The shame - am I the only person...

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I've had my horse for coming up for 6 years now and in that time I've never had his teeth, back or saddle checked. :o

Also never had any kind of full vet work up, physio etc....

Think a teeth check is in order.. but I'm not feeling guilty about the others?
 
No I dont think you're alone.

I do get the teeth checked on mine every year.
But saddle and back checking, I dont do this as routine, only if I think there is something wrong ie. horse showing discomfort or pain x
 
No, I'm another, old fashioned I'm afraid, teeth only looked at if there is any sign of a problem, either eating or bitting, never had a back checked yet but would if it seemed to be a problem, I can fit a saddle properly myself so would never have a saddle fitter but do check the fit regularly to ensure no problems arise (which may explain why I don't need a 'backman'). Thing is, non of our horses ever had these things done routinely years ago and they were none the worse for it, none had behavioural problems either but it amazes me the number that do now. I am not even sure that I believe half the stuff that is diagnosed and do wonder if there are lots of people making money out of horse owners who think they are cruel if they don't spend the cash and have all these things done just because they are fashionable!
 
I've had mine 7 years, his teeth have been done twice since I got him.
Had my old saddle checked once because I didn't think it was right, then had the new one fitted because I was buying a new one and wanted to make sure it was right for us.
Never had his back checked or had a physio out.

So you're definitely not alone!
 
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My horses have their teeth done when they need it, I don't have regular EDT/vet checks.
I have never had a physio to a horse.
I have never had a saddler out, have had saddles reflocked/adjusted though.
All the health/physical checks are done by a vet if I suspect there might be a problem.

So no, I don't think you are the only person.
 
scally said:
Hmm depends on your level of competance I suppose however

cruelty comes in many forms....
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mmmm.......yes, if you are too incompetent to recognise when your horse has a problem, so need to pay 'experts' to check for you then I suppose it could be classed as cruelty if you don't get these people out!!
 
hch4971 said:
No, I'm another, old fashioned I'm afraid, teeth only looked at if there is any sign of a problem, either eating or bitting, never had a back checked yet but would if it seemed to be a problem, I can fit a saddle properly myself so would never have a saddle fitter but do check the fit regularly to ensure no problems arise (which may explain why I don't need a 'backman'). Thing is, non of our horses ever had these things done routinely years ago and they were none the worse for it, none had behavioural problems either but it amazes me the number that do now. I am not even sure that I believe half the stuff that is diagnosed and do wonder if there are lots of people making money out of horse owners who think they are cruel if they don't spend the cash and have all these things done just because they are fashionable!
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LOL, sometimes I think I read HHO to much... It got to a point where if I have a problem with a horse, ie schooling/not performing etc, I start to panic and think it's ill - I need to mentally slap myself to even consider it might be a bit of a pr@t :D
 
We have the dentist regularly, but other than that no.

We had the saddle fitter and backman out for our first horse...because he had to have a saddle pretty much custom made (due to being a stupid shape) and possibley the backman once...due to having a dodgy back/behavioural issues/being dis-jointed in canter....oh and the fact the tool had fallen over another horse in the field so we thought it best to check (the other horse had them too cus of a bruised back and we had to explain...first horse was not the brightest spark in the box bless him.)

If either of the boys begin to display changes in they're behaviour and seem to be uncomfortable, then we'll get it checked...after we've had the vet.
 
Sorry maybe ought be clear here, on another planet at the moment,

Competant people see when there is something wrong, we tend to assess our horses each day and look at what may be causing a problem. A horse eating normally you would not concern yourself with a dentist.

A lot more harm seems to be done, by over feeding, over rugging, over everything rather than let horses be what they are very good at being and that is being horses. There is not one in my yard who would not react to some sort of pain, misbehave or be out of characeter if something was up, but it seems there is a new generation that needs to have everything checked, physios or chiros every two weeks and only then are they doing there best for their horses. Yet these are the grossly overweight, over fed, under exercised, kept in their stables for more than 20 hours a day in winter as owners cant cope with mud.

Excuse spelling also, brain is no longer willing.

hence

So cruelty comes in many forms
 
scally said:
Sorry maybe ought be clear here, on another planet at the moment,

Competant people see when there is something wrong, we tend to assess our horses each day and look at what may be causing a problem. A horse eating normally you would not concern yourself with a dentist.

A lot more harm seems to be done, by over feeding, over rugging, over everything rather than let horses be what they are very good at being and that is being horses. There is not one in my yard who would not react to some sort of pain, misbehave or be out of characeter if something was up, but it seems there is a new generation that needs to have everything checked, physios or chiros every two weeks and only then are they doing there best for their horses. Yet these are the grossly overweight, over fed, under exercised, kept in their stables for more than 20 hours a day in winter as owners cant cope with mud.

Excuse spelling also, brain is no longer willing.

hence

So cruelty comes in many forms
Click to expand...

aHHH.............we are on exactly the same wavelength then...........:)
 
scally said:
Hmm depends on your level of competance I suppose however

cruelty comes in many forms....
Click to expand...

I think you will find the level of competence in those that dont need experts constantly is just fine!
I am more than capable of reguarly checking my saddles and my horses backs, and if going nicely under saddle..........why on the earth would I need a saddle fitter or a back specialist?

Competence and commonsense does not equate to cruelty !!

Do you go to your doctors when fit, healthy and well ?
I bet not, I bet you go when your ill, injured, in pain etc.

Why would a horse owner have a different attitude to a healthy happy horse?
 
