So what does horse riding look like where you're living?

[j1ffy]

I thought it would be fun to compare horse care and riding in different countries! I'll go first with Hong Kong...

90% of the riding horses are ex-racehorses, who are imported from UK/Ireland/Australia/New Zealand/South Africa for the racing industry here. Hong Kong Jockey Club has a monopoly over racing and betting, and as a not-for-profit organisation they plough most of the revenue into tax and charity. If HKJC didn't exist our income tax would be 7% higher, which is food for thought!

Once the racehorses retire, they are sent to the Beas River complex for assessment as riding horses and either go to riding clubs in China / Hong Kong (some even become police horses in China!), are used to train jockeys or are PTS if they're unsound or haven't got a suitable temperament to be re-trained. It sounds harsh but in my view it's great that ex-racehorses have a certain future here.

I ride at a small private riding school (there are also three public riding schools run by HKJC plus their members-only club at Beas River, and another 3 or 4 private riding clubs). It's a very relaxed and friendly place and the horses are pretty happy there. There's very little turnout and no hacking though, which is the real downside.

As an experienced rider, you can take a horse on 'livery' or 'half-livery' from the riding schools, which is what we would call a loan or part-loan in UK. I have a horse on livery so he's essentially my horse

Some pics:

The stables (with my livery horse and dog!):

View of the arenas and Shenzhen (the mega-city across the border in Mainland China) from the top of the hill:

Competition at my stables:

Competition at Beas River on another horse (it's proper posh there ):

So I've shown you mine, let's see yours!

 

[Enfys]

In a word, boring:

We live in arable land, crops are wheat, corn, soy, ginseng and tobacco. It is actually a huge dairy area but cattle live in barns all year round, grass is too valuable to graze, alfa fields get 3-4 cuts on a good year. So 300 acre fields, no fences, no hedges, we can ride around most fields. Crownland on the doorstep (Forestry Commission basically) accessible only from September to April before the bugs awaken though unless you are crazy you don't ride in the forest in bug season. Basically, in this area, awful riding especially for me who is used to Devon lanes and Dartmoor, and Welsh mountains.

In summer most of the traffic is this kind of thing for a start:

Occasionally traffic is a bit more novel

This is normal

all roads are wide (30'), long and straight, dusty and rutted in summer, like this in winter, most are just gravelled, horrid to ride on

In summer our riding ring is dusty, dusty, dusty - but what can you expect when you just plough up half a field

We do own some old plantation and besides our half mile oval track, we have sand gallops through the woods, if we use the neighbours tracks as well we have about a mile, again, the novelty wears off

I love this country, I like where I live, just not when it comes to riding

 

[j1ffy]

I hear you about how dull flat landscapes are for riding, but right now I'd love a gallop track!! Going round in circles every day is dull dull dull (and I like dressage!), my horse could seriously do with a good blast to clear the cobwebs

Maybe a combination of Ontario and HK would be perfect?!

 

[Enfys]

I was going to ask, is it always green in HK? What are the seasons like, is there much of a seasonal temperature difference, hot, hot and wet, wet?

I am with you about riding around in circles all the time. It would bore me senseless but then I am not into schooling - bad me I am surprised that you don't have access to exercise tracks, even just around the perimeter of the property would be better than nothing. Although I guess there is quite a lot you can do in an arena with some imagination, like this :-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmQeNy25iTI

He also does it bridleless which is rather fun

I would love to do this, and am going to build some of these obstacles in part of my riding paddock this summer, just for the fun of it - good for leadng babies around too.

 

[hobo]

J1 good post and lovely photos. As usual Enfys fantastic photos and the video was brillient and looked great fun we will look forward to the transformation of your arena lol.

 

[j1ffy]

I was going to ask, is it always green in HK? What are the seasons like, is there much of a seasonal temperature difference, hot, hot and wet, wet?

I am with you about riding around in circles all the time. It would bore me senseless but then I am not into schooling - bad me I am surprised that you don't have access to exercise tracks, even just around the perimeter of the property would be better than nothing. Although I guess there is quite a lot you can do in an arena with some imagination, like this :-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmQeNy25iTI

He also does it bridleless which is rather fun

I would love to do this, and am going to build some of these obstacles in part of my riding paddock this summer, just for the fun of it - good for leadng babies around too.

There's a path around the edge of the arenas but it's very narrow, stony and either rock-hard or muddy so only good for walking. The yard owner has been known to hack to the top of the hill but it's a narrow footpath that's steep and slippery in places with a near-vertical drop on one side. I'd have done it on my Spanish horse but not on my ex-racer with his lack of self-preservation!

