Why do people do this???

[Highmileagecob]

Why do people acquire horses and ponies they have no intention of riding? Of the fourteen on our yard, three are aged and fully retired, one is a yearling, and one is ridden for around twenty minutes once a week. The others are owned by people who complain about their horses gaining weight, complain about their lack of fitness, whinge about the cost of feeding etc., but do nothing about it. One person has just bought a second horse which has not seen a saddle in the eight weeks it has been here. Why?

 

[cauda equina]

Why not ask the owners?

Although the answers would probably not be honest.
I expect the genuine reasons are to to with expectations not matching reality; they have less free time than they imagined, or they are simply not as brave as they would like to be

 

[SDMabel]

It's their money , their choice and totally up to them if they decide to do nothing with them .

Obviously when it comes to the whole weight gain that needs addressing but can to a great degree be managed without riding .

Personally I wouldn't have a horse if I didn't ride it , unless it's a retired pony that's given you it's ridden life . They're too expensive in my opinion, but then I don't have lots of cash to spare

 

[Arzada]

Why do people acquire horses and ponies they have no intention of riding? Of the fourteen on our yard, three are aged and fully retired, one is a yearling, and one is ridden for around twenty minutes once a week. The others are owned by people who complain about their horses gaining weight, complain about their lack of fitness, whinge about the cost of feeding etc., but do nothing about it. One person has just bought a second horse which has not seen a saddle in the eight weeks it has been here. Why?

Why not?

 

[meleeka]

I have 3 that I don’t ride. I’d look a bit silly on an ancient Welsh A or a Mini Shetland though . I think lots of people keep horses on yards for the social aspect as well as having a horse. Each to their own, but mine were all taken on as companions or because I felt sorry for them. I don’t actually owe them anything but I like having my little herd around and I like caring for them. Ive always had horses and I’m not sure what I’d do with myself if I didn’t do the yard twice a day. I’m not sure I’d have them if I was on a yard though, firstly because of the cost and secondly, I’m not a people person at all!

I do have a livery here with a pony that is young and properly obese. He does nothing at all and is clearly bored. In that situation I do think he’d be a lot happier if his owner did something with him and he’d certainly be able to have more time stuffing his face if he worked some of the weight off.

 

[AmyMay]

Surely they can spend their money as they wish?

 

[PSD]

Just because they have a horse doesn’t mean they have to ride often people like the hobby for the care & social side.

Not really sure why you’re bothered, as long as they’re happy and looked after what does it matter if they get ridden or not?

 

[Melody Grey]

I guess it depends why you do it. Although I don’t mind the day to day care aspect, I live for the riding, but appreciate that balance may be the opposite way round for some.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I technically have 5 at the moment and only one I ride.

I have my beloved baby ginge who has a guarded prognosis after his sesamoid fracture. He was lightly backed whilst I was pregnant and surpassed all expectations of Rossdales in terms of ridden future, but he’s spirited, still quite gangly at 5 and owes me nothing so is having a year of dr green whilst I get my fitness back and then we’ll reassess and see what we have. He of course needed friends, so we have 2 non-ridden companions. Then we have my lockdown purchase who became quite stressy and reactive in our small yard setup and I completely lost my nerve. I tried to sell him whilst pregnant but due to vet history he’s a tricky sale so he’s ended up on permanent loan in the perfect setup for him, not ideal financially but my husband is very forgiving thankfully and I’d rather secure his future than sell at any cost and risk him being passed from pillar to post. Finally there’s my new boy who is just awesome! Cost more than I was meant to spend, but is proving well worth it so far.

Fortunately we have our own place so aren’t forking out livery costs for all or I think I’d be divorced

 

[Glitter's fun]

Why do people acquire horses and ponies they have no intention of riding? Of the fourteen on our yard, three are aged and fully retired, one is a yearling, and one is ridden for around twenty minutes once a week. The others are owned by people who complain about their horses gaining weight, complain about their lack of fitness, whinge about the cost of feeding etc., but do nothing about it. One person has just bought a second horse which has not seen a saddle in the eight weeks it has been here. Why?

I live in a valley with quite a big horse population; none of them are ever ridden. *
I did a count up for you - they all seem to have different reasons:

-Semi-feral herd of highlands living a natural life on the hill. Seem enormously happy. None broken to ride.
-Fillies from above herd, down on the crofts for handling and to stay away from their dad. (Too young to ride and destined for breeding.)
-Two warm bloods. One lame, the other 4years old & not had anything done with yet due to owner pregnant.
-A herd of various ancient ponies owned by a dad who kept all his daughter's ponies from the diddy lead rein to the teenagers' jumpers. She grew up. They are all retired.
-Two big draught types "rescued" (maybe bought but now he's embarrassed?) Owner had a very romantic idea that he'd use them on his croft, making hay etc, poor conformation means they can never be worked.
-Three coblets belonging to an odd lady who has grand schemes that don't work out. She says she'll break them to drive when she's finished bonding with them. She has no skills for that as far as I know & her previous ponies ended up with a charity.




