What constitutes a 5 star home???

blitznbobs

blitznbobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 June 2010
Messages
6,818
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
I've seen loads of wanted adverts recently for loan horses and every single one of them says they offer a 5 * home.... So what exactly does this mean??

That they have an indoor and outdoor school, with horse walker 24/7 individual or group turn out with quality rugs and expensive instruction etc etc etc

or that

they;ll be loved and looked after as their own

or both??

Cos I've never seen anyone offer a 4* home...

What does it mean to you?

BnBx
 
to me it means a reasonable level of facilties which enable the horse to train/participate in what it has been bought for. Eg hacker - good offroad hacking, SJ good, safe manege, lessons as needed & transport to comps. Safe stabling and grazing. Experienced management of the horse. Lots of love and all feed, rugs, tack etc that it needs provided without question. Vet farrier physio chiro dentist etc as needed. A caring owner and rider. I wouldnt assume it was going to fabulous facilities and a lifelong home unless that was stated and tbh facilities dont necessarily mean 5* for that horse, I had one of my horses on a fabulous yard with literally everything through college but there were 200 odd horses & limited grazing and it drove him loopy, my mare however was happy as larry there. Are you asking out of interest or because you are looking to loan out etc? :)
 
I just ignore that. Very often someone saying they will offer a 5* home is saying that because they are hoping that that will sway someone to sell their horse cheaper!

And its all relative. So someone might think that barefoot, living out but rugged, fed worked accordingly is 5*. Someone else would not agree and would say 5* is shod, rugged, stabled etc etc.

IMO a good home offers shelter, food, water, work and regular attention. I don't care if said horse is stabled or not - its only the preceding items that are the most important!
 
Def option two. My horses live like king and Queen.

Woken gently in the morning and alowed time to get out of bed before being given a short all over body scratch.

Atired in a rug of their choice for the day and turned out in their own private padocks with scrubbed water buckets fresh water every day.

In the evening (and when raining as they don't like to get wet) they come in to imacculate beds of rubber matting topped with a deep bed of shavings swept within an inch.

All feet washed and then towel dried, full groom, then a full body scratch for as long as they require, lots of cuddles and large haynets.

Plus each stable has an apple and carrot on the floor for when they come in. Treats before bed time and plastic windows so they can see out but don't get cold.

I do believe they are a bit spoilt but I would't have it any other way.
 
I stated that a 5* home awaited because we are knowledgable have grazing and stacking, and most important oodles of love to give.

The later of my statement is more important to me than facilities, within reason.
 
I prefer to see 'good knowlegeable home'.

5* star home makes me think (rightly or wrongly) of a lovely courtyard with gravel & fountain centrepiece or huge indoor barn, both with all mod cons & exercise facilities known under the stars.

However, my own '5*' home is:
Good knowledge of horses & ponies, built up by years of managing own place (as well as a few pieces of paper along the way)
Animals being checked at least twice daily
Decent fencing
Stables for inclement weather with good bedding on rubber matting
All year round turnout (and that goes without saying).
Shelters & hedges/trees in paddocks
Good vet on hand
Good farrier on hand.
Excellent hacking
Daily groom
Lack of mud except in extenuating circumstances.

I think I can offer myself all the above :D

that is....once the last 2 paddocks have got ther fencing replaced next month, the ONLY thing I can't include is living on site :(
 
beehorses said:
Def option two. My horses live like king and Queen.

Woken gently in the morning and alowed time to get out of bed before being given a short all over body scratch.

Atired in a rug of their choice for the day and turned out in their own private padocks with scrubbed water buckets fresh water every day.

In the evening (and when raining as they don't like to get wet) they come in to imacculate beds of rubber matting topped with a deep bed of shavings swept within an inch.

All feet washed and then towel dried, full groom, then a full body scratch for as long as they require, lots of cuddles and large haynets.

Plus each stable has an apple and carrot on the floor for when they come in. Treats before bed time and plastic windows so they can see out but don't get cold.

I do believe they are a bit spoilt but I would't have it any other way.
Click to expand...

Love it! You can adopt me!
 
I agree 2nd option. Just because someone has all the gadgets and facilities doesnt mean they are going to look after it well.

However I do agree that a new home should be inspected before sale if someone really cares about where their horse goes.(This happened to myself and a friend recently and I think it is a good the seller has the horses welfare at heart).This would give me confidence as a buyer that the seller was genuine too. (or loaner)
 
Above all, the horse is a social animal so IMHO a 5* home MUST allow the horse to be part of a social group and not be mixed and matched about at random. They form strong bonds with others and are secure when they are in an established group. So 5* for me means that a horse is allowed as much opportunity to socialise and move freely with his 'herd' as possible, receives appropriate feeding, health regimes and housing; has an owner that can think about his welfare without being hidebound by ridiculous fashions - horses obese, tails cut short in summer, whiskers chopped off etc etc - and thinks about the horse's mental welfare above all else. If that is right then everything else is too. Facilities mean nothing to the horse, within reason, and as long as the animal can be safe and healthy that is all that is required.
 
