USA v UK horse-keeping

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FinkleyAlex

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I've found myself glued to horsey instagram accounts hailing from the USA and have been surprised with how differently americans seem to do things. A couple of my observations, if we have any americans on here feel free to add - I'm fascinated!:

Matchy-matchy everything - all riders seem to pick one or two colours and match EVERYTHING to it, even themselves (saddle-cloths, polo wraps/boots, bridle linings, rugs, rider's hat, rider's clothing, headcollar/leadrope, tack locker!).

Turnout rugs don't seem to have necks - even in a few feet of snow their clipped horses are in standard neck turnouts.

Cross-tying - why don't we do that here?!

Using polo wraps - everyone seems to use them instead of boots, and they don't use any padding/lining underneath - is this the norm? (Always been too lazy to bother with bandages)

Jumping - they seem to jump much lower than UK riders

Tricks - everyone seems obsessed with teaching their horse to beg/lie down/roll over/hug them using ropes and long sticks

Has anyone ever had horses in the USA? Is 'boarding' their equivalent to livery and is it DIY or full?
 
When I was 25 I spent 12 weeks in USA (Virginia) at a horse farm, as they call them then...the horses were in stalls inside a large barn, the hay was keept above them, with each stall having a shoot where the groom threw hay down into the mangers hay bar in the stall...labour saving I thought. The floors in the stalls were mostly soil, so we're free draining with sawdust on top. They cross tied the horses to groom and tack up. Most of the stalls had two doors, one internally into the barm, another out to a paddock, in the summer the horses had free access to the paddock to escape the sun.. In the winter they had harsh snowfalls, and the horses would go out for few hours in the day, they wore blankets in the winter time, were hardly clipped out like ours are, the barn I went to had an indoor school attached to it at one end.. Horses were fed on mostly grains bases feed and chopped straw . Most barns would have a snow plough for the winters to clear snow. They didn't have horse lorries like we have, they had open sided floats, and horses would either walk on off a fixed ramp in the yard, or step up onto the float, I know this was all 25 years ago, but I still remember how different I found it..
 
I have lived and ridden in the States. Firstly, most jumpers are doing Hunters, which is basically equitation jumping, not show jumping.

Guess we do not cross tie as much as we do not have as many barns. I prefer cross ties and have this in my wash box at home.

The barns mentioned by Romany are being modified, as hay stored above is disastrous in fires. Indoor schools attached to the barn are the norm in the northern states. Livery can be DIY or full, often with an obligation to train with the barn owner.

Yes, boots are used. Don't remember wall to wall matchy matchy. Suspect the photos you have seen werefor the benefit of instagram......
 
I had a stud farm in the States for 13 years, bred Trakehner horses and competed in dressage in Colorado and the mid west. That was a few years ago now, things are very, very different there - mostly in a good way I must say.
 
My experience of horses in the US has been confined to riding at stables and spectating at competitions in Florida. But I definately noticed differences. Horses seem to cost an absolute fortune there, it seems to be impressive if a horse is jumping over 80cm... something jumping 1m goes for crazy money! So yes I agree they jump a lot smaller (generally) than we amateurs do. They ride terribly relaxed there too, especially the "hunter jumpers" I think they're called - basically our version of working hunter. Necks all strung out and very forward light position etc. Just a different style from what we're used to. Cross-tying, never felt the need to do this if I'm honest! A horse should be taught to stand properly when tied to just one point, I don't see why it should fidget so much it needs to be cross tied. I think they go in for full livery far more than we do, a lot of people I saw basically just stepped aboard their horse already tacked-up and often warmed up (by their trainer!), after which they got off and it was taken away. I guess horses cost so much there that you have to be rich to own one therefore can afford permanent grooms etc.!
 
America is a big country with many different climates, so it is hard to have a blanket rule. I have been to the States a few times and always discuss the horses, plus I have relatives in the USA who have horses.

