Your future predictions of the horse world

[The Irish Draft 2022]

So I have decided to make this thread because it the end of the year. I also think it’s will be fun to read this in 20 years. I think the horse world will be less accessible to most people. I also think there will be a lack of yards due to people retiring and the lack of suitable land .

 

[Red-1]

I think we will be very careful to be seen to do the right thing. Not that I don't now, but film and photos of a moment in time could get us into bother by then. Not that this is altogether a bad thing, as I do think that violence to horses has been acceptable publicly, in the past. But, I fear it will swing too far the other way and people will no longer dare to handle and correct their horses.

I think that hunting will have to change or it will be gone.

 

[Gloi]

I think there will be genetic tests for a lot more conditions and they will be a standard part of a vetting.

 

[teapot]

I'm currently writing something on the future of riding schools, I may share it once done

 

[[153312]]

I think there will be genetic tests for a lot more conditions and they will be a standard part of a vetting.

I really hope so on this

 

[alexomahony]

Great thread - I think it’ll be really interesting. Here’s a few things I think:

- land will become really hard to come by, expensive and we may have to rethink turnout

- the ever warmer weather will cause issues. Competition seasons might change to factor this in

- insurance will force most riding schools to close or become so expensive it’ll be inaccessible to the majority

- welfare will get better from a veterinary medicine POV, though maybe not from a day to day keep

- I think more people will seek DIY with the rising cost of living etc

- we’ll have no where to hack ?

- towing cars will be interesting! What do people think will happen with these?

 

[alexomahony]

I think there will be genetic tests for a lot more conditions and they will be a standard part of a vetting.

this would be so cool

 

[ycbm]

Nobody will be allowed to learn to ride a real horse until they have a certificate of proficiency on an animatronic one.
.

 

[RachelFerd]

National hunt racing will be gone. Trail hunting will be gone.

Dressage will allow bitless!

Licenses to keep horses.

 

[DabDab]

20 years?! Crikey that's a long time.

In 20 years I think it will be considerably less socially acceptable to own a horse just for leisure.

 

[EventingMum]

I'm currently writing something on the future of riding schools, I may share it once done

As is already happening, I think we will sadly see the demise of a lot of riding schools.

 

[stangs]

I hope desperately that we will have gotten over this phase of breeding dressage horses to have gaits that make them lame, and that people will no longer be forcing 3yos into piaffes, riding consistently BTV, etc.... however I doubt it.

I think the population of mustangs will be on the verge on extinction unless the BLM gets its act together and uses sustainable methods to maintain the population at a healthy number.

I'd add more predictions but they're all so depressing to think about.

 

[Baroque]

I too think the rising pressure on land usage will be one of our biggest concerns. Housing, green energy demands (solar/biomass), new tree planting, huge tracts of land being bought up to 're-wild', increasing need for food security etc. etc. etc. I can see a time when we will look back on horses on 'acreage', rather than small turnout pens, and marvel at how fortunate we are right now.

Not to mention the increasing traffic making it less and less safe to ride on the roads.

I always try not to be too pessimistic about the future of horse-keeping but to be honest, I can't see it getting any easier.

 

[Cortez]

I think there will be fewer horses. And the increasingly wet and unpredictable climate will force more horses off the land, especially in winter.

 

[paddi22]

I'd be fairly pessimistic about it too. I think the rising cost of feed, forage and bedding, along with wormers etc will push lot of people out. I think track systems will have to become the norm due to climate change making fields too muddy.

 

[NR88]

I think BE will have folded and can't imagine it being around in twenty years if it continues as it has been/is.

Agree about land and climate change issues regarding horse keeping in winter. Hopefully we will see yards providing all weather turnout paddocks rather than horses being stabled 24/7.

Agree that hopefully bitless will be allowed in dressage if not every horse sport.

In a similar vein hopefully barefoot will be allowed in all showing/WH classes.

I would fully support some form of licensing and governing for owning all animals/horses and for all yards to be registered.

The cost of keeping a horse will go up due to livery cost increases if, for example, all weather paddocks and indoor arenas become even more of a necessity for winter in this country. Weather will impact the production of forage, bedding and feed so I can only imagine those prices hiking up.

There might be a surge in popularity for native breeds who are easy keepers and can live out happily and easier than more "sporty" types.

 

[JackFrost]

Don't know if it will happen but I'd love to see more inner city riding schools and use of horses for mental health and social therapies. Not sure who's going to pay for it though.?

 

[blodwyn1]

I think horses will only be for the wealthy going forward and the days of little DIY yards are already gone. I don't think I would be able to afford horses if I was starting now. I am fortunate to have my own land but as I am ageing it is a tie and very hard work.

 

[paddi22]

I can see metal shoes being a thing of the past. I think people will think it’s bizarre we kept using them

 

[SO1]

Sadly I think horse ownership will be for the wealthy or landowners. More land will be absorbed for housing.

Horses will be on full livery as everyone works such long hours in order to pay for them as they really well paid roles and will probably live far from rural areas where it is still possible to keep a horse. Owners will be visiting their horses at weekends.

Climate change with hot summers will mean airconned barns and indoor schools. The northern parts of England, Wales and Scotland will be where most horses will be kept due it being less hot and more grasslands, less housing.

There will be very little hacking unless on roads or private land. Most horses will be competition horses.

Veterinary medicine will be really expensive as there won't be enough horses needing routine things like vaccination, and dentistry, gelding, vettings etc to cover the salaries.

