Too many horses for 1 person??? WDYT?

I can definitely see OP's point here - there are just too many people breeding indiscriminately and, on a personal note, it does get me down. I've known a few horse collectors breed for no other reason than 'foals are so cute' - and then seeing adverts for these poor youngsters in the local feed shop, or even worse, ending up at the local auction. Quite simply, they should never have been bred and 'cuteness' is not a reason to be breeding horses IMO.
It's OK to say 'none of our business', but at what point does it become 'our' business? Once the horses are malnourished, poor feet, etc etc? - and then it's down to people like us to contact the already overstretched welfare organisations. I can understand the OP's rant because I, like many others, would just wish that some horse owners would show more common sense at times.
 
I could see where you were coming from in your first post, let alone with the revelation that they can't afford to provide them with adequate care!

What's the point in getting another one and then another one if you can't actually look after them properly by yourself? What's the point of having a ridden horse that you're too busy to ride because you're looking after all your other horses you also don't have time for...
 
I get what you are saying. No, these particular people are none of your business, but the way I read the post it was just a topic for discussion, you weren't asking for people's advice on what to do in a certain situation.

I think people can spread themselves to thinly when they have a number of horses. You say these people are not working, so are all horses vaccinated, wormed and shod to date? With that number of horses are they insured? What would they do if they had a huge vets bill? Possibly post on Facebook asking for donations.
These free to good home or cheap groups on Facebook that happily sell without passports have a lot to answer for, it's a paradise for hoarders.
 
There are three separate points here.

1. The owner has a lot of horses.
2. The owner does not ride the horses.
3. The owner is (allegedly) neglecting the horses.

The only point you should be concerned with is no 3. Nos 1 and 2 are totally irrelevant.

Interesting that you say numerous organisations have been contacted and none of them have done anything. Really? Out of all the organisations that have been called, none deemed the horses as being neglected?
 
Spring Feather said:
There are three separate points here.

1. The owner has a lot of horses.
2. The owner does not ride the horses.
3. The owner is (allegedly) neglecting the horses.

The only point you should be concerned with is no 3. Nos 1 and 2 are totally irrelevant.

Interesting that you say numerous organisations have been contacted and none of them have done anything. Really? Out of all the organisations that have been called, none deemed the horses as being neglected?
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They probably weren't neglected 'enough', as in the standards of care provided were nowhere near how we treat our own horses but not bad enough to be any sort of welfare case.
 
slumdog said:
I get what you are saying. No, these particular people are none of your business, but the way I read the post it was just a topic for discussion, you weren't asking for people's advice on what to do in a certain situation.
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This was my interpretation too. Horse 'hoarding' has become a problem with some people, particularly since horse prices came down. I know of someone who has several horses, all bought as intended 'happy hackers' - but then deemed as 'barmy' - so they just go out and buy another bargain basement job which inevitably also turns out to be unsuitable. These people simply don't bother with farrier/trimmer, the horses are on poor grazing and living out 24/7. I don't think that this is an uncommon situation at all these days, unfortunately.
And then there comes a point where it is no longer just 'their business' and someone else has to intervene. Often, welfare organisations will only become involved when a good deal of discomfort/suffering has already taken place. I contacted an organisation once about a pony whose feet were very overgrown and the animal was clearly in a good deal of discomfort, but was told that the horse wasn't 'lame enough' to justify intervention.
And this was my point in the previous post - in some cases, horses will have to have experienced a good deal of suffering before it becomes anyone else's business. It's just very annoying that people are so clueless at times.
 
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How many horses people have, as long as they are adequately cared for, is none of anyone else's business.

The OP could be describing me, I have horses that are never ridden, a stallion that is not properly broken to saddle, and, shoot me now, I BREED.

In answer to the original question (and I have not read the rest of the thread yet) I don't think anything of it. I have as many horses as I do, simply because I can. I have reached that extremely happy stage in my life where I don't give a toot what other people think, and, at the same time, neither do I make judgements on why others do what they do.

