NA - any current or former horse owners here?

woodstock

woodstock

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If so, I have a question to pose... let me know, thanks.

specifically if you loaned/hired your horse out for riding, or, used this horse for riding lessons (for others).
 
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You're into horses AND airplanes? Just add sailboats and you'll have the trifecta of money pits. :)

Chip
 
Tain't never heard of a Horse model airplane. Who makes it?

;)
 
love horses, had horses growing up (when Mom and Dad were footing the bill) but not now (give me more time). My Mom is getting one and will keep it at my sis-in-law/brother's place. Sis-in-law is the horse person - she boards, rides, gives lessons, etc etc.

it's a complicated story that I don't want to go into if no one can relate to it, here... I just think my Mom's idea of getting a nice little horse to ride is becoming a huge complicated mess (not her idea) and she's just going along with it & I'm a little concerned.
 
Dat's a Myth! Myth, myth!

Pretty girl, 'Yes!?'

Good grief. It's a running gag...
 
gibbons said:
You're into horses AND airplanes? Just add sailboats and you'll have the trifecta of money pits. :)

Chip
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No kidding! I had a horse over 20 years ago. Went to the stable every day to feed, water and muck the stall. The last year I had her I rode her 3 times. It would have been cheaper to drive from Colorado to my cousins' place in California and ride their horses.

Sailboats? Yup, another money pit. $500/yr for the slip (we get a huge bargain on that). $750 every other year or so to have it hauled, cleaned and painted. Miscellaneous this and that. At least it's paid for. And then we don't get it out of the slip often enough.

Airplanes? No matter the cost, they're worth it!
 
My mother owns horses. I know a bit about it. What's the question?
 
I owned a Tennessee Walking Horse at one time. I did not hire him out when I first bought it. He had been abused, and neglected and was quite jumpy. I did not ride him myself when I first bought him. I concentrated on getting rid of the horrible thrush he had in all four feet, and getting him to calm down and trust me. I had a second job at the stables to support him, and that gave me plenty of time to be around him.

After he settled down, the trainer started riding him, and I got to after a while. Still, no one else could, though he enjoyed the company of just about everybody. But, a stray brush of a pant leg would flatten his ears, and he'd take off full speed, out of control. The scars on his back side provided ample evidence of why :mad:

After my trainer and I had put a bunch of work into him, she started having more advanced riders work with him. He eventually became as easy to ride as he was to handle in every other respect. Poor guy just wanted to make you happy, but he wouldn't pick his front feet up to show standards and had gotten clobbered for it. He just wasn't a show horse, but there wasn't a finer pleasure horse to be had.

At that point, I would loan him out to riders the trainer knew would be gentle with him. No beginners (besides me!), because he really didn't like the conflicting signals they give. He needed to know what you wanted without a lot ambiguity.

I did not lease or rent him out. I only loaned him out because he loved to be ridden, the more the better. I was not willing to let just anyone ride him. I knew not just the riding capabilities of the people I let ride him, but their personalities as well. Somebody who's only focus was on winning shows never got on my horse.

If you are going to let a trainer lease your horse out to offset boarding costs, make sure you know and trust your trainer. Most renters take better care of horses than they do planes, but not all. Plus, the horse is a living creature, and some just aren't suited to being ridden by a bunch of different people. You've got to know your horse and trainer very well. If there are problems and questions before you put the horse in their hands, I would make sure they are resolved before trusting my horse to them.

I miss Spur. He was a great horse, but getting engaged took the time I needed to work at the barn. He was sold to a couple who take him trail riding on a nearly daily basis, and has a perfect home for him. I made a huge profit on the sale, but would rather have the horse and the wife.

There are times I think I'd be willing to give up flying for horse ownership. Hopefully, I have more money when Sean is 5 or 6 years older, or I might have to.
 
We have a thoroughbred, quarter horse and just bought an arabian. We just put down our other thoroughbred. My sister used to take riding lessons on our horses and on someone else's, but no one else has taken lessons on ours. The only thing I can think of would be liability if someone was hurt on your horse, maybe?
 
Hi all

yeah, mostly the liability issues. Plus the woman they are buying the horse from is becoming a nightmare. My SIL took the horse in nearly a month ago for my Mom (they will keep her there - they have a nice barn and etc.), and they were to come to terms that very weekend on price, and etc.

