After reading this and other forums for several years, I think I'm seeing a trend in horse hoarding.
Years ago, those of us who wanted a horse, usually saved for quite a while, took an extra job or even more than one extra job, to purchase the horse we had desired for a long time. Then came the excitement of purchasing all those necessary items our horse needed to be comfortable. No internet, so we purchased many books and subscribed to the appropriate magazines for the breed we had chosen. We joined our local breed club and enthisiastically devoured every bit of information we could, from those who went before and were knowledgeable.
With the downfall of the economy, I see things have changed considerably. We constantly see people with little knowledge of horses in general, gathering up every cheap or free horse, they come across. Little or no thought to just how expensive each horse might be, to feed and keep healthy. Just throw the new one out in that meagre pasture with the others. Who cares if they have already been half starved in their previous home. They are in a pasture now and have new friends. Who cares if none of the colts or mature horses are gelded. Who cares if none of them are registered. Who cares if any of them are even close to breeding quality. it might be fun to raise a few babies anyway.
And besides, several of them were free, so I could probably make money by selling some foals. Oh, and even better, some of the free mares, were already in foal. What fun! Of course, I know nothing about foaling, but most mares do ok by themselves - don't they? And of course, it will be huge fun to show pics of the new babies on the net and ask others what breed they think the babies are.
Now don't get me wrong here. I'm all for rescue. I'm all for trying to rehab a horse who has fallen on hard times. But that takes thought, a lot of work and usually, quite a lot of money.
Maybe I'm rambling a bit here, but I constantly see people with little or no knowledge of horses, who have gathered several free or nearly free horses and are (of course often) thinking of breeding. I think our economy has rather added to the hoarders out there. It seems incredibly easy to get a horse these days. It is rather like seeing the cute puppy in the pet shop window and buying it, with absolutely no thought to the breed, how it was bred, knowing nothing about bring up a pup and not even having anything prepared at home. It is always the animals who suffer in the end, when anyone takes home an animal, on a whim.
Lizzie
Years ago, those of us who wanted a horse, usually saved for quite a while, took an extra job or even more than one extra job, to purchase the horse we had desired for a long time. Then came the excitement of purchasing all those necessary items our horse needed to be comfortable. No internet, so we purchased many books and subscribed to the appropriate magazines for the breed we had chosen. We joined our local breed club and enthisiastically devoured every bit of information we could, from those who went before and were knowledgeable.
With the downfall of the economy, I see things have changed considerably. We constantly see people with little knowledge of horses in general, gathering up every cheap or free horse, they come across. Little or no thought to just how expensive each horse might be, to feed and keep healthy. Just throw the new one out in that meagre pasture with the others. Who cares if they have already been half starved in their previous home. They are in a pasture now and have new friends. Who cares if none of the colts or mature horses are gelded. Who cares if none of them are registered. Who cares if any of them are even close to breeding quality. it might be fun to raise a few babies anyway.
And besides, several of them were free, so I could probably make money by selling some foals. Oh, and even better, some of the free mares, were already in foal. What fun! Of course, I know nothing about foaling, but most mares do ok by themselves - don't they? And of course, it will be huge fun to show pics of the new babies on the net and ask others what breed they think the babies are.
Now don't get me wrong here. I'm all for rescue. I'm all for trying to rehab a horse who has fallen on hard times. But that takes thought, a lot of work and usually, quite a lot of money.
Maybe I'm rambling a bit here, but I constantly see people with little or no knowledge of horses, who have gathered several free or nearly free horses and are (of course often) thinking of breeding. I think our economy has rather added to the hoarders out there. It seems incredibly easy to get a horse these days. It is rather like seeing the cute puppy in the pet shop window and buying it, with absolutely no thought to the breed, how it was bred, knowing nothing about bring up a pup and not even having anything prepared at home. It is always the animals who suffer in the end, when anyone takes home an animal, on a whim.
Lizzie