Chickerdoodle13- WELL DONE! Thats what I'm talking about!
Should I or am I Out of My Mind -to get a horse-
- Thread starter ShadowRooster
- Start date
I am nowhere near a very experienced horse person but I did grow up with horses and around barns - riding, training, and leased and owned several. Then I went off to college, worked at the equine reproduction unit at my university and eventually my family sold our horses. I credit the horse experience I grew up with to my perseverance in life, my attention to detail and my die hard work ethic. Every other animal I have ever owned has had great care in part because they require so little compared to the horses! I have spent the last 17 years with a significant case of "horse fever". I am not currently a horse owner but I do intend to work back into it eventually. And boy do I miss riding!
OP, if I were you and had the space and $$ I would work into horse ownership SLOWLY, and take the advice of the previous posters to heart without letting it scare me off entirely. Horses are a mess of trouble but well worth the significant effort if you are passionate about horses. Owning a horse is a lifestyle more than a hobby. The ownership commitment is much greater than any other animal, as far as I know (and I know nothing of emus).
Personally, I would save the cash necessary for a minimum of 18 mos. of care and feed for a minimum of 2 horses (on top of your own 18 mos. of living expenses saved up). For one thing, it's not as much fun to ride alone and you WILL be riding/exercising your horses every day. 5 acres is tight for 2 horses. You will need an enclosed barn, I don't think lean to shelters would work in NH. You'll probably need a trailer and a rig that can pull it, as riding in circles on your 5 acres will get boring. You'll need good safe fence and you'll need to know how to put it up and repair it yourself. Fencing is expensive. Forget other animals if you want horses, you probably don't have the space. Horses are hard on the land, and trees and structures. period. You also need a lot more riding experience before you own a horse. Otherwise, you won't know your horse match when you meet it and may end up with an animal that you simply don't get along with. There is nothing in the world like riding a horse you connect with, you deserve a good match. Horses are easy to come by these days and hard to get rid of (depending on where you are), so you'll need to choose wisely.
Meantime, match yourself up with a good solid horse person that has a positive attitude and pay them for their time. Prepare to be humbled. Take lessons and ride, ride, ride, ride, ride. When you are tired of riding, get up at 5:00 in the morning and ride some more. Horse ownership is about riding when you don't feel like it, long after you are tired and frustrated, and in weather that you don't like. Ride until you feel comfortable taking direction from an instructor that is condescending to you. Ride until you can sit a spooked horse and calm them down and not panic yourself. This takes time and patience and confidence, which comes with more time and experience. Get to a good barn with helpful folks and really muck about, spend hours there everyday. Learn all about feed and foot care and all of the various ailments and parasites horses are susceptible to (they WILL get them) so that you know when to call the vet, what to pick up from the feed store, and what to look for when buying a horse. Stand there for vet visits, watch when horses get themselves or their riders into trouble and watch how experienced hands get them out of trouble. Once you can untangle a panicked horse from a bad fence, attend to an injury until the vet arrives, or cease to panic when any and all of these things happen ('cuz they will), you might be ready. When you feel ready I would maybe lease a horse on your own site for a year first. That way you get a sense of just how much time they take up before you commit.
I think you can do it, but it's like anything else, you have to educate yourself and know just what you are getting into. Otherwise it's not fair to the animal you ultimately bring home. In addition, any undertaking usually requires much more time, money and commitment than you originally anticipated. Take chickens for example...or emus? Also, pay attention to what Pat said.
OP, if I were you and had the space and $$ I would work into horse ownership SLOWLY, and take the advice of the previous posters to heart without letting it scare me off entirely. Horses are a mess of trouble but well worth the significant effort if you are passionate about horses. Owning a horse is a lifestyle more than a hobby. The ownership commitment is much greater than any other animal, as far as I know (and I know nothing of emus).