I must say, people certainly never used to have all these checks, the same as we do at the yard I'm at now.
Going back 25 - 30 years ago we just had annual teeth checks, and a tetanus jab, we didn't have flu jabs back then either, and we wormed them with paste 4 times a year. If a horse had a swelling, or a cut, we'd hose it and treat it ourselves without calling the vet usually. (I spent a lot of my youth cold hosing legs). We very rarely ever had a vet out it seemed.

Now, the horses at the yard I'm at have twice yearly teeth checks, annual chiropractor back checks, twice annual neuromuscular massages, twice annual saddle checks, annual tet and flu jabs, 3 times a year worm counts instead of giving a wormer unless the count is positive. Every slight irregularity seems to initiate an immediate call to the vet these days.

Strangely I clearly do not remember there being so many unsound horses back then, as there seem to be now.
 
Misinterpreted said:
I must say, people certainly never used to have all these checks, the same as we do at the yard I'm at now.
Going back 25 - 30 years ago we just had annual teeth checks, and a tetanus jab, we didn't have flu jabs back then either, and we wormed them with paste 4 times a year. If a horse had a swelling, or a cut, we'd hose it and treat it ourselves without calling the vet usually. (I spent a lot of my youth cold hosing legs). We very rarely ever had a vet out it seemed.

Now, the horses at the yard I'm at have twice yearly teeth checks, annual chiropractor back checks, twice annual neuromuscular massages, twice annual saddle checks, annual tet and flu jabs, 3 times a year worm counts instead of giving a wormer unless the count is positive. Every slight irregularity seems to initiate an immediate call to the vet these days.

Strangely I clearly do not remember there being so many unsound horses back then, as there seem to be now.
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and how many cases of Laminitis did you come across??????????????
 
Scally - thats now better explained!!
I found your first response rather offensive as I dont get backs and saddles checked - which suggested I was cruel, but I now see what your saying with explaining further x
 
missyme10 said:
Scally - thats now better explained!!
I found your first response rather offensive as I dont get backs and saddles checked - which suggested I was cruel, but I now see what your saying with explaining further x
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LOL, I read it exactly the same way so stuck on a snotty reply too! Poor Scally, bet you get loads more like that til they read the second post!!
 
hch4971 said:
and how many cases of Laminitis did you come across??????????????
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Very good point about the lami!!
When I was a kid, horses were nearly always healthy, sound, around the right weight etc.
They just didn't have the problems they have today.

Same with Humans though isn't it?
We as a nation are getting fatter and more unhealthy and every week and new medical condition is discovered...........lol x
 
I grew up in a very horsey area and only came across 1, yes ONE case of laminitis in all those years, had a break when I had children, came back and it is this massive deal with all horses being susceptible and suffering from it- weird!!
 
I am also a bad owner then, EDT 3 times in last 3 years and before that never in 30 years, only got them out as old horse had difficulty chewing and he went around and done all horses taking wolf teeth out, we never had the youngsters wolf teeth out years ago (god i am old)
only ever had one saddle fitted and i was young then.
Most minor things i treat myself before calling the vet
Never had a chiro, or massage person out.
So yes my horses are very had done by
Sorry not aimed at your post scally, just many people near me live by their chiro,massage herb smelling or whatever person is due next for some strange thing their horse needs.
Mine are loved but they are horses
 
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hch4971 said:
and how many cases of Laminitis did you come across??????????????
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I can't remember any lami cases when I was growing up. I had a Section A as my first pony. I hunted him! He lived until he was an ancient old thing, never had lami. I can't remember him ever needing the vet. Lots of my friends also had native type ponies too and I don't recall them having it either.

The yard I am on now, nearly all the native ponies there are laminitus prone if there grazing isn't strictly managed, and the yard has starvation paddocks especially for them.

That is odd. Why would there be more laminitus now, compared to 25-30 years ago?
 
I think years ago they led a life closer to their natural life cycle.
At the yard we had ponies at, I dont think I ever saw a pony fed hard feed or rugged in winter, none were stabled also.
They got ridden like crazy in the warmer months so had little chance to gain weight and what they did gain was burnt off in winter keeping warm....just like in the wild.
I dont remember Lami being an issue x
 
I know what you mean. Back then you did tend to see much leaner horses at the end of winter, but it was the norm so no one thought twice. By the end of summer they had plenty on them, but they'd be less likely to be morbidly obese. You're right, no one I knew fed ponies hard feed either. The horses would have feeds, but the ponies would have a chopped apple, and that was it.

If you did rug, it was primitive. Those green New zealand rugs were pretty awful compared to what we have now. Those New Zealands must have weighed almost as much as the horse did when wet! I quite liked my jute rugs, although they did stink.
 
I think there are a lot of things that have appeared ove the years.
I have never had a horse with lami, now i have 2 and nothing has blasted changed in their feed or routine (have changed feed now)
Saying that we never had a horses teeth checked or flu or tet jabs.
Gosh how the hell did all our ponies live till min 37 yrs of age
 
Aw, I loved both new zealands (and , in fact have one for pony mare from the good old days - how about that, how many people have a rug still in use from 30 odd years ago!!) and jute rugs, and they were it! I bet the young uns would have a bloody fit if they saw what we had to use!! We haven't had a single case of lami this year from a group of 8 ponies and one very prone horse despite no management whatsoever, in fact turning onto new fields every few weeks, I am convinced it was because they all came out of the harsh winter leaner that ever before! They are only just getting to the stage where I think they don't want to be getting any fatter but given the time of year I am not too worried, more grass bellies than fat! It has been nice allowing them to be horses and eat properly all summer rather than worrying about starving them. I think this winter will be more of the same whether it is harsh or not, I am definitely going to be very careful and let them drop more weight that I would normally like. Our sweet itch pony hasn't needed to be rugged once either, nor has he rubbed - work that one out! I suspect a detox has taken place over the winter!
 
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