Things you do which are 'different' / disapproved of

I leave a heavyweight turnout rug on in the stable - keeps horse warm and dry.

Deep litter on Bliss bedding and by the end of the week the bed is dry but rather "brown" LOL.

I feed adlib hay, which means that I make sure my horse always has enough hay to last him right through the night and morning. To others it looks like I feed mountains of hay but my horse gets most of his forage that way, isn't on much hard feed, and likes his hay! It drives me nuts to see empty haynets in the morning.

I don't turn out in winter if the weather is foul or if the ground is very frozen as my horse hates it, gets bored and injures himself.

I do try to ride 6 days a week if at all possible, and if my horse has been in I hand walk as well as ride (we don't have a walker).
 
Mine are kept at home - however my latest "crime", according to some of the pony club mums, is to allow my daughter's horse to appear in public half clipped. FGS it was a PC training session but mutterings were heard in the car park.

What was I supposed to do - announce that the horse was having a bad hair day and couldn't attend?

However it has taught me that it is necessary to have a spare battery pack just in case the one you are using dies - permanently! New battery packs currently on order - and new innards for the one that packed up as well.
 
Well, we do lots of things here that are frowned upon in the UK; like feeding straights, keeping horses stabled (although I manage to give mine at least some turnout every day) NOT feeding hay (not enough rain to grow it), trimming whiskers (I don't)
 
Where to begin? I muck out twice a day, every day for starters...
tongue.gif
 
I'm lucky as our yard is quite laid back, but:

- I'm the only one that deep litters (one of mine is deep littered on straw) - apparantly that is bizarre!!
- I lunge one of mine using the LB draw reins from bit, through legs and up over back - everyone else uses a pessoa - so they all think I'm a bit weird for doing that too!!
 
I am strange on our yard because I put my muck on the muckheap and fork it back because I care how the yard looks and also think it is much nicer for the non-horsey YO who lives on site. The norm is to just tip your barrow within 10 feet on the muckheap and wander back to your stable.

I am also strange because my horse is retired and can't be ridden because of arthritis and I mollycoddle her now she is in her mid 20s, I should actually have had her PTS as soon as she ceased being a vessel for carrying me regardless of the fact that she is sublimely happy and pain-free being a grass processing plant.

I also go and see my horse twice a day all year round. This is totally unnecessary particularly in Summer as if your horse has an accident it will be entirely capable of calling the Vet itself in your absence.
 
Probably loads
smile.gif
I fed childrens ponies straight oats for a start
shocked.gif
and clipped them out.

Let you into a secret...I don't give a monkeys whether anyone else approves or not. I haven't killed a horse yet
wink.gif


There are lots of everyday things that I see people doing that I would do differently perhaps, but I keep my mouth shut, not my horse, not my business.
 
1) Use turnouts in the stable - this was frowned upon at first but now half the yard is doing it!
2) I don't turn out 24/7 in the summer - we have no shade or shelter in our paddocks and once the grass is gone that is it - He still has something to eat now unlike most of the horses on the yard.
3) He didn't cost much and I have an ancient slow lorry and we do rather too well for a lot of peoples liking....
4) We ride when it is windy/raining!
I am sure there are lots more......
 
I jump my strong exitable pony in a standing martingale. Its frowned upon, but I generally fare better than those whose strong excitable horses and ponies shove their heads up, nut their riders, run sideways in a jump off and run out from a fence because they need a standing martingale. (edited due to spelling)
 
1) I groom before riding, but only to remove dirt from areas where tack goes. If the horses aren't ridden, they aren't groomed
2) I smack my horses when they are naughty - Murphy knows I am boss, I would like to keep it that way, else I will end up flattened under his feet as he walks over the top of me.
3) I never leave head collars on unless they are tied up
4) I muck out with horses loose in the stable, and have been known to crawl between legs to get stray bits of poo.
5) I kneel down by my horses to bandage / boot up (this was always majorly frowned upon at PC)
6) I don't jump at home
7) I don't feed my horses until they are obese (and am therefore guilty of starving them, according to woman at my old yard!)
8) I leave turnouts on in the stable if I can't be arsed to change them, as long as they aren't wet
9) I talk to my horses like they are people (this one gets me lots of funny looks). I am well aware they won't reply, but that doesn't mean I can't chatter away to them anyway.
10) I won't cut manes - I will use a solo comb for the crazy mare, but try to do as much as poss pulling, even if it takes me days, pulling one section at a time
11) I let Murph buck when I am on him - it's his way of saying he is having fun. I can sit to it (most of the time) and it will be my fault if I fall off!

Luckily, horses are at home now so no-one to tell me what I am supposedly doing wrong, although I got some fairly funny looks when I turned up to a show on Sunday, Murph plodded out of the trailer looking like a shetland pony, bucked in the practice arena, plodded into the ring, then promptly won both classes.
 
