Horses

[lightsout]

Anybody own or work with any? The wife has four that have been at her mom's for years and they've done nothing with them. Since we're building our house now and she's wanting to build a barn and bring a couple of them with us (in a couple years) we started working with them with the help of a family friend who trains horses.

 

Me personally, always interested in horses but never thought I'd be able to deal with them. Every video of somebody who knew what they were doing (or supposedly so) getting wrecked made me say "fug that". But after day one, I was hooked. 

At this point, it's on us. The horses are healthy and the rust is knocked off, but the trainer showed us everything last week that we can do for the next several months. So it's a matter of consistency and not letting them lapse again. 

 

Anybody here have any knowledge and tips for me?

[rayzor]

Used to have a couple. One died of twisted gut (absolutely horrible to watch it in so much pain knowing there isn't anything you could do except wait for someone to come help put it down) and the other horse went into deep depression. We ended up giving it away to someone who had several and apparently it has done well. 

The cost monetarily, emotionally, and physically made it hard to keep. 

I went to work for someone who raised donkeys and mules and took the mules out riding, and I've got to say I enjoyed the mules more. Seemed more stable an animal in many ways. They have a better range of vision and don't stress over a lot of things horses do. They also just seem to be a more steady and durable animal. I don't know, just the perception I had with them. 

Still probably won't ever invest in any of them...not enough time or energy or desire. They are fun, but still a hobby that requires a while lot out of you.

[thefuzz]

Gotta stay on top of the vet bills....

 

They are expensive, and time consuming, but like any hobby really fun if you are into it.

[Khyber53]

When I was a kid, my family ran an Arabian horse farm in the NC mountains. Nothing too big,  just 25-30 horses, going to shows most weekends through the summer and auctions during the autumn (some really over the top ones at Sitting Rock Farms, a place that you should look up the story of ... ). Eventually my Grandfather decided to get out of the business (my Grandmother was sick of the whole lifestyle). Horses require constant attention -- you can't take vacations without having someone come feed, water and pasture them. 

Fast forward 20 years or so and I met my wife, who was an dressage rider. Same situation, just a single, but terribly expensive, horse and hobby. Even boarding a horse requires a fair amount of time and money. Once the kids came along, and she blew out a knee, we were left with a horse that was too expensive to give away and too old to sell. Luckily we found a good home for it.

Basically, if you own a horse you stuff wads of dollar bills in the front end and out the back end comes a ton of manure. In the meantime, if you own your own barn, you are also chained to them and that property until death, divorce or disaster. It's a whole lifestyle and it revolves around the horse, not you.

Make of that what you will and good luck with what you decide!

[LinvilleGorge]

13 hours ago, Khyber53 said:

Basically, if you own a horse you stuff wads of dollar bills in the front end and out the back end comes a ton of manure. 

I grew up with horses. This sums it up perfectly. If you really, REALLY love horses then it's worth it. If you don't, it's a hard pass. If you've never had horses or farmed, it might seem like a romantic idea. Right up until you do it. I grew up with horses, cattle, and sheep. I'd be fine with never seeing another of any of the above for the rest of my life. Straight up.

[lightsout]

1 hour ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I grew up with horses. This sums it up perfectly. If you really, REALLY love horses then it's worth it. If you don't, it's a hard pass. If you've never had horses or farmed, it might seem like a romantic idea. Right up until you do it. I grew up with horses, cattle, and sheep. I'd be fine with never seeing another of any of the above for the rest of my life. Straight up.

 

I've been told similar things. The thing is, I love outdoor work and for the past several years, I've had an apartment which sort of cuts that out. Getting this house built with land, to be able to cut grass and do something that forces me outside excites me. Don't mind cleaning horse stalls as I've done that and it doesn't take much (and I know people who will gladly take the manure pile off my hands for their use). The money is the only thing that worries me long-term between farrier cost, feed, shavings, general unexpected costs associated that I'm not sure of currently, etc. 

Of course, since many say it, I'm sure if you check with me in a few years I may be feeling differently. Wife is sold on it though and I'm currently in on it so it's happening. We'll see.

[Khyber53]

8 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I grew up with horses. This sums it up perfectly. If you really, REALLY love horses then it's worth it. If you don't, it's a hard pass. If you've never had horses or farmed, it might seem like a romantic idea. Right up until you do it. I grew up with horses, cattle, and sheep. I'd be fine with never seeing another of any of the above for the rest of my life. Straight up.

Same here. I also happened to be terribly allergic to horse dander. Yeah, that made my childhood a lot of fun. 

[Khyber53]

6 hours ago, lightsout said:

 

 Don't mind cleaning horse stalls as I've done that and it doesn't take much (and I know people who will gladly take the manure pile off my hands for their use).

As a side note on this: After my grandparents divorced (yeah, the horses had a lot to do with that), my grandmother was left with two giant manure piles behind one of the barns. She put an ad in the paper offering free horse manure to whoever would come and get it. No takers for a month. On a lark, she advertised it for $10 a load the next week. The piles were gone within 24 hours of the newspaper hitting the stands. 

Some people just won't take sh!t off of you, but they'll happily buy it from you.

[Paa Langfart]

On ‎6‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 11:48 AM, rayzor said:

I've got to say I enjoyed the mules more

I have wanted a riding mule pretty much my whole adult life.  They are incredibly smart and sure footed animals.

I doubt anyone would try this on a horse

 

[rayzor]

On 6/14/2019 at 2:06 AM, LinvilleGorge said:

I grew up with horses. This sums it up perfectly. If you really, REALLY love horses then it's worth it. If you don't, it's a hard pass. If you've never had horses or farmed, it might seem like a romantic idea. Right up until you do it. I grew up with horses, cattle, and sheep. I'd be fine with never seeing another of any of the above for the rest of my life. Straight up.

My dad was the one that bought the horses for he and my mom (who never really wanted them or rode). He loved the dream and built everything around them. Dream got really expensive and old pretty quick.

The idea...the dream (whatever it is)...its easy to catch on to but rarely all its cracked up to be once/if you get it.

My advice, go for simple and temporary.