The woman who was selling the mare kept changing the terms! then didn't want to sell, hemmed and hawed, finally said "well, I want a baby out of this". So the price is now lower, but there will be a foal involved now (worried about that too, what if the mare doesn't take, foal dies, etc. etc.)

and now my SIL wants to use the horse for riding lessons. While this will be my Mom's horse (supposedly???) in that she will pay for her, and pay for her care/board (nothing foal-related, the woman allegedly is going to pay all those bills, although that remains to be seen as well - danger danger!!) the horse will be in my SIL's name so she can write her off as a business expense - she'll be using her for her business. Not sure I am comfortable with that, either.

long and short... I am watching this from the outside, go from a nice idea for my Mom to get a nice little horse to ride, to buying a horse which as part of the "deal" is a broodmare, and will be used for riding lessons.

the first time someone cracks up, whose neck is on the line? My Mom really just wanted a horse to ride, and I am afraid she will have so little control over what really happens with the horse.

I suggested to my Mom that the horse be 100% my SIL's, and my Mom merely pay the "board" as a lease fee, each month, to ride. nothing more, nothing less. neat and clean.

Joe, didn't know you had horses, good for you! We had several growing up, I used to show when I was in high school. BUT these were OUR horses, and no one else had anything to do with them - no one else even rode them.

I may be over-thinking this, but the last thing I want is for my Mom to walk blindly into something that could harm her. She's so easygoing, she'll go along with whatever my SIL says to her.
 
Liz,

I don't know the first darn thing about horses other than which end eats and which end doesn't.

But just from reading what you're saying about this "sale" it sounds like this is a seller to walk away from. I know if this were a plane owner selling his Pegasus (or 172 for that matter) and going back and forth like this, I wouldn't want to stick aroudn.

Of course, this advice is worth exactly what it cost me to write it...but it may be that this horse just isn't the right one for your mom?
 
Greebo said:
Liz,

I don't know the first darn thing about horses other than which end eats and which end doesn't.

But just from reading what you're saying about this "sale" it sounds like this is a seller to walk away from. I know if this were a plane owner selling his Pegasus (or 172 for that matter) and going back and forth like this, I wouldn't want to stick aroudn.

Of course, this advice is worth exactly what it cost me to write it...but it may be that this horse just isn't the right one for your mom?
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I agree with you completely. and I have brought this up several times. My SIL however is now taking this as a mission and refuses to give up the horse, since part of the weirdness this woman exhibited was that she threatened to take the horse to auction (meaning dog food) if they didn't agree to buy her. totally played to my SIL's emotions. My Mom had even said a week ago she wasn't sure she wanted the horse anymore, but was more or less swept up in the tide - SIL isn't giving the horse up.

another reason to let SIL take it on.
 
Sounds like the lady should be selling used cars instead of horses...although at this point she's making car salesmen look good.
 
Ghery said:
Sailboats? Yup, another money pit. $500/yr for the slip (we get a huge bargain on that). $750 every other year or so to have it hauled, cleaned and painted. Miscellaneous this and that. At least it's paid for. And then we don't get it out of the slip often enough.
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My wife wanted a 38 foot Cruisers aft cabin motor yacht. Yes dear. The slip was $450 a month. The boat had to be hauled annually for bottom paint ($1200), and got 1 mpg. A round trip from its berth in St. Pete to Captiva island, for example, was $1K just in gas. And don't get me started on maintenance and cleaning out the holding tank from the heads. We sold it after a couple of years. I once calculated the hourly cost (think King Air) but that was a meaningless number because a lot of time we'd spend the weekend on it and only run it for an hour or two.

It sure was fun, but an airplane is more fun AND cheaper. Tough to sleep, shower, cook, fish and snorkel on one, though.
 
Ken Ibold said:
It sure was fun, but an airplane is more fun AND cheaper. Tough to sleep, shower, cook, fish and snorkel on one, though.
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airplanes are cheaper? wow.

I like boat-owning when it's my friends who own the boats. a few summers ago I knew some guys up outside of Annapolis who went water skiiing every single day they could - even in winter. they had a standing invitation to whoever wanted to come along. that was a lot of fun. I'd go up a few times a month just to hang out on the boats with them (all their friends had boats too, we'd run around finding various places to eat, etc etc.)
 
Ken Ibold said:
It sure was fun, but an airplane is more fun AND cheaper. Tough to sleep, shower, cook, fish and snorkel on one, though.
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Reminds me of a discussion I had with my Mother-In-Law early in my marriage. My wife wanted a house. I wanted an airplane. MIL said, "Well, you can't sleep in an airplane." Me, "Yea? I'd have a hell of a lot better chance of sleeping in an airplane than you will flying a house!"

It took a few years for that comment to pass.

