The rollcoaster that is my first horse

[tubby1]

Just wondering what everyone experiences of there first horse ownership is l. I have had my mare for three months and as the title says what a rollercoaster . Some days are great others are terrible , sleepness nights over turnout, what to feed, what rug etc, etc . Overall it's good but different to what I expected .

 

[Emilieu]

I felt exactly the same three months in. A year on I worry less about feed / rugs / turnout but mire about schooling / tack / general communication. Still high when its going well and gutted when things go wrong. Still lie awake worrying if its windy / icy etc or if he has sustained even the tiniest of injuries! I found asking helped - I asked everyone everything. I'm sure I was / am annoying but hey it puts my mind at ease!

 

[nikicb]

I've had horses for years, but moved them to be at home for the first time about 18 months ago - I was neurotic at first, but now I've gone through a whole year including snow and heatwaves I feel much more relaxed. I'm sure the same will happen for you after a while once you get in the swing of it. If you are on a yard ask other people about things, but always make sure you weigh up the individual bits of advice and go with what you're happy with - gut feel is usually right. Enjoy!!

 

[1Lucie]

I'm soo glad this isnt just me!!!!!!!!

I've had my boy 5months and i am now 'starting' to relax!!!!!!!!!!! I have had nutrition advice, saddle fittings, u name it!!!!!!!! Everynight i worry if i've put the right rug on or if my boy is cold.

But my boy looks healthy and seems very happy so i figure i must be doing the right thing!! Lol

 

[tallyho!]

Calm down dear!!! It's only an 'orse!!!

I have known them NOT to melt in the rain or snow. Some breeds do well with NO feed at all and some do better with a bale of hay a day. The previous would be a better investment.

Tack is optional to be quite honest, and if you get two, they do each others grooming so you don't have to

If you find you are thinking about what rug to put on, or whether to call vet out if it rains, just ask fellow liveries... thay ALWAYS know how to care for someone elses horse! This is a fact.

 

[Devonshire dumpling]

I think this forum is enough to make anyone inexperienced paranoid/neurotic! You will learn what works for you and that there are many ways to skin a cat......

 

[showqa]

Don't let self professed experts terrify you witless. Even they have, and surely continue, to makes mistakes.

For much of horse care there isn't a black and white answer - lots of grey options, from which you choose what suits your horse and you.

Most of all, just enjoy. These animals cost us a fortune and take up huge amounts of time and energy - so enjoy!!!!! Otherwise, really, what is the point? (PS I have had many a neurotic moment, so I'm talking from experience here!!)

 

[nikicb]

I think this forum is enough to make anyone inexperienced paranoid/neurotic! You will learn what works for you and that there are many ways to skin a cat......

So agree with this - I had to keep away for a while because all I kept reading were stories about people having their horses PTS, laminitis, colic, and various accidents and incidents. What you have to remember is that people post when they have problems, but most of the time they are problem free.

 

[noblesteed]

Yep still utterly neurotic and I am coming up to 4 years with him! Although I have mellowed a lot on what I should / shouldn't be 'expected' to do, and certainly learned the importance of the word FUN! Against all odds and lack of experience I have failed to kill him, injure him or harm him in any way, he is fit and well, he seems to be pretty happy and still has 4 legs that work, so I must be doing something right!

 

[Horseback Rider]

If you find you are thinking about what rug to put on, or whether to call vet out if it rains, just ask fellow liveries... thay ALWAYS know how to care for someone elses horse! This is a fact.

I love that

I got my own horse again after 5 yrs off, and I was as neurotic as they come, of course it didn't help that every time I turned him out he would come back in with cut's missing hoof etc.
My vet knew it was me calling as they recognised the phone number and when they answered I would get " Oh whats he done now"

I used to drive up at lunchtime to change rugs if I thought he was going to be to cold to hot, wake up in the night panicking if it was raining because I had left him out for the night.

However when you get to the yard and realise that they are still in one piece and haven't started writing to WHW to complain about you it get's a little easier and you start to trust your own judgment!

It also didn't help that I kept him with a friend who was always questioning/commenting on how I did things which rug I put on etc which made me into to even more of a nervous wreck. I have moved twice now but am at a lovely yard and the YO is great if I do want advice bit doesn't poke her nose in otherwise. There is however one fellow livery who delights in commenting at the top of her voice on my every movement .....However I am dealing with her.....

 

[mightymammoth]

I am on the same rollercoaster...

 

[little_critter]

And me!

 

[juliette]

It's not easy at first and you do worry, but it does get easier!!

My best bit of advice is to keep a "horse diary", then next year you can look back to see what you did when it snowed, if it was -5 what rugs you used, when you wormed, teeth checked, vaccinated etc etc I keep one and find it invaluable. Or am I just neurotic??!!

I keep a track of my costs in it so I can see if prices go up. Helps me budget too!

 

[Alfie&Milo]

I'm still waiting for the paranoia to disappear and I'm on my third .
I live with my boyfriend on his stepdads' farm and his stepdad is your typical farmer - purple spray anything, rugs are ridiculous and cruel (!), that it's okay to leave them in a stable all winter... treat them like a cow basically..
I am constantly in rows over my horse's welfare over hay use/field use/general horse use, sometimes it really is my paranoia gone too far but other times I feel I have a point, especially with my welsh section c needing rugs as she's still got a summer coat now!

I still worry when adding/taking away rugs, over how much feed/hay, over absolutely everything , I'm also very paranoid about other people on the farm touching my horses as its a reclamation yard aswell so we get a lot of strangers! Plus I don't trust anyone but me and my boyfriend to do my horses anymore as whilst we were at my grandads funeral his sister was asked to hay and water my horses, I got back late that evening went straight down to check, absolutely no water and haynets on the floor!!! and just to add, she does four other horses everyday so she's not doing it out of lack of knowledge

 

[Kelly1982]

I've owned horses for 20 years (god that makes me feel old lol) and I still worry about all the things you have just mentioned and more. And I still ask for other peoples advice and opinions. But it does get easier and you learn to trust your own judgement

 

[tubby1]

Thanks for all your replies , it's reassuring that lots of people feel the same . I think It was less stressful having 3 babies than 1 horse x

 

[LaurenM]

Mine involved a lot of frustrated tears but he's taught me everything I know

 

[Alfie&Milo]

Mine involved a lot of frustrated tears but he's taught me everything I know

Agreed, I spent two years at a horse college before getting my lot, but I have learnt a million times more by having my own!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I've kept multiple horses for over 30 yrs, with my sister, so we've always got a '2nd opinion' available. The last 17 yrs the horses have been at home. On my way home from work tonight, I did wonder if they would all be in one piece or if someone would have twisted a leg on the hard rutted ground near the gate. Fortunately they were all fine but it just shows that even those of us with loads of experience do worry needlessly sometimes.

The best advice I can think of for any horse-owner is 'keep it simple', which covers a multitude of situations.