You’re predictions for the future of horse sport

[LEC]

I don't think you need a world beater but good quality is hard to find. Especially one with enough jump to move up the levels eventing and then they need to stay sound. I notice even Irish Horse Imports who used to be £4-6k now have the same quality of horse costing £15k. They are always nice but not spectacular horses, when I went to Goresbridge to buy myself. Though the good thing is ex racers are now seen as a higher value commodity.

I think one of the issues in the UK is that competing is seen as hugely accessible and that there is an entitled view that people should be able to compete and that it should be affordable. This just simply is not the case in other countries where the equestrian sector has always been more elitist. I keep seeing enraged posts about unaff eventing being £85 and upset children that parents will not longer be able to afford to sent their kids eventing. I think we have just been spoilt with voluntary organisations propping up the true costs of what it costs to compete and now we are seeing them emerge.

 

[mariew]

Without meaning to start a fight I think in the distant future all horse sport will end, the peta types will win and it will be unconscionable to ride a horse.

That would be sad because I then the number of horses in the world will dramatically reduce I think we will adapt. Lack of land will eventually change mindset - small paddocks and lots of exercise. It's all I knew when growing up in Sweden. Very few horses had big fields, we have to have economies of scale as you need indoor menages in the winter and therefore a lot of stables take a lot of horses but seldom have copious amount of land to go with it.

 

[Muddywellies]

I think H&S will make things more and more difficult. Insurance premiums will become completely unaffordable meaning prices for everything (riding lessons, entry fees for comps etc) will be astronomical. Due to H&S restrictions, riders will become less and less skilled making riding horses more dangerous (am I right that riding schools nowadays can't teach round the world, scissors, etc etc?). All hunting will be banned meaning eventers will never have seen the hunting field, learning how to get themselves out of bother, learning 'judgement' etc etc.
I have visions of in a few decades time, it being extremely elitist, with very wealthy people riding in extremely modern riding establishments with no turnout, but with incredible riding facilities incl more simulators, clad top to toe in very technical, highly engineered safety equipment, on bitless horses with big air filled treeless saddles, no jumping, but prelim level will include tempi changes (grand prix will include a Pamchenko twist ?)
Big worrying tbh...

 

[tallyho!]

Oh my! What a sad thread.

 

[milliepops]

you've been able to get DIY livery for £25 a week for about a thousand years round here. I think it may become more regionalised before we see any of the extremes people are talking about. i can see the SE going to more full livery, less acreage arrangements but less densely populated areas will probably carry on as they are for a good while yet.

 

[Annagain]

What I find in my area is that the local volunteer-run show is a thing of the past. Every riding organisation and many villages when I was growing up had an annual show with all sorts of classes - showing, showjumping, gymkhana and some even did dressage. Sometimes there was a spring show and an August show. Now it seems to be only commercial concerns that run competitions - whether that's big county shows or commercial venues that run their own shows and competitions and (I assume) pay people to staff it.

I'm chair of my riding club and the thing we struggle with most (the extra paperwork is a pain but I can do it fairly quickly these days) is getting people to help us. It's mostly me and one other person who do all the work and I've really enjoyed having the pressure off during COVID. I'm not sure I want to go back to it. I don't mind organising lessons as the requirements are so much less demanding and I can join in too but the big events are a nightmare - unfortunately they're what make us our money to subsidise things for members so we can't really do one without the other. We've already said we won't do anything with XC or fun rides any more as we just need too many people but even running show jumping and dressage is less appealing these days.

It's partly that we need so many people to run events thanks to insurance requirements and partly down to the fact that people don't volunteer like they used to. I get it, they have busy lives and want to do what they want to do in their free time (so do I!) but our sport relies so heavily on volunteers and is very labour intensive that unless people give a little bit back nobody will have anything. We can't pay people like the commercial places can as our insurance doesn't allow us to 'employ' people (other than the professionals we're required to have onsite for certain activities - medics and vets etc).

