To not understand how people can treat horses like cars?

[IJustLovePirates]

I was looking at ‘active’ threads earlier and inadvertently stumbled across the Tack Room for horse owners. Which just reminded me of something that has bothered me for years....

How do people who profess to love their horses seem to continually swap them for faster/bigger/younger models. I live in a rural area, 8 see the adverts in the local farming supplements about horses that have been ‘outgrown’ . And people looking to upgrade/swap for a better horse.

Surely if you buy a child a horse, it should be like any other pet and you should expect to have it for life?

Or AIBU?

A horse is more comparable (if you want to make one) to a bike than a car. You don’t keep your first trike until you’re 25.

My friend lives in America and rescues horses that are auctioned to be sent to slaughter. There's a real problem with minis, bought for little kids and quickly outgrown. The abuse some of them have suffered before being sent away or sold is horrific.

YABU
Some reasons to change horse:

1. Outgrown is a obvious reason

1. Some children are not compatible with certain horse (each horse is different and you will not know until spending sufficient time riding). Those horses will be better off with a more suitable rider (eg. A sharp and advanced horse can shine with a confident rider but may scare a nervous type)
2. Different horses are suitable for different activities: pony club, dressage, jumping, XC etc. And the rider’s circumstances change
3. Riders outgrow (skill wise) the horse

Ideally it would be perfect to keep all the horses. But it is extremely expensive to keep a horse (much more expensive than buying most ones). Most riders do not have the luxury to own multiple and do not have enough time to give them the exercise they deserve. I know someone who keep all her horses and do not have to sell, because her mum runs a farm and riding school

Unlike cars, horses gain experience and training through having multiple owners. A car (assuming sound mechanical condition) rolls off of the assembly line ready to go. A horse requires professional training from the outset to be suitable for a rider, a process that never really stops. Sometimes the owner is competent enough to provide that training. Sometimes they are not.

Unlike a car, a horse has a personality. Sometimes they will mesh with their rider. Sometimes they will not, bringing unsatisfactory results all around.

A car can be driven by anyone who knows how to drive. A horse cannot be ridden by anyone who knows how to ride. You can't just put 30 days training into a young horse or pony and plonk a pleasure rider on their back -- changing owners and trainers, and constant professional training, is how horses become suitable partners for different riders.

The analogy doesn't stand up at all, really. They are livestock with some pet-like aspects. They can be kept as pets, but not all of them are.

I can see both sides. Personally, for me a horse is for life. Or rather the ones I have owned up until now have all been for life. I have given up riding when my older mare retired as I still had to pay her livery costs even though I was not riding her. I could not afford to have two. My horses have been my pets and my last horse especially was like losing a family member (well, she WAS a family member). However, I know because they are essentially a "sport" as well as a pet then people have them for different reasons. Unless you own your own land and can cheerfully keep the kids ponies they have outgrown in your own paddocks or can afford livery then sadly they do have to perhaps go to a retirement or companion home or go to a new home with another child.

Lol, this is why my dad taught me to ride on a 17hh hunter, no growing out of that one 😂

"But it is extremely expensive to keep a horse (much more expensive than buying most ones)."

Second this statement. I got my last mare "free" as a rescue type case and I reckon in her lifetime she cost me well over £100k easily. It is not the purchase of them but the ongoing monthly costs and it is not always possible to just keep hold of an unsuitable horse.

YABU, and I say that as someone who has owned horses almost all their life.

If you're riding them competitively, selling and buying horses is quite normal and not an indicator that the rider/owner is an evil monster who couldn't care less about their animals. And of course, alongside the very obvious issue of children outgrowing ponies and being too heavy (and if the child still wants to carry on riding but you can only afford one horse, what do you do then?), people's circumstances change.

So yes, YABU. But surely "living in a rural area" you'd have worked this out? Unless you're the sort of person who thinks cows should wear rugs in the rain etc...

Another horse owner here. I am currently on my 4th horse ...

Horse 1 ... I owned til he died (had him put down due to severe health issues).
Horse 2 ... much too much for me in terms of its readability. Too fast and sharp (kept falling off!) ... so re-homed to a better rider.
Horse 3 ... again, a very capable horse with a great competitive future, so accepted a (silly money!) offer to sell to a competition home where horse did very well and then went off to have a baby.
Horse 4 ... still own, and have had for 10 years. Quieter, easy to ride, never fallen off it. Will probably keep into retirement as a field ornament ... which is where the issue arises. I don't own a field!! So pay for it to be kept at livery on someone else's property. This is expensive and insecure, so hopefully things will work out.

Sadly, a dog may be for life, but a horse just isn't.

Most people don’t.
It’s why I’m stuck with my old, naughty, sicknote.

Children’s ponies change hands often within the same circles. Competition horses/ponies do move on to enable progression or fund competing. But a lot of leisure horses stay with the same owners for life.

The previous owner of my old mare sold her because she had to and we still talk regularly decades on. I couldn’t sell her now, she’ll be pts if I can’t (she’s 23 and has a heap of issues).

Not the same. Horses are hugely expensive to keep. Most people can’t afford to own multiples. If you are too physically big for a horse, or it can’t manage the kind of riding you want to do, if you keep it you likely can’t have another which is more suitable.

Horses aren’t the same kinds of pets as dogs. They don’t live in your house. They aren’t bonded to you in the same way. There can be very close relationships between horses and their riders, but it’s not the same as an animal which lives with you. A horse will settle perfectly happily into a new home with a more suitable rider.

The only time I think it’s wrong to sell is when a horse is getting elderly. In those circumstances you should retire them with you, because too many elderly horses are sold on to shitty and sad ends.

