The "Should" Law-When Was That Passed?

newforest

newforest

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
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Maybe I am being thick here, but I thought that owning a horse was because it was part of this list-
Pleasure, fun, hobby, pet, happiness, relaxation, company, affinity and sometimes the challenges, like mud, bills, frozen pipes, and the odd tumble.

So can someone tell me when the law was passed that said you should ride? I was lunging the cob and that's a work out IMO, I was doing this for reasons known to myself. I got a comment that "I should be on her" Equally there were reasons why i wasn't at that particular moment. What's it got to do with anyone else what i do or don't do. She is 4.5yrs old, I am not going to feel guilty that she has been lunged twice, including over jumps, and led out once this week. I know that will be less than you guys do or in some cases more than others.

Did it come into effect on January 1 or something!
 
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Beats me. I really love riding but get just as much pleasure from hanging out with my unbacked babypony.
 
Riding is not the be all and end all.

I love spending time with Victory and really enjoy lunging and letting him kick up his heals etc and best of all it gives me the opportunity to watch him from the ground.

As long as a horse is happy, looked after, has plenty of turnout and company, so what if you don't ride... don't suppose the horse cares.. their main things in life are food, water, turnout and company :smile:

I agree with the above.. it's your horse you do want you blooming well want.
 
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NF please, please don't let whoever said that get to you- far too often there are people who think their way of being with a horse is the ONLY way and anything else is just not good enough and incorrect://///... Well screw them quite frankly, sorry but it really gets to me... How dare people tell you what to do with YOUR horse you know her and you best, you love her, care for her and god knows as we all do , you try to do your best by her all the time, I'm sure!!!! It's stupid comments like that, that drive people into dangerous situations... it makes them feel they should be riding this many times a week and for this long and trying to go here there and everywhere before the horse or they are ready, for whatever reason- clearly this person has far too much time on their hands to be poking their nose into your business, its nothing to do with them and quite frankly I'd tell em to bog off-
( or words to that effect!!!) .... Sorry but i feel VERY strongly about this particular subject and can't stand it as alot of damage can be done by complete prats and their opinions on what's 'correct and right'......
oh sod off!!!!!!!!! GRRRRR!!!
Right ill get of my soap box now:) x
 
It is definatley not a 'should' and don't ever feel pressurised, there is so much more to owning a horse than riding. As you say, as long as you are enjoying what you are doing and spending quality time with Tilly that is all that counts.

I have several friends that never (or rarely ride their horses) but just enjoy the pleasure of ownership and the wonderful company of being around horses.

Two friends in particular spring to mind, they don't hack out, they take their horses for long walks, nothing wrong with that.

I hate 'should' its not a good word I prefer to use 'it would be nice if' but thats another subject.

Its easy to feel pressure from others on the yard, sometimes it can be motivating but at others times it can be a pain.

Just do what you want and blank the others, or change yards. Honest loads off people have horses and don't ride.

I push myself because I like riding, I just have this negative thing about getting ready, i.e 'oh I have to get the tack, put my gear on, drive to the yard, unlock everything, catch the horse (I've got over that one, she comes to call now) brush off, tack up, remember to put my hat on, change my boots, make sure I have my mobile, where is that mounting block? Oh shit I forgot my whip etc'. Once I am actually on board I am fine and love it.:smile:
 
Shame so many people in the horse world appear blinkered that you can enjoy time with their horses. Riding is very much secondary to me, I spend far more hours just being with my horses than riding them. I couldn't care less what others think of that quite honestly!
 
well i have 9 equines here and none of them have been ridden in 6 years.

Rose and Molly are retired, age 26.

Leo is unbroken

The 4 donkeys don't count though Mr T could be ridden

Suze is being a mum

Foalicle is being a foal

Rose is feeling very well at the moment, having tried to die of liver failure 3 years ago. I could almost be tempted to ruin her day by bringing out her saddle. Molly hasn't a thing wrong with her except between the ears.

I hope this year i may get on Suze but that is lap of gods stuff at the moment.

I would like to ride, but for various reasons have never had a sound horse recently. Also if you are short of time, letting them lunge or have a play in the school does more good than walking out a very fresh very tense horse with an equally tense rider. I am also walking wounded at the moment anyway as well.....

Sometimes you don't have time and in the winter if you aren't able to do much with them it's almost better to give them a holiday and bring them back into work in the spring than have a constant battle with a very fit and under worked and over fresh horse.
 
