What the most common misconception about horse ownership (from non-horsey people?)

southerncomfort

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I've had to explain so many times why it would be A Very Bad Idea to chuck native ponies out in a field of grass up to their knees. Mine are almost always on restricted grazing and I'm sure people think I starve them.

I did once have someone ask me what was wrong with my horse's head. Apparently from a distance her fly mask looked like bandages. 😂
 

littleshetland

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I'd ridden the ginormous Gelderlander down to the pub for a drink....he was massive in every sense of the word - an enormous old fashioned style dutch carriage horse (but pretty good at dressage) An interested tourist who was in the beer garden approached...'what a lovely horse.....he's a race horse isn't he?' me (not really in the mood for a chat) 'Yes - he is!' tourist - 'I thought so....I know quite a lot about horses, I rode one once...' Not really related to the the spirit of this thread, but I thought I'd share!
 

Sasana Skye

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"How many races have you won?" My co-workers are convinced that I'm headed for the Grand National.
If I've had a competition over the weekend they always ask me if I won and seem a bit disappointed when I say no - if only it were that easy, I've tried to explain how difficult it is to win an event but they continue to be ever hopeful.

Definitely get the "what you shovel sh*te every day? Even Christmas/weekends/your birthday!?"....
 

Hormonal Filly

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Our offices are on a country lane popular with riders. A colleague often says and mentioned it again this morning. "Why do horses go on roads? Why can't they stay in fields and not go on the roads? Surely they prefer to stay in fields riding around. it must hurt their feet?"

Forever trying to explain it. If only we had that many bridleways we didn't have to touch a road or country lane it would be ideal.. (not in my area anyway!)
 

turkana

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A work collegue was quite upset about some horses she'd seen from the train who were turned out in rugs in the hot weather "they went right up to their necks the poor things must have been boiling!" I explained that they were probably fly rugs & wouldn't be hot, she then asked why they were wearing blind folds! So told her about fly masks
A friend's brother rang her up very exited about the herd of zebras in a field near him, she told him that they would be horses wearing fly rugs but he wouldn't have it - they were definately zebras! He did ring back a few days later to say that she was right & they were horses
 

Cowpony

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A new housing area has been built opposite our yard so we get lots of new people coming over to pat the horses. The best one I've had is "Are all the white ones girls?"

My boss also thought that horses had some sort of harness when being transported. She was most surprised when I said no, they just have to balance themselves, and that's why horseboxes drive so slowly.
 

LegOn

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Another one that gets the 'every day' or surprised that I ride 5 days a week!!

Definitely 'surely you know X person, they have a horse'.

And my most hated one 'you like horses, were you at the races'? I've never actually been horse racing in my life!

Which is normally followed by - 'how fast is your horse'? And then confusion at he isnt a thoroughbred!
 

little_critter

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Our offices are on a country lane popular with riders. A colleague often says and mentioned it again this morning. "Why do horses go on roads? Why can't they stay in fields and not go on the roads? Surely they prefer to stay in fields riding around. it must hurt their feet?"

Forever trying to explain it. If only we had that many bridleways we didn't have to touch a road or country lane it would be ideal.. (not in my area anyway!)
I've been thinking we could explain it as "would you buy a bike and then only ride it round your garden? you'd get bored very quickly"
 

hopscotch bandit

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A
A friend's brother rang her up very exited about the herd of zebras in a field near him, she told him that they would be horses wearing fly rugs but he wouldn't have it - they were definately zebras! He did ring back a few days later to say that she was right & they were horses
HA!! PMSL at that one! :D
 

TreeDog

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I was hacking yesterday, met a family out walking and the small child asks "why do horses poo on the road so much?"

Probably the most common misconception I've encountered is you have to walk a 3m radius around their back legs at all times or you'll be kicked. I don't say anything because it's probably safer that someone who can't read horse behavior does give them space, but non horsey friends are always worried when I walk straight up to his bum!
 

Snowfilly

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I've worked with a lot of sporty people, who tend to ask 'why are you having lessons if you can ride?' As if it's like driving lessons, but replace it with 'training' or 'skills practice' and they understand perfectly.

I don't why why the terminology is different...I say I'm having a jumping lesson / swim coaching / football training and I cannot fathom why I have different names for the same thing!

Christmas Day is a big one, and 'aren't you worried they'll bump into things in the field in the dark?' Was a classic.
 

Meredith

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I have also been asked why I give my horse additional feed in winter.
“They eat grass don’t they?”
Explanation along the lines of “Do you need to cut your lawn in winter?”
Answer “No”
Reply “Well as grass doesn’t grow well enough in winter most horses need extra food”
 

Berpisc

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I once got told off by some workmen mending the road because I was leading a horse out and he was unshod.
With the flooding round us my friend was asked why horses were still out in the fields (fair enough to be concerned) and not in stables. She explained that food supply and safe refuge were the most important.
 

TheHairyOne

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You could leave your horse and go on holiday if you put enough hay in the field to last the week.
Dont! Someone on grass livery with 2 horses in different fields has gone away for 2 weeks. Message in the yard group chat 'If you see anything wrong we are 8 hours behind, but if you need to call a vet do.'

Apparently this is fine. The mind boggles. :(
 

Berpisc

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Dont! Someone on grass livery with 2 horses in different fields has gone away for 2 weeks. Message in the yard group chat 'If you see anything wrong we are 8 hours behind, but if you need to call a vet do.'

Apparently this is fine. The mind boggles. :(
Yes I knew of someone years ago who had a horse and a pony and left them with a big bale of hay and a note to the neighbours and sloped off on holiday for a week :(.
 

MagicMelon

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Its the usual "oh you must be rich and live in a mansion with loads of acres and stables etc." - ummm I wish... leading on from this is often "so you agree with hunting then" - why does everyone think that everyone who has a horse MUST gallop about the countryside hunting? I proudly tell them that NO I am against hunting, to which they are most surprised.

And the one some people say which hints at the fact that they're surprised you didnt "outgrow" riding. I mean WTF?! Since when did riding become only a kiddy thing to do?

Ive also had the surprise at the fact I still get lessons sometimes "but you've been riding for years!" - I then remind them that Im pretty certain that the absolute top of any sport still have trainers... non-horse people honestly seem to think that once you've learnt to ride walk/trot/canter, there's nothing else to learn.
 
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