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Does Your Horse Really Need a Job?

It seems people think that their horse is wasted unless they have a job, but I disagree.

By Jane SmithPublished about a year ago 3 min read
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Does Your Horse Really Need a Job?
Photo by Lucas Vidart on Unsplash

For some people, owning a horse is a business. For some, it is a hobby. For others a lifestyle. Some people love the thrill of a gallop, others just love the satisfaction of giving their horse a loving, caring home.

Some horses race, hunt or event. Some hack once a week. Some pull a cart and others live out with a carrot and a cuddle.

All of these things are OK. As humans, we obsess about giving everything a job or a purpose.

The horse has been used for work for centuries. It has been used for transportation, as a beast of burden, and as a source of power. For these reasons, the horse is seen as an animal with a job.

But this is not always the case. Horses are animals that have been domesticated by humans and because of this we have bred them to do our bidding. But we should not forget that they are still wild animals with their own wants and needs.

Some horses just want to be horses and not work animals all the time. They just want to do what they were born to do - run free in open spaces and live in herds with other horses.

Whilst it just wasn't feasible in the past to own a horse without it fulfilling some kind of purpose, as time has moved on we no longer need the horse, therefore we can now keep them as pets, for leisure. This in itself means that the horse now needs no purpose.

So why do so many people still feel the need for horses to have a job?

Horses are different in the sense that they all have their own personalities and preferences. Some horses enjoy being ridden, while others just enjoy socializing with other horses and humans.

Horses should be fun. They don't always need a job, they just need to be happy and healthy. All horses are different and some just enjoy being a horse.

Too often you hear people say that 'he needs a job' or 'what are you going to do with him?'

People feel the pressure to get their horses out. To compete at shows or dressage etc, when they don't want to. They just feel that their horse needs a job.

Others feel that they must ride their horses in all weathers, in the dark and even when the horse does not want to, all because the horse needs a job.

Young horses are often bought on too soon, to the detriment of their mental and physical health, all because the horse needs a job.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all horses shouldn't have a job. Many horses thrive in steady and regular work. They love to compete, they love the attention and companionship when they spend time with you.

There are a few horses that even struggle with not having a job. They are happier mentally and physically when they have something to occupy their minds.

But many horses are happy to just be horses. Happy to just do whatever you like, whenever.

Whether you were to pursue a sport or discipline, just hack around the block, or even if you just want to own a horse and care for it, the most important thing is the horse's welfare.

If the job they're doing is not making them or you happy, then just stop. Don't let other people dictate your life.

Go back to when you were a kid and all you ever dreamt about was owning a pony. Going home from school and brushing it, then galloping about everywhere and just having fun.

With the price of everything now, you have to ask yourself, if you're not enjoying it, then what is the point?

If you liked this article, then you may like the book below, 'How to think like a Horse'.

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About the Creator

Jane Smith

I'm a horsewoman who is angry about everything that is wrong with the horse world in the UK.

I am the woman who is not afraid to say what she thinks, and I'm not going to stop until the world is a better place for horses.

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Nice work

Very well written. Keep up the good work!

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