1) I refuse to give my ponies hay or hayledge that has been stood on and often get reminded that we walk on grass but i just think that I wouldn't like to eat food that had been stood on
smile.gif

2) My ponies feet are done every 6 weeks or sooner if needed, i don't wait till their shoes fall off
3) I don't turn out everyday, and if my horse doesn't want to go out I wont make him!
4) I also muck out with them loose in the stable!
5) I make sure I am always down before 10 at weekends at the latest! But i am normally down for 9, some people don't turn up till 12
6) They get brushed everyday, I hate riding them if they have any dirt on them!
7) I brush the shavings out of their mane and tails in the morning before they go out
smile.gif

8) I like to go and turn them out even if it does mean very early mornings other wise i worry to much about them!
9) I hate smaking my ponys even though sometimes they do need one
frown.gif

10) They are apart of my family
smile.gif

11) oh, and i sing to them
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]

d) I apparently do not ride for long enough (eg. only an hour today)


[/ QUOTE ]

if im schooling i only do about 20mins!
grin.gif
an hour is long time to stand the cold!
 
Ha this forum makes me laugh!

I am also guilty of:
Leaving turnout rugs on in the stable (well I have a lot of horses to turn out in the morning so it saves a lot of time, (I will change the rugs if they are wet though, I'm not completely heartless!)).

I almost never feed treats, partly because it makes horses mouthy and partly because I am too tight!

I clip horses according to the work they're doing, I won't just do a full clip because it looks the smartest!

I feel it is more important to spend time looking after the horses then making the yard look immaculate.

I very rarely feed supplements and think the majority of them are a waste of money.

I enjoy riding my horses and don't see it as a chore!

I poopick!

Even though I don't buy my horses the lastest rugs or boots or numnahs or flashy browbands all the time I spend a lot of time with them and love them very much!
 
ha ha- this made me giggle! i am constantly vilified at my yard for being an evil cow but i don't care...my horse is competing successfully at a much higher standard than any of theirs and my horses are healthy and happy!

1) i never wash mud off legs, they don't have mud fever so don't need it

2) i pay my trainer to school and compete my horse as he's for sale and i want him to have a good record

3) i'm selling my horse because i want an intermed eventer NOT a medium level dressage horse. yes he's lovely but he's not want i want

4) i don't try and offer other people schooling advice when i'm in the school- i get on with what i'm doing

5) i pass left to left

6) my horses are fully clipped because they are in full work but are properly rugged

7) when my horse threatens to rear he gets a clout between the ears

8) when my horse naps he is smacked hard. when he's good he gets pats and polos!

thats just for starters!! ha ha
 
I do not stable
I rarely rug
I don't clip
I do not pick out hooves every day
I do not give hard feeds
I do not bath
I do not groom daily
I do not tolerate bad behavious - but they usually all behave
I make a farriers apointment before he leaves
I do not school
I do not exercise daily, or even weekly
I drive without a bit, blinkers, whip or groom
My vet always says I have the happiest friendliset animals he knows of, well conditioned and in good shape.
 
Hmm. Our yard's pretty mellow on the whole...

He's not rugged atm, because he's not clipped and he's not cold.
He's barefoot.
I don't pull his mane.
He doesn't get any feed beyond grass/hay, because he's round enough on what he eats.
I ride out in all weather.
 
I also have loads of these...

I don't groom in winter, except to make space for tack
I don't clip
My horse has a huge straw bed, mucked out daily but I don't spend hours sifting out the last little stray bits of poo - I figured a deep, soft bed was more important than a thin, spotless one
I expect impeccable manners at all times and will not hesitate to smack or shout if necessary, very rarely these days
I never, ever hand feed treats
 
hmm , lets see
i tie up my weanlings , teach em to lead correctly and stand for farrier
i hate anyone playing about with my youngsters muzzles , i politely ask em to pat neck instead
none of my horses fart about with loading , i don,t fancy spending an hour everytime i want to go anywhere while horsey farts about at bottom of ramp being a git
i feed boiled barley to my old boy
i ride most days , we event so cant be fair weather riders
i don,t leave turnout rugs on at night , a pet hate of mine
i don,t mind if others do but hate to see the rug rubs etc
i don,t interfere with others but i help out with advise if asked
i have no problem with informing yard owner if i see serious neglect going on (which unfortunatly happens too often )
 
Things i do differently
I ride even in the dark (the school has lights) and in the rain. We go out and compete (not to any high standard but we have fun).
Don't insist on turning out everyday, so that we can preserve some of the grass and hope it lasts until we can move back into the summer paddock.
Only groom where tack is going to go, unless we are going to a show.
Hose off legs, tail and belly in winter (too many white bits and the rubber in school stains black).
Insist on manners, but dont shout and wave arms around/ panic at misbehaving horses.
Don't offer advice and tell other people what to do with their horses(but am asked my opinon often and willingly help out if I can).
Not into pirelli NH etc (but will take any bits that could be useful from each).