I was surprised at how little turn out on grass there was. Often the horses seem to be living in a corral with hay to eat, and that includes mares and foals and youngstock. But it is a lot easier to make hay if there is no rain and the way to make the grass grow is to irrigate it. Also, with very low humidity the winters are not damp like ours, so the snow is crisp. In Montana we noticed that they didn't even cover the outside hay that got snowed on, as any moisture soon evaporated into the air.

They love the long flowing manes and tails (my fingers itch to get hold of a pair of scissors to cut the tails!).

For an ordinary family horse the prices are around the same as in the UK and things cost about the same in dollars as in pounds, so obviously cheaper, but if you think about the difference in the price of petrol then that makes sense. Vets are expensive. There is a local official that goes round to see if you are keeping your noxious weeds under control, and in parts of the USA the vet calls and gives 6 different innoculations in one go. Also in some yards there is a rule that no stagnent or standing water is allowed, as insects breed in stagnent water.

I met some people who had horses in Florida - think hot and humid- and they went out riding in the very early morning and I have a feeling that the horses had air conditioning in the stables.
 
I was teaching out there all last summer and going back this summer. It's very different to over here, sometimes I'd argue for the better. The horses I worked with were healthy, happy and lived very long and full lives.

We had a very similar set up to what Romany describes. It works well and saved a lot of time for chores which helped when you have 20-30 horses to get ready for a days teaching.

I found on average the riders looked very good on a horse but were not always the most effective. They were Hunter-jumper riders and perched forward in the saddle and wouldn't move an inch. The problem was of course when the horse decided to drop a shoulder or spook they would hit the deck. I do admit at having slight envy at how good some of them look on a horse but I decided I'd rather be an effective 'workmanlike' rider than a pretty one.
 
I have noticed their difference in riding - I used to compete in working hunter pony classes in my youth and that was the closest comparison I found (nice smooth round over jumps) but I feel we look like we do more whereas they do seem to perch and look pretty! Plus our jumps were much higher. Absolutely love the idea of an indoor school attached to my barn. Their indoor stables seem really beautiful and everything is supersize - especially the arenas!
 
I notice prices, imported English tack seems to be 1.5 to 2 x as much, rugs such as weatherbeeta and Rambo go for money.

Yet ariat ( suppose it's a US company) are so much cheaper my kerriets breeches are fab as is my turtle neck rug.... Think the US have a lot to teach us such as water trough heaters etc!
 
When I was in Canada I must say I prefered the way horses are kept over there comapred to the UK. We are limited by a lack of space on our overcrowded island and I do think horses here are molly coddled too much. But I suppose there's good and bad everywhere.
 
I live in Canada, horse keeping and management is VERY different here compared to Britain/Europe.
Not necessarily better, or worse, just different :) English here is not English as Britons know it ;)

One of the main differences being the weather, it happens, we deal with it, life goes on, it has to :) It was -15 this afternoon, I have been out riding in the forest :) I can't ever recall it being that cold in the UK and I certainly would NOT have been riding in it :(

4 out of 5 of mine are out in ONE MW with no neck, the old girl has two MWs, one with an integral neck (yes, we do have them ;) ) temperatures this evening are heading towards the 30's, that is minus 30C, they live out.
 
My mare needs to emigrate - we have no snow but it's very cold (by our standards!) she is out rugless and thriving, really pleased for her!
My gelding on the other hand wouldn't cope with Canada - first time he saw a moose he would have a melt down - he hates deer and sheep, I dread to think what he's make of moose and bears!!
 
Enfys said:
I live in Canada, horse keeping and management is VERY different here compared to Britain/Europe.
Not necessarily better, or worse, just different :) English here is not English as Britons know it ;)

One of the main differences being the weather, it happens, we deal with it, life goes on, it has to :) It was -15 this afternoon, I have been out riding in the forest :) I can't ever recall it being that cold in the UK and I certainly would NOT have been riding in it :(