The problem is, even the most neglectful owners seem to be convinced that they offer a 5* home....ignorant to their own failings!

Thays not to say that everyone offering a 5* home is neglectful, just that neglectful people usually don't see how crap they are!
 
Alltheprettyhorses said:
Above all, the horse is a social animal so IMHO a 5* home MUST allow the horse to be part of a social group and not be mixed and matched about at random. They form strong bonds with others and are secure when they are in an established group. So 5* for me means that a horse is allowed as much opportunity to socialise and move freely with his 'herd' as possible, receives appropriate feeding, health regimes and housing; has an owner that can think about his welfare without being hidebound by ridiculous fashions - horses obese, tails cut short in summer, whiskers chopped off etc etc - and thinks about the horse's mental welfare above all else. If that is right then everything else is too. Facilities mean nothing to the horse, within reason, and as long as the animal can be safe and healthy that is all that is required.
Click to expand...

I couldn't have put this better ^^^^
 
to me a 5* home is someone who will love the pony as i do and genuinely would do anything for them when i sold my horse i didnt realise he was going to a 5* home i know what that is now: he is provided for to a T not expensive flashy but has every rug he needs, a saddle made to measure a home for life (if financially viable) and loved like a member of the family! I get regular updates never been so happy to part with a horse!
 
well I like to trim up my horses but thats my choice!! or make me a bad person..As for the socialisation I agree but there ARE horses who are difficult to pair up and DON'T work in a herd. My old mare has worked her way through all the over mares (including the one she was heavily in love with) so had to be on her own, albeit horses all around. However another grand old dame has just arrived and those 2 actually get on so they are out together. They ignore each other but there is no fighting.

Now Billy is another matter. Again has worked his way through nearly everything in the yard, is just too much of a thug so is on his own for now.
 
Tr0uble said:
The problem is, even the most neglectful owners seem to be convinced that they offer a 5* home....ignorant to their own failings!

Thays not to say that everyone offering a 5* home is neglectful, just that neglectful people usually don't see how crap they are!
Click to expand...

Agree with this. Everyone thinks they have a 5* home nowadays!

For me a 5* home is a sensible home with a good history of keeping horses over the years. I think that you can generally tell when you speak to a prospective purchaser how they look after their horses. My last buyer was brill, and I'm so glad the pony went to them. I'm just really hoping my judgement was as good for the people who are buying our much-loved outgrown pony no 2 tomorrow!
 
To me a 5* home is an owner who puts their horse before their own wants/desires.

An owner who wont give up caring if the horse is injured and whose first port of call isn't to put the animal down if said horse can no longer do what they want.

Someone who considers their horse as important and as much a lifetime companion as their dogs are.

Basically someone who wants a horse despite (and because) of all the heartache they entail, not someone who wants a glorified machine that they can pick up and put down and instantly mend, or even scrap.
 
For me I would want:

A good amount of knowledge

The sort of people who worshipped their horse (not "oh, he's not doing what I want let's get a new pony)

And most importantly if I was to loan my boy (not that I ever would unless REALLY forced to) when I say just hacking/dressage home they would have to obey that
 
team barney said:
To me a 5* home is an owner who puts their horse before their own wants/desires.

An owner who wont give up caring if the horse is injured and whose first port of call isn't to put the animal down if said horse can no longer do what they want.

Someone who considers their horse as important and as much a lifetime companion as their dogs are.

Basically someone who wants a horse despite (and because) of all the heartache they entail, not someone who wants a glorified machine that they can pick up and put down and instantly mend, or even scrap.
Click to expand...

Hear Hear! Well said.
 
I think most people who are looking to buy or loan think they are going to offer a good home to a horse. I think that when people say they will offer a 5* home it is not necessarily about for facilities it means that they are caring and will do the best for the horse according to its needs.

Different horses have different needs so what one horse might really like another might not. For example my native pony likes to live out in a group with similar types of ponies or small cobs, he would rather be out in the snow with his friends than in his stable but not all horses and ponies like living out in all weathers.
 
