What do you call a good home?

[Kat]

No - your right about me appearing to tar all riding schools with the same brush - but this is post is about my thoughts on a good/bad home. Unfortunatley i have seen to many r/s horses that have 3 or 4 contraptions under the saddle to make them fit, have seen horses used for 3 and 4 hours straight with being told to constantly hit it, kick it etc in glass house conditions, left tied up for another couple of hours before being used for the last lessons of the day without water or feed- day in day out for weeks on end and the worst thing i ever saw was a beautiful horse at a riding centre near wrexham that arrived and its first week on "working livery" - he was supposed to be used for an hour a day - he did 4 hours cross country and jumping on its first day, 5 on its second, by its third it had dropped so much weight the vet was sent for and i heard the r/s manager say it had only been used for the hour as agreed - thankfully the horse was removed on the 4th day. I have been given a horse with girth galls - and i refused to ride her, and tbh i have never known a r/s horse be good to be tacked up ie they usually bite you, kick you or they are so bad they are left tacked and tied up all day.

I also agree there are loads of bad private homes - i am just saying that in my opinion a r/s would not meet my criteria of being a good home.

I am pleased to hear of r/s like yours - and i really hope that there are many more like yours - unfortunatly i just have not had the pleasure of experiancing this myself over 30 years +.

So because you have been to one bad riding school you wouldn't ever consider that a riding school could be a good home?

That is like me saying I'd never sell to a family with children because a child I know is rough with ponies. It is an utter sweeping generalisation with no basis in fact.

To be honest I think a great many riding schools provide better homes than a significant number of private homes. I'm sure the one I ride at is not unusual in that the horses are fit, a healthy weight, have knowledgeable care, appropriate vetinatary care when necessary and are not allowed to suffer. In fact far to many times I have heard the YO trying to persuade the owners of liveries or working liveries that their horse needs more work/less feed/the back man/the farrier/the saddle fitter and they won't listen. These aren't awful homes, they are ordinary owners but the horses aren't getting the absolute best care. Sadly this type of owner often clears off to a DIY yard where there is no one to interfere.......

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Good home.
* equine company
* checked daily (twice daily preferably)
* good fitting tack (even if it's just a headcollar)
* hooves and teeth cared for
* Vet when needed
* daily turnout
* if partly stabled, this needs to be mucked out
* water and forage
* shelter when out (natural or artificial)
* wormed
* not ridden when lame or in a way that will cause lameness

Agree with faracat although would qualify worming with 'whenever necessary using regular worm counts and tapeworm blood test'

 

[Gingerwitch]

Katt - i wish i was talking about one r.s - the one in wrexham was particulary awful and fortunatley shut not long after i had been there - it was such a shame as the place could have had a fantastic reputation but the owner had a drink issue and the girls running the yard where fighting an uphill battle and only had a limited number of horses but a huge demand. I quote from my experiances of over 30 years - from wales, to durham to scotland and even to the west mids - i always ride when i go away - to try and learn something new and to be able to say ,.... i rode here, etc.

But if folks are prepared to stand up and look after there charges then i for one will back them - but dont forget this was a post to say "what do you class as a good home" - and i was just saying what i think fits this or not - i was not having an attack on riding schools or colleges for that matter - even though i know some equine colleges leave a lot to be desired in the way the animals are treated.