why do people insist on getting horses they cannot handle? should they take a test like a horse driving test?

Question

there are people out there who insist on getting problem horses young horses who cannot handle a riding school pony.
im all for encouraging people to get involved with horses but ive seen what can happen when it goes wrong and ive done my fair share of rehabilatating some of these poor horses.
these pages are full of people asking for help when all they really require is some prior training and ongoing support from a trainer. i was taught you never stop learning with horses and there is a 100% commitment from you to carry on learning for the good of the horse.
so thats my rant,
how many people out there believe possible horse owners should undergo a test like a driving test, to cover basic care ? im sure im not the only person out there to think like this

lots of good points put forward, there are many unscrupulous dealers out there out to make the best of someones ignorance. Its just it seems such a shame that basic competence couldn't be taught first, regardless of what discipline you do, basic understanding of how to feed how often to worm and shoe feet should be taught first, its common sense!!!. wouldnt it be good if every horse came with an instruction booklet and an 'ingredient' list to show its temperment and what sort of level you should be at to own it. but i agree it would be impossible to standardise and implement something like this and its unfortunately not always only the owner to blame. so we'll all just have to keep plugging away on yahoo

Answer 1

yes i think you're right when you say people need a license but, also i mean peple whom drive cars have a license but still carnt drive so therefore if this licensing thing was to take place it still wouldn't solve the problem of people buying horses they cannot handle. it took me 5 years to be able to handle my horse and i am only now able to jump 1.3m without being ploughed throught the jumps. so even if the horse is hard to handle they will (with the right training) come good

Answer 2

Yes, I thoroughly agree with you. There was an article in Horse and Hound last week about it. Some other European countries have exams and tests which prospective horse-owners have to take before they can own a horse or pony.

It would be a hell of a task to implement, just like when DEFRA insisted that every horse and pony in the country should have a passport. I didn't work - although quite a few businesses made a lot of money out of it.

I have been around horses for over 50 years and have judged at Horse shows for the past 25 years. The abuse I have seen is unbelievable and it's mainly down to ignorance. Some of the questions on here make me really angry and I feel like telling the people asking the ridiculous questions that they shouldn't own horses if they don't know the basic facts.

I have been pushing for an Equestrian category on here for quite a while, now, and it looks like they are 'thinking' about it. Please go to the Forum, (top right hand corner), and make it your Suggestion. Thanks.

Answer 3

I think all horse owners should have to take at least a test in basic horse care, and obtain a license, to own a horse. If they are willing to take on such a high maintenance, and expensive animal, then surely the added expense of proving they can provide adequate care is justified. The British Horse Society offers a horse care examination, at reasonable cost already, but it is under used as a way of increasing the standard of horse care in this country.
I am infuriated that, in England, the licensing of livery yards has been put on hold for another two years. There is inadequate supervision within the horse industry in this country. In Germany, and other European countries, all horses are kept on licensed yards, known as 'Saddle Clubs', with quality instruction and management, and individuals may not compete until they have proved themselves competent. It's about time England caught up!

It also upsets me to read so many questions, on this site, that demonstrate such a lack of basic knowledge, from all over the world. I wonder what the hell is happening to the poor animals owned by some of the individuals who post here...

Answer 4

If the breed associations would first enforce higher standards, it may help to eliminate some of the junk horses from backyard breeders that you see. This might encourage breeders to be more responsible in what they produce if they thought they could not get papers. But for a lot of people, it is a status symbol to say " I own a horse". Or they see all the things on TV and the movies and think having one will be just like that. You will never get the general public to go along with being regulated on their animals, but I agree that most people are totally uneducated when it comes to owning an animal as large as this.

Answer 5

As a person who has been around and trained horses most of my life and agree you never stop learning about them but you also know how kind hearted some folks are.
Also how some folks will drug a horse for an easy sale.
I agree that a lot of folks should know a lot more then they do before getting a horse but we both know that even great horse persons get a "Bang Tail" once in awhile.
Having a horse is a large expense not to mention all the care needed. As for having a test-Never happen-even though it's a good idea. We could apply it to other types of pet owners also.