Actually on a good yard, most people really friendly and muck in to help each other. I just do things differently, it raised eyebrows at the start, but people see how we are getting on and just leave us to it.
 
I rent my own place, so it's only the other horsey people in the neighbourhood that sometimes give me funny looks because:

1. All 5 of mine are barefoot (and I do endurance barefoot).
2. I don't pull manes or tails, or trim whiskers as I like them left natural (okay, so three of mine are pure Arabs, so wouldn't usually be trimmed, but the Anglo and the TBX are left natural also).
3. I use Reactorpanel and Free N Easy saddles
4. Although I have two stables, mine are happiest living out 24/7/365 (stables are there if I needed to box rest).
5. I don't clip (they don't do enough work in the winter to warrant it).
6. I don't use haynets, except for one in the trailer.
7. I don't feed treats. (Well only very occasionally, like they each had an apple and a carrot on Christmas day) - so they don't come to expect treats.
8. I only feed very simple, high fibre diets - no fancy stuff for mine.
9. I don't pat mine - they get scratched instead.
10. I didn't back either of my three boys until after their 4th birthdays.
11. My horses haven't got a clue about showjumps (all I ask of them is to be capable of jumping a log or anything else we might encounter out hacking).
12. One of the first things I taught mine under saddle was rein-back - that way I had control of "backwards" right from the start.
13. I don't wash legs.
14. I don't bath them (except on the rare occasion I take one of the greys to a show).
15. I only groom the bits that might come into contact with tack, rugs etc.
16. OH and I trim their feet ourselves.
17. I don't feed at the exact same time every day - that way they don't stand there fretting. This is something I have deliberately done, as with my own place - and sometimes erratic working hours, there is no way I can guarantee feeding to a strict routine - so the gang learned to adapt.
18. I don't ride every day, and don't need to.
19. I hack out looking like a belisha(sp?) beacon in a whole range of hi-viz.
20. I am quite happy doing trot work without stirrups - and in fact will often do a whole schooling session, at walk, trot and canter, bareback (great for improving the horse's lateral work, as well as your own seat!)

I'll stop at 20 as my list is getting a bit long.
 
haha these are brill,

1)i have rubber matting and was told by a 12yr old that i was cruel because i didn't put a huge base down (was experiementing at the time)

2)i actually have banks

3)my horse isn't a machine and i love him and her and love spending time with them

4)my horses aren't in at 4 they stay out till at least 6 even in winter

5)i ride jeans unless i'm doing something specail

6)i don't tack/rug my horse with the fashion trends i go with whats practical for me

7)i listen to everyones advice then make my OWN mind up, this one always get people lol
 
1) I do not clip my horses whiskers off as they need them for natural purposes
2) I hack out on my own, sometimes for up to three hours!
3) My pony always wears four boots whenever he is worked
4) I use simple tack on my horses
5) I sometimes jump my pony in a headcollar
6) i do not believe in doing too much too soon with young horses
7) I do not canter out on a hack unless the ground is good
8) My horses aren't always groomed everyday
9) I believe horses shouldn't be to jumped too often
10) I am interested in Natural Horsemanship techniques
11) I long rein my pony
12) I can happily spend a whole day at the yard with my pony without riding him
13) I don't ride everyday
14) I rarely compete
 
1. I never pick out feet (apart from when farrier see's to to them)- and guess whose horses never have anything nasty like thrush when farrier see's them or are never lame? (haven't had any with any foot problems in 10 yrs so i'm not about to start either)
2. I'm not afraid to tell my horse off it it naps
3. I always bandage for flatwork
4. i would rather feed a decent balancer like topspec or blue chip and a bit of chaff than excess mix (mine are on basic rations and all fit nad competing)
5. i always watch the ground our hacking
6. Out hunting I would rather just go out for an hour or so than the full day and knacker my horse, I will turn back even if i know the next bit of country is really good fun if my horse feels tired.
7. My horses all live in their turnout rugs and don't have layers of stable rugs.
8. I only jump at home the day before a show, on an experianced horse, babies get jump schooling athome once or twice a week.
 
oh, i do lots of things that aren't approved of.... off the top of my head, i can think of...

* i have deeep straw beds and huggge banks.
* my horses get a full groom every night
* i strap my horses every night
* one of mine wears bandages every night
* i dont wash legs
* i can go for upto 3 months without having a lesson!
* i ride and lead if im pushed for time at the weekend!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top