 

[paddi22]

fast events held on grass will become a thing of the past due to a mix of insurance and weather issues. if eventing exists it will be arena eventing.

 

[wills_91]

Well this mainly makes for very depressing reading ??

 

[Northern Hare]

I wonder if more horse owners will stop insuring their horses for vets fees due to premiums becoming prohibitively expensive, and "self insuring" (or non insuring) will become more popular? This could severely impact the Veterinary practices, as the more expensive diagnostics systems they've invested in could be too expensive for the self/non insured horse owners. ?

Also, possibly that insurance for running events will potentially impact volunteer organisations - Riding Clubs etc, making it impossible to cover the premiums, so events will be run more and more by businesses or Affiliated organisations.

Finally, I think advances in technology will allow vets to routinely carry far more advanced portable diagnostic systems - scanners, x-ray equipment etc.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Great thread - I think it’ll be really interesting. Here’s a few things I think:

- land will become really hard to come by, expensive and we may have to rethink turnout

- the ever warmer weather will cause issues. Competition seasons might change to factor this in

- insurance will force most riding schools to close or become so expensive it’ll be inaccessible to the majority

- welfare will get better from a veterinary medicine POV, though maybe not from a day to day keep

- I think more people will seek DIY with the rising cost of living etc

- we’ll have no where to hack ?

- towing cars will be interesting! What do people think will happen with these?

Brilliant and clever question which makes us all think, especially us older ones !

All of this is pretty much happening now in many areas sadly. I think DIY will be gone in 20 years as the majority of land that could be or currently is DIY will be either be in planners sights to build on or actually developed.

Veterinary medicine is amazing now in the big hospitals and is always advancing. I've had horses 46 years now and looking back at the vet care available 20/30 years ago it is very evident of how it has moved forwards. I do wonder if horse medical/injury insurance will be available or affordable as this medicine continues to move forward though. The NFU has already priced many ordinary owners out and the other big ones will follow. Keeping horses will become ever more elite and the vast numbers of us that scrimp, save and use baling twine to keep going will be gone.

Diesel engines are being phased out now, we were in the garage today having my 6 year old 4x4 repaired and killing time by looking at the new version of it. Not made with diesel engine anymore apparently. An electric tow car will need some big batteries, will such a thing exist ? The transport minister is recorded recently as questioning the need for the public to even own personal cars. She must have forgotten that many people do not live in cities with a convenient tube station a short walk away. But in many areas, including mine, the town is fast merging with the countryside as huge housing developments are springing up rapidly.

Activities involving any animal is being more and more regulated and rightly so, DEFRA has done a lot of work in past years. Less than planned as Covid got in the way. Society in general is becoming more and more vocal regarding animals used for sport, racing, hunting, endurance etc and animals used for monetary gain, racing again both equine and canine, dog breeding, there will be some big changes by 2042 without doubt. I hope the 'designer' dog breeding will be outlawed. The idea that thrashing a knackered racehorse up a muddy hill is acceptable will be long gone as will the sight of the screens up protecting animals lost in the name of sport. Will the sight of a horse coming to the big wall at HOY still be happening ? I doubt it. Which relates back to the towing vehicles, with animals banned in competition, tow vehicles will not be needed. Anyone for an electric Oakley to take your pony to walk in a designated area for a hack ? which will need pre booking of course.

Climate change will change everything for us and animals. Fodder production will become more and more difficult as summers become ever hotter. Some of us saw this affect feeding just this year in Spring with hay becoming short following a poor 2020 harvest and a very dry 2021 spring period with no grass growth. As the population increases more and more acreage is needed to grow crop rather than grass. We are being urged to eat less meat, less meat = less grass land being needed for grazing and forage making.

So on that depressing thought, I best shut up and be grateful I will be long out of horses in 2042 and probably being used to heat the local swimming pool as that is what my council uses the heat generated by the crem to do. Apparently it is good for the climate.

 

[TinseLeneHorse]

20 years?! Crikey that's a long time.

In 20 years I think it will be considerably less socially acceptable to own a horse just for leisure.

I would agree with this. The carbon footprint of the leisure horse industry probably would not stand up to close scrutiny even now, and we are likely to be much more focussed on environmental pressure and climate change issues in 20 years time.

 

[Chuffy99]

Have to agree with AA about vehicles, great progress is going to have to be made if the towing vehicle is not already towing a trailer to carry the batteries!

 

[twobearsarthur]

The Official 2060 Superprix! Fan Guide, The Definitive Guide to Mid-21st Century DRESSAGE, An Equestrian Fantasy by Michelle Guillot

I read this book online a few years ago it’s a satire on the future of dressage where horses and bred to be giant spider legged creatures that can move in all directions. We wear all in one Lycra jumpsuits and the tack is buckles belts and straps all over the show. The scary thing is some of the satire in the book is now reality.

 

[AdorableAlice]

The climate has gone bonkers tonight, I have just fed and have two fully clipped and one half clipped horses left naked, they all had summer sheets on but are too warm. Quite unbelievable for mid winter.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

I want to see veterinary adopt data, digital and AI more rapidly. I’m tired of the transactional diagnosis and Fixing problems once they occur.

With the available data we should be able to work more efficiently on predictability and prevention.

 

[Fred66]

If all forms of hunting go then most fun rides are likely to be consigned to history too as there will be no one to run them and no land or jumps maintained for them. ?