The litigation culture scares me too. We've never had a serious incident (touches every bit of wood she can find) but I'd be lying if said the thought of it doesn't keep me awake at night before events. Very little in actual work keeps me up!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I see events begging for volunteers all the time. I often steward at shows where I can if I am not showing myself or working. But when it comes to dressage/jumping/xc I haven't got the first idea so I would not put myself forward. I also don't go far afield, an hour tops unless it is a Championship that I have qualified for. I am too lazy to go further ??

Annagain I do get what you mean about the fear of blame. Everyone these days will take any opportunity to get money out of a situation if they think they can. I have my own insurance for when I am out and about that covers me competing, stewarding and judging but how many other people do? Very few I imagine.

 

[milliepops]

What I find in my area is that the local volunteer-run show is a thing of the past. Every riding organisation and many villages when I was growing up had an annual show with all sorts of classes - showing, showjumping, gymkhana and some even did dressage. Sometimes there was a spring show and an August show. Now it seems to be only commercial concerns that run competitions - whether that's big county shows or commercial venues that run their own shows and competitions and (I assume) pay people to staff it.

I'm chair of my riding club and the thing we struggle with most (the extra paperwork is a pain but I can do it fairly quickly these days) is getting people to help us. It's mostly me and one other person who do all the work and I've really enjoyed having the pressure off during COVID. I'm not sure I want to go back to it. I don't mind organising lessons as the requirements are so much less demanding and I can join in too but the big events are a nightmare - unfortunately they're what make us our money to subsidise things for members so we can't really do one without the other. We've already said we won't do anything with XC or fun rides any more as we just need too many people but even running show jumping and dressage is less appealing these days.

It's partly that we need so many people to run events thanks to insurance requirements and partly down to the fact that people don't volunteer like they used to. I get it, they have busy lives and want to do what they want to do in their free time (so do I!) but our sport relies so heavily on volunteers and is very labour intensive that unless people give a little bit back nobody will have anything. We can't pay people like the commercial places can as our insurance doesn't allow us to 'employ' people (other than the professionals we're required to have onsite for certain activities - medics and vets etc).

The litigation culture scares me too. We've never had a serious incident (touches every bit of wood she can find) but I'd be lying if said the thought of it doesn't keep me awake at night before events. Very little in actual work keeps me up!

yeah I guess I could see RCs dying out in some areas. I joined a local one when i got a green horse a few years ago but didn't really find anything for me so let my membership lapse and haven't sought out anything else. I think the increased opportunities at affiliated shows etc for grass roots is probably not helping, but having never really been an active member I don't personally feel too bothered about that. it was cliquey and off putting :/
I do volunteer BD and I still fence judge occasionally BE.

 

[Annagain]

I see events begging for volunteers all the time. I often steward at shows where I can if I am not showing myself or working. But when it comes to dressage/jumping/xc I haven't got the first idea so I would not put myself forward. I also don't go far afield, an hour tops unless it is a Championship that I have qualified for. I am too lazy to go further ??

Annagain I do get what you mean about the fear of blame. Everyone these days will take any opportunity to get money out of a situation if they think they can. I have my own insurance for when I am out and about that covers me competing, stewarding and judging but how many other people do? Very few I imagine.

We're covered by BRC insurance but have to jump through many hoops to make sure we comply with the requirements - some are sensible, some are just @r$e covering - and even then we can be personally sued rather than just the riding club.

Thankyou for volunteering. This next point isn't aimed at you but anyone out there considering volunteering - don't assume you need lots of knowledge to volunteer. A lot of it is common sense and gophering and if there are bits that aren't, you'll be given a full briefing and most likely paired with someone who has done it before. I've become quite an expert at vaccination checking now but am often paired with someone who's never done it before and they're usually off and running within 10 minutes. Same with fence judging - I actually quite like it, especially if I'm with a good friend and we can have a natter between horses. Often, I will be with someone who's never done it before and within a few horses they've got the hang of it. If someone really doesn't want a skilled job, we send them round to feed and water all the judges and other volunteers or, for one of our volunteers who has Asperger's, we find a job away from people where she's most comfortable, like scoring - there's a job to suit everyone!