At the moment I do not have time to ride my own horses, because I have other irons in the fire, I am up to my eyes in commissions, I have boarders, a farm (which means unending maintenance) animals to care for (including 47 baby goats to feed right now) a house and family to see to. When I have the time and inclination to ride I pull a horse out and ride, but if I don't, they don't care.

SF puts it much more succinctly :D
 
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I agree with everyone else. Having multiple horses that are well cared for is fine. I don't think that some being unridden is a problem.

However neglect is a problem. Sadly I have seen neglect with single horse owners and multiple horse owners. So I wouldn't say that horses are more likely to be neglected if people have more than one (especially as most people don't take on more than they can cope with).
 
Unfortunately I've seen people take on far more than they can cope with, including someone who told me that horses are far easier than most other pets because all you have to do is put them in a field.

The point about whether they are ridden or not is an interesting one. If a horse is well cared for and healthy, obviously it doesn't need to be ridden. I'm sure the horse doesn't care whether it is ridden or not! But I'm just thinking about one case I know about where someone bought a horse that had been in regular work, they intended to ride it but didn't have the time and basically it was a field ornament for three years. Selling a horse that is in regular work (and sane/sensible) is generally easier than selling one that has been handled very little for three years, and suffice to say that this story does not have a happy ending.
 
I had 18 horses at one point that I sort of "inherited" only 3 were ridden. but ALL were well cared for. None of your business how many horses people own as long as they are cared for.
 
zigzag said:
I had 18 horses at one point that I sort of "inherited" only 3 were ridden. but ALL were well cared for. None of your business how many horses people own as long as they are cared for.
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But OP states that they are not well cared for? I think there is a difference between 'not well cared for' and 'neglected enough to justify intervention by a welfare organisation.' I believe that all horses do have a right to be 'well cared for', in terms of having enough good quality food and water, having their feet cared for, being kept as free of parasites as possible, etc.
Raises an interesting issue about how we interpret the phrase 'well cared for', I suppose.
 
What annoys me is people that choose to have lots of horses and then expect you to sympathize with them about how many stables they have to muck out, how expensive their livery bill is etc.

Don't have so many horses then! :P :)
 
I think it has become the OPs business , as she has been asked to help ride them as the owner does not have enough time to do it!!

And I agree with the breeding, why breed for breeding a sake :( although I would also say that part if the post is no one else's business, just a bit annoying :(
 
BethanT said:
OK, so I don't know about anyone else on here but I'm getting rather fed up of people 'collecting' horses that they don't need. I'm starting to wonder if it is just down here or all over the country too.

So basically, someone has asked me to ride some of their horses with them as they will eventully have 5 to ride?!?! But in total they have 9. Two brood mares with foals at foot (this annoys me in itself because they bred from a friends stallion for the sake of having a foal :mad: and the stallion isn't proven hasn't done anything, or is particularly well bred). They have just bought an ex racer from the track, as well two horses they have had for years (the two that are actually suited to them) a rising 3 year old cob filly that they bred a miniature shetland and a dartmoor that no one rides.

I find myself thinking "what is the point" if you can't ride all the ones that need riding why have them? Not only this but they are re-training the racer and breaking in 3 horses but the girl wouldn't even get on one of our horses because she was nervous of it doing anything and this was a donkey of a horse that we put novices on.

Sorry for the rant, but does anyone else find themselves thinking this?
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So where is your concern for the condition of the horses and the field in your original post ?
You only brought this into play when the majority told you to mind your own business .
I agree with others, ive got 4 horses 2 who are ridden 2 retired, my horses, my money, my business im pretty sure the owner of the horses would tell you the same
 