Love that video, it looks like great fun Maybe I should introduce Le Trec over here just for a change..?

J1 good post and lovely photos. As usual Enfys fantastic photos and the video was brillient and looked great fun we will look forward to the transformation of your arena lol.

Thanks hobo!

Anyone else want to share?!

 

[JCWHITE]

Tes will do, good idea, will get in touch next week,

 

[JustMe22]

Hmm...if I have to Yards come in everything from VERY fancy, to very very shabby. Some have beautifully kept facilities with everything you could ever want, and some look like they're about to fall apart.

We've been at lots of different yards (fussy owners) but this is the current one:

The yard is on a 650 hectare farm, so there is hacking, but only if you wish to take on these:

The man with it gives you an idea of the size! They generally stay in the fields, but do come into the paddocks, arenas, and stables...and one of them killed one of the horses (not from the yard, belongs to other tenants whose horses live out on the farm) on the property a while ago

Most competitive horses here are either ex-racers or warmbloods. It used to be more TB's, but the WB's have gained a huge following since importing became easier so they're overtaking tb's in competition, I would say. This is my ex-racer:

We have a lot of Boerperds too, one of our native breeds. They make some very good all rounders. A friend of ours has an exceptional Boerperd stallion, but I don't have any photos handy. They're lovely tempered, turn a hoof to anything, and there are some which are unbelievably good at SJ and dessage. There's also the gaited ones, but I have no idea about anything on that front!

 

[JustMe22]

Sorry for the image size! My word! Didn't mean for that to happen!

 

[056775]

Sorry for the image size! My word! Didn't mean for that to happen!

What the Fu&k is that thing with the horns?!?!?!?

Who do they belong to or are they wild?!?!?

 

[JustMe22]

Its an Eland they do belong to the people who own the farm, but yes, they're wild. We also have springbok, wildebeest, zebra and a bunch of other random things.

The Eland are just the most intimidating because they're so big, and so bold!

 

[056775]

Its an Eland they do belong to the people who own the farm, but yes, they're wild. We also have springbok, wildebeest, zebra and a bunch of other random things.

The Eland are just the most intimidating because they're so big, and so bold!

OMG!!!!! I moan about the sheep eating the grass in my field - would have a heart attack if I saw that! Although would very much like to see a heard of Zebra wondering around!

Where abouts are you?
Nice/interesting thread!

 

[JustMe22]

Yes they walk around the stable yard sometimes but we quite often encounter them on the road or the fields next to the arenas. We do have boring stuff like sheep and cows too though

Zebras are lovely, but symptomless carriers of African Horse Sickness, so that is a big concern.

I'm in South Africa

 

[056775]

Gosh.. I suppose like any thing - you live with what you have and it becomes the norm..

Very very very jealous person sat here right now in South Wales!!!

 

[E13]

That eland is fabulous!!

 

[Enfys]

Crikey! Just been reading up about Eland :

The common variety! Are yours the Giant ones JM?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_eland

5' at the shoulder, so these things are as big as a horse, plus weaponry. I can see that if they got aggressive they could do serious damage with those incredible horns.

You say that they are owned, are they farmed for meat then, or just happened to be owned because they 'live' on the property? Sorry, questions, questions, all well out of my league. I can't imagine having the sort of wildlife around that you must take for granted - although I now think nothing of racoons, skunks and possums in my barn and coyotes in my back yard, we also have cougars and bob cats but they keep well away, any of which would have been novel when I was in the UK.

Interesting and very tidy looking stables, they look nice and cool, which is what they are designed for I imagine.

 

[Casey76]

I'm in Alsace, France; mainly arable (maize and wheat, rape in between or before and after) but rolling hills. Winters can be cold (last year it was -25°C for days at a time) and summers can be hot (35°C is quite common), autumn and spring are warmish and very wet usually.

Liver yards/ schools go from being mega posh (with mega posh prices to match) to very basic.

I have my riding horse at the riding school in my village, and we have incomparable hacking, you can go for miles and miles using paved farm tracks or grass tracks and never see another vehicle.

