How many horses is to many

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Leeana

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Okay i was wondering what everyone here thinks is the limit to how many horses you should have (Mini's of corse). I've seen so many people w/ 30-40 horses that dont take care of them bc they have to many.

So whats the safe number?
 
what YOU can look after & are happy with.

There is no right or wrong amount of horses.

I have 30 horses and they are all very well looked after (though I am cutting back a bit on numbers at the moment)
 
Well honestly I've met people where 1 horse was too many.......very tough to determine as everyones situation is different.....
 
I've seen people with (1) horse that is (1) horse too many.

It's all about time, finances, available space and devotion.

With me, I think I can safely manage a couple more horses without putting a strain on my body or budget, but that doesn't mean I am out hunting to increase my number just so I can say I have a lot of them. They are each individuals and each require a different amount of ME. Some more than others.

I know people with herds of 30 and 40 and they are very well managed.

I know people with 5 that can't manage them at all.

There is no safe number that I can offer you.
 
[SIZE=14pt]That number is different for each person. For me, because of my handicap 10-11 is my limit and I am already there. any more and the job wouldnt be fun anymore. On stall stripping day even that many is too many![/SIZE]

Lyn
 
I'm sure it is different for each and everyone of us. We currently have 20 miniatures, all of which are well cared for. My husband is retired and is home all the time and keeps an eye on everyone while I'm at work during the day. We share the chores and manage between the two of us to brush and tend to each horse on a daily basis. No one is missed around our barn. It can be a bit of a challenge when the numbers get to 30 or more during the foaling season. But with the longer daylight hours it is managable for the two of us. It's funny how you can make time for the things you love!
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We have 5 total, 1 mini and 4 big horses, plus a goat. They take up most of my time, however, I tend to be a micro-manager and over do things, so I probably spend way more time than I need working with them....but it would just depend on how much effort you were willing to put into it. It's a big responsibility, the animals are dependent on you, and I can see how it would be easy for someone to get in over their head.

I spend at least an hour every morning feeding, brushing, and exercising everyone, then I can't help myself but to go check on everyone several times during the day. And then again at least another hour in the evenings cleaning water troughs, feeding, scooping poop, etc... Then I have our business time to squeeze inbetween all of our horses. My mini gets probably too much one on one time, and I spend at least an hour every day with him just brushing and loving.

My husband helps me also, and without that, I'd probably founder myself with all the stress!!!!
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Well I have my limit at two right now. Just dont have the time for more. It wouldnt be far to them if I had any more. However I know a farm that has probably 40-50 at any given time, and all the horses are healthy and cared for. It all depends on the amount of time & money you have available to give to the animals.
 
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I just bought my daughter an 8 year old mare, Molly and her little filly that's three months old today, Pixie, for her 10th birthday. Molly has already been bred back. I told Savannah, my daughter, that we'd keep this new colt, but after that if Molly was bred she'd need to sell them. We can handle three, pasture wise, personal time wise, but beyond that... I'm afraid they'd be neglected and get to be more of a "chore" than the pleasure they should be. She dearly loves Molly and Pixie and they will be spoiled rotten... already are, actually! If she could bring them to bed with her, she would! Or if Mom wouldn't be so UNREASONALBLE that I wouldn't let her move her bed to the barn.. that would work too. She loves her new babies!

I think it boils down to what a person can AFFORD to take care of, what one has the ROOM to take care of and what one has the TIME to love and take care of.
 
Like the others have said it is totally based on how many you can handle! I hope to one day own about 15 minis, and about 5 big horses, after I retire, I will sell the big horses, and maybe get more minis, may not, and just may continue to breed the 15 I have! who knows, maybe I will just keep 15 minis and 5 horses, till I cant handle horses anymore! And maybe after I retire I will get up to 30 minis! most farms have 30 and run it great! Some farms have 200+ horses and run it great (little king and little america) and produce minis that are nice horses!

Its just a matter of what you can handle!

-Gage-
 
With a smaller number you can spend more time per horse, and have more time to enjoy other aspects of your life without worring about them so much. No matter what the number is that you have the enjoyment is in interacting with and caring for them. I have found that 3 is a good number for me, after owning a few more for years. Quality, not quantity works for me.. The key is to be happy with what you have, and dont entertain the potatoe chip idea. (Gotta have more) Getting in over your head can be devestating and should be well considered before getting more. Also the more you have, the less time you have to spend with each one.
 
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The number is different for everyone. My number would be a lot smaller if my husband, Harvey, didn't also help with the horses. 5 years ago, I would not have thought I'd have as many horses as I do now, but I do love them all and they are well cared for!
 
