who has more than 8 horses ? and how do you cope !

[wildwest]

as above my friend has 11 and im wondering how you can truly spread your attention to all of them .

 

[BBH]

Mum has about 12 and is totally dedicated.

She doesn't work and is at the yard for a few hours every morning and every evening. They aren't ridden as they are showing youngstock and brood mares.

There is a lot of them but they want for nothing and are really well cared for. She wants to cut down though as she is getting older but refuses to send them to a sale and they will all have a home until sold and the broodies die off.

She copes because she has sufficient money and time.

Personally its my idea of hell.

 

[wildwest]

my idea of hell too lol , good for her though.
my friend competes one as well though so really dont know how she does it .

 

[stencilface]

There was a stage where we had 9 when I was a kid, but they were all out 24/7 and it was only for a few months. Had 7 for years though. 3 retired, and four ridden/competing

 

[Wagtail]

Well I don't own 8 horses but I personally care for eight horses (my own and part/full liveries). I manage to exercise two a day, give lessons, clip, do all the mucking out, tail and mane pulling, vet and farrier visits etc, level the arena, turnout, rugging and hoof picking. I also do all the housework, cooking and washing for hubby and two teenagers. No wonder I'm exhausted. But the horses want for nothing. *this is my lunchbreak*

 

[noodle_]

i don tknow how people cope tbh!!

i have one - want another by next spring... and that is (to me ) a hell of atask in itself - however one will be ridden/one youngster...

i dont know how people cope with 3/4 ridden horses/youngsters etc


my too, idea of hell.(8+)!

 

[*hic*]

If things go according to plan I will have 8 next year. However atm I only have four under my direct control, two are at home, two are out 24/7, one is away as a companion and two are out on loan.

So I don't have to "do" all seven!

 

[claireandnadia]

I have 1 horse and look after my mums shettie most of the time and that is more than enough. I couldn't have 2 horses that needed to be ridden.

 

[scarymare]

I have 8 now and will be 10 next year once my broodies foal.

Far too many. Went into hobby breeding before the market crashed and before the winters became arctic. Only one is really ridden though and I do compete most weekends. My intention is not to breed for at least 3/4 years during which time my youngsters should be broken and away.

They live out 24/7 (except for now with my injured one).

I am very, very poor though!

 

[hippiechick]

We have 9 on the yard - 6 belong to me and 3 are full/part liveries.

Of my horses - 2 are older and so now competing at local levels these days, one of which is on loan to my fabulous Groom and the other part shared by a friend. 2 are youngsters brought on to sell - we do this ever year to pay for the winter feed bills, and we wouldn't usually have them over the winter but due to current economics they haven't sold yet. Then I have the two ridden & competed by me.

As said I have do have a part time groom (5 hours a day) who is amazing and helps out even when she's not supposed to be working in return for free trips to shows whenever we go out, this works well for both of us. Also very lucky to have self employed tolerant OH who is brilliant with the horses and keeps all the yard maintenance, fencing etc together and the lorry on the road!

I do all the evening yard duties during the week and everything at weekends and I work full time to pay for it all!! LOL

 

[gill84]

We have 6 which is enough. My mum does all the work I just ride. But then I am working 55-60 hours to keep them so I think fairs fair!! I'd quite happily work 40 hours and do my own horses if mum decided she wanted to work lol!

 

[Black_Horse_White]

Only have 1 but would love 8, but I'd have to get rid of the hubby first

 

[wildwest]

lol if u get rid of hubby who will do the dinner !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jaysh]

I own eight and it really is hard to give them all the attention. 2 are rideable now, 2 are being backed, i then have 2 x 2yr olds, 1 yearling & 1 retired brood mare.
Im lucky that i live and work on a farm, I let them all out in the morning in winter, do my job in the poultry house which is normally done by 12 and i have the rest of the day to muck out, ride and do other things with them. But sometimes its nice to have a non horse day, by this i mean i dont bother ride or train!
Im worried now for next year when the backed ones need more ridden work, i cant find anyone who wants to hack out for free on my older horses. But i wouldnt sell any of them, I only had 2 when i met my current partner but he seemed to keep buying me one for my birthdays, and then he decided to breed a couple of youngsters, not that he is horsey himself but he does help me muck out if he isnt busy. I have finally put a stop to him buying/breeding anymore!
He did build me a huge barn onto the existing barn, so i now have all internal stables for them all and a big area where they can roam around freely if they dont want to go out.