Chip
 
Joe Williams said:
I owned a Tennessee Walking Horse at one time.
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Can these horses be taken out of Tennessee? How fast do they walk? :)

My wife, Bonnie, grew up with horses. She got her first pony when she was five and while you and I were playing cowboys and indians with pogo stick horses, she was playing it with a real horse. She moved onto showing, dressage, steeplechase (point to point races), fox hunting and competitive jumping. The trunk full of ribbons she has lives in the basement and she's still sad she doesn't have a horse anymore. We'll probably end up getting a couple in a few years if we can swing it. I've been able to realize my dream (flying, plane ownership), so its only fair she can realize hers.
 
BEWARE! I grew up around horses horse people and horse traders. This whole thing sounds fishy to me . If the current owner wnts to take the horse to the auction let her and then go to the auction and buy the horse there, call her bluff. This advice is worth what you paid for it also
 
Ken Ibold said:
My wife wanted a 38 foot Cruisers aft cabin motor yacht. Yes dear. The slip was $450 a month. The boat had to be hauled annually for bottom paint ($1200), and got 1 mpg. A round trip from its berth in St. Pete to Captiva island, for example, was $1K just in gas. And don't get me started on maintenance and cleaning out the holding tank from the heads. We sold it after a couple of years. I once calculated the hourly cost (think King Air) but that was a meaningless number because a lot of time we'd spend the weekend on it and only run it for an hour or two.

It sure was fun, but an airplane is more fun AND cheaper. Tough to sleep, shower, cook, fish and snorkel on one, though.
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Well, mine is a Hunter 23.5. Trailerable (hasn't been on the trailer in a number of years), water ballast, swing keel and rudder. The "auxiliary" is a 5 hp outboard. And our water is a lot colder than yours. So, we can do the bottom every other year (and actually do it every third, I should post a picture of what THAT looks like), so the operating costs are a bit lower. Don't know that I could carry $1K worth of gas without sinking it. That's about 500 gallons, or about 3000 pounds, the weight of the boat empty with a full ballast tank. :D
 
Ghery said:
Well, mine is a Hunter 23.5. Trailerable (hasn't been on the trailer in a number of years), water ballast, swing keel and rudder. The "auxiliary" is a 5 hp outboard. And our water is a lot colder than yours. So, we can do the bottom every other year (and actually do it every third, I should post a picture of what THAT looks like), so the operating costs are a bit lower. Don't know that I could carry $1K worth of gas without sinking it. That's about 500 gallons, or about 3000 pounds, the weight of the boat empty with a full ballast tank. :D
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We're looking at maybe a sailboat (maybe a Hunter 466?) after our pending relocation works itself out. The Cruisers was 20,000 pounds dry weight. Add in 300 gallons of gas, 70 gallons of water and up to 54 gallons of "holding tank" and it seemed underpowered with twin 350 hp Crusader engines. I'm hoping our future sailboat will exhibit considerably lower operating costs.
 
I grew up with horses; lots of horses... my uncle has a working cattle ranch in the badlands of South Dakota; 4-H, rodeo, trail rides, etc. Haven't had the time or space for horses since moving from there, but did the "leased horse" deal (wierdest thing I've heard of in a long time) for a while for my boys to see if they might be interested in horses. It just didn't work out, thru no fault of the horse or my boys.

http://home.comcast.net/~gregkainz and click on "Photos"
Quigley is a Dutch Warmblood, owned by a friend of mine.
 
I'm on the other end of the horse leasing deal. We lease a horse part time (50%) for my daughter to ride and take lessons. And like everything else the result depends on the people involved. Our first venture (a pony lease) was a disaster with the owner getting all weird about "damage" to the fairly old pony, but the current arrangement couldn't be better. If you go this route I suggest you give at least as much consideration to the people involved as you do WRT the horse.
 
woodstock said:
If so, I have a question to pose... let me know, thanks.

specifically if you loaned/hired your horse out for riding, or, used this horse for riding lessons (for others).
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I used to have a Shetland pony when I was a kid; he was the meanest pony in Missouri. His main purpose in life was to get me off his back any way that he could. But I did get him to the point where he would hold still so I could run up to him from behind and jump on him like Annie Oakley. :)

Riding that pony all over town and the countryside (usually with one of my little friends on back) is on the list of my fondest memories as a child.

Oh, sorry Beth, I didn't answer your question, but just had a good trip down memory lane.
 