In my first year with Joy, I didn't really enjoy it for 2 main reasons.

Firstly I didn't think I was good enough for her and that she could do better.

Secondly I wasn't doing as much with her as I should/ought.

I got over that! We both have a great life that we enjoy.
 
If you don;t put the work in on the ground you cannot even begin to expect to be able to get on their back
 
I must be a minority then :redface: I have a horse so as I can ride it. When they get old then thats a different story Ill cross that bridge when it comes I suppose. I dont earn enough to keep a horse as an expensive pet. I have enough money to keep one comfortably (shettie doesnt cost anything as pay for field) but I think my OH would have something to say for just keeping them as pets. I also dont have my own land and pay livery/field costs and thats an expense that not matter how much I love my horse and every second spent is bliss (even when cobby is naughty :giggle:) and its my chill out time :smile:

I do have groundwork days etc BUT this is going towards riding and better work through that. i agree with Wally's sentiment but my horse is for me to ride, if I wanted a non riding pet I could buy a dog or a cat etc and keep that cheaply at home. I dont expect everyone to like my thoughts towards it and I expect a certain amount of fallout over this post but its just my opinions on this subject :smile:
 
Wally said:
If you don;t put the work in on the ground you cannot even begin to expect to be able to get on their back
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Exactly. This was why i was working on something on the ground that i had found a hole in ridden.

The way the comment was said was lunging was a waste of time. I do other things besides this anyway. Strangely though it came from someone who doesn't ride themselves. But they always have something to say to me!
 
Wally said:
If you don;t put the work in on the ground you cannot even begin to expect to be able to get on their back
Click to expand...

Too true - and in my opinion it does not matter if the horse is 6 or 16!!! You still need to build a partnership and lay down foundations.
 
RSMC said:
I must be a minority then :redface: I have a horse so as I can ride it. When they get old then thats a different story Ill cross that bridge when it comes I suppose. I dont earn enough to keep a horse as an expensive pet. I have enough money to keep one comfortably (shettie doesnt cost anything as pay for field) but I think my OH would have something to say for just keeping them as pets. I also dont have my own land and pay livery/field costs and thats an expense that not matter how much I love my horse and every second spent is bliss (even when cobby is naughty :giggle:) and its my chill out time :smile:

I do have groundwork days etc BUT this is going towards riding and better work through that. i agree with Wally's sentiment but my horse is for me to ride, if I wanted a non riding pet I could buy a dog or a cat etc and keep that cheaply at home. I dont expect everyone to like my thoughts towards it and I expect a certain amount of fallout over this post but its just my opinions on this subject :smile:
Click to expand...

Can I join your club too, I often get comments from people asking when my boys last had a day off!! None of your business actually. Like you I can't afford to keep them as pets and when I was told that Chanter can no longer do what I want I got Ginger to fill that hole. As you all no I would never part with Chanter he is with me for life to pay back the years he gave me and he is still rideable at the moment and I will keep riding him until he tell me that he has had enough.

There is no way on earth OH would let me have horses if I did not ride we just don't have that type of money to keep horses as pets. I have to say I also don't understand those that do even though being on NR and listening to people talk about their unridden horses I understand more now I just could not do it myself.

It also does not mean that because you spend lots of time with them but not riding them or riding them but not hours sat with then that either loves their horse/pony more than the other
 
Well when Tobes was at his absolute piggyness I didn't ride. Actually just doing groundwork didn't feel right to me, but I squared it with myself and convinced myself that that was the way forward. Actually he scared me and I had no desire to ride him!!! However, for me, riding is an important part of owning a horse. I personally (and cannot speak for anyone else) needed a kick up the arse and far more importantly help to actually get riding and get over the issues that we had, and with my lovely YO/RI I found that.

So I guess it is horses for courses. Far more important I think that the horse is a) properly looked after and b) stimulated than fussing about whether they are ridden or not - am not hugely sure they really care!!!!
 
People have a horse for what they want a horse for. I accept that for some its about riding, for some its not. I have a friend who owns two unstarted ponies. But she and they are happy.
I wouldn't comment about that anymore than i would expect comments at me.
The puzzle for me was the fact i WAS still doing something.

Owning for me is 50.50, ground and ridden. Without adequate groundwork I will be landing back on it with a bump anyway. I have young mare full of her own opinions, she was only backed 6months ago at 4. For some that's late-but for us-as in me and her, that's the right time.
 
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