Standard of Knowledge/care

[mickey]

Over the yrs of being involved with horses, I believe I have come into contact with a number of people who own and/or care for horses. Most of this experience I have gained whilst my horse has been on livery yards, both DIY, part and full. And also whilst growing up with a family yard full of ponies/horses.

Some people have a great wealth of knowledge, and they seem to make a lot of the right decisions (in my view) based on knowledge. However, I have come across others who do not appear to have a clue TBH. The way they manage things seems ludicrous to me in some instances, and is pretty much poles apart form the way I manage my own horse.

My question is - What do you feel the general standard of knowledge and care is on the yards you visit?? What great things do you see people doing? And do you see other things that make you frown??? Are standards of care and knowledge in keeping with those years ago???

 

[Tinkerbee]

My first yard was my aunts, she used to be a vet nurse so an ailment or injury i knew she would know what to do. It was all very common sense and not many gadgets or lotions and potions.
Current yard, i feel she is just as competent but there is less of the medical experience, and more supplements and gadgets than i remember as a kid (though that may be due to it being an eventing yard...)

 

[GTs]

I personally think every horse owner should spend a weekend or two with a vet to learn about things! I know I learnt a lot from my time at the equine hospital.

 

[Tia]

In England where I had a livery yard, I would say that the level of care, even from novices, was quite good, however any emergencies and they would ask me. Most of the neighbouring livery yards also had pretty good standards of care.

Over here, well I wish I could say the same, but I would be lying if I did. There are some places and some people who are very knowledgeable but overall I would say that the knowledge and care offered is well below any standard that you guys would expect. I used to get a bit down with it when I first moved out here, but I am used to it now and have had to learn to turn a blind eye to a lot of what goes on.

 

[dozzie]

I dont think it is knowledge but experience. You may not know why something is happening but you know ways to deal with a problem through experience.

But more knowledge can feed experience. It can explain why things work. I think they go hand in hand and the more experienced you become the more knowledge you want! And the more you realise what there is to learn!

 

[mickey]

Most of the people I deal closely with, and certainly those that look after my horse at livery, I believe do a stirling job overall. There are of course some things where I might do something a little differently, but nothing hugely significant.

Over the yrs though, I have come across some things repeatedly which I frown about, such as: Totally over feeding a horse on hard feed, not feeding nearly enough fibre (hay for example), over-rugging, over-working/inappropriate work for the horse in question. I guess some of it comes down to matter of opinion???

 

[pottamus]

I have always read tonnes of books to keep up to date and very much look after the horse as an individual. I try to learn by what the horse is telling me...are they too warm in the rug at a certain temp, do they prefer being outside, do they get grumpy when shut in a stable, how do they react to their work? I guess you could say this is gut instinct and therefore a little vague but it works for me and my horse!

 

[Gorgeous George]

Although I have years of experience with horses as I'm new to ownership I am just driving everyone mad asking, asking, asking. I have read loads of books, magazines over the years and still do, but of course it's not the same. However, it's surprising how quickly you form your own opinions about how you want your own horse kept. If there's anything I'm not sure about/don't understand I just ask.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

LOL my farrier reckons on every livery yard there is a liar, a theif and somebody with questionable stable management!! I think he is about right.

My vet once said "experience doesn't always equal knowledge, it just means you could have been doing something wrong for longer!!!!!" LMAO how true is that???

 

[dozzie]

[ QUOTE ]
"experience doesn't always equal knowledge, it just means you could have been doing something wrong for longer!!!!!"

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep would agree with that!

IMO Kowledge without experience, or experience without knowledge can be equally as bad.
But "Knowledge with experience" is valuable!!