You can get upset about it OP, but it doesn't do a lot of good I'm afraid. I know people that have too many horses to ride and are constantly buying and selling, but their horses are well cared for - have food, water, feet trim when needed and are wormed and poo picked. But on the other hand I know some people that didn't have the time for 1 and left the horse in the stable for days and expected the other liveries to see to him. We did for a bit - then yard owner took over and invoiced them extortionate amounts for caring for a horse at short notice. Owner then sold horse for the livery bill, which was better all round for pony and owner. You mention livery yard - why is the YO not doing anything? Don't get involved if they annoy you - sounds harsh but let them realise how hard work it is and then call in welfare organisations if they aren't coping. If they've been spoken to and it's falling on deaf ears they may need a wake up call
 
heebiejeebies said:
This sounds like jealousy to me... sounds like you are jealous that someone can have so many horses and you can't have one, which is a bit silly isn't it? Your time to own a horse will come I'm sure, but for now, what other people do really is none of your business, sorry but I agree with the others.
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What a lot of assumptions being made here. It's an accusation I had thrown at me when I made a similar post about a horse who was in a poor condition and whose owner couldn't afford a vet when her horse went through a barbed wire fence and got badly cut. To me it says a lot about the person who writes a post like this. Why should you think that non horse owners ( an erronious assumption with regards to the OP) waste their precious time feeling jealous of horse owners.


Personally I don't care how many horses people have.. The more the merrier I'm sure, but yes, I do feel strongly about those who take on more than they can cope with and then whinge about the costs and how they never get a break how no one ever helps them.
 
TrasaM said:
Why should you think that non horse owners ( an erronious assumption with regards to the OP) waste their precious time feeling jealous of horse owners.
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Well I can't speak for others but it happens in real life ... often, and it's quite blatant at times. I've seen it occasionally on this forum too, again I'd say it's sometimes quite blatant envy from some people.
 
budley95 said:
You can get upset about it OP, but it doesn't do a lot of good I'm afraid. I know people that have too many horses to ride and are constantly buying and selling, but their horses are well cared for - have food, water, feet trim when needed and are wormed and poo picked. But on the other hand I know some people that didn't have the time for 1 and left the horse in the stable for days and expected the other liveries to see to him. We did for a bit - then yard owner took over and invoiced them extortionate amounts for caring for a horse at short notice. Owner then sold horse for the livery bill, which was better all round for pony and owner. You mention livery yard - why is the YO not doing anything? Don't get involved if they annoy you - sounds harsh but let them realise how hard work it is and then call in welfare organisations if they aren't coping. If they've been spoken to and it's falling on deaf ears they may need a wake up call
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They are no longer at my livery yard but when they were my YO was constantly telling them to get their act together re coming down at reasonable times to let horses out and about seeing them at least once a day in the summer when they are out at grass. There wasn't a lot my YO could do other than keep telling them to come down before 9am (yard policy that horse is at least seen to by 9am at very latest) but they would frequently come down at gone 11am. They initially came when they fell out with a friend of theirs where they kept their horses and told YO that they had 3, 1 with foal at foot but 2 days later arrived with 7. YO tried to get them to sell or at least loan horses out as they were taking up extra fields which YO did not want in use during winter. When they were at our yard horses were in reasonably good condition as my YO would not let them have more than the ones they had (no space in fields) and grazing is very good where I am, but they left because they werent allowed any more and they didnt like the fact that everyone was telling them what to do (not me before anyone has a go) about selling horses they didnt "need" etc.

TrasaM said:
I do feel strongly about those who take on more than they can cope with and then whinge about the costs and how they never get a break how no one ever helps them.
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^^^ This also, when they were at mine they always complained that they never got a lie in during the winter which is why they never came down untill 11ish

As people have said welfare organisations havn't done anything because horses arent in a bad enough state to warrant anything to be done.

I didnt mention about welfare in original post because I didn't expect to have to defend myself as was simply asking what other people thought, I didnt intentially mean to rant about everyone who owns multiple horses.

It also irks me that they have asked me to ride their horses despite them slagging my whole yard off and bitching about all of us in general, yet they want me to come school and ride their horses for them - so they are basically asking me to school their horses for free.

I won't get started on indiscriminant breeding as that is a whole different ball game and I'm sure will upset some people.

I apologise if I have offened some people, that was never my intention at all.
 
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Again I would say, she is not envious, just asking for opinions, as she has been asked to help as the owner does not have enough time!!!!