Personally, I would save the cash necessary for a minimum of 18 mos. of care and feed for a minimum of 2 horses (on top of your own 18 mos. of living expenses saved up). For one thing, it's not as much fun to ride alone and you WILL be riding/exercising your horses every day. 5 acres is tight for 2 horses. You will need an enclosed barn, I don't think lean to shelters would work in NH. You'll probably need a trailer and a rig that can pull it, as riding in circles on your 5 acres will get boring. You'll need good safe fence and you'll need to know how to put it up and repair it yourself. Fencing is expensive. Forget other animals if you want horses, you probably don't have the space. Horses are hard on the land, and trees and structures. period. You also need a lot more riding experience before you own a horse. Otherwise, you won't know your horse match when you meet it and may end up with an animal that you simply don't get along with. There is nothing in the world like riding a horse you connect with, you deserve a good match. Horses are easy to come by these days and hard to get rid of (depending on where you are), so you'll need to choose wisely.
Meantime, match yourself up with a good solid horse person that has a positive attitude and pay them for their time. Prepare to be humbled. Take lessons and ride, ride, ride, ride, ride. When you are tired of riding, get up at 5:00 in the morning and ride some more. Horse ownership is about riding when you don't feel like it, long after you are tired and frustrated, and in weather that you don't like. Ride until you feel comfortable taking direction from an instructor that is condescending to you. Ride until you can sit a spooked horse and calm them down and not panic yourself. This takes time and patience and confidence, which comes with more time and experience. Get to a good barn with helpful folks and really muck about, spend hours there everyday. Learn all about feed and foot care and all of the various ailments and parasites horses are susceptible to (they WILL get them) so that you know when to call the vet, what to pick up from the feed store, and what to look for when buying a horse. Stand there for vet visits, watch when horses get themselves or their riders into trouble and watch how experienced hands get them out of trouble. Once you can untangle a panicked horse from a bad fence, attend to an injury until the vet arrives, or cease to panic when any and all of these things happen ('cuz they will), you might be ready. When you feel ready I would maybe lease a horse on your own site for a year first. That way you get a sense of just how much time they take up before you commit.
I think you can do it, but it's like anything else, you have to educate yourself and know just what you are getting into. Otherwise it's not fair to the animal you ultimately bring home. In addition, any undertaking usually requires much more time, money and commitment than you originally anticipated. Take chickens for example...or emus? Also, pay attention to what Pat said.
I can only add one thing to this....If you are looking at horses on CL please take a very experienced horse person with you. Also always make the owner ride the horse first and be clear that the horse is only to be tacked up after you get there. A lot of people on CL are horse traders and will only tell you what you want to hear. A horse being sold for $200 is probably exactly that, a $200 horse. I would also get any potential horse vet checked before you buy it. Also, please don't have any barbed wire around a horse. I don't know what your fencing situation will be but that is a definite no-no.
Feel free to PM me if I can help at all.....
Feel free to PM me if I can help at all.....
Quote:
Ok I can pretty much figure out what the others have seaid. I am new here and am just beginning to delve into all the topics. I have had horses now 43 years. one at a time. I do the most dangerous form of horse locomotion there is Carriage driving. I was one of those indians that swung up bare back and headed for the hills when I was a child.
First of all, the questions you are asking tell me you are a novice. How ever enthusiastic....
You need to get some experience BEFORE you make your decision to buy a horse.
Once you get some experience under your belt then you can make an informed safe decision with the help of more experienced peple on hand and familiar with the area of the country you live.
So all that said. Go to the boarding stable or training stable where ever you can find and get some riding lessons. A good riding instructor will have you riding competently within about two or three months if you dont have your own horse. You can start out on their recommendation with a Leased horse. Something the instructor knows will suit your learning curve. What this does is give you some experience caring for and riding horses. You will learn that you can kill a horse by feeding it improperly. Some cow feeds have an ingredient that will kill a horse horribly within about 48 hours. Hay that can be fed to cows and goats may or may not be suitable for horses.
What kind of wormers to use and how often. Depends on their living conditions and their worm count.
How to tend boo boos. When to do vaccinations and why When to trim feet and how to tell a good job was done. Once you feel you are competent in that area with the approval of your instructor you will be ready for your first horse.
Most horses are fine with a run in but depending on temps for your winters you should be prepared to Blanket and Top off the water even if the snow is hip deep. And Chip the ice out of the water tub.
To me the expense is a non issue. They are my own passion. If you do it right it doesnt have to be more expensive than a good hobby. Yes horses are herd animals and ideally a companion or two of the equine variety is best. But they easily adapt to other herbivores as companions. Mine has her four Goats. Herd animals stand guard for each other while others take naps you will find one standing guard. While Katee takes her nap one of her goats kind of wanders about doing things. It keeps her psychologically happy.