Sorry had to reedit what I originally wrote as it was obvious who I was talking about to anyone in this area.
Briefly several horses bought by 5* home, one dead within 24 hours, one ruined within a few weeks and given away and one nice little horse now being advertised as horse with issues all down to bad ownership.
I am trying not to be a bitch.... but this home to all extents and purpouses has it all, lovely grazing at home, nice stables, supersmart school and plenty of money,........ experience and love counts for a damn sight more though.
 
Last edited:
beehorses said:
turned out in their own private padocks
Click to expand...

See for me, whilst that obviously suits your horses (and I'm not critising how you choose to keep them, as if it works for you it makes no odds what I think) this illustrates the subjectiveness of a "5 star" home. I wouldn't consider solo turnout 5 star as I like my horses to have time to interact with their friends and generally behave in a normal horsey manner.

But then, I wouldn't consider any form of stabling 5-star - ideally there would be land suitable for all year 24/7 turnout. And an owner with the time and skill to exercise and keep them in fit working order.

TBH I think the whole notion of a 5 star home is slightly absurd...

I should point out, I'm a hypocrite, I have always stabled at nights in winter as I've never had enough land to support 24/7 t/o, I often have one or other of the beasts by themselves for practical, feeding reasons (limit one's access to grazing / ensure cob gets haylage not the highlands etc) - but I never claimed to offer a "5*" home :D
 
Alltheprettyhorses said:
Above all, the horse is a social animal so IMHO a 5* home MUST allow the horse to be part of a social group and not be mixed and matched about at random. They form strong bonds with others and are secure when they are in an established group. So 5* for me means that a horse is allowed as much opportunity to socialise and move freely with his 'herd' as possible, receives appropriate feeding, health regimes and housing; has an owner that can think about his welfare without being hidebound by ridiculous fashions - horses obese, tails cut short in summer, whiskers chopped off etc etc - and thinks about the horse's mental welfare above all else. If that is right then everything else is too. Facilities mean nothing to the horse, within reason, and as long as the animal can be safe and healthy that is all that is required.
Click to expand...

Well put.
 
Alltheprettyhorses said:
Above all, the horse is a social animal so IMHO a 5* home MUST allow the horse to be part of a social group and not be mixed and matched about at random. They form strong bonds with others and are secure when they are in an established group. So 5* for me means that a horse is allowed as much opportunity to socialise and move freely with his 'herd' as possible, receives appropriate feeding, health regimes and housing; has an owner that can think about his welfare without being hidebound by ridiculous fashions - horses obese, tails cut short in summer, whiskers chopped off etc etc - and thinks about the horse's mental welfare above all else. If that is right then everything else is too. Facilities mean nothing to the horse, within reason, and as long as the animal can be safe and healthy that is all that is required.
Click to expand...

This.^^^^^^^
I like an owner to be calm, able to laugh, knowledgeable and up to date, not overly concerned by a horse rolling in the mud. Happy to risk it behaving like a horse in the field without excessive rugging, booting and separating it from other companions.
Motivated enough to make its workload varied and interesting and never to skimp on healthcare.
I want to see their eyes shining when they try my horse.:o The eyes don't lie.


Anyone who can't bear a horse to get wet, turns out alone or clips for vanity or stuffs it full of hard feed, stables it excessively and then puts it on a calmer. An owner who is stressy, shrill and shouty, or rides with the object of looking good, rather than for the horses level of training-

Is Not a 5* owner.
 
I think one of the key things about a so-called 5* home is that the owner should be keen to cater for the horse's own individual needs, rather than sticking to one rigid routine/method for all horses. So whether the potential owner favours barefoot/shod, individual/herd turnout etc is irrelevant as long as the owner choses what is best for the particular animal.

We have just taken on a horse who has been on individual turnout for two years and who we were told is often bullied by other horses. He is also lacking some condition so needs adlib haylage at all times. So he gets individual turnout, but still is able to mutual groom with another horse over the fence and seems as happy as Larry. By some of the comments above, a lot of people wouldn't consider that a '5* star home' as he is on individual turnout, however, I consider it to be the best option for that particular horse.
 
TGM said:
I think one of the key things about a so-called 5* home is that the owner should be keen to cater for the horse's own individual needs, rather than sticking to one rigid routine/method for all horses. So whether the potential owner favours barefoot/shod, individual/herd turnout etc is irrelevant as long as the owner choses what is best for the particular animal.

We have just taken on a horse who has been on individual turnout for two years and who we were told is often bullied by other horses. He is also lacking some condition so needs adlib haylage at all times. So he gets individual turnout, but still is able to mutual groom with another horse over the fence and seems as happy as Larry. By some of the comments above, a lot of people wouldn't consider that a '5* star home' as he is on individual turnout, however, I consider it to be the best option for that particular horse.
Click to expand...

Agree, completely.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top