A horse isn't a fluffy cute kitten or puppy or anything like a car 🤦🏽‍♀️

They cost A LOT to keep, I personally keep all mine and have one who is 33yo, but if your competing and you need to move on to a more advanced horse, then you sell the current to a family that can make use of the horse and buy a new horse that can keep up with the level your competing at.

Can also be like keeping hold of a load of skiing gear when you will never ski again, except costs hundreds of pounds a month to keep, can get injured and cost thousands in vets bills and need caring for every day.

They’re a pet and also something to use for rides/compete with. While my bigger horses are here for life (mine is an elderly lady now) our two ponies had to be sold as they were outgrown. They were both adorable and initially I’d hoped to keep them. But the little one got laminitis from not being fit from doing enough work. It is a really serious condition and can end up with them having to be put to sleep. So we sold her to a lovely family with a little girl that adored her. The next pony also went to a cracking home that loved him. To be honest I don’t think we could’ve afforded to keep them all. They really cost a fortune to keep.

But I understand your point. I wouldn’t dream of rehoming my dog. And I can’t tell you how much we all cried when the ponies went.

I two horses at home both unridden, one who was retired at 7 due to ill health. I think selling the horses is fine as long as they are healthy. I get really annoyed when people sell injured horses as “companions” which usually results in them ending up with dodgy dealers who sell them on for profit.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve no time for people who sell on injured horses or elderly horses as companions. Where they frequently e d up in bad hands and sold on again. I’d rather see one PTS than passed about
But selling a sound horse that’s either been outgrown or the rider is over/under horsed is no issue.

Totally agree with pps, I don't like to see old horses being sold on the open market as "companions". Only a very small percentage of them end up in a good home I think.

Lots of reasons horses are sold on, outgrowing either due to rider weight or height is one as a rider who is too big for the horse or pony is a welfare issue. Kids ponies are like gold dust and generally go from one family to the next to continuosly be loved by small children, most friend groups who range in age will all know a few ponies that they've all had at some point, a bit like when you outgrow your clothes your you get siblings will have your hand me downs and then friends with you get siblings that fit those clothes will get them down the line too, these ponies are fought over as they are incredibly precious and much loved by the equine community! Other reasons are people may breed or buy a horse that turns out not to be suitable for them, like how at rescue centres they try and match you up with the animal best suited to you. Some riders or owners may not be competent enough to deal with certain horses issues and sell to someone who can deal with them and the get themselves something better suited to them. This is much better for horse and rider instead of someone just blindly carrying on and either put their health/life in danger or that of the horse. Competitive homes where the horse "has a job" sometimes the horse may not enjoy the work it's doing and be better suited to a different home, sometimes they may have gotten an injury that means they can't do the work they were brought or bred for and so selling them to a slower moving life is the better option. Horses are seriously expensive to keep as the saying goes the only way to become a millionaire with horses is to start off a billionaire! Some people's personal circumstances change normally due to money or health issues and again the horses welfare is paramount to most owner's, if the owner can't do the physical job of looking after their horse or being able to correctly care for their horse then they have to sell.them. I don't agree with people selling their veteran horses on as I think this is unfair.

Hmmm, which bit of the horse is the horn? Unicorns and cars maybe, but not horses and cars. You could attach one of those old fashioned horns that you squeeze but I don't think the horse would like it very much.

if you buy a child a horse, it should be like any other pet …

A horse isn’t a pet though

Horses aren’t pets in the same way as a dog is a pet IMO.
I’ve loved mine and given them the best of everything but at the end of the day they are incredibly expensive to keep not to enjoy.

I’ve had one that I did retire but I’ve also had some young ones that I’ve sold on for whatever reason (new baby and unable to ride for a long time and also because the horse didn’t enjoy the activities I did)

A good child’s pony can often ‘work’ up until their late 20s and teach many many children, it would be a waste for it to stand in a field for 20 years after it’s been outgrown in size and ability.
I wouldn’t personally want to pay out £400/month for a hobby that didn’t give me any enjoyment and I would rather the horse went to someone else who was more invested in it than me. All of my previous horses are in lovely homes and are very well cared for but I’m sure as long as the next home was also nice and they got fed they wouldn’t care less where they were! I’ve also got one out on loan that I’ve retained ownership of so that I can ensure his future, we don’t all just discard them once we don’t have a use for them!

My mare is now a pet, I've had her over half my life and I couldn't ever give her up plus I'd probably have to pay someone to take her
But I wasn't ever a serious rider, it was more the connection between me and my pony that I enjoyed.

I was lucky, I never got much taller than I was at 10 when we got our first pony so I never outgrew her and kept her until her death. Most children tend to get bigger though, I have friends whose children have already outgrown their first little ponies, its usually pretty emotional when they have to give up their first ponies for a bigger one but they can't carry on riding them if they're too heavy.

I kind of agree with you on this but appreciate that not everyone has the space to just keep their old horses as pets. I kept D horse one from 3 until she was PTS at 25. DHorse 2 is now 22. I have had her 17 years and we are still plodding round the countryside .Dhorse 3 is a beautiful un-ridable field ornament. I might buy another one day, if my body still holds out! We are lucky in that we have our own land to keep them on.

Children get too big and heavy for the pony so you sell pony on to another child who adores it... and buy a larger pony.

Horses aren't comparable to domestic pets - they're mostly working animals - plus they cost an absolute fortune.

I like a PP's comparison to a bike in terms of outgrowing them - you don't ride your first tricycle as an adult - you buy new bikes as you grow and become more able and confident.

If you'd outgrown a bike and it would cost you £400 per month to keep it in storage, would you keep it? It's the same for horses - if they are no longer a good fit for you (for whatever reason) it's best that they're sold on to a new home with owners who will love them, ride them/work them and care for them, rather than have them stuck in a field all day.

I ride myself (I don't own a horse though) and you can't ride a horse that's too small for you - it could cripple them and would be very dangerous.