Answer 6

well I'd say that the people selling those horses shoud at least have better judgment! When your selling your green hore and someone come and you can tell right aways if the person is comfortable handling a young horse. I would never have sold my horse to someone who couldn't handle it.

and Paint Po... not to be rude, but I've known many backyard horses that are great at what they do. Many of those PMU babies that are unregisterable turn out to be great show horses with the proper owner. Idont think that mixed breeding is really the issue. its inexperienced people getting in over their heads and turning perfectly nice horses sour because they can't hadle them.

Answer 7

Who would develop the standard??? There are numerous schools of thought on horsemanship.. Not all of them correct. In fact one organization many insurance companies rely on for certification of riding academies requires helmets,, but say nothing about the unsafe practice of riding in tennis shoes.
Agreed,, many new comers are ill equipped to deal with a horse in there life.. But so are some supposed professionals.
We have a new client who not only was sold an unsuitable horse,, but was sold this horse by her " Riding Instructor".

Accreditation for ownership is outlandish.. It is impossible to develop a standard, or a governing body to oversee the process.

Answer 8

Definetely agree. Same should go for those IDIOT trainers out there who, a)can't ride themselves, and b)can't teach someone else to ride!
I know a lot of people love their trainer, blah blah blah, but seriously, you need to think about your(and your kids) safety. A girl recently moved to our barn because her previous trainer put her on a horse she couldn't handle and had her try to teach it something IT DIDN'T KNOW! We're talking about a 100lb 13yr old trying to control a 1000lb horse. HAHA not gonna happen!(obviously, if you KNOW how to ride that's different. I get on a 2000 lb Percheron whose 6ft at withers and ride bareback in tennis shoes with a bridle that doesn't fit-too big! and me being 5-1 and 100lb at 14yrs, not getting bigger.) So she was thrown from the horse and the simple IMPACT crushed her ankle and she couldn't ride, etc. for like 6months+ because she had something like more than 7pins and 9 screws in her ankle. WHAT ARE THOSE PEOPLE THINKING?
Another lady(S) had a little quarter horse(yes, I consider QH little. I ride 17.3 mare for my lessons. the shortest horse in the barn is a 14.2 Arab who was a rescue by a boarder.) who's 35 now. so she got a younger horse. When she got this horse it was very sweet. The trainer was so terrible that S would not get near the horse. She got on and was dragged across the arena. When this group(2horses+owner) came to our barn, my trainer started training the horse. I was terrified after the first time. She had given me my lesson and I was untacking while she was working on lunging with this horse. the horse came through the arena door and towards my horse-he had ripped the lunge line out of her hands- the girl who was standing there with me jumped in front of my horse and waved her arms. the horse went into the arena(luckily). a little later that same night, we were standing in the doorway watching. he came at us and I hid between the saddle stands while the other girl(H) went into a crack in the hay bales. she pulled him to the other end of the arena, but H swears that having that crack there probably saved her that night. My trainer was so angry that anyone could get a horse THAT BAD. the horse is 6. he came when he was 5. he had been in training with his bad trainer for 2-3years. a week ago one of my friends, whose been riding with my trainer for less than a year, got on and rode him. what does that show you a) about the quality of training and lessons you CAN get(with my trainer ie.) and b) how afwul people can be.
S will tell you, she had ridden and taken lessons for 10-15 years and she COULDN'T RIDE. I've ridden for 2years and I'm showing 2nd level. Think about it.
OH, and PS to whoever said Morgan horses are big. what, are you 3feet tall?

Answer 9

People pick horses with their eyes or by the breed of the horse and not by the tempermant of the horse.
I see many questions about what breed would be best for me?
People need to match the horses ability to theirs and the tempermant to theirs.
I ride an ex-race thoroughbred. I love him and he is great. My husband tries to ride him and he acts up and runs on him. He does not do it with me. My husband has a great paint mare that he rides and she is wonderful for him. I hate to ride her. She is a pain in the rear end. But he does great on her.
If people stopped picking horses by breed or by their looks they would be better off.

Answer 10

I own 2 Morgans, and what most people don't realize, is 1, they can be intimidating because they are so big, second, they need lots of love, and attention, third, they are very expensive to upkeep. There is trimming the hoofs, monthly shots, regular vet visits, and if you don't own your own land, there is boarding, and boarding is very expensive. Then, there is feed, and bedding, tack, and gear.
Horses are a lifetime companion if you know what you are getting into.