Diana said:
I used to have a Shetland pony when I was a kid; he was the meanest pony in Missouri.
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I had a Shetland pony as my first horse; same experience as you. It would try to scrape you off via tree branches, clothes lines, fences...anything it could find. My second was a Welsh pony, who was slightly less ornery than the Shetland. Its favorite trick was to wait until you relaxed a little and then it would roll over backwards. You had to be quick at bailing off to the side at the first stall warning...once AOA was exceeded, you didn't want to be seated in that saddle. I think ponies are the worst thing a parent can foist on their kids!
 
Wow, does this thread bring back some (not so fond) memories... My first wife was raised on a small cattle ranch just outside of Gardnerville, NV, where her dad raised registered Polled Herefords.

I was a city boy from Sacramento, who met her skiing at Mammoth Mtn one fine winter day. At the time I was heavily into riding bicycles, so had a pretty well developed set of leg muscles. That spring, having been invited home to meet the folks, all was going reasonably well until she suggested that we go for a ride. We saddled up and headed up into the mountains behind the ranch to take a look over the rim into Lake Tahoe. Fortunately for me, the 1/4 horse I was on was a sweetheart, who took pity on me and did nothing to cause me a problem... except for being a little too wide for my legs. After about a half hour going uphill, my legs started to cramp, but being the studly young college student out to impress my gal, I said nothing.

1 hour into the ride I couldn't hide it any more. OMG, the pain! Finally had to get off at the summit, and walk it off. Then I found out how much harder it is on the body going down hill. Finally ended up walking the last 2/3 of the way home...

I swear, that ride lasted longer than the eventual marriage ;) Less painful, too!

Joe ~ Welcome Aboard!! Good to see you here...
 
Diana said:
But I did get him to the point where he would hold still so I could run up to him from behind and jump on him like Annie Oakley. :)
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A long lost friend of mine had a horse that was one of those been there done that seen it all types and nothing bothered him. He was a great jumper for beginners as well as experienced riders. We only parted ways a few times and that was more my fault than his. He'd stop, turn around and look at me like "What's the deal here? I'm taking it easy on you. Why did you fall off you klutz?" I use to do the Annie Oakley routine on him too. It took me about a week to get up enough nerve to actually do it because I was convinced that was an excellent way to get myself kicked halfway to New Zealand. He didn't care, he just squished his tail down a little from anticipation and let me do it all I wanted.

The good old days...
 
Ken Ibold said:
We're looking at maybe a sailboat (maybe a Hunter 466?) after our pending relocation works itself out. The Cruisers was 20,000 pounds dry weight. Add in 300 gallons of gas, 70 gallons of water and up to 54 gallons of "holding tank" and it seemed underpowered with twin 350 hp Crusader engines. I'm hoping our future sailboat will exhibit considerably lower operating costs.
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:D :D :D :D hahahahahahahahaha, god...sniff...that was funny...lower operating cost.... I just sent one of my clients his end of the year sheet for the tax man...$820,000, that's just operating/maint expenses. Granted, it is a bigger boat than a Hunter 466 (a 156' Perini Navi). My advice though, don't get a Hunter, or any fiberglass boat built after 1972. Get an old Trip design Columbia 50 and do a complete refit. Good stable seaworthy boats, roomy, and you'll never get a bottom blister. If you want to travel in it and aren't worried about going fast, the old Hudson Force 50. Tons of room and a pilothouse for when the weather goes to hell.
 
Ghery said:
Well, mine is a Hunter 23.5. :D
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Ours is a Beachcomber 25, similar to this picture of a sister ship. Could be trailerable, but at 5200lbs, a fairly heavy 25 footer. Good stable family boat, and somewhat distinctive being a cat ketch.
 
woodstock said:
If so, I have a question to pose... let me know, thanks.

specifically if you loaned/hired your horse out for riding, or, used this horse for riding lessons (for others).
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Not a good idea, unless you are giving the lessons and can see the treatment of your horse.
(I would make an exception to advanced riders that you KNOW).

We had a nice app. that was allowed to be used for beginners, became very hard mouthed.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Ours is a Beachcomber 25, similar to this picture of a sister ship. Could be trailerable, but at 5200lbs, a fairly heavy 25 footer. Good stable family boat, and somewhat distinctive being a cat ketch.
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No shrouds or stays. That wishbone rig looks pretty simple to maintain. Nice.
 
Ghery said:
No shrouds or stays. That wishbone rig looks pretty simple to maintain. Nice.
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For shorthanded easy rigs, they're great and you have better control over sail shape. The only thing you give up is the venturi/slot effect you get from carrying a headsail on a traditional Marconi rig.
 
We Have 12 horses,2 mules and 1 172. Sounds like I would follow the previous advise and let it go to auction probably buy it cheaper and there will be know stings. Clear title! Horse people can be some of the worse to deal with.