I had someone bring up the question at a BBQ a couple days ago. They were talking about this one friend of mine who has draft horses and quarter horses ..she has 53 total + 4 minis. She and her father take care of them (pretty good to ..all get brushed, cleaned stalls ext daily). They said that she was 'irresponsible' for having that many horses and 'irational'. I was trying to see if anyone else had that opinion.

Personally currently all i have is 2 mini's, 1 small pony, 1 arabian, 1 quarter horse=5 horses. I have my other two paints up for sale since i no longer am doing barrel racing and we need some extra money but dads taking care of them two untill we get them sold. Well i have no problem taking care of 5 horses ..not to hard. I dont think i would allow myself to have more then 3 big horses and 20 mini's.

Today we completed one section of our barn and got to move our mini's in there. Were thinking about completely leaving the barn open and just letting them run in it ..only 3 big horse stalls (the big ones go in stalls ..which are not done yet so there still down the road). Its somuch easyer for the pony's to just have the whole barn and me to clean it.

So for me no more then 25 horses. I think that 75 would be a bit drastic ...but i think that someone could handle it.

What is your limit to how many that you would have though?
 
It depends on the person....and their job/time at home. Some are able to take care of upwards of 50, some just a few.

We currently have....3 minis, 4 big horses(have to tell you guys about the new one...hehehe), a mule and a donkey. Everyone gets fed/watered and their feet and health taken care of on a regular basis. The minis get their pens cleaned daily(horses are out on large dirt pasture, so only when we have a tractor or something). The mule, donkey, and 2 of the 4 horses are pasture ornaments--either too old(donkey and one horse), or mentally messed up(mule, it was the orig. owners), or unbroke and partially lame(1 horse, she has some leg problems that don't allow much work). Everyone else is driven/ridden or will be(ie: too young yet).

We try to be careful about what we take home, as usually, that animal has found a forever home...so we don't want to 'overload' with too many to work with.

Because I know I prefer to do 'one on one' time, and, fairly soon, I am going to be 'on my own', I would rather not have more than the 2 minis that I own(Dan is my dad's horse) and 1-2 big horses...I could have one more mini, but it would have to be a very nice, exceptional CDE horse(perhaps even a pair or tandem mate for one of my current minis). I don't like to have 'potential' sitting and wasting in the pasture, so I want to show/train them....but if there is too many, it doesn't get done.

Edit: I guess I should add after reading billiethekid's post....vet care is a huge concern...if you can't take care of them when they get sick....then you probably have too many. Part of the 'benefits' of going to vet school will, eventually, be that I can provide my own vet care....however, you know what they say about the 'cobbler's children going shoeless!' Pippin, when he had colic surgery, had it for a stupid impaction caused by a sudden change in weather, and thus, less water in his system. Just freak stuff....very expensive freak stuff, I might add.
 
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I think that even 5 can be irrational for some like others have said. A good rule of thumb is how many you are allowed to have on your property to start with doesnt mean you can handle that many but again it is a good starting point. I know that I had WAY more then I should have in CA I was allowed 16 I had at some points 22 way to many - now they all had daily turn out for hours, stalls were cleaned daily stalls were large 12x24 and all were handled daily but was still to many .

Now oddly i am on more acreage and am allowed 18 I have ..well including my new one who isnt home yet and I havent announced yet lol I have 16 of those 16 2 are sold and will be leaving soon. that is a good number for me.

For me it is about do your horses get out daily is there enough room for them to not be sitting in a stall all day. does your turn out have enough room for them to truly run and gallop not be stuck in a small pen - do you have time to clean there stalls daily if stalled, do you have time to get hands on with everyone daily if not you more then likely have to many JMO
 
Seems to me that the more horses you have, the greater the possibility of paying major vet bills on more than one horse at a time. That thought scares me to death
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I know that most people with horses could pool their resources to come up with the money if somebody was sick or injured and needed major $$$$ to fix the problem, but I wonder how could anyone (that wasn't rolling in money and who is?) handle having more than one or two horses incurring major vet bills in a short amount of time? Short of selling off horses, which is something I don't plan to get into.. I get to attatched and have no plans to breed to sell ever.

Not to mention in a boarding situation (I don't have experience with large single owner farms) with 20-25 horses it seemes like there is always *somebody* hurt, sick, or needing special care. This would get old really quick for me!

I think my limit would always be small. I'd like to have a couple of minis and a couple of riding horses someday, but right now I can only handle the one mini and he is out on lease. If I had to take him back I'd scrape by but if I owned two I'd be forced to sell just because of the worry of possible vet bills if an emergency arose.
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Never have more than you can care for, and have a plan to care for in an emergency (or several emergencies).
 

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