*I don't have riding horses at home at the moment. The astute among you will have realized that I am no longer the mum of Goldie but there was never a good time to change my user name. I travel to the next town to ride my share.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Why do people acquire horses and ponies they have no intention of riding? Of the fourteen on our yard, three are aged and fully retired, one is a yearling, and one is ridden for around twenty minutes once a week. The others are owned by people who complain about their horses gaining weight, complain about their lack of fitness, whinge about the cost of feeding etc., but do nothing about it. One person has just bought a second horse which has not seen a saddle in the eight weeks it has been here. Why?

Don't see the problem, surely its better they have a home and loved then at an auction or worse.


I acquired one mare, the one I am trying to get paddock sound, never intended to ride her as I feel I am too heavy for her, she has been passed around like old news paper then discarded once found she had navicular, and advertised for cheap. So I bought her to give her a last permanent home.

I have a 12hh pony, never was going to ride her but teach and drive, and a donkeys in past, and saved another mare 2016 which never intended to ride but give a home. if you can afford it and can give the horse a stable, happy healthy life even though you don't ride it. I see no problem, one livery hear rescued a new forester from the meat man to keep her mare now retired company.



I am not into fashion, keeping up with all the stupid clothing, I don't go out socializing, give me tracky bottoms and tee shirt, would rather spend my money on my horses than give it to the clothes shops or pubs.

 

[AutumnDays]

I've got two I don't ride. One is a 4 year old who can't be ridden through lasting damage from injury, the other I bought recently as a companion who was advertised as non ridden . He's 13. I can't ride anymore due to having a chronic condition that I need to be sensible about if I want to keep my mobility (I'm 36), so we don't ride. But we do lots of hilly in hand walks (approx 3 mile) most days a week, horse agility, and they are kept on a track system, so have low level fitness and their weight is managed (it means mine is kept that way too )

 

[Fjord]

I don't think most horses care if they are ridden or not. And everybody is entitled to complain about the price of feed going up, not just people who ride.

 

[Goldenstar]

It’s hard to ride a yearling so not sure what you are getting at there.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I'm pretty sure the horses don't care if they are being ridden or not!

 

[holeymoley]

Years ago when I was a bit younger and a bit naive I often wondered why a lady at our yard had a lovely and very talented Connemara but didn’t ride her. In all honesty it was too much horse for her to ride but it was fine on the ground. This woman could give the horse a life where nothing was an issue, she got kitted out with the best rambo rugs, nice big bed, the best care and love. She done clicker training with her because that’s what she enjoyed. As long as they bring you joy in your life and are well cared for, I don’t think they mind not being ridden.

My horse is in his early twenties now and I just enjoy being round him and looking after him, it’s good for your mental health too.

 

[marmalade76]

When I was young I wouldn't have kept a horse if I couldn't compete. I could get plenty of riding without owning but not competing or hunting which was what I wanted to do at the time (only unaffiliated, mind). Now, getting on for twenty years later, things are completely different. I don't ride a lot now and that's mostly hacking. The majority of my enjoyment comes from having my yard (small rented private yard) and looking after my horse. My yard is idyllic, at the end of a no through road and is so peaceful & beautiful. It gets me out of the house & exercised. My teenage children also love spending time there. I keep my hens there, if I gave my yard up, I'd have a job to find somewhere else to keep them (TBH, I'm more likely to give up horses than my hens!) I could see myself keeping an equine just as a pet only at some point in the future but it would probably be a Section B or similar, nothing big (I probably wouldn't do this if I had to be on a livery yard, though).

But on the other hand I do have a friend who keeps four big horses she never rides. Two she took on as older horses and therefore doesn't "owe" them a retirement. She spends a fortune on them, much to her husband's chagrin. She's in her 70s and not that well physically. She insists they are better living out even when they were fetlock deep in mud and suffering from mud fever & gammy feet because, I believe, she couldn't keep them in even if she wanted to because she's not physically capable of mucking out. This is a ridiculous situation which I think is unfair on her husband and, at times, unfair on the horses themselves.

I have another friend who used to keep four she never rode but they were small & hardy, had shelters with proper floors so they could get out of the mud and she would pay for help when she needed it. She only has one now, two were rehomed when she lost the little yard she was renting, her oldie died a couple of years ago and the last one is on a private yard keeping a friend's retired horse company.

Sorry for the ramble!

 

[tristar]

the best thing ever is seeing a horse that is semi or fit well muscled ridden nicely having time and interaction with its owner and progressing, love to see a horse with shiny eyes of anticipation around the time it gets ridden normally

i don`t think about horses being wasted, but love to see them having fun with the right owners, and the owner enjoying their horse

so reasons they own but do not ride? to be honest i think another reason is its a big effort! to get horse ready, ride it, clean it off, and if you do not do this several times a week you can become unfit yourself.

sometimes we all need inspiration to get out there in wind and rain, or sun, need an aim or to see others doing what we really want to do ourselves so we do not get stuck.