 

[Tarragon]

I have a feeling that the climate changes we are experiencing will have a big impact on horse ownership, in the UK anyway. The wetter winters and the lack of suitable land will mean that a lot of the cheaper end of the horse keeping spectrum may well disappear, and I think that there might be an increase in the top end of the spectrum, e.g. Somerford. It just isn't feasible to keep horses cheaply, I don't think, unless you own your land.

 

[Snowfilly]

We're covered by BRC insurance but have to jump through many hoops to make sure we comply with the requirements - some are sensible, some are just @r$e covering - and even then we can be personally sued rather than just the riding club.

Thankyou for volunteering. This next point isn't aimed at you but anyone out there considering volunteering - don't assume you need lots of knowledge to volunteer. A lot of it is common sense and gophering and if there are bits that aren't, you'll be given a full briefing and most likely paired with someone who has done it before. I've become quite an expert at vaccination checking now but am often paired with someone who's never done it before and they're usually off and running within 10 minutes. Same with fence judging - I actually quite like it, especially if I'm with a good friend and we can have a natter between horses. Often, I will be with someone who's never done it before and within a few horses they've got the hang of it. If someone really doesn't want a skilled job, we send them round to feed and water all the judges and other volunteers or, for one of our volunteers who has Asperger's, we find a job away from people where she's most comfortable, like scoring - there's a job to suit everyone!

A couple of years back, I had a horseless summer and got in touch with a lot of local shows in March / April time offering help with stewarding, setting up, errands on the day etc. Three got back to me, and one of them said no thanks as I hadn’t done it before.

I did help out the two shows who asked and enjoyed it, and would have done it again if not for covid. I wouldn’t bother asking again though!

And these were all smallish local shows, all volunteer led.

 

[tristar]

i hope the future will become a time when we appreciate horses in a different way, how life will evolve i can`t say but am hoping that more people can benefit from and come to experience that feeling that just going near horses gives me, and riding calmly almost like the horse as a companion but for the therapy aspects and what they bring to our lives by being part of it.

i find jump racing is difficult to watch these days, do watch flat, dressage is sometimes mainly dull, eventing dodgy, show jumping can be good, i do like some of the working horse classes, nice to see horses bred to work and be hardy

public perceptions, realizations of what happens in horse sport re injury and animal welfare will probably be the driver of any changes

but horse will always be in peoples lives i believe, they are the most adored and admired animals and people know they enjoy being ridden and the human company

 

[LEC]

A couple of years back, I had a horseless summer and got in touch with a lot of local shows in March / April time offering help with stewarding, setting up, errands on the day etc. Three got back to me, and one of them said no thanks as I hadn’t done it before.

I did help out the two shows who asked and enjoyed it, and would have done it again if not for covid. I wouldn’t bother asking again though!

And these were all smallish local shows, all volunteer led.

Some of the best things to have happened to me have come out of volunteering. Meeting people and making connections that have fortuitously worked out. I have horses, teaching qualifications, lessons etc all come out of it. It can be thankless but I am a bit opportunistic about it!!

 

[Annagain]

A couple of years back, I had a horseless summer and got in touch with a lot of local shows in March / April time offering help with stewarding, setting up, errands on the day etc. Three got back to me, and one of them said no thanks as I hadn’t done it before.

I did help out the two shows who asked and enjoyed it, and would have done it again if not for covid. I wouldn’t bother asking again though!

And these were all smallish local shows, all volunteer led.

I'm sorry to hear that Snowfilly, their loss! I can guarantee that not only would I never turn down any offer of help, I would reward it greatly in the currency of coffee, cake and bacon sarnies (not neccessarily in that order).