If she/he does not have enough time, why keep adding to the collection ?
 
Spring Feather said:
Well I can't speak for others but it happens in real life ... often, and it's quite blatant at times. I've seen it occasionally on this forum too, again I'd say it's sometimes quite blatant envy from some people.
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LoL.. Now I've gone and looked up the difference between envy and jealousy:D

"Envy" and "jealousy" are easily confused because both nouns are very close in meaning. "Envy" denotes a longing to possess something awarded to or achieved by another (e.g., to feel envy when a friend inherits a fortune).
"Jealousy," on the other hand, denotes a feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves (e.g., to feel jealousy when a co-worker receives a promotion). "Jealousy" also refers to anguish caused by fear of unfaithfulness.
 
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The thing for me is finance, commitment and stability. If all these are provided its no one 's business . However we have a problem around here where people with large numbers of horses have been kicked off their rented field and have no where to go . They can't afford to put them in livery and no landowners want them over poaching the land. We knew of one lady who ended up with 25 ponies and had to have the majority PTS because she ultimately became over whelmed by the costs when feed / hay prices went up, she was kicked off her field and had no where to go. Very sad silly lady.
 
Exactly.

Sorry, meant to say that I agree that people are misunderstanding the point that OP is trying to make.
 
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I have 5 and it's nobodies business but mine, if you are not happy with the way they are kept, girdle up your loins and go and say something to them. And those that can do the smilies could you tell me how PLEASE!!!!!
 
I have 6, of which only 2 are ridden. So I don't think the people OP refers to are doing anything wrong by owning the number of ponies they do.

However, I have to add a caveat here, this is acceptable as long as the owners have the time, finances and INCLINATION to ensure that each and every one are well cared for. I have seen where the new pony gets all the attention, feed and maintenance whilst the others are neglected, not having feet picked or trimmed, legs checked, mucked out etc. I can see the OP's point in that it seems like some owners acquire more with no concern for the ongoing care of ones they already have. It almost seems like a game of one-upmanship for some to have more than just one, or they breed indiscriminately jst because they can. This type of behaviour I do not condone.
 
Echo Bravo said:
I have 5 and it's nobodies business but mine, if you are not happy with the way they are kept, girdle up your loins and go and say something to them. And those that can do the smilies could you tell me how PLEASE!!!!!
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: + ) = :)

: + D = :D

; + ) = ;)

: + p + :p

: + o = :o

: + confused + : = :confused:

: + eek + : = :eek:

: + rolleyes + : = :rolleyes:

: + cool + : = :cool:

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I can see both sides to this. If someone has the money, time, and dedication then it doesn't matter how many horses they have, and to be quite frank, I don't think it necessarily always matters if they are ridden/exercised or not, provided that they are of healthy weight and have adequate turnout.

However, I do know of various people who 'acquire' bog end horses and either then get sick of them and sell cheaply, or other people who don't know one end of a horse from the other who have bought simply for the sake of having more, ie a shetland for their child to look cute, despite the fact that their child wants nothing to do with it, and it ends up stuck in a field doing nothing and getting no attention whatsoever. These sorts of people make me mad. The other one which gets me is taking young horses on when they don't know how to bring them on correctly. To many horses end up without basic manners and training which causes no end of trouble for the people who pick the pieces up as a result. :-(
 
At one stage I had 9 horses. I only ever had 2/3 in work at a time. I asked a girl I know if she would like to start riding one of them, which she gladly accepted. I let her ride my best horse so it would allow me more time to bring on the others. I then also allowed another lady to start riding a quiet cob of mine. I would hate to think people were miffed that I wanted them to ride my horses as I didn't have time to ride them all. I thought I was being generous making the offer. After all my horses are happier out in the field being horses.

I know plenty of people with just one horse who they dont go near until 11am. The number of horses isn't a factor. Either you can lay in bed guilt free or you can't. The guilt would get me out of bed every time!

If the horses are being neglected then yes that's terrible, as is breeding more poor quality animals.
 
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