What do you call a good home?

Gingerwitch

Gingerwitch

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Wondering really on different folks perceptions on what is a good or bad home?

A horse treated like a machine -to me that is bad
A horse stabled 24/7 from Sept till April to me that is bad
A horse turned out 24/7 and becomes too fat but not laminitic - on the fence with this one !
A horse that is just a possesion - never riden, never loved, just an expensive orniment so you can say you have one - bad home
Left out in winter without shelter - or rugged -bad home
Over rugged -bad home
Riding school horses - bad home
Loved too much and never told off -bad home

Now i am a softy and although i tell my boys off, i am always cautious of the going - if the ground is too hard - i wont do too much - although one of my vets says the endurance horses canter on roads rather than trot - so some folks will probably say i am a bad home as i molly coddle mine and they have a bit too much condition !
 
I personaly have only 1 opinion on what constitutes a bad home and that is an unhappy/unhealthy horse. Horses are individuals and all diffrent but as long as the horse is happy and healthy then surely that is enough.:rolleyes:
 
A good home for my girls would be in at night during the winter and rugged.
Fed and watered enough, groomed regularly and excersiced as often as possible.
Making sure that Honey has enough grass and Mysti doesnt have too much :D

But thats just for my girls, say i had a new forest foal i would be happy for it to go some where with access to enough food and water and company and left to its own devices!
 
Miss-rose said:
I personaly have only 1 opinion on what constitutes a bad home and that is an unhappy/unhealthy horse. Horses are individuals and all diffrent but as long as the horse is happy and healthy then surely that is enough.:rolleyes:
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I agree

Toataly disagree with RS comment, my old RS had very happy horses and ponies, undeniably better cared for than many privately owned horses.

One of my lot hates being stabled at all, to be in at night, even in the wiwnter would be purgatory for her.
 
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
 
Miss-rose said:
I personaly have only 1 opinion on what constitutes a bad home and that is an unhappy/unhealthy horse. Horses are individuals and all diffrent but as long as the horse is happy and healthy then surely that is enough.:rolleyes:
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Agree with this.
I have no exacting criteria to fulfil, so long as the horse is happy, I'd be happy.
 
It is all opinion and perception but.....

Gingerwitch said:
Wondering really on different folks perceptions on what is a good or bad home?

A horse treated like a machine -to me that is bad But if its needs are met, it is well kept and has equine company does the horse mind whether it gets human cuddles or not????
A horse stabled 24/7 from Sept till April to me that is bad Not ideal for many horses but I wouldn't say it was a BAD home if it was getting adequate exercise and stimulation, many working horses are stabled full time
A horse turned out 24/7 and becomes too fat but not laminitic - on the fence with this one ! This is probably worse than keeping a horse in peak condition but stabled as being overweight has health implications
A horse that is just a possesion - never riden, never loved, just an expensive orniment so you can say you have one - bad home Why? Again as long as it has all the vet/farrier attention it needs and fed appropriately does the horse care whether it has a job or a cuddle?
Left out in winter without shelter - or rugged -bad home Plenty of native types cope well out in winter with no rugs and only a hedge for shelter and look very happy with their lot!
Over rugged -bad home Only if the horse is sweating and uncomfortable though surely.
Riding school horses - bad home Really?? It may not be peoples idea of an ideal home but riding school horses are their owner's living so they tend to be looked after with care and knowledge. I can think of worse homes for a horse.
Loved too much and never told off -bad home Again really??? Surely it only becomes a problem if the horse gets so spoilt that its welfare is compromised, for example over feeding with treats.

Now i am a softy and although i tell my boys off, i am always cautious of the going - if the ground is too hard - i wont do too much - although one of my vets says the endurance horses canter on roads rather than trot - so some folks will probably say i am a bad home as i molly coddle mine and they have a bit too much condition !
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I think a lot of this is pure opinion and doesn't have much to do with what actually matters to the horse and more to do with our views of what should matter to them.
 
Gingerwitch said:
Miss-Rose see your point - but i suppose i am looking from the adverts that say "good home essential" - i often wonder what the sellers criteria is.
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In that case I suppose you would have to ask the seller what they would wish for their horse, which may not neccessarily be what is best for the horse. Our newest horse (we have had her a year) was used to living a life wrapped in cotton wool, she was rugged at the hint of rain, stabled every night, fed hard feed and grossly overweight. She visited us before deciding to sell and I suppose we probably fibbed a little and said we would keep to her regime. In my opinion she is now in a much bettter home as she lives out, just comes in at night if weather is foul and has a fibre based diet. She is fit, the correct weight. and well socialised with her field companions I think given the choice she would prefer to be out, she rarely uses her field shelter.
 
Katt said:
It is all opinion and perception but.....



I think a lot of this is pure opinion and doesn't have much to do with what actually matters to the horse and more to do with our views of what should matter to them.
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How funny - I'd typed almost exactly that and then thought I cba to post it - I have to say I agree with you though!
 
- Safe turnout

- Horse not expected to work beyond what it is physically and mentally comfortable with.

- Horse only sold on if it is physically and mentally sound enough for another particular job, otherwise retained or destroyed.