First and fore most.... Buy a Rding helmet and NEVER ride without one.... NEVER. I dont drive without a helmet. If you decide the committment is more than you want to do you can always sell the helmet on Craigslist.
None of this is anything I havent said to twenty or thirty enthusiastic people over the past 40 years. Go take some lessons start there your heart will take you the rest of the way.
Ok I can pretty much figure out what the others have seaid. I am new here and am just beginning to delve into all the topics. I have had horses now 43 years. one at a time. I do the most dangerous form of horse locomotion there is Carriage driving. I was one of those indians that swung up bare back and headed for the hills when I was a child.
First of all, the questions you are asking tell me you are a novice. How ever enthusiastic....
Once you get some experience under your belt then you can make an informed safe decision with the help of more experienced peple on hand and familiar with the area of the country you live.
So all that said. Go to the boarding stable or training stable where ever you can find and get some riding lessons. A good riding instructor will have you riding competently within about two or three months if you dont have your own horse. You can start out on their recommendation with a Leased horse. Something the instructor knows will suit your learning curve. What this does is give you some experience caring for and riding horses. You will learn that you can kill a horse by feeding it improperly. Some cow feeds have an ingredient that will kill a horse horribly within about 48 hours. Hay that can be fed to cows and goats may or may not be suitable for horses.
What kind of wormers to use and how often. Depends on their living conditions and their worm count.
How to tend boo boos. When to do vaccinations and why When to trim feet and how to tell a good job was done. Once you feel you are competent in that area with the approval of your instructor you will be ready for your first horse.
Most horses are fine with a run in but depending on temps for your winters you should be prepared to Blanket and Top off the water even if the snow is hip deep. And Chip the ice out of the water tub.
To me the expense is a non issue. They are my own passion. If you do it right it doesnt have to be more expensive than a good hobby. Yes horses are herd animals and ideally a companion or two of the equine variety is best. But they easily adapt to other herbivores as companions. Mine has her four Goats. Herd animals stand guard for each other while others take naps you will find one standing guard. While Katee takes her nap one of her goats kind of wanders about doing things. It keeps her psychologically happy.
First and fore most.... Buy a Rding helmet and NEVER ride without one.... NEVER. I dont drive without a helmet. If you decide the committment is more than you want to do you can always sell the helmet on Craigslist.
None of this is anything I havent said to twenty or thirty enthusiastic people over the past 40 years. Go take some lessons start there your heart will take you the rest of the way.
- Sep 23, 2009
- 697
- 13
- 129
you really want a horse? educate yourself, put money away up front for food vet bills and very expensive private lessons at your home barn for at least a year while you get your self situated. or you could take it slower, get lessons at a good barn and in a while get a horse that you picked out thats practical and makes you happy.
my sisters and I had the luxury of growing up with horses and our mother and even sometimes father teaching us. we started off with lesson from mom on a leased horse, then got a pony, then leased more horses as we grew along with our skill and eventually got our own horses that we still have to this day. this was over the course of years. between my sisters and I we have broke a few dozen horses and gave lessons our selves. however it took all of our childhoods and some young adult hood till we got to that point.
I have said often that yes, I have a single horse. It never started out that way, I always boarded then bought a yearling to keep my old horse company and to break as a new ridding horse. years went by and during my second pregnancy I had issues and could no longer do the work of taking care of two horses. it broke my heart but I sold the young mare and fully expected the old qh to need to go to a boarding barn. however my niece started showing him full time right then so even in winter Dan gets hauled places very frequently and goes trail ridding with the neighbors. we have a barn full of cows, chickens everywhere and people coming and going constantly. Dan not only was happier but gained weight that the mare was stressing off him. (6yo workaholic mares and 21yo old grumpy geldings don't always make each other happy)
however the point is even my horse isent alone ever theres cows, chickens, his people and other horses in and out of his life frequently.
horses basic needs are not that expensive. if you do the work your self you can make it happen. but there are always the chance of accidents. my old calm gelding came the closest to dying I have ever seen a animal come back from two years ago now. and it was not in any way shape or form him fault. a neighbors mare got lose, ran to our barn, climbed on top of our shaving pile bit the hell out of Dans face and chased him threw a wall and he got impaled by a 2x4. then Dan just happen to be allergic to the antibiotics the vet gave him and he coliced worse then I have ever seen. it costs thousands of dollars, months of work and stress to get him ok again. Dan lost so much weight and was so stressed that it took months to get him looking good again let alone ridable.
