What do you do with your equines at home?

[Patchworkpony]

Given that the roads are becoming more and more lethal now almost anywhere and there seem to be far less shows than years ago does anyone simply enjoy their horses or ponies on their own property? I think it is important to work them to stop boredom and also to build a bond but it is a puzzle to know what to do. I have been following Emma Massingale on Facebook and her equestrian feats are nothing short of amazing. I wonder how many people do trick training as a way of enjoying their equines, especially those who don’t ride.

 

[spacefaer]

I think my horses and I would be bored senseless if we never left the property.
We hack, do fun rides, go xc schooling, and hunt all winter.
They get time off in the spring /early summer to be horses in the field and they would have very little interest in trick training then.

 

[Polos Mum]

Different things suit different horses. I've one who loves to get out and one who would be happy never leaving.
I have youngster and retiree who never leave, they do horse stuff in the field together and seem pretty happy with that - boredom doesn't seem to feature and they have a funny five minutes with each other if it does.
Larger fields with trees, weeds, hills etc and a variety of company seem to eliminate boredom without any human interference.

I mostly watch them sleep at home - amazing how much time they spend lying down

 

[meleeka]

I have two oldies who never go anywhere and they are perfectly happy eating and sleeping. Another would prefer it if he never did anything apart from eating and sleeping and two who get bored silly not going out (one a mini).

I do find myself doing more in the field now. I like long reining with poles and groundwork training, but I only really have one willing to do that (The mini does not do ‘work’. His idea of fun is exploring the countryside, not being obedient?)

 

[J&S]

You may have fun doing on line competitions. During lock down I joined the Alternative Equine Group and have done Horse Agility, Western Trail and Trec. It is perfect for my equines, one a retired competition pony and the other her ex RS companion. They have both done really well and it has given me a reason to keep them more obedient and flexible. Otherwise we just walk the lanes lead and ride.

 

[Patchworkpony]

You may have fun doing on line competitions. During lock down I joined the Alternative Equine Group and have done Horse Agility, Western Trail and Trec. It is perfect for my equines, one a retired competition pony and the other her ex RS companion. They have both done really well and it has given me a reason to keep them more obedient and flexible. Otherwise we just walk the lanes lead and ride.

Gosh how interesting to do online competitions.

 

[Chinchilla]

Mine never leave the property and they're certainly not bored. I think it is very unlikely that a horse living out on a decent sized bit of land with other equine company is going to be bored, regardless of what it does/doesn't do with people.

 

[Keira 8888]

I’ve been doing lots of Groundwork training with voice cues so he knows exactly what is meant by “stand” “whoa” and “let’s go!” Etc..

it’s actually really fun and since he’s a new horse (only had him 2 weeks) it’s giving me a good chance to get to know him from the ground, watch how he moves, get familiar with his body etc.. I’m loving it!

 

[HeyMich]

We hack around the fields (very hilly!), have lessons, have poles and jumps set up so they get a good variety and aren't at all bored. My son (12 y/o) and I set each other challenges, which is good fun and makes him think about what we need to work on with each horse and how to strengthen them and get them used to new movements and situations. We also try and take them out in the box once a week or so to hack in the forest or visit friends, and also go to PC rallies etc (when there are no travel restrictions). Apart from a long set of gallops, we aren't actually missing anything at home! The winter is a bit more restrictive, but the horses all appreciate a bit of time off to just mooch.

 

[Ceriann]

I have three. Two who don’t go anywhere or do anything and one that I ride, hack out, do flat work with and get out and about (or did pre this pandemic and pre an injury that wrote off 2019). They all get decent and varied turnout, are often in front of the house and road so get to see things, get on well with each other (similar age and limited discontent) and all like a bit of fuss if I’ve got time to dish it out. The ridden one would happily retire to à mon- ridden life if I let her!!

 

[SpotsandBays]

I don’t hack as after an accident (all fine) when I was younger it just knocked my road hacking confidence, also most of the bridleways around me have been hardcored now!
I ride in the fields at home, flatwork, jumping, gridwork, pole work, lunging etc. But I do try to get out abit to xc schooling, local competitions etc during the summer/autumn months. I don’t ride over winter due to not having a school and the ground being wet. Mines that non fussy type that’s happy working or happy not!

 

[meleeka]

Mine never leave the property and they're certainly not bored. I think it is very unlikely that a horse living out on a decent sized bit of land with other equine company is going to be bored, regardless of what it does/doesn't do with people.

I think some horses are so used to working that they find it hard to switch off. Depending on how old they are some never get used to just being a horse. I’ve owned a mare for a year now and she’s still happier when she sees me approaching with her headcollar or bridle. When she’s done something her good mood lasts for a couple of days at least. She’s always been worked and I think she just likes being busy and the praise she gets for doing well (I do obviously tell her she’s wonderful every day anyway). By happier I mean she’s more settled, with a calm look in her eye and isn’t grumpy round the others as she normally is.

 

[Chinchilla]

I think some horses are so used to working that they find it hard to switch off. Depending on how old they are some never get used to just being a horse. I’ve owned a mare for a year now and she’s still happier when she sees me approaching with her headcollar or bridle. When she’s done something her good mood lasts for a couple of days at least. She’s always been worked and I think she just likes being busy and the praise she gets for doing well (I do obviously tell her she’s wonderful every day anyway). By happier I mean she’s more settled, with a calm look in her eye and isn’t grumpy round the others as she normally is.

