Two of mine are IR, it’s a struggle but we just had bloodwork and everyone was under 40. It’s a job keeping them that way 
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My horse can’t be on lush pasture, so the mini/dry lot thing would work fine.
I don’t expect to save money, but I do expect to save my sanity. Right now, I am paying almost $1,000/month to drive 45 minutes to see my horse at a crap hole where the fences are falling down, exposed nails everywhere and they never plow the driveway or clear the paths after it snows. If I want better, it’s drive even further and pay more $$. As I said in my original post, it’s now either get my own place or be priced out of horses. I might end up working my butt off, but at least I know my horse will have the best care possible in his senior years.
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A lot depends on your horse’s temperament. I have a small farm. A little less than 4 acres. Had retirees at home and my show hunter boarded. There was a time my 35 and 29 year old retirees needed to cross the bridge. Then. I suddenly needed to bring my riding horse home. He shared a fenceline with the neighboring farm full of minis and was completely fine. Alone. He has always been super human oriented. About a year later I took in a horse I used to own who needed retiring but who had a suspensory tear. So I brought my daughter’s old horse home into an adjacent paddock and things were still fine. Taking my riding horse off property and my remaining retired horse being okay at home. Horses are individuals. Not everyone needs group turnout and emotional support constantly. You don’t know until you try.
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Just want to add regarding buddies and keeping horses at home. I went from being out of horses entirely for 10 or so years and never having them at home to buying a farm in 2020. Best decision ever and my husband now loves horses.
My first mare came alone - the breeder actually recommended we keep her alone for a year as she was very herd bound and the breeder is a very good friend/knows I would be present. I work from home so it’s easy for me to check on them etc. I did it, but the first week was really painful. I got horse #2 at the one year mark just about. Horse #1 is now the one I can leave alone and take 2 for shows etc (but I can’t do it the other way).
Do I think it’s optimal for any horse? No. Temporarily and to train them to be alone? Yes I think it can be helpful. I didn’t want a donkey as I don’t like braying, and minis, like others have mentioned, are a PITA regarding grass.
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There are plenty of things that go on at this property that absolutely have required the strength of a man. And I’m a strong, muscular hard working woman. But that has been my experience. Clearly it is possible to have the right tools, PTO hitch thing that doesn’t require a man’s strength etc but I do not have them.
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Dude that’s the point. Men aren’t the only people with that strength. To say they are–that only a man can possibly do those things–is wildly sexist.
Totally understand that there are things beyond your own personal strength, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But to say those things are out of the scope of all women, and within the scope of all men? Wow.
Strong, competent women … you know