aside from the expense horses are work, there is no denying that. we have two extra horse stalls in the barn now. Dan gets switched back and forth so I can shove a wheel barrow up an icy hill to clean the stall. just this evening my husband and I rolled a round bale from barn to barn because its too icy for anything but the neighbors tractor to get around. it sucked pretty bad. my husband broke an ankle a while back. I alone ended up caring for all the horses, cows, chickens, the house and the kids myself. it was not fun and I would not ever choose to do it again. horses are work, and if something happens can you honestly say that you are fully 100% comfortable with any emergency that comes up? I am all for newbies, I really DO want you to get a horse. however I want you to be happy and safe as well and lessons at first will go a long way for that.
my sisters and I had the luxury of growing up with horses and our mother and even sometimes father teaching us. we started off with lesson from mom on a leased horse, then got a pony, then leased more horses as we grew along with our skill and eventually got our own horses that we still have to this day. this was over the course of years. between my sisters and I we have broke a few dozen horses and gave lessons our selves. however it took all of our childhoods and some young adult hood till we got to that point.
I have said often that yes, I have a single horse. It never started out that way, I always boarded then bought a yearling to keep my old horse company and to break as a new ridding horse. years went by and during my second pregnancy I had issues and could no longer do the work of taking care of two horses. it broke my heart but I sold the young mare and fully expected the old qh to need to go to a boarding barn. however my niece started showing him full time right then so even in winter Dan gets hauled places very frequently and goes trail ridding with the neighbors. we have a barn full of cows, chickens everywhere and people coming and going constantly. Dan not only was happier but gained weight that the mare was stressing off him. (6yo workaholic mares and 21yo old grumpy geldings don't always make each other happy)
however the point is even my horse isent alone ever theres cows, chickens, his people and other horses in and out of his life frequently.
horses basic needs are not that expensive. if you do the work your self you can make it happen. but there are always the chance of accidents. my old calm gelding came the closest to dying I have ever seen a animal come back from two years ago now. and it was not in any way shape or form him fault. a neighbors mare got lose, ran to our barn, climbed on top of our shaving pile bit the hell out of Dans face and chased him threw a wall and he got impaled by a 2x4. then Dan just happen to be allergic to the antibiotics the vet gave him and he coliced worse then I have ever seen. it costs thousands of dollars, months of work and stress to get him ok again. Dan lost so much weight and was so stressed that it took months to get him looking good again let alone ridable.
aside from the expense horses are work, there is no denying that. we have two extra horse stalls in the barn now. Dan gets switched back and forth so I can shove a wheel barrow up an icy hill to clean the stall. just this evening my husband and I rolled a round bale from barn to barn because its too icy for anything but the neighbors tractor to get around. it sucked pretty bad. my husband broke an ankle a while back. I alone ended up caring for all the horses, cows, chickens, the house and the kids myself. it was not fun and I would not ever choose to do it again. horses are work, and if something happens can you honestly say that you are fully 100% comfortable with any emergency that comes up? I am all for newbies, I really DO want you to get a horse. however I want you to be happy and safe as well and lessons at first will go a long way for that.
I skipped to the end after reading a page or 2. If you want a horse, I think you should have one. I also think you need to know what you are in for. Educate yourself. Start here. http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/ Read training tips and answers-on the left side menu. Read them ALL. Even though I have been around horses all my life, I learned many good things here. Good luck with your dream and let us know how it works out for you.
- Apr 4, 2010
- 4,174
- 13
- 251
Maybe I should start a new thread about my experience owning my first horse. I have only had my horse 2 years. Wow I have been in your exact situation with a thread or two of mine.
It is hard to read people through a computer to start with on both sides. We only know what we type. We don't know each other personally so it is not personal. Don't let it get that way. I have been there too. That is another issue and more then personal at this point.
Where to start.....I was 34 and bought my first horse 2 years ago. I was and am a still very much a beginner. I had not been on a horse or even so much as touched one since I was 13 or so and oh did I have some guts back then. I really wish I still had them. I drove 6-8 hours to buy my horse based on this pic.