But I think the keyword is 'the praise she gets for doing well'. If they like work it's because they've been conditioned (I personally think, anyway). Happy to agree to disagree though.

 

[meleeka]

But I think the keyword is 'the praise she gets for doing well'. If they like work it's because they've been conditioned (I personally think, anyway). Happy to agree to disagree though.

I think that’s exactly what I was trying to say, so yes, I think we do agree. If they aren’t happy just being a horse it’s because We’ve made them that way and they can’t all revert back.

 

[Chinchilla]

I think that’s exactly what I was trying to say, so yes, I think we do agree. If they aren’t happy just being a horse it’s because We’ve made them that way and they can’t all revert back.

Oooh okay. I misunderstood, we are in fact agreeing lol!!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Mine create their own amusement ... much to my dimay!

99% of horses can easily be left to their own devices and not be bored so long as they have enough space and a few friends. The other 1% can't cope without some sort of work. You would be surprised at the number of 'must be worked' horses that do accept being a field bum in time. It's usually the owner that gives up on them being turned away long before the horse actually settles to it's new routine.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

A lot of these stories make me feel much better! We have very limited twisty-lane-with-high-hedges hacking, with a massive dairy farm (and associated heavy farm machinery) at one end of the lane, and a terrifying main road at the other. This is why I've given up on the idea of keeping a horse for myself.

So I've only got kids' ponies at home, and at this time of year they're very happy pottering in our own field. But come Autumn/winter it's going to be much too wet, so they'll have to make do with a mooch down the lane and back once a week, with everything crossed that we don't meet the milk tanker on a sharp bend! We do also have a pretty long driveway, so last winter I let the kids mooch about on there, a few poles, some "bending". I don't have the funds, the space or the confidence for a trailer!

(I do have use of one neighbour's 60 acre farm, but I'd have to get past the peacocks in their yard, and then cope with sheep leaping out of the undergrowth, and I've not been brave enough to attempt that yet!)

 

[MiniMilton]

I live on a tiny country laneway and unfortunately despite its ideal appearance, some of the neighbours drive like complete idiots. If they zoomed around the corner there wouldn't be room for me to step out of the way with a horse, the road is just too narrow. I do walk the mini pony on the road with the dog though and he loves it.

I live beside a forest and this year during lockdown I created a secret entrance directly from my property into the forest. Totay illegal of course, just hoping we don't get caught! People do wonder when they see me suddenly appearing from the bushes with a horse. I don't ride them in the forest (yet) as there are signs saying horse riding is prohibited. There's no signs saying leading in hand is prohibited though.

 

[meleeka]

I live on a tiny country laneway and unfortunately despite its ideal appearance, some of the neighbours drive like complete idiots. If they zoomed around the corner there wouldn't be room for me to step out of the way with a horse, the road is just too narrow. I do walk the mini pony on the road with the dog though and he loves it.

I live beside a forest and this year during lockdown I created a secret entrance directly from my property into the forest. Totay illegal of course, just hoping we don't get caught! People do wonder when they see me suddenly appearing from the bushes with a horse. I don't ride them in the forest (yet) as there are signs saying horse riding is prohibited. There's no signs saying leading in hand is prohibited though.

That sounds lovely. I’d be out at 9.30pm when nobody else is about enjoying that!

 

[JoannaC]

Mainly I just shovel shit all day

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I keep my two at home, and they're happy hackers and enjoy going out and about!

We have to do a lot of roadwork, but have a huge variety of rides which are all circular, ranging from a 10 mins trot round the block, to 20 mins with a bit of canter, then most other rides are about 1 hr including a hoon if you want it along the local bridlepath which runs next to a major dual carriageway.

If you want to box out there's plenty of open space too.

I continued riding throughout lockdown; my two are used to going out and about and would've been bored to death - and so would I! Although we didn't perhaps go as far or as often as we would have normally, we stayed at home and did some loading practice with the youngster and some groundwork/manners training with the "project".

 

[canteron]

I’m with you - it’s not so much that the roads are busy, more that you only need one idiot in a car/tractor/van - and there is no shortage of those?

In lockdown, partly due to not being able to ride due to a broken finger, I invested my training budget in online training .... currently training in hand high legged trot and lunging long and low!!
This seems to keep us focussed and moving forward.

 

[Cortez]

I don't hack, it's much too dangerous here and there are no bridleways (Ireland). So we don't leave the farm unless it's to work (we do displays and shows of 17th century riding, also jousting and film work). We have an arena and also ride in the fields (when it's not a bog).

 

[scats]

We have an on-site ride around just under 40 acres, just for us on the yard. Horses do a mixture of schoolwork and tootling around the ride. There are a few different routes and loops that mean you can make a good 45 minute ride out of it.

 

[Patchworkpony]

Fantastic answers everyone. Thank you SO much. I’m glad I’m not the only one that no longer feels the roads are safe for hacking. Years ago I used to ride or carriage drive alone for hours and rarely see a car. Oh for the good old days?