4 out of 5 of mine are out in ONE MW with no neck, the old girl has two MWs, one with an integral neck (yes, we do have them ;) ) temperatures this evening are heading towards the 30's, that is minus 30C, they live out.
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My uncle has -30 too (he's Ontario). My aunt has an equestrian centre in the same area, so I guess it's a similar temperature there too. Crikey, it's a wonder your bum doesn't stick to the saddle.... or maybe it does, but it's too numb to notice. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
 
Cobbytype, I am in Ontario too, up near Kingston. Whereabouts are your Aunt and Uncle? (useful for vacations ;) ) We are having a bit of a coldsnap right now :D

Nah, I don't get cold riding, I rarely get cold, it is not a good thing to get cold here :)

I am a slob and wear what I wear on the ground, snowboots (no stirrups) snowpants, several layers of jackets, neck warmer, wooly hat with ears under my riding hat, and ski gloves. We don't do pretty at this time of year :)
 
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Enfys said:
Cobbytype, I am in Ontario too, up near Kingston. Whereabouts are your Aunt and Uncle? (useful for vacations ;) ) We are having a bit of a coldsnap right now :D

Nah, I don't get cold riding, I rarely get cold, it is not a good thing to get cold here :)

I am a slob and wear what I wear on the ground, snowboots (no stirrups) snowpants, several layers of jackets, neck warmer, wooly hat with ears under my riding hat, and ski gloves. We don't do pretty at this time of year :)
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Hi Enfys

My uncle is retired - he used to own a factory that made wooden stables. He's Kitchener/Waterloo area, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of the place he lives.

My other aunt and uncle (with the livery yard) are here: http://www.windamereequestriancentre.com/
 
Cobbytype said:
Hi Enfys

My uncle is retired - he used to own a factory that made wooden stables. He's Kitchener/Waterloo area, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of the place he lives.

My other aunt and uncle (with the livery yard) are here: http://www.windamereequestriancentre.com/
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Ha! I have just moved from near Kitchener :)

The EC, VERY nice, do you get to go there often? :)
 
Enfys said:
Ha! I have just moved from near Kitchener :)

The EC, VERY nice, do you get to go there often? :)
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Nope, I've never been to the equestrian centre. I was 16 the last time I was in Canada and I'm *cough* quite a bit older than that now.

I ended up staying in Canada longer than expected as there was a problem with the old DC10 aeroplanes which we were due to fly out on and they were grounded for a while for safety checks. So I went to school for a few days whilst out there to kill some time whilst waiting to fly home. My fortnight's stay became a month.

It's all quite bizarre really (this horse 'thing'). My dad's 'lot' all emigrated years ago, one by one, to Canada and the US and have all settled there. All of us on both sides of the pond were non-horsey, but all bar one of us has ended up with horse related careers. My paternal Grandmother (much to her shame and she never mentioned it) was a water-gypsy (her parents had a barge which they used to transport coal, and the barges were towed by horses), and I think we must have some genetic disposition that sooner or later pulls us towards horses.

I'd love to go out and see them all again, but up until last year I had my horse(s) to look after and wouldn't leave them in livery for more than a few days. Maybe next year I'll see about going over, but they are scattered all over... Ontario, B.C., Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and I think one has moved to Kentucky recently. I don't think I'll get to see them all:-)
 
I'm from the US -- grew up in Colorado, then went to Massachusetts (with horse) for uni, before moving to the UK (with horse) for more uni in 2006.

Grass turnout is not standard (though you see it). There just isn't the grass, especially in the western states where it is very dry, so most horses are on dry lots but given hay.

It is more common for a boarding barn to have an in-house trainer or two. Some places require you to be in the trainer's program to board there (I have never boarded at such a place, but I know they exist). The dressage tests are different -- they expect slightly different thngs at corresponding levels, but I have not competed in the UK so I can't speak for US dressage shows v. UK ones.

It is true that they don't have neck rugs. I did not have a neck rug for the first few years I was in the UK because we Yanks just don't do that, but I eventually got a couple because it was clear my horse was miserable. The US -- especially CO --doesn't get the same levels of wind and horizontal rain that the UK does.

