So.... how much work does a horse 'need' to do???

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merlinsquest

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As in title really. I feel guilty that I am not riding as much as in the summer..... but if I am not expecting him to do any competitions or long rides etc then how much work does he need to keep him ticking over.

He is out 24/7 with company (so not bored) and on good grazing (for the time of year obviously) its hilly so hard work to get to top of field!!!, rugged, not clipped and fed a scoop of sugar beet, half of nuts, scoop of chaff, garlic and suppliments for joints (has an arthritic fetlock but doesnt seem to bother him ie not stiff or on pain killers).

Welsh D cross ISH and is a good weight.

Am I just worrying that he should do more than one or two hour long hacks a week???? Does anyone else only ride that often??

Makes me feel bad that there are people out there who would love the opportunity to ride and I am letting him lounge around all day..................... even though I think that he is happy with that.
 
So long as he is fit enough to do what you do then all is well. If he is not dropping weight/becoming obese... if he is not getting over excited or bored, carry on as you are.
 
In the case of our horse, the answer is none. He doesn't NEED to do anything, but he does because we want him to.
 
I have the same problem, cant ride after work now so only get weekend, luckily H does RDA during week to get joints moving and lives out, but is no way taxing !!!
 
Woo hoo- somebody else like me
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! I often feel guilty that I'm not doing enough with my horse but I work full time and the daylight hours at the moment mean I can't do much with him during the week (no schooling facilities other than in the park). He's also a Welsh x and is out 24/7 on a hilly 12 acre park with company. He's also very playful and spends most of his days charging around like a loon, so he does exercise himself quite well. This winter is a bit easier as he is now at home so if I can drag my butt out of bed, I have time to lunge him in the morning for ten minutes or so, but more often than not, I'm running late and it doesn't happen!
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It doesnt help that I have no school and even if I did his fetlock does get sore if I school and lunge excessively. So its all hacking and sometimes I just cant be bothered to scrape all the mud off of him and go out just to freeze to death
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BUT so long as he is looked after properly does it really matter that he isnt ridden loads??

I am beating myself up for being lazy and a fair weather rider.... but does he care???? (I think I know the answer to that one already)
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I think the horses are probably glad to be mooching around the field than actually having to do some work! I only ride a couple of times of a week, with the only small problem being that he is less stiff if he's worked everyday, but that can't be helped.
 
oooh am starting to feel better now
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The money to keep him isnt an issue as one of the jobs I do is purely for his upkeep.... Wed morning money is merlin money
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Just hoped that it wasnt detrimental to him... and by the sounds of it, it isnt
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It doesnt help that I get Reynauds syndrome, where if I get remotely chilly the blood gets diverted away from my fingers and toes!!! So I end up with yellow, useless fingers which hurt really badly when 'dead' and even worse when the circulation gets going again...... i have been known to sit with my fingers in a cup of hot water just to bring them round
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With you on that one. I primarily only hack with Minstral and schooling/ lunging in the field does also depend on how dry the ground is. I used to get a lot of stick about how he was wasted with me, etc, etc but as far as I'm concerned, so long as he is happy, healthy and cared for then I'm not going to worry too much.
I'm also a fair weather rider and so is my horse!....its a real fight to get his rug off if its raining- he is THE biggest wimp and hates rain on his back. (He prefers living out but if he's in the stable and I try to turn him out when it's raining he turns around and heads back for his stable!)
So that appeases my guilt slightly. Unless you need to keep your horse competition/ hunting fit, then I wouldn't worry too much about how much you ride. He's probably happy being a horse, in a field munching grass. x
 
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feelin even better with each post
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Put it this way, I have never seen him take his rug off and nudge the saddle.... However he does always look eager when we are out, ears forward and keen etc and never pulls faces when the girth etc are done up, so he must enjoy it a little bit and certainly not dread it.

He also hates the rain with a passion and will try to drag me under the trees when we have been caught in the past, makes no difference to him if there is actually room for me as well as him
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Tee hee! Never known Min to nudge his saddle- its arrival usually heralds a 500mile an hour nonchalant walk in the opposite direction! He will nudge his feed bucket plenty though!
Must be the Welsh in them! I've known Min try to shelter behind me if I'm leading him in rain! Slight problem: he's a 15.1hh MW welsh x tb horse and I'm a MW 2 legged human!
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My gosh no!!

Sounds like he's got a very comfortable life
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My boy is out 24/7 (well just come in at nights for a while whilst it's so cold) and I hardly ever ride him now......

Don't have a huge amount of time (especially as he's living out in a field quite a distance from yard) and TBH he's my lovely big pet now - had him 14yrs.

I really can't imagine yours is too heartbroken if he's anything like mine - grass, grass, grass, grass......that's all mine wants...oh and the odd parsnip
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Supposed to be all hardy and tough eh?????
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Think they missed that bit in the terms and conditions of being a welsh cob cross!
Min sussed the barrel shaped belly bit though!
 
Feel a bit silly now.

If I was given the choice of going to work every day and getting tired and worn out.... or doing what I am doing now.... what I choose, drinking tea, eating a bar of choc and chatting to you kind lot.... what would I choose Doh!!
 
Sorry too late, have finished my choc and have helped myself to the vienetta in your freezer......... virtually of course!!

Needed something to cheer me up.... Children in need (sad) and beginnings of a cold that own daughter has kindly shared with me... sniff sniff sneeze
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I do very little with my girl from now until the New Year. Rode her last Saturday, haven't got time to ride her at all this weekend, might take for a bit of a hack next weekend if its' not too cold/wet.

She lives out all year apart from when weathers' really crap, and loves a bit of a holiday as she does loads in the summer.

I know some horses like doing lots, but mine doesn't mind either way so I do what I want when I want.
 
Just out of interest, do you all leave shoes on or take them off???.. think i will leave his on as his hinds especially are a bit crumbly at the moment and will probably break up.
 
Sensible head: I leave his shoes on- he gets very foot sore on the roads without. He was unshod when I got him as he hadn't been doing roadwork but I found he was quite tender on the roads and using his old macs meant tantrums- he hates them, though they're handy to have in case of lost shoes. (we don't have much option but to ride on the roads here.)

Yeah but you can't appreciate the full flavour if you've got a cold
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None apparently!!!!

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Looks sooooo unhappy and bored.... so bored that he wouldnt get up when I found him laying down on the first day wearing his new rambo!!!

You can see the field is well sheltered and on quite a slope, so i think wandering up and down this all day must keep him exercised???
 
i am soo happy about this post all my mates ride nearly everyday and i ride about once a week only hacking as have no facilities and my field is a really big hill so was feeling cruel so thankyou
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I get Raynaulds syndrome too merlins_xmas_quest! In the depths of winter I use a bridle with no noseband and a loose throat lash as I can't even undo my horses's bridle to take it off! Have you discovered any decent gloves? I usually just use a wool pair with a thin thermal pair underneath. It doesn't help that when we are doing something exciting my horse pulls like a train and that can make my fingers numb. Funnily enough my feet are alright.
 
Well this is what he was like at the last yard (last summer) when he was in a little overstocked field and so bored that he used to annoy the other horses just for a laugh!!!

Wonder where he is happier???

 
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