We neither lease or loan our horses for liability reasons and the fact that many of our horse are used in our job ( they actually make us money) and do not want them jacked up. We have people at our property all the time threw our business and they all CAN RIDE??? Because they did 20 years ago!! Bad situation.

My flight instructor asked me if I was bothered buy stalls? I told him "There has never been anything in flying that comes close to some of the situation I've been in on a horse." A Horse can make the toughest down to mice. I know many people who buy a horse and afraid to ride. Usually for good reason, for they ended up with a horse that they should never bought.

When I bought the 172 I REALLY Wanted a MAULE. I couldn't fit in the damn things! So I bought a pair of MULES instead Young but BIG. Chuck and Judy.
Training them to drive now.

Jon
 
Yes, I own horses and do let a few people ride them. If your concern is liability, I can tell you that most western states have laws stating the hazards of equine sports and it's not possible to sue for injuries. If your worried about weekend riders abusing your horse, you should be.
Dave.
 
Former owner... :(

Bought a beautiful QH about three years ago. Poco del Dan. Snotzy for short. Dressage, jumping and just putzing around the trails. I let a few people ride him, mostly the previous owner (she did some Western showing on him) and a couple of people that never left the sight of my trainer.
I never worried about anyone getting hurt on him. Nothing fazed him, not even rattlesnakes on the trails, and the other riders never took him out of the arena. Owned him for about 2 years, but the twice daily trips to the stables for feeding, my allergies, and all the STUFF that goes along with horse ownership (especially if you show) was too much. I sold him to one of the 'occasional riders' and she and her kids are spoiling him rotten. :) I miss my 'pony'...

You need to RUN away from that woman with the horse, she sounds like nothing but trouble. If all your mom wants to do is casual riding from time to time, find a good stable and rent. There is soooooo much to owning. Besides feeding (Snotzy ate 2 1/2 tons of hay a year, PLUS vitamins/suplements, alfala pellets, etc); vet calls (twice yearly shots, teeth floating etc); equipment (saddles, bridles, pads, blankets, lunging equipment, riding clothes and boots, etc etc etc); keeping the stall clean, keeping the horse groomed and clean, exercising, unforseen vet bills...we thought Snotzy had an issue with his coffin bones, which entailed barn calls and x rays, and special shoes (that had to be refitted every four weeks at $80 a pop), and I couldn't ride him for two months. Plus lessons, regular farrier visits, paying someone to care for him while I went on vacation, shoveling snow out of his paddock in the winter. Membership to the riding club, stall rental that went up 10$ a year, show fees, chiropractor (yup, there are horsey bone crunchers!), the list could go on and on. I loved having Snotzy. I've wanted a horse all my life. However, I'm glad I don't have to take care of one any more! PS Anybody in the market for a Stubben dressage or jumping saddle? :)
 
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DeeG said:
Former owner... :(
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That's a gorgeous horse, Dee. And a great photograph.

Nearby here is the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club.

http://www.trhcevents.com/home.html

Could be that someone there needs a saddle. Flying over the area you can see the huge, fenced horse farms and large barns. Really pretty flying.

When you went to watch the shuttle lift off did you fly over Ocala, FL? LOTS of horse farms there. There's a practice trace adjacent to the Ocala airport. Makes it easy to spot :)
 
Carol said:
That's a gorgeous horse, Dee. And a great photograph.

When you went to watch the shuttle lift off did you fly over Ocala, FL? LOTS of horse farms there. There's a practice trace adjacent to the Ocala airport. Makes it easy to spot :)
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Thanks, Carol. I really do miss the Snot Head. If I ever decide to get another horse, it will probably be for dressage only. I would LOVE to get up to Prix St George or even Grand Prix level, and Snotzy, being a QH, isn't built for anything over Second level. But that level of dressage horse costs more than my house, so that will probably not happen unless I somehow inherit some $$ :).
We ended up parking the plane in Ocala. Level II/III TS's between there and orlando, it got UGLY just south of Ocala. I did notice all the farms underneath us, it sure was pretty. I THINK I remember a track near the airport, but we were in such a hurry to get down and parked before the TS hit, that I wasn't paying too much attention to the scenery. This pic is as were are coming up on ocala. Raining pretty hard to the south and it was moving our way. Stinson got to spend the week in a hangar with King Airs and and jets. The hangar owner, believe it or not, was fawning all over the plane. Guys got a couple of Citations, and he's sitting in the left seat going, "wow, awesome, this is just wonderful!"
 
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