The sort of chaotic DIY yard where everyone does their own thing is not very common in the US. I'm sure they exist, but it's not the norm. My horse thinks it is the worst idea, ever, so I have to be very choosey about yards here and make sure we are on ones that do full/assisted livery only. Or she has a nervous breakdown and has proven that her patience for endless fencewalking outlasts mine for waiting and hoping she gets over it and stops.

Barns here have a different culture. I can't even put my finger on it, but it's different. Less community oriented. I don''t know. I feel everyone wants to be let alone to do their own thing and there is less community, less helpful, connecting spirit. There is actively the opposite. I remember when I was having some horse troubles, being totally left to my own devices with it, not a sympathetic ear nor a suggestion to be had, good, bad, or otherwise. It was horribly isolating and miserable and I hated it. I resolved the issues but the whole experience was really depressing. On the other side, I recently made the mistake of saying to a fellow livery, who was having issues getting her horse to stand at the mounting block, something like, "Would you like any help? I might have some ideas." She glared at me like I'd suggested sending the horse to Findus and has been rather short with me ever since. Cultural differences, I guess. Back in the US, I was at the sort of barn where boarders had a lot of knowledge, and if someone was struggling, it was the norm for them to seek advice from their fellow boarders and get assistance and support for working through a problem.

Cortez, where in CO were you? I showed dressage around the Front Range in the late 1990s.
 
This morning one major difference between North America and the UK is glaring me in the face.

It is 7.50am, minus 30C, 75km winds and blowing an absolute blizzard, good news is that it is supposed to warm up to about 20 later :D

I moved to North America from the UK, so I had been entrenched in all things BHS and PC for 35 years.
The horse culture shock is immense (as, presumably, it would be moving to any country) you literally have to begin again. Oh the basics are the same, but the mentality is very different. I have changed my views on many things, I have adapted some things, and I have absolutely refused to do or allow others.

The easiest way to compare would be to take one aspect at a time - hunter jumpers for a start.
Who has watched the TV series The Road to the Maclay? (Horse Power)
 
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Hi Caol Ila, I was in Colorado Springs and Larkspur in the mid '80's, was a pro dressage trainer and competed in the Rocky Mountain area. Must say I miss the weather (yes, even the snow) and the professionalism; it's a different world alright!
 
My sister lives in Virginia has done for 35 years she basically went out there to teach horse-riding at Camp America and never really came back. She is now an American Citizen and has run a commercial “barn” and her own private one and now boards at a dressage orientated barn.

I go fairly regularly and I don’t see any fundamental differences in Virginia at least to be perfectly honest. Yes things are called different names – barn instead of yard for instance. Yes there are adaptations e.g. fans in each stable due to the heat in summer and automatic bug spray in some and heated water troughs for the winter but there is much less of a difference certainly than perhaps 30 odd years ago. They get laminitis, colic and mud-fever (scratches) same as horses here do plus due to humidity skin infections i.e. rain scald are common. If a horse colics then Banamine will be often injected by the owner / barn owner because vets are often so far away. I don’t think insurance is as common.

Rarely a fly rug seen despite the bugs (of which there are many) because it is far too hot and humid. In summer esp. turned out at night and in the day out of the heat. Last time I went out they had the 17 year cicada hatch out that was awesome – giant bugs everywhere!

Deer ticks – everywhere! Now they are a pain in the butt (notice the American terminology there :) ). You have to spray your legs and shoes and check your whole body for ticks regularly as they carry Lymes disease. The even drop on your head from over-hanging bushes, horrid things.

Most people have trailers not lorries but most people have at least one big 4x4 truck because they would get stuck in winter without one. Plus needed to go and get supplies as not everything is on your doorstep. My brother-in-law was fascinated with my little 6.5tonne horsebox.

Most barns have heated wash stall with hot and cold running water and a decent toilet. As land is relatively cheap schools are bigger and indoors are not uncommon. All the places I’ve seen have lots of turn-out.