- Health and discomfort problems not ignored or attributed to naughtiness.

- Horse given adequate food, company and freedom.

- Owner not a nut job!
 
Everything thats already been said but also someone who builds a relationship with their horse. Not just ride the horse but spend quality time, grooming, playing and talking.
 
I always wonder when adverts say £XXX but good home most important - does that mean that the price is negotiable for a good home? how do they decide whether its a good home or not?
 
A safe secure environment and a person who can understand the needs of the horse and to be able to treat them individually with care and compassion.
AND, 'a home for life' is a lovely thing to say, although Iam well aware many do tell porkies and circumstances change, but if it was honest its a huge bonus.
 
Gingerwitch said:
Wondering really on different folks perceptions on what is a good or bad home?

A horse treated like a machine -to me that is bad
Riding school horses - bad home

Sorry but I am now going to stand on my high stool and totally disagree with you with your comment Riding School Horses in loud voice!

Why do you think A R/S is a bad home? - I am a Riding School Owner - have 17 horses and ponies on site.
These are working horses and I care very much about them First they have the vet - annually - not only as a requirement of the licence but also a MOT with Vaccs and a chance to discuss any problems. Heart / lungs/ eyes and legs all checked.
They have the dentist every 6 mts along with the back person every 6mts unless an indiviual requires one sooner. The saddler comes every six mths to check and adjust any saddles. Every equine has a massage every two weeks with the ones that Hunt, on a weekly basis during the hunting season. All my saddles are less than two years old - brand new from the start. Every item of tack is cleaned daily and oiled weekly. Farrier every six weeks with a few that requires shoeing every four weeks. All my equines except one little Welsh Sec A has a minimum of front shoes, most have full sets.
Every horse is groomed every day and clipped and starpped daily. They have diets made to each requirements, wormed with Worming counts when required. They have love lashed on them by their riders and we teach correct riding. They all are worked between 1-2.5hrs a day - flat, dressage, Sj or XC and hacking they all have one day off a week. All my horses are used for PC and/or RC - 15 of the 17 hunt on a regular basis. All are fit , toned, corrcetly mucsled and extremely happy.
So what are we Riding School owners doing so wrong ?

Don't tar us with the same old brush - there are plenty of awful private homes that I wouldn't sell any of my horses to.

Right stepping down from my High Stool as it's time to do tea time rounds before I do late nights at 11pm. and start morning run again at 6am :-}
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I totally agree with Kat - bar the bit about the fat pony bit cos my Tic is a bit fat but was starved when I got her but we are working on it!!!!

There is a lady at my old yard who had a pony, never rode him, just took him out for walks and he was very well looked after :)

Also, there's a woman at our field that has 4 ponies, they're never ridden, rarely groomed but have the dentist & farrier out as and when needed but the woman who owns them has had them for years and they are living out their years with her, she is down in all weathers doing waters & hay so they're given care but she doesnt really do anything else with them so how does that figure into the equation?
 
To me a good home is where the horse is happy and healthy.
I cant say what is a good home as each horse is different, 1 of my horse would not care if she never see a person, another would fall apart if he did not get affection on a regular basis.
Another situation 1 of my horses hates being stabled with a passion (she was slashed with a knife in her stable, another would happily spend her entire life sleeping and muching in her clean stable.
So a good home is one just one type of home it is extremely open ended
 
Stables only now used for poorly horsies....if they are in, they get kicked to shreds! ALL our horses and ponies were once stabled often....I guess they have gotten used to a good healthy life outside.

As long as they have the basics, decent amount of feed and endless water, their feet are trimmed, teeth done and worm-controlled, and a place to stand out the wind, I'd say the horse is doing pretty well....
 
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 +.
 
If that's the case that you have seen / experianced at different R/S then do something about it - report it the local authourity and or BHS and they will send out the licensing officer who will normally have the back up of a vet. If it is the case and something is wrong then they will be cautioned and given 'X' amount of time to correct or will be closed down. Yes of course there are good and bad - same as any home or any training centre whichever the sport.

It just bugs me rotten that we are portrayed as the 'wicked' owners of poor, broken down, beaten, sad thin horses who are made to work via whip and spur 26hrs a day 8 days a week, while we R/S owners sit in an office hunched over a tin just collecting money!

Far from it - my lot are more pampered than a pampered thing !
www.bretfortonequestrian.co.uk for those who don't believe !!
 
Miss-rose said:
I personaly have only 1 opinion on what constitutes a bad home and that is an unhappy/unhealthy horse. Horses are individuals and all diffrent but as long as the horse is happy and healthy then surely that is enough.:rolleyes:
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totally agree!

worked hard or treated like a pet, if its happy and healthy thats a good home to me!

some people think we leave our horse out too much, but if it prevents his astma attacks then hes happy.
 
abina - think i may be down for a lesson ! - thanks for the input - it is really good to see r/s horses treated so well - and i appreciate that one or two (in a field outside .....) could do with more work !
 
Your welcome ! - would love to see you, give you a tour and lesson !! If it changes one person perception then it's a job well done ! ;-) xx
 
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