Is your horse a pet?

All leisure horses are pets. Unless you are running a riding school then your horses are pets. They are your hobby, even if you are competing at PC/RC level they are costing you money as you are not winning enough to cover their keep.

Those competing professionally for a living with strings of horses I would say the horses aren't pets as they essentially earn their keep.

My horses have always been my hobby and are therefore pets by default.
 
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newforest said:
Um. To be honest if mine was a human I am not sure we would be friends. :oops:
She is such strong character that she would probably walk all over me.
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Nah, she'd be the cool friend who didn't care what other people thought and was always strong and there for you in a crisis......then again, maybe she would be quite bossy!!! Heheeeee
 
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Mary Poppins said:
Ben is one big hairy pet to me. He keeps my sanity and I would never part with him. I love him as much as I love my human family members.

Saying that, it is not right to judge people who do sell. If Bens old owner hadn't sold him then he wouldn't be mine today. Horses are time consuming and expensive and as long as you take time and care finding them the right home to move into then there is nothing wrong with this.
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I agree it not right to judge people who sell horses. Though I feel there is a difference between people selling horses as a business such as a dealer or some kind and someone who will sell a horse as it has 'issues'. That is what I was getting at. I am all for selling horses however I feel the ones that have 'issues' and are the ones who can be passed from pillar to post and ,for me personally I would rather even PTS or keep to the end of its life. Not pass them around. But that is my opinion and I don't really want to open up a can of worms on this :)
 
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Oscar and Amber are very people-oriented. Max is more aloof. But he is generous, willing and a real trier. He does not have to be 'cuddly' too!
 
I feel the same as @KP nut I don't class them as pets I love Charlie but part of the reason I love him is the fun I have on him this is riding and competing, he was brought to do this "job". If after I had brought him he was not quite what I wanted we would have sold him. He will be sold at some point in the future, he will only go to the right home of course.

My old horse on the other hand is a pet, I love the very bones of him and when he went lame there no question in my mind about what to do I knew straight away he'd carry on living with me even if this meant I couldn't afford another. But he has become this pet through all the good times we've had together, the adventures we've had out hacking to the wins competing doing a "job" and most of all always been there when I needed him most. We've been through so much together he's a part of me and I could never ever let him go. His job now is keeping me happy and he's very good at that!
 
Lissie said:
I feel the same as @KP nut I don't class them as pets I love Charlie but part of the reason I love him is the fun I have on him this is riding and competing, he was brought to do this "job". If after I had brought him he was not quite what I wanted we would have sold him. He will be sold at some point in the future, he will only go to the right home of course.

My old horse on the other hand is a pet, I love the very bones of him and when he went lame there no question in my mind about what to do I knew straight away he'd carry on living with me even if this meant I couldn't afford another. But he has become this pet through all the good times we've had together, the adventures we've had out hacking to the wins competing doing a "job" and most of all always been there when I needed him most. We've been through so much together he's a part of me and I could never ever let him go. His job now is keeping me happy and he's very good at that!
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The definition of pet is an animal kept for pleasure or company. All of us with the exception of those owning a riding school, trading or dealing for a living or breeding as a main source of income, pretty much fall into this category really, they are kept for our pleasure, we may compete but they are still pets by definition :)

The screen shot taken actually has a apt example :)
 

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I am sure some of mine will become pets in the end. As @Lissie says, when you realise that after x years, they have become part of your family and you can't let them go, then they just stay as giant rabbits! My friend has always kept her daughter's first pony as a pet after she was outgrown and could never part with him. But others come and go from her herd.

I don't think it is anyone's place to judge unless you sell on irresponsibly or treat them like commodities. I care deeply for my horses and take their welfare very seriously. They are not pets but they are also not machines and I never, ever treat them as disposable or just there to work for me. Amber could stay long-term. Oscar will be outgrown in the next couple of years though twin 2 is currently saying she'll keep him anyway! That will be up to her. We would not replace him without selling as could not afford to, but I would never make her sell so if she is happy with him as a pet then so be it.
 
I can't imagine selling mine because what else would I get? I don't compete so I don't have the worry of her not being able to do what I want. To be honest I can't actually be bothered to get out of bed for the early starts!!
I did do Trec and we came 2nd but getting up at 4.30am in the dark and it's pleasure!! No thanks.

If the partnership doesn't work or breaks down then I can understand people selling. When I started hacking her out had I viewed her at that moment I wouldn't have gone back for a second viewing!!

@KP nut I couldn't have parted with Lisa. She appeared everything that you had been searching high and low for. Though I probably would have held onto Cally as well. :)
 
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