The equivalent of unaffiliated is a “Schooling show” these range from semi-formal like unaff here to completely informal where no-one dresses up or plaits. Affiliated is called “Recognized” and is run Regionally as distances are so vast. I’ve been to a USDF Regional Champs we went for about 3 days and stayed in a Motel. The place at Lexington http://www.horsecenter.org/About.aspx makes anything here look totally pathetic.

Good amateur horses fetch good money and anything that can do Hunter-jumpers well cost a lot. My sister was offered £30,000 dollars for her TB mare and that was about 25 years ago!

You go for a trail ride rather than a hack. Apart from public parks there are not many bridleways (trails) so people mainly agree to ride around each others headlands as part of the rural community.

I’ve found most Americans to be lovely, friendly people but maybe that’s just my sisters friends. I had a right laugh with them and we stayed up in Washington DC with one of them so we could go to the ballet. I went to a 3 day show with some and we had a lovely time. They often have barbecues and bring a bottle or two of wine and have get togethers at the barn. On the whole I get a real sense of community spirit amongst my sisters neighbours and friends at the barn.
 
Yeah, every Sunday, a big group of boarders would do a trail ride together, and then go for lunch at a local restaurant. There was very much a sense of community spirit. That's what I miss the most, being here.
 
'merkin here, owned horses in the western states most my life. However, with that said...I've never been a show person (I trail ride) and that's a totally different set in the US. Even more so West vs East too.

So with that in mind...

Matchy colors: True if you're in Western Pleasure showing where you're supposed to be showy. Which means the rider gets to wear glittery outfits too. I have no idea about English Pleasure or show jumping, but most people I saw doing that were much less into flash. Otherwise I'd say not so much on the matching.

Rugs: Until I moved to western Washington state we never put blankets (what we call 'rugs') on our horses. In Colorado we just let them grow their coat :) In Washington I did only because it rained so damn much, and no, we didn't use necks. Not sure why, we just didn't.

Cross-tying: Only common in big barns really. The rest of us just tie to a rail or a ring. Personally I dislike cross-tying, but I've had some bad experiences with it.

Polo-wraps: Guessing you mean for jumping? Again, I don't really know. I did it once or twice as a kid because it was fun. But I used actual support boots a few years ago when I needed them. You certainly can buy all sorts of boots for jumping, reining, etc. So depends on the sport I'd guess.

Jumping: I can't answer that one. I only ever did it for fun on my own, never for competition.

Tricks: Again, not really. There's a particular group who love Parelli and do all that stuff. Most people I knew didn't do it. That said, when we couldn't trail ride we did ground work which might involve something like "tricks" (playing with balls or something) just as a way to keep them interested. Plus ours were just into everything so it was easier.

Boarding so far as I can tell is what you UK means by Livery. And it runs the gamut from DIY to full-care which can mean different things depending on the barn. The minimum for full-care is that your horse will get hay, and water twice daily in a field with shelter. But it just goes up from there if you go into big show barns. Then full-care can mean stalls, mucking out, daily specialized feeding, and turnout.

Regarding some other comments I've seen, turnout depends on where you live. Had my horses in Colorado and Washington all my life and they were always on full turnout. So for some years that meant 40 acres with a huge herd, and for some years it was my two horses on 1 acre. Always full care boarding though.

I'm quite curious about the comments regarding the community spirit vs not in the UK at boarding places. I hadn't really thought about it since I boarded all my life, I've been at some barns that were very isolating. Though you probably really didn't want people there to help, they were awful and would take advantage of you. But then my last barn people were really wonderful and friendly. I think that barn worked hard to create that atmosphere and people who didn't fit didn't stick around.
 
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FinkleyAlex said:
I've found myself glued to horsey instagram accounts hailing from the USA and have been surprised with how differently americans seem to do things. A couple of my observations, if we have any americans on here feel free to add - I'm fascinated!:

Matchy-matchy everything - all riders seem to pick one or two colours and match EVERYTHING to it, even themselves (saddle-cloths, polo wraps/boots, bridle linings, rugs, rider's hat, rider's clothing, headcollar/leadrope, tack locker!).

