AMA, I own horses and compete in showjumping

[Troton2022]

Possibly one of the most dull and boring AMAs ever sorry!!!

just a bit bored and thought I would do an AMA in case anyone had any questions about owning horses, jumping, riding, what it’s like to have horses, or anything else horse-related that anyone wanted to ask!

@PeriodDrama

Why do you and the other horse rider like to take your horse out at the same time as the morning school run..

How do you feel about horse poo on the road, my DH was in a bad accident just after Christmas, his car drove over some frozen horse poo. He was luckily to not be seriously injured after his car ended up in the ditch at the side of the road

Because that might be the best time for me to take my horse out. Am I supposed to cancel my work or not take my horse out purely so you can use the road? Even though we both have the same equal right to use the road? Why does your right trump mine?

Sorry to hear about your husband. That must have been very frightening and I hope he is ok. Although if he skidded on frozen horse poo, he could have just as easily skidded on frozen mud, or a patch of black ice. I don’t know exactly what happened, but if the horse poo was frozen then the rest of the road would have been icy too. Driving straight over ice doesn’t usually cause accidents unless breaking or driving at a higher speed so I can’t comment as I don’t know what happened, but I always drive extremely slowly in icy conditions. Even if horse poo wasn’t on the road, there will still be frozen mud or frozen poo from other wild animals. The roads are never completely clean. Thats why I make sure to drive extremely slowly and carefully in icy weather

@FirewomanSam

Did you grow up with horses? When did you start show jumping?

I started riding when I was roughly 4 years old and got my first pony soon after. I started jumping quite quickly and did my first (unaffiliated) showjumping competition when I was 5 or 6

If I went to the local stables and asked for a bag of manure, would I get it or do they have their own arrangements for disposal?

So the school run thing, I live semi/probably rural. There isn’t even a foot path on my way to my kids school!! It’s just country roads! 3 miles is the average to get there. I can cope with getting round a corner and driving super slow due to horse riders. I just don’t understand why you would stress you and the horse out by riding at that time.

However I do think there needs to be a council tax sub for those who ride, the insurance people came out and it was deffo frozen horse shit that caused £35k of damage to my car! I do think there needs to be a service in winter especially that goes and picks it up

Ps the accident was 5ft into a junction so no speeding just the frozen horse pop

@DdraigGoch

If I went to the local stables and asked for a bag of manure, would I get it or do they have their own arrangements for disposal?

Most would gladly give some away. I would!

I used to ride a lot (6-16, I’m 21) and really miss it. How old were you when you first had your own horse/pony? I never was lucky enough to have my own (one day!!). How much better did your riding/knowledge get after having your own, or were you always born into it?

@Isausernameavailable

So affiliated bsj then, what level? Do you lack the ability, bottle or class for eventing?

Are you one of those horsey people that sit on the sidelines criticising others (most of them couldn’t do half as well themselves!)?

I evented but I hate the show jumping part, I find it much scarier than Xc! Hats off to show jumpers from me.

Sorry just seen you were 4.

@PeriodDrama

So the school run thing, I live semi/probably rural. There isn’t even a foot path on my way to my kids school!! It’s just country roads! 3 miles is the average to get there. I can cope with getting round a corner and driving super slow due to horse riders. I just don’t understand why you would stress you and the horse out by riding at that time.

However I do think there needs to be a council tax sub for those who ride, the insurance people came out and it was deffo frozen horse shit that caused £35k of damage to my car! I do think there needs to be a service in winter especially that goes and picks it up

I understand what you’re saying, but you didn’t answer my question about why your right to be on the road trumps my right to be on the road. We both have the same equal right to be there. I can’t comment on why other people would be out at that time and personally it’s not for me (A bit too early for me!!) but it might be the best time for that rider to be out with work or other commitments. Or alternatively they might just want to be out at that time and there’s nothing to say they shouldn’t.

It’s awful to hear about the damage to your car but unfortunately the roads have mud and debris and all sorts of other wild animal poo, especially in rural areas. Obviously I don’t know the details but I always drive extra slowly on junctions just in case there’s any black ice or frozen patches of mud on the road

@BadgeronaMoped

Do you drive one of those big horseboxes? If you do, is it stressful/do the horses mind? Do horses get travel sick?! One last question, does the horsebox have a WC? ...I do wonder sometimes as I'm driving about

Horses can't vomit (one of the reasons colic is so dangerous for them)

You have missed my questions

@PinkSyCo

How can you tell whether horses enjoy it or not?

Horses are actually very expressive, once you get to know them. They have many more facial expressions than a dog does.

You have to choose the right horse for the type of riding that you want to do. I've had a, horse that you had to be very careful to not get between him and the horse float (trailer to carry horses) as he would accidentally knock you over in his eagerness to go out on a ride.

@navydear

You have missed my questions

Sorry, I’m trying to answer in order (where possible!) I’ll reply now

Your question was about if I’m wealthy or not? I already answered that upthread to another poster (it was in one of my first few replies, I can’t remember which one exactly but it was near the start- but basically no I’m not particularly wealthy.) im not poor because I can comfortably afford a horse but I’m definitely not rich, especially compared to other horse people!

I certainly wouldn’t have classed myself as rich when I was a child and I came from a normal family, although we could afford the money for my ponies so I appreciate that’s a lot more than most people could afford and I don’t want to sound ungrateful! I just mean we weren’t rich, just normal but comfortable. That’s how most horse people are, although there are some riders that are very rich! Just like any other sport I suppose.
It was another poster who commented about their cousins being rich or not so I can’t comment on that sorry!

OP, you should take a dip into the Riders series - bloody good fun and lots of japes! I managed to gobsmacked a horsey friend of mine when I randomly dropped into a conversation the birthdate of horses in the northern hemisphere. She was “blimey, how did you know that?” And my response was that reading trashy novels in my youth wasn’t a wast of time!

As a question - do you sometimes get fed up of the “judgement” that people often place on you as a horse owner? I’ve seen it a few times on here. The two people I know with horses are really down to earth, incredibly caring friends and would do anything for there horses. But often, on here, people are really judgemental as to the “type” of person who owns a horse.

Another question - your livery yard. When your horse is turned out, are their public footpaths nearby? If so, do you ever worry about walkers feeding your horse random stuff? Does the yard have appropriate signage up? I’d never feed a random dog on a walk, but am still amazed by the fact that some people think it’s ok to head off on a walk and feed horses on the way.

Final question, do you have a favourite colour? As a child, I daydreamed that I had a palomino, closely followed by a dappled grey 💕