In this pic she was a month old. First off I did not even occur to me that horses grow so big so fast. I did not even think to ask for current pics. She looks small and harmless right. Thinking to myself I can handle her, train her wtc. and know exactly what I have. Instead of trusting some horse someone tries to sell me on craigslist. That was my reasoning and mind you I had not yet joined this site.
I get there and for one there was a price issue....not really I thought the horse was cheaper then what the owner wanted based on his ad but this was not mentioned or clarified till I was there and handed him the money. Now what she looked like when I got there. Like 3 to 4 times the size and only 5 1/2 months old and a totally different color also. Here is what she looked like in the first week of being at her new home.
Still very pretty but very hyper, did not know how to load in a trailer, but after that distance of a drive and all we took her anyways. She was a late fall baby so she was not worked with all winter. She trailer-ed 8 hours home. I got her the following feb after she was born.
We get home I don't really remember getting her in her pen but I do remember the next week very well to follow. Her hooves were over grown....and cracking up the center. I thought it was an immediate need to get them trimmed. I don't know any farriers around here. I decide to look on craigslist and just so happens some guy is coming the next day my way for some regular clients. The farrier is scheduled to come the next day at 10am. I run down to the store in the morning to get money out and when I get back he is here. I am in sandals by the way. Well this farrier was a old guy and very impatient come to find out. He told me he is going to use a twitch and I have no idea what that is. Truthfully made things way worse and never again was he welcome back. I this young baby untrained never had her feet lifted and him having the twitch so tight blood is coming out her pores. I do get kicked in this process with a sharp cut hoof as my horse was trying to get up and away from the farrier. When the farrier told me he was gonna use the twitch he said this won't hurt the horse a bit it will just get this done faster. I was on the same side when he was trimming the back feet, the fronts were not that hard to do, but for him to do the back he was practically sitting on her and he dropped the one foot he was working with and she went flying up and forward and her newly cut hoof went right in the front of my leg about ankle high and no medical insurance at the time. Oh my did it hurt I wanted to cry so bad....glad it was cold out I think it numbed the pain a tad. I think something was def. broken it hurt for weeks and still may does if pressed hard in that spot and I have a scar too. Her hoof cut me as well it was so sharp. In hindsight I probably should have let her settle in for a week and then went on to that if not longer to get her use to lifting her feet as well.
The next day I had to work and traveling at the time and I wanted to work with her a bit so we went on a walk. She had a halter on so I left it on. Everything was great till we got to the gate of her pen and she was to go in. She flew in and flipped around rearing. I was freaked out I was gonna let her go lead line on and all still but she finally stayed down and I unclipped the lead and got out of there. This is my pig pen and rectangle shaped and no pigs at the time. When she got loose she went crazy running back and fourth side to side and yes got caught up in the fence and into the cows "no barb wire in the middle so lucky". She did however hurt her leg but I think just sprained it she had a limp for a couple days she got over it. She always had a fascination with the cows anyways. This is the herd animal part....I think this what she wanted all along and it made her feel safe and comfortable to be with them she grew up with them in the big pasture and they were fine together. Now she can't be with the cows she is too rough.
So she stayed in this pen for a few more days and her halter came off some how. Great so now I caught even catch her. I had to call a neighbor to catch her for me. When he did she was loaded in the horse trailer. She does not know how to load so my husband and the other guy locked hands and bucketed her butt up in the trailer cause she sure was not going anytime soon. I sent her off to a trainer for 2 months to learn respect and ground manners. I am absolutely terrified at this point. Part is her breed and part is she is just a baby and untrained and so am I in all aspects.
A couple not so good things happened at this trainers that I know of. Also she learned tons and when she came home, her feet could be lifted, haltered, she wanted to come to you and be with you. She could be touched everywhere, I could groom her, I could have her lay down I could sit on her while laying down. I could go on and on. She did start bitting. Yes I was bit once after coming home and she was in big trouble. It sure hurt and has not happened again since and I did not have to make her bleed or make marks on her to stop it from happening again.
Oh yeah that training was $500 a month and I paid for my own feed. Since then she has been home and not really worked with. I can do all the basics with her but now not knowing much myself and not wanting to pay for a trainer cause I can't really afford it she sits there. She is not challenged in anyway or myself with her and that is what I want.