 

[honetpot]

I think you do not need a world beater, but you do need something that has a calm temperament and can survive with an uneven work load. Our first pony was £450, and although nothing is perfect, he was very safe, survived hunting and PC, with only one extra vet visit, when he had a reaction to his flu jab. The ponies and horses that followed afterwards, all but one cost less than £1200, and they all remained sound and trouble free, I budget £600 a year for routine vet visits, at one point I had twelve.
I have a pony in my paddock that cost £250, he is now 24, so if you add his tack and a cheap trailer for around £1200, plus your livery you could take your children out every weekend. He costs more to run as he needs his teeth checking every six months, but he is still ridable.
I do not know what I would do if I was starting up now, the most I have paid for a horse is £1200, the last one cost me £1000, by a good stallion as youngster. This is why I have decided to keep cows.

 

[paddi22]

the pessimistic part of me sees general leisure horse welfare getting worse.

the amount of friends I see with constant lameness and hoof issues due to animals that are rushed through production when young and haven't been conditioned or developed properly. horse just broken, pulled into a frame to look pretty for a sale and then never taught to work properly.

I can see a trend coming down the line of a lot more arthritic animals with leg issues due to reduced hacking areas/outdoor work and way too much arena work on tight circles. add into that reduced turnout in small paddocks and increased stabling time and it's a recipe for stiff horses who lack correct movement.

poorer nutrition. there is a lot of talk about how modern commercial horse feed is actually detrimental to animal health and this will become a bigger issue with increased stuff like rice bran being featured more as a 'benefit'.

a friend summed it up once by saying something like she could see the future being 'overweight underworked overfed stressed horses doing tight turns every day in an arena for 30 mins, while being stabled 12 hours a day and turned out into a postage stamp all weather paddock (climate change issue) alone for the rest of the day. the owners will be nervous riders who look amazing in top of the range colour coordinated riding gear. and also spend a fortune feeding supplements to counteract problems their management causes'. I didn't believe it at the time, but as the years go on you seem to see it more and more.

 

[Flicker]

What I would hope to see happen is for equestrian sport to go back to being something that people do if they have the resources and knowledge to do it properly.

While it is great that, over the years, horse ownership has become more democratised and it’s been possible to pick up a relatively cheap horse and keep it relatively cheaply, I think that this has led a lot of people to become horse owners without really having an understanding of what horses need and actually how much it costs to keep them healthy and doing their job. Hands up how many of us have met the family where mum and daughter have thought it is a wonderful idea to get a horse to share after having a couple of lessons, convinced dad to buy one, and the whole thing has gone pear shaped within 6 months?

I’ve met so many people over the years who have scrimped on the basics - farrier, tack, lessons, vet visits etc - because they have not understood that the purchase price and weekly livery cost is really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the money involved in owning a horse. Especially when you factor in the lack of land and lack of time.

I also know a lot of people who are able to keep their horses incredibly cheaply because they’ve lived around horses all their life and know how to look after them, how to exercise them, how to keep them healthy.

To keep a horse these days, I think you need either enough money to throw at someone else with the knowledge (I would count here livery staff, trainers, saddlers, farriers, vets etc) OR you need a vast bank of knowledge yourself to enable you to distinguish when you need to call on the experts. Sadly for horses, I think a lot of them end up in homes with people who have neither, who are disappointed when their expectations of galloping wild and free over the fields or scooping all the rosettes don’t come to pass, and somehow see it as the horse’s problem. This is the group that I hope becomes unsustainable in the future.

 

[Bernster]

That’s an interesting point flicker and having the money to fund knowledge or a bank of knowledge to rely on!

on volunteering, whilst it may seem a bit alarming to those who compete haha, I don’t know much but I’ve volunteered and really enjoyed it. Got tuition at the start and then they let us loose on a be event ! I’ll do it again post COVID. and not just for the packed lunch, tea and cake

 

[Snowfilly]

I'm sorry to hear that Snowfilly, their loss! I can guarantee that not only would I never turn down any offer of help, I would reward it greatly in the currency of coffee, cake and bacon sarnies (not neccessarily in that order).