Turnout rugs don't seem to have necks - even in a few feet of snow their clipped horses are in standard neck turnouts.

Cross-tying - why don't we do that here?!

Using polo wraps - everyone seems to use them instead of boots, and they don't use any padding/lining underneath - is this the norm? (Always been too lazy to bother with bandages)

Jumping - they seem to jump much lower than UK riders

Tricks - everyone seems obsessed with teaching their horse to beg/lie down/roll over/hug them using ropes and long sticks

Has anyone ever had horses in the USA? Is 'boarding' their equivalent to livery and is it DIY or full?
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This sounds exactly like parts of the UK, I don't think it's continent specific
 
We have that spirit on our yard, although we're not a very big one. We nearly always ride together (at least 2 or 3 of us at a time) often share lifts to competitions etc and go out for meals frequently and on trips to Badminton or Olympia. I love my yard!
 
Enfys said:
This morning one major difference between North America and the UK is glaring me in the face.

It is 7.50am, minus 30C, 75km winds and blowing an absolute blizzard, good news is that it is supposed to warm up to about 20 later :D

I moved to North America from the UK, so I had been entrenched in all things BHS and PC for 35 years.
The horse culture shock is immense (as, presumably, it would be moving to any country) you literally have to begin again. Oh the basics are the same, but the mentality is very different. I have changed my views on many things, I have adapted some things, and I have absolutely refused to do or allow others.

The easiest way to compare would be to take one aspect at a time - hunter jumpers for a start.
Who has watched the TV series The Road to the Maclay? (Horse Power)
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Sounds really chilly indeed! So, do the horses get turned out at all when it's so cold?

Things must have changed quite a lot over the years, as I remember the Canadian kids laughing at 'the way English ride' - I think they only rode in Western saddles back then.... but it was a long time ago.
 
Cobbytype said:
Sounds really chilly indeed! So, do the horses get turned out at all when it's so cold?

Things must have changed quite a lot over the years, as I remember the Canadian kids laughing at 'the way English ride' - I think they only rode in Western saddles back then.... but it was a long time ago.
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I grew up in Colorado, with horses, blizzards, hot weather etc. Yes, the horses were always turned out. Ours live outside year round, but they always have a shelter if they want it. Most of the time they ignore the shelter, even in a blizzard. If they're allowed to grow their coats and you keep them well stocked with hay they are fine. Wild horses don't come in out of the cold after all :) It's only when we start doing things like clipping their coats, and blanketing that you have to worry about it. Even then they will be turned out, just well blanketed. My poor Colorado mare hated the wet Washington weather (much like the UK), but the mare I got in Washington had no trouble with the wet and mud. She does love the Colorado climate, and this time of year her winter coat makes her look like a goat...

Most of the riders I grew up around did laugh at me for riding in an English saddle. Out West that's pretty uncommon even now so that much hasn't changed much. They didn't laugh so much when I showed them I could cut cows just as well ;)
 
'English' riding is not that uncommon in Colorado. I was a member of the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society, and their shows were very well attended. Boulder and Denver have lots of dressage and hunter/jumper barns.
 
annagain said:
We have that spirit on our yard, although we're not a very big one. We nearly always ride together (at least 2 or 3 of us at a time) often share lifts to competitions etc and go out for meals frequently and on trips to Badminton or Olympia. I love my yard!
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I was thinking this too, my yard have lots of riding out together and meals out etc, someone to ask what do you think about this so I don't think we can put that down to cultural differences, just people, Caol Isla just been unlucky.
 
Caol Ila said:
'English' riding is not that uncommon in Colorado. I was a member of the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society, and their shows were very well attended. Boulder and Denver have lots of dressage and hunter/jumper barns.
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At shows yes...as I noted earlier I did not show so the people I was around were completely different. None of us could have afforded to go to the sorts of barns that provided this level of training. I got the occasional lessons from someone who was a dressage or eventing trainer and wasn't working at a specific barn. But that's it. Go out on the trails, or to the barns that supported people who couldn't afford to show and you'll see very few in an English saddle.
 
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