You can see my plan has not went so good. I am still learning and do everyday.
I think I am who patandchickens has mentioned earlier about looking for a bomb proof horse and if not I am and have been since last Oct. here is that thread if you want to look at it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=404637 I am still looking for a good horse and I have some stipulations but I am not gonna get another horse and be in this same situation. I am stuck with a lovely girl that I can't use or give her what she needs. I will learn and we will keep at this together. I do not agree with getting more then one horse if you can't afford it or for no reason then other to give a single horse company. I want another horse but one I can use and I know what to get, what I want and need so much better then 2 years ago.
I have barb wire on my fencing. It was already up and usable so we starting using it but it will be replaced soon, she is the only horse, and was a bit under weight going into winter, along with not being challenged. What do I do now? Well she will stay here but this is the kind of situation that some posters are trying to help you not get into.
Here is another thread of mine.....looking for a better trainer and got into feeding issues and other stuff. Might be of interest for you to read.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=422280
Good luck!
It is hard to read people through a computer to start with on both sides. We only know what we type. We don't know each other personally so it is not personal. Don't let it get that way. I have been there too. That is another issue and more then personal at this point.
Where to start.....I was 34 and bought my first horse 2 years ago. I was and am a still very much a beginner. I had not been on a horse or even so much as touched one since I was 13 or so and oh did I have some guts back then. I really wish I still had them. I drove 6-8 hours to buy my horse based on this pic.
In this pic she was a month old. First off I did not even occur to me that horses grow so big so fast. I did not even think to ask for current pics. She looks small and harmless right. Thinking to myself I can handle her, train her wtc. and know exactly what I have. Instead of trusting some horse someone tries to sell me on craigslist. That was my reasoning and mind you I had not yet joined this site.
I get there and for one there was a price issue....not really I thought the horse was cheaper then what the owner wanted based on his ad but this was not mentioned or clarified till I was there and handed him the money. Now what she looked like when I got there. Like 3 to 4 times the size and only 5 1/2 months old and a totally different color also. Here is what she looked like in the first week of being at her new home.
Still very pretty but very hyper, did not know how to load in a trailer, but after that distance of a drive and all we took her anyways. She was a late fall baby so she was not worked with all winter. She trailer-ed 8 hours home. I got her the following feb after she was born.
We get home I don't really remember getting her in her pen but I do remember the next week very well to follow. Her hooves were over grown....and cracking up the center. I thought it was an immediate need to get them trimmed. I don't know any farriers around here. I decide to look on craigslist and just so happens some guy is coming the next day my way for some regular clients. The farrier is scheduled to come the next day at 10am. I run down to the store in the morning to get money out and when I get back he is here. I am in sandals by the way. Well this farrier was a old guy and very impatient come to find out. He told me he is going to use a twitch and I have no idea what that is. Truthfully made things way worse and never again was he welcome back. I this young baby untrained never had her feet lifted and him having the twitch so tight blood is coming out her pores. I do get kicked in this process with a sharp cut hoof as my horse was trying to get up and away from the farrier. When the farrier told me he was gonna use the twitch he said this won't hurt the horse a bit it will just get this done faster. I was on the same side when he was trimming the back feet, the fronts were not that hard to do, but for him to do the back he was practically sitting on her and he dropped the one foot he was working with and she went flying up and forward and her newly cut hoof went right in the front of my leg about ankle high and no medical insurance at the time. Oh my did it hurt I wanted to cry so bad....glad it was cold out I think it numbed the pain a tad. I think something was def. broken it hurt for weeks and still may does if pressed hard in that spot and I have a scar too. Her hoof cut me as well it was so sharp. In hindsight I probably should have let her settle in for a week and then went on to that if not longer to get her use to lifting her feet as well.
The next day I had to work and traveling at the time and I wanted to work with her a bit so we went on a walk. She had a halter on so I left it on. Everything was great till we got to the gate of her pen and she was to go in. She flew in and flipped around rearing. I was freaked out I was gonna let her go lead line on and all still but she finally stayed down and I unclipped the lead and got out of there. This is my pig pen and rectangle shaped and no pigs at the time. When she got loose she went crazy running back and fourth side to side and yes got caught up in the fence and into the cows "no barb wire in the middle so lucky". She did however hurt her leg but I think just sprained it she had a limp for a couple days she got over it. She always had a fascination with the cows anyways. This is the herd animal part....I think this what she wanted all along and it made her feel safe and comfortable to be with them she grew up with them in the big pasture and they were fine together. Now she can't be with the cows she is too rough.