Lots of:

and

Can be a bit in the snow

as there is usually a drainage ditch between the track and the field, up to about 3feet deep, and it usually isn't too apparent where they are. It wouldn't be the first time Pinto has found himself upto his elbows in a ditch

As an overview... the yellow circle is the riding school... most of the land is accessible to horse riders

 

[mulberrymill]

I'm in Nigeria and most of the horses there are ex polo ponies. Most are in appalling condition when they leave the polo club and many have issues which can take a lot of sorting out. There are 20 horses at our stables and all have old scars and several can be difficult to handle. Gelding is not the norm, so there are a lot of stallions, never used for breeding which doesn't help. Our stable facility is lovely with a courtyard of brick stables, all airy and with open rear windows. The horses all have individual paddocks of at least half an acre, and they are weeded, poo picked and watered in the dry season to keep the grass.
Riding is mainly the school, although we are located by a lake so have that area to ride round which is great for bird watching, I've had vultures land in front of me, all sorts of wading birds and geese and all sorts of exotic birds in the mango trees.
It is possible to ride out in the bush but not on your own or during the middle of the day due to the heat. The horses need to be fit to go tho, and most aren't up to it.
Keeping a horse out there, you learn to improvise on food tack and training. Everything has to be brought in when I come back to the uk, and it's an extra suitcase just of horse stuff. Most veterinary treatment is herbal, some work, some don't, luckily our vet imports anti biotics and wormers, but due to the poor diet colic is prevalent. I feed copious amounts of soya oil which is easy to get there, and so far my boy has escaped. It's hard work keeping a horse over there, but makes you appreciate the uk a bit more......except the snow which is stopping me doing much at the moment.. Time to change hats next week, back to Africa , heat, dust and my polo pony.

 

[Beausmate]

I'm soooo jealous of some of your hacking. Tis rubbish round here Still, better than no hacking.

As for boring arable land, I had much more fun and off road riding when I was in Bedfordshire, always thought Devon would be nice. Wrong.

 

[j1ffy]

What great replies, it's fascinating to see horse care around the world!

J22 - that Eland is seriously scary looking, I wouldn't fancy meeting that on a hack. You yard looks lovely though and I love your horse (though I may have become biased towards ginger TBs ).

Casey76 - I've not been to Alsace (though I had a lovely Pinot noir from there recently!), I hadn't realised you get such extreme temperatures there. The riding looks great though!

Mulberrymill - you get the prize for toughest place to keep horses :O. Is there much riding in Nigeria? I've always managed to find riding everywhere I've been (even the Far East of Russia, where the nearest Russian farrier was at least 1000 miles away and saddlery even further!) but I'd never considered that part of Africa as being a likely place for horse riding as we know it. It certainly sounds challenging to keep horses fit and healthy.

 

[Chico Mio]

I'm in Southern Spain. The bit full of plastic greenhouses and desert, but also within sniffing distance of the Alpujarra and the Sierra Nevada.

View to the Sierra Nevada from the local forestry recreation area

Me and Ari

How we keep the horses at the yard.

Stopping for a drink at the bar on the way home

Hillwork..

Hacking with a friend in the hills.

My first ever jumping competition at a local stables!

 

[E13]

Are those Eland wild, can they get bolshy? Chico Mio, that looks boiling! I couldn't cope Lovely though.

 

[JustMe22]

Typed out a lovely long response to this thread but computer deleted it. Argh!

What great replies, it's fascinating to see horse care around the world!

J22 - that Eland is seriously scary looking, I wouldn't fancy meeting that on a hack. You yard looks lovely though and I love your horse (though I may have become biased towards ginger TBs ).

I don't like meeting them on hacks either! One jumped into the dressage arena with my friend riding and chased her out by threatening her

The yard is very nice, has lovely facilities with very high quality arenas (full size dressage and a big jumping one) and all the equipment you'd need. I'm very spoilt

Thank you! I love him too, he's been a tricky one, but so worth it!

Crikey! Just been reading up about Eland :

The common variety! Are yours the Giant ones JM?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_eland

5' at the shoulder, so these things are as big as a horse, plus weaponry. I can see that if they got aggressive they could do serious damage with those incredible horns.

You say that they are owned, are they farmed for meat then, or just happened to be owned because they 'live' on the property? Sorry, questions, questions, all well out of my league. I can't imagine having the sort of wildlife around that you must take for granted - although I now think nothing of racoons, skunks and possums in my barn and coyotes in my back yard, we also have cougars and bob cats but they keep well away, any of which would have been novel when I was in the UK.

Interesting and very tidy looking stables, they look nice and cool, which is what they are designed for I imagine.

Are those Eland wild, can they get bolshy? Chico Mio, that looks boiling! I couldn't cope Lovely though.

They are very big! I suspect we have both, but couldn't say for sure, I'm no Eland expert. They would have been bought, I imagine. Not farmed for meat no, but quite possibly hunted. The yard is on a game farm so lots of buck (wildebeest, springbok, and so on) etc, and the owners of the property do hunt. I don't know them well so have never asked, but it's also quite possible they're just there for decoration, because the majority of the properties out along that way have buck, zebra, camels, rhino..or something to that extent!

