# Who has horses as pasture ornaments?



## LadyDreamer (Jan 25, 2008)

If that is what you like, then do it! There are far too many horses out there that for whatever reason are only suitable for that and very few people who want to care for a horse with no workable use. My field is full of retirees.


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

I have 2 young geldings that will be my show horses and then a 13 year old gelding that ive owned for 4 years that got injured a few years back and now i ride a few times a year but hes mostly in the pasture, or someone i take out to lead around, and teach to drive. but thats pretty much it. I also bought a '18'year old TB gelding that turned out to be in his 30s but he was sweet and lived out his days with my boys. i think it would be wonderful for you to get some horses to give a wonderful home to, Good luck.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Jester is retired now and is a "pasture ornament", as is Rebel going to be soon. I don't ever see anything wrong with it so long as they are cared for. Hell, most of my horses would love it if I'd stop messing with them except for grooming and feeding :lol:


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## farley (May 23, 2010)

Thats a great idea! Pet horses are awesome, specailly if you have the time and money for them. you are going to give a couple of needy horses a good home. Just dont forget that even pet horses need bounderies, and a strong leader or they can get bad habits and become difficult or dangerious.


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## Tianimalz (Jan 6, 2009)

If you have the resources, there is no reason you can't get a horse solely to be a big ol lovebug pet. 
A few months out of the year Indie has a break to recoup from the long trails during the summer and early autumn riding seasons... I gain a lot of joy and companionship out of just caring for her and taking her on the occasional hand-walk. 

I think it would be very sweet and kind hearted of you to take in some of the unridable horses that few people have the resources to simply have sitting around. I think you'd find they can be just as much of a joy as any other pet! And if you're a horse lover, more so  Post pictures if you get some, I'd love to see the cuddle-bugs.


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## kait18 (Oct 11, 2011)

if you have the money go for it  i have 2 pasture ornaments and i love them dearly


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## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

I have 11 of them right now, starting to back Molly how ever. Most are Shetlands however.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Just a suggestion - something I started doing to train Mia but that I'll probably do for the rest of our lives is take her out for a walk on a lead line. It has helped her to calm down and be less reactive, but I also enjoy it. I like riding too, but walking her like a dog isn't bad.

The neighbors think I'm weird, and I do sometimes need to return with the pickup & a shovel, to clean up after her. But any horse that still has a life worth living can walk at the end of a lead rope, and they are surprisingly companionable doing it. Mia has a very unique & expressive personality. She makes me laugh. If an injury prevented her from being ridden, I wouldn't get rid of her.


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## Fellpony (Sep 9, 2011)

I have 5 pasture ornaments. A retired IDx, My daughters first pony who is a shetland that is semi retired except for the odd lead rein ride, My two welsh cob youngsters and a few months ago i got given a little sec A who I plan on breaking to drive.

If you have the space, time and money I cannot see why not rescue some as pasture ornanments. you can always do NH with them its fun for you both to learn. I clicker train my ridden mare just to let her learn new stuff on the ground for fun.


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## busysmurf (Feb 16, 2012)

Odie is a "Lawn Ornament". And he loves it. Of course if I could find someone to lease him, that may change. Suppose it would help if I was actively looking for someone to lease him, LOL.

And just for the record, rescues are AWESOME lawn ornaments


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I also have several pasture ornaments out in our "retirement pasture".


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

Any horse can run or jump or chase a cow...only the very special ones are able to imitate a marble or bronze statue. It's a highly technical discipline...


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## cinner74 (Feb 17, 2012)

Kudos to you! Be careful tho...rescuing can get ADDICTIVE! LOL  Can't wait to see pics if that's what you decide!


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Faceman said:


> Any horse can run or jump or chase a cow...only the very special ones are able to imitate a marble or bronze statue. It's a highly technical discipline...


Parking lot attendant-I have one.:lol:


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

There's a nearby boarding place not far from where I board my guy, where almost all the horses, except for to private boarder horses, are pasture ornaments. They live in 24/7 pastures, are fed with ecologically and biologically grown hay, oats and herbs, handled with natural horsemanship methods and barefoot trimmed. All are happy, healthy and active, and most of them are young or middle aged, so they are not pasture ornaments because of poor health or old age, their owners just prefer them to be as free as possible and loveable pets. Both sides - owners and horses - seem to thrive in this type of horse keeping.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

Go for it! My horses are 99.9% yard decorations. I have more fun just putzing around with them than I ever do in the saddle.


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## FirstLightFarm (Jan 20, 2012)

I have two. I counted on giving my thirty-something a retirement home. I bought him as a twenty-something with the understanding that he'd teach me to ride and I'd give him a nice retirement. 

My twelve year old, OTOH, I am sad about. He loves to work but can't be ridden. He's pasture sound, though, for which I am thankful, and what the heck - my riding horse needs a companion.

I think what you are proposing is wonderful, but, as the owner of an older horse I have to say that their upkeep can be pretty expensive. Bram can't have hay because of dental issues, so I go through a bag of beet pulp every week. He's on a dry lot because he can't have grass, and so spends a lot of time in his shelter. I feel I should bed it for him, so there's two bags of shavings a week. And he eats three times what the younger horses do to hold his weight, so I go through six pounds of pelleted feed a day just for him.

I don't begrudge Bram a single thing, because if it weren't for him I wouldn't be riding. And I really do enjoy just hanging out with him and grooming him and seeing him looking in my kitchen window every morning. 

But I waited to buy my next horse until I was ready for a young one. Much as I love geriatric horses I can't afford but one!


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## Prinella (Jul 12, 2011)

The other option is fostering rescue horses quite often the poor ******s just need a nice paddock to sit in and a nice person to feed them and do some basic handling. To be convinced that people are good again. 

However this option does involve handing them over again unless you adopt
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## busysmurf (Feb 16, 2012)

franknbeans said:


> Parking lot attendant-I have one.:lol:





Faceman said:


> Any horse can run or jump or chase a cow...only the very special ones are able to imitate a marble or bronze statue. It's a highly technical discipline...


Or become a lawn mower/yard aerator/grass fertilizer combo...


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## steedaunh32 (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the reassurance and personal stories! I think this is the direction we're going to take. I'd love to foster but I know myself (and my husband) and we'd have a very difficult time when they found homes  So adoption seems like a great option!


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