So she stayed in this pen for a few more days and her halter came off some how. Great so now I caught even catch her. I had to call a neighbor to catch her for me. When he did she was loaded in the horse trailer. She does not know how to load so my husband and the other guy locked hands and bucketed her butt up in the trailer cause she sure was not going anytime soon. I sent her off to a trainer for 2 months to learn respect and ground manners. I am absolutely terrified at this point. Part is her breed and part is she is just a baby and untrained and so am I in all aspects.
A couple not so good things happened at this trainers that I know of. Also she learned tons and when she came home, her feet could be lifted, haltered, she wanted to come to you and be with you. She could be touched everywhere, I could groom her, I could have her lay down I could sit on her while laying down. I could go on and on. She did start bitting. Yes I was bit once after coming home and she was in big trouble. It sure hurt and has not happened again since and I did not have to make her bleed or make marks on her to stop it from happening again.
Oh yeah that training was $500 a month and I paid for my own feed. Since then she has been home and not really worked with. I can do all the basics with her but now not knowing much myself and not wanting to pay for a trainer cause I can't really afford it she sits there. She is not challenged in anyway or myself with her and that is what I want.
You can see my plan has not went so good. I am still learning and do everyday.
I think I am who patandchickens has mentioned earlier about looking for a bomb proof horse and if not I am and have been since last Oct. here is that thread if you want to look at it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=404637 I am still looking for a good horse and I have some stipulations but I am not gonna get another horse and be in this same situation. I am stuck with a lovely girl that I can't use or give her what she needs. I will learn and we will keep at this together. I do not agree with getting more then one horse if you can't afford it or for no reason then other to give a single horse company. I want another horse but one I can use and I know what to get, what I want and need so much better then 2 years ago.
I have barb wire on my fencing. It was already up and usable so we starting using it but it will be replaced soon, she is the only horse, and was a bit under weight going into winter, along with not being challenged. What do I do now? Well she will stay here but this is the kind of situation that some posters are trying to help you not get into.
Here is another thread of mine.....looking for a better trainer and got into feeding issues and other stuff. Might be of interest for you to read.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=422280
Good luck!
Quote:
Oh your filly was lovely as a youngster no wonder you fell in love with her. I am so sorry you went through the ordeal you did with her. And at the state of the horse market these days I applaud your keeping her. I hope and pray you connect with a mentor to get some miles on yourself and learn to bring your filly along. Gawd it will be hard but it can be done.
Oh your filly was lovely as a youngster no wonder you fell in love with her. I am so sorry you went through the ordeal you did with her. And at the state of the horse market these days I applaud your keeping her. I hope and pray you connect with a mentor to get some miles on yourself and learn to bring your filly along. Gawd it will be hard but it can be done.
Take the advice they are giving you and be thankful they are being honest, yes maybe a tad harsh
but HONEST! They aren't sugarcoating it at all. It is the reality of owning horses. The least amount you will ever spend on a horse is what you pay for him/her.
So tell me, If they cost so much, need so much time, can and will get hurt if the pen they are in is not perfect, why keep them
This cracked me up because of something my boyfriend said to me the other day... I just bought my new competition horse and he, knowing nothing about horses, asked me "Soooo.... Like.... When is this investment going to pay itself off?
"
I about fell on the floor laughing and told him don't worry, our finances are and will always be seperate and I will never ask you for money for the horses as long as you never ask me or give me crap about how much they cost (which I just figured out is currently $9600 a year in board alone, no vet/farrier/lessons/shows included
).
This cracked me up because of something my boyfriend said to me the other day... I just bought my new competition horse and he, knowing nothing about horses, asked me "Soooo.... Like.... When is this investment going to pay itself off?
I about fell on the floor laughing and told him don't worry, our finances are and will always be seperate and I will never ask you for money for the horses as long as you never ask me or give me crap about how much they cost (which I just figured out is currently $9600 a year in board alone, no vet/farrier/lessons/shows included
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