 

[millikins]

I think I understand what the Op is getting at. There's absolutely nothing wrong with buying and keeping a horse as a pet if that's what you want to do, but I think the OP means those animals that were clearly purchased with the intention of them being riding horses who then aren't. I think there are many people who just lack the nerve to ride the animal they so wanted, it gets put off, waiting for saddler/rider to get fitter/farrier to come until it becomes a massive issue and the horse goes unridden.

 

[Honey08]

Why do horsey people do this - judge others all the time?? It doesn’t matter at all whether the horse is ridden or not as long as it has turnout, company and is looked after. That’s all it cares about.

My late mare had the most fabulous work ethic ever, tried so hard, had a great working relationship with me, adored to jump (especially Xc!), but her eyes shone a heck of a lot more at the prospect of going into a new field of grass with her buddies.

 

[Lexi 123]

I also get were op is coming from horses that were bought for ridden work . Are left dumped in a yard were the horses owner doesn’t bother to go down for weeks and you get excuses. They won’t admit they have lost interest. I think what’s awful is these horses get loads of hard feed and grass so they are very fat and at risk of laminitis.

 

[Gloi]

I also get were op is coming from horses that were bought for ridden work . Are left dumped in a yard were the horses owner doesn’t bother to go down for weeks and you get excuses. They won’t admit they have lost interest. I think what’s awful is these horses get loads of hard feed and grass so they are very fat and at risk of laminitis.

If they don't go down for weeks hopefully they are on full livery. If they are getting loads of hard feed and grass and getting fat they need a better standard of yard owner who feeds in relation to what they need.
We have ones whose owners only come occasionally and they are in perfect condition.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have one that I know people think the same about. He looks great and is happy.
He has a spinal impingement, you can’t see it and he’s usually very sound. However It causes him to trip, sometimes badly. I don’t ride him because I don’t want to face plant the road

 

[canteron]

I think a lot of people like to identify as an equestrian, it gives you a certain status - (don’t judge, we all love to pigeon home people, just think to how you react to someone saying they are a doctor as opposed to saying they are a receptionist). It gives you something to think about, commit to and talk about and it makes you purposeful.
As lots of people have said, actually riding is a whole other level of skill, confidence, organisation, cost etc but as long as the horse welfare is ok, then it’s up to you.

 

[Goldenstar]

People love horses , but sometimes for lots of reasons struggle to ride .
It can be time , it can be that so many other things are going on in life that theres no head space for getting on the horse , many people can't do the sling the tack on and ride thing they suffer from nerves and other things going on tip them to can’t get on stage .
People sometimes buy a horse it’s a dream the reality of ownership is different some us take to it like a duck to water other dont realise that unless you naturally relaxed about risk you need to be brave to ride and they are not by then they have the horse .

I am a person who thinks in most situations that we keep them in horses need work to be in optimal condition however horses can be in much worse situations than being a well cared for unridden horse.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Horses don't need to be ridden to be happy. In fact , much of what we do to them in terms of riding I'd say bring them anything but happiness.
Exercising for health and weight control is important but I absolutely don't see why it bothers you of people don't ride their horses.

 

[exracehorse]

There is a large yard locally. I hack past every day. Different times. There are 40 horses. 80% are full livery. I never see anyone out riding. Or in the school. And at 800 pounds a month ….

 

[Widgeon]

I know what the OP's getting at and I wonder the same. I think @cauda equina 's post sums it up, it often happens when expectations don't match up with the reality - not enough time, wrong partnership, won't take advice, etc. Obviously that does not apply to people who have young, old, wonky horses who don't actually aspire to ride them.

 

[windswoo]

I (at the moment) class myself as someone who doesn't ride anymore, I've got the 2 that are 17 and 19 and own the field. This means I don't have to justify a hefty livery bill every month, because I probably would be riding if they were costing me a fortune each month on board.
The 17 year old has sacroiliac joint issues so even though she looks sound in the field she's not really ridable anymore and the 19 year old, if I did put his tack on now the first thing he'd probably do is launch me into space!! I used to hack all the time, but now don't really relish the thought of going on the roads and I'm really not bothered about pootling round a field.
I have back issues as well and if honest don't really miss the riding. The horses aren't left to their own devices and me or OH go down every day.
They do have a feed balancer, but only so the one can have their Inflacam everyday - they're not fed anything else.
I still love interacting with the horses and they are happy in their herd. The field in the summer is a lovely place to be and owning horses to me has always been more than the riding, so I don't think they are missing out.
However the one thing that OP has said which I agree with - I can't understand why people are feeding horses they don't ride and then complain about weight. If they're not being ridden they don't need any extra feed, so then the cost shouldn't matter.

 

[HollyWoozle]

My family has five that we don’t really ride. Why can’t they be pets too? Most dogs and cats don’t have a job either, I don’t really see the difference? Maybe people have them simply to enjoy having them rather than having them to do a job.

If they are not well taken care of then that’s a separate issue, but I don’t believe a horse needs to be ridden to be well kept or to live a happy, healthy life (of course exercise does help!).

As a side note, I sometimes wonder the opposite… why some people persist in riding a horse which in my opinion they shouldn’t.