagine my dad doing that! He used to get me up at 5.30am every morning and said the day I didn't was the day my pony would be sold. I see so many people who it seems to be a chore for and I just don't know why they have one. People have got lazy an don't want to learn. In the current climate I don't think it has become easier financially owning a horse now - when we were kids my rent was £4 a week (1990's!) and straw was 80p a bale and hay £1.20. My dad was made redundant a couple of years ago and he told me he was earning less then than he was 20 years ago.

It's the same with kids isn't it. Some people just shouldn't have them.