They're also flipping hard to keep track of, because their fence jumping abilities are quite extraordinary. Much better than those of the horses!

Stables can get quite hot, because of that corrugated iron roof! There's lots of shade etc in the paddocks though, so it's manageable, even on our 38 degree days.

Are those Eland wild, can they get bolshy?

They are wild yes, and yes they can! They've killed horses on the property before

 

[E13]

Fascinating stuff I love hearing about things that others experience. Weird and wonderful animals, keep 'em coming!

Elands - I'm assuming they're herbivores - are they just territorial/stubborn? Are there any restrictions put in place or is it just a case of stay out of their way? I guess like you'd stay out of the way of snakes, etc.

 

[JustMe22]

Yup they are herbivores. They're not generally territorial so we don't make a special effort to avoid them. I'll walk out in a field they're in, for instance, but wouldn't pass through a small gate or something if they were around it...or stay in an enclosed area on the horse with them.

But no, no restrictions. The game farm is used for hacking, as long as they aren't out hunting (don't want to get shot!), so you'd run into plenty of horned creatures out there anyway

 

[j1ffy]

ChicoMio - blissful pics!! I'm just on my way to Andalucia to see my horses, they're on Costa de Luz. It's definitely where my heart is, just not where work is unfortunately!! I love how Spanish horses are used as bar transport, I'll be making a few pit-stops next week myself

 

[Chico Mio]

Are those Eland wild, can they get bolshy? Chico Mio, that looks boiling! I couldn't cope Lovely though.

Ha! The pictures up in the Rec park were taken in October, the ones up the mountain with my friend, were in March, the horses would have been about March another year and the jumping was in a February I think! So not hot times at all

 

[lucemoose]

Well I was in HK as a riding instructor for a short time last spring/summer, and taught at a private members' only facility in the New Territories.

we had a covered 20x40

A large, irregular shaped outdoor arena, complete with slope and tree! And 3 various other arenas too.

Horses had massive fans in their stables, and were looked after by mafoos- mainly Pakistani grooms. All the horses had 2 sessions of exercise a day, and a block of TO time in one of the rings. Most of the ponies we had lived out overnight in the arenas as well. Just like J1ffy's yard, the majority of the horses are ex racers, 3 were imported from the UK ( A large hunter type, and 2 Sec D types). 5 of the ponies were rescued from a Korean RS, and the other ponies were imported from the UK, the USA and Oz.
When I wasnt teaching or riding, I tried to be useful!

Jet having a wash..

Pilgrim being loose jumped

Ahem....I clipped the 2 Shetlands....LOL

Riding A Tack, an ex racer who was on full livery. This means he was expected to be flown or shipped back to wherever his owner lives, at the end of their time in HKG. He was one of several horses who had undergone surgery for KS, and extensive non ridden rehab. It was 36 degrees and possibly near on 100% humidity that day!
One of my major worries when teaching was the humidity sapping the energy from the horses and riders, the sea surrounded us on 3 sides so on a good day there would be breezes coming through.

Then another change! To NZ with my Kiwi bf...and the purchase of a TB..

Verges instead of bridlepaths

Pens instead of stables, and horses out most of the time.

Repping the En Zed.

at a PC ODE. Theres such a lack of competitions here it seems. People will travel to do anything, even if you were a registered (affiliated ) eventer, you would go do a PC event just because it was on.

People still use NZ rugs! Everyone does!!!

Youre never really that far away from a beach...

Theres lots of local showing, and "ribbon" days.

Trailers are majority rear unload and are called floats! Ifor Williams are getting very popular over here.

you need to keep your horse rugged in Summer to deflect the intense UV rays.

Its very Kiwi here, you DIY lots and make your own fun, theres a real try it and see attitude. I do miss my busy livery yard, and the ease of competing at proper affiliated shows but theres only about 123 people living here so I better get on with meeting them

 

[Four Seasons]

Holland is boring compared to where you all live.

It's just very flat here, but with plenty of beach.

And plenty of tulips!

And this.

No weird scary wild animals here, just the odd duck here and there.

 

[FinalFurlong]

Holland is boring compared to where you all live.

It's just very flat here, but with plenty of beach.

And plenty of tulips!

And this.

No weird scary wild animals here, just the odd duck here and there.

I live in good ole england but browsing out of interest and ive decided i like Holland the best out of these lot!!! I think the scenes are beautiful from these pictures!

What is the weather like through the year?
Im awful with geography i wouldn't know!