That’s good to know!
And it’s sad because I volunteer a lot in my other sport - football - and there’s always teams and clubs who are grateful for help if my club aren’t doing anything that weekend. Normally good fun, always a laugh. It was a shame to see it so different in horse sport.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Well I think that climate change will bring on an apocalyptic type event which will end post industrial civilisation as we know it. Whatever remnants of humanity are left will have to return to horse power for farming and travel. As far as horse sport goes, I see Romanesque type chariot races as per Ben Hur.

Just a matter of time folks.

 

[paddi22]

Well I think that climate change will bring on an apocalyptic type event which will end post industrial civilisation as we know it. Whatever remnants of humanity are left will have to return to horse power for farming and travel. As far as horse sport goes, I see Romanesque type chariot races as per Ben Hur.

Just a matter of time folks.

at the start of the first lockdown, my husband (absolutely no interest in horses) stunned me by suddenly suggesting we should breed minis (we have three, which is more than enough!). turned out he had been watching documentaries about people who prep for end of world events and suddenly decided the key to being powerful in future was having herds of tiny little little ploughing and carriage pulling monsters, who you have the option of eating if things get too bad, plus you can use their skin for clothing. I look forward to him breaking the news to the minis of their future careers, at the moment their daily life consists of mutual grooming and obsession if the feed room door might be left open. I can't see them being positive about this career change.

 

[TPO]

I predict eventing will struggle to continue at it's current scale.

We no longer get reliable weather seasons and it appears to me that more events are cancelled/postponed every year due to weather/ground conditions. I await an eventing boffin correcting me!

I *think* more venues have stopped hosting events than new ones have come onto the calendar. To an outsider the calendar seems much smaller than it used to be but I may have a different take based on the (reduced) Scottish events.

I do wonder then if there are limited events and limited/reduced numbers if priority would go to pros/people running multiple horses. As I understand it the grass roots financially support the higher levels so I dont know how that would work out.

I'd also predict a reduction on amateur entries at the start of the season because of the weather and somw of the factors mentioned above. With land becoming scarce in some areas and "decent" winter turnout even more so I'd imagine a drop in equine fitness. I'd also expect some of the horrendous weather we've had putting off/delaying the start of fitness work because only the truly dedicated (read: mad) will be out in all hors clocking up their walking hours.

To add to that, as previously mentioned, road work often means taking your life into your hands. After being let down over winter, or a reduction in exercise, nothing really replaces roadwork. Perhaps not having this as a (safe) option *might* result in injuries or tweaks later in the season if the foundation of fitness isnt solid?

Then there is the cost. I'm not saying that BE should, or even could, be cheaper but it is expensive. There are often threads on here, and elsewhere, about the pittance in prizes at some venues especially compared to BS.

I don't know if BE will ultimately price itself out of the reach of the majority of amateur/leisure riders. Then without the funding of grassroots riders will the upper tiers topple?

I predict there will still be *less than perfect* yards and then top tier full yards but perhaps middle of the road yards struggle. People not willing/able to pay the price it takes to manage and maintain the facilities so that they either go up or down a level in standards.

I think indoors will become more of a requirement due to weather too

Very optimistic I know ha ha

 

[The Xmas Furry]

you've been able to get DIY livery for £25 a week for about a thousand years round here. I think it may become more regionalised before we see any of the extremes people are talking about. i can see the SE going to more full livery, less acreage arrangements but less densely populated areas will probably carry on as they are for a good while yet.

I was charging £25pw DIY back in 1990, having put it up from £22.50 that I was charging from 82 to 89.
In real terms, £25 in 1990 is worth £52.42 in 2021!

 

[teapot]

Increasing age of RDA volunteers would have a drastic impact on groups and being able to run.

I've not been involved for a couple of years due to work commitments, but I was always the youngest on training days/at comps by at least 25/30 years.

 

[Frumpoon]

I think the cost of the basics will push most people out of the frame

£10k for a horse
£20k for a small lorry
£500 a month for full livery - because grazing/diy will almost disappear because of land prices and yard managers needing to make a living

There used to be so many diy or grazing/agricultural yards near us...now they are all housing estates, the remaining yards are strip grazed full livery only...many of questionable welfare/quality....