 

[Dolcé]

We have 14, mainly due to OH and my daughter 'rescuing' some poor bu**er every time they went to an auction when we had our own land!! I think it is hard work to give them all individual attention (and as much of it as I would like), I miss the days of our 4 ponies that were loved and enjoyed for hours every day, hours of grooming and prettying up, cuddles etc. Ours now get the bare basics most of the time with individual attention done on a 'rota'. We move 5 minutes walk from the yard tomorrow so I am hoping it will be so much easier this winter and we have loads more time with them.

 

[wildwest]

mmmm so really if you have several horses they are to expect minimal basic care ?
they obv dont want for anything apart from maybe more interaction ?
hats of to you but is it sensible :}

 

[paddy555]

mmmm so really if you have several horses they are to expect minimal basic care ?
they obv dont want for anything apart from maybe more interaction ?
hats of to you but is it sensible :}

well I have 9 and they certainly get a lot more than "minimal basic care". They are all brought in and stabled at night for a start. They get a lot of time lavished on each of them.
They all get plenty of human interaction and plenty of horse interaction.
It is perfectly do-able.
Is it sensible? well for several of them they had the choice of me or a bullet so I guess they probably considered it sensible.

Bear in mind that those people with only one or two horses may lavish endless time on them, bathing them, pulling manes and tails, schooling them, transporting and competing them, but do the horses really want all that?

 

[jaysh]

Agree with Paddy555, my horses also got alot more than "minimal care" Obviously i cant spend all my time on just one or two, they are all stabled in winter at night, groomed, fussed over & loved. I alternate which ones i ride, and they have each other to interact with the rest of the time.
Wildwest, im not quite sure how you came to that conclusion that they get basic care from everyones replies!

 

[SeasonalSituation]

I have one at the moment, but getting another, a 2 year old I took pity on. I can't grasp doing 8!

 

[wildwest]

by basic care i mean not riding all of them daily or even grooming all daily ,
as to hold down a job and have so many horses i personally dont think it is do able !!
and to compete, if you dont have a job then yes it is do able.
how many with 8 plus can hand on heart say they take rugs of and check over every horse they have and pick feet out daily ?
if you do fantastic :} just know i couldnt my friend must be superwoman .
and well done to those whos herd include those that were facing a dreadful future.

 

[Enfys]

I have more than 8 horses of my own, and more than 20 if I were to include boarders

How do I cope? Well, I don't work so have all day to play with them.

All but 2 live out come hell or high water (I only have 10 stalls anyway) so there is minimal mucking out.

I feed round bales, have heated water tanks and hoses, and harrow my paddocks, and rarely walk anywhere, my quad is worth its' weight in gold - so all that saves time too.

Of my own horses, several are under three, most of the mares are broodies, two are minis and don't do anything much except look cute. The stallion covers his mares at pasture and I only ride one or two of the mares, whichever is closest to the gate when I want one, and even then only if I feel like it - it isn't as if they have to be fit for something.

Everything gets seen every day, wounds dealt with, fed if they need it, some like attention, others only stay and visit for a couple of moments. The colts and flippers get more attention obviously.

Every day is different, I take things as they come and make myself no promises.

Today it is lovely and sunny so the colts have been out on the garden and they have been practising loading for the first time. As they are all greedy pigs they think that going in the trailer and having more than a fistful of grain is a marvellous idea, so job done, 4 youngsters now load. Tick that off the 'to do today - maybe - if I feel like it' list then. If it had been raining they'd have come in and had a saddle on instead.

 

[JanetGeorge]

I have one at the moment, but getting another, a 2 year old I took pity on. I can't grasp doing 8!

Try grasping 70-odd!! Obviously I can't do all those on my own and I am lucky to have a terrific team (3 full time and 2 part-time - although currently looking for another full-time.)

There are between 20 & 30 stabled (depending on time of year) - the rest live out - and I currently have 20 down the road in rented fields who have to be visited and checked every day (although farmer and his daughter - both horsey - also keep an eye out!)

The outdoor horses I feed and check twice daily - every day - except on the odd occasion I'm away when my No. 2 does it for me. I see all the stabled horses individually at late nights when I feed, water and haylage, and obviously see the others in the course of the day.

It IS a worry - because even though I have very good staff who will report any minor problems, the buck stops with me. I work a 7 day week, 52 weeks of the year! The OH sometimes has to make do with microwave meals!

And yes, there ARE times when I wish I had 2 - or maybe 3!

 

[stencilface]

I don't think most horses care if they get human attention or not, as long as they are fed, watered, have shelter and friends I don't imagine they care. Our out 24/7 retired one doesn't get brushed much in summer, and even less in winter. He needs all the oils etc to keeop him waterproof (although is rugged in winter). But he is old, and a PITA to do anything with for longer than 10mins, as then he starts biting the doors, and pawing the ground - he really is quite impatient and annoying, and can't wait to be turned out again.

 

[Fools Motto]

When I am left at work on my own, sometimes weekends, I can have upto 16 stabled and another 16 odd out in the paddocks. Most are youngstock or broodies, but they all do get seen/checked fed and treated if needed. The stabled horses get turned out, brought in rugged groomed and fed. Some need riding/lunging or horse walkering, but to be honest there is rarely time to do it all properly, take for example, the yard doesn't get swept up every day. I just have to do the important things first to a high standard. I also then have my own to do after, and I feel they get cheated on time, but really they don't know and don't appear to mind!

 

[gremmersandkita]

we have 56 currently the majority live out and in barns but we give them hay and water everyday and are checked 2 times a day mostly youngsters but we cope x

 

[honetpot]

The most I have had is 9/10 but don't tell my husband.
I operate the spinning plate system. They are all trimmed/ shod and wormed or not at the same time. Divided in to good doers and needing extras and live out all the time.
I try and get their jabs and teeth done in two batchs and one year I was really organised and actually wrote it all down in a book with their weigh tape measurements.
If I am doing anything extra showing/breaking etc that plate gets spun for a few weeks and the rest just get fed and checked.
I think the trick is to contentrate on the basics and not worry about side issues, but I am lucky because all have them have stayed fit and sound.
Looking at other people I would say my greatest piece of advice is, buy an over grown pony not a horse as the horse people seem to have the most problems.

 

[TBB]

Usually have 40+ in for the winter and another half dozen out 24/7, none are ridden as they are either broodmares, youngstock or retired. There are 24 in boxes and the rest are in sheds, the stabled ones get out in the paddocks daily and while they are out they get clean straw (on deep litter) and 2 boxes are mucked out to the ground, different 2 each day. The ones in the sheds are let out every second day and get 2 big round bales of straw at a time and this usually lasts them a week, they get a round bale of haylage every second day and meal twice a day so they dont take too long to do. Nothing is groomed and nothing is rugged apart from a few of the ones out 24/7 who are fed meal twice a day and have ad-lib haylage. Luckily we dont have a mud fever problem and once you get in to the winter routine its not too difficult although the microwave gets a lot of work as whos got time to slave over a stove. Once you have the routine going the horses know whats happening and where they live and when they go out and dont usually cause problems although it can get hectic at foaling time as the teasing and the vet etc are inclined to mess up a well organised routine! The farrier looks at them in two lots when they come in and then again before they go out unless someone has a problem but they all have good feet. The youngstock are all vac at the same time which makes it handy and the mares are all done in January. The way I do things may not appeal to everyone but the horses are in very good condition at the end of the winter and are very quiet to handle oh and they are all TBs.

 

[OFG]

The most I have ever had at once is 4. 2 ridden horses, 1 ridden pony for my son and the shetland pony.

I coped as they were all barn stabled together and all would do ride / lead (including the Shetland off my 15.2 hunter )

Am currently at 2, soon to be 3 again. 2 ridden and 1 retired (the hunter). I take him out for walks in hand to give him a bit of exercise and change of scenery.

It can be done easily as I see it as just as much hard work for one as it is for more. Mine are all individuallly stabled now as built my own purpose built stables but still easy to do as semi deep litter beds in winter and just have minimal beds in summer to soak up urine etc, rest of the time out in field.

Just need a good routine that suits you and your horses. Keep it as simple as possible.

 

[Ibblebibble]

i couldn't cope with 8 but i've just added another to the gang so now have 5.
2 are daughters ponies, 2 are my 'riding' horses and the new one is a 2 yr old 'borrowed' from a friend who needs some handling, he's had none since he got his headcollar off in the field and they haven't been able to catch him since
mine are all barefoot and live out 24/7, i don't poo pick the large paddocks only the little ones, that saves an immense amount of time. my daughter visits her ponies daily to give them cuddles and attention and ride when she can (which means weekends only now with the dark nights) i have a girl who comes to ride my horses, again only weekends from now having a sharer has been the biggest help, means i don't feel guilty when i don't get time to ride and helps keep the ridden ones ticking over
I only work part time , there is no way i could have more than 2 if i worked full time.

 

[Spyda]

I dont know how anyone could afford to keep that many horses shod! I groan at the single £72 I have to pay every 5 weeks to keep my one horse's feet in good shape. Still, I guess, many who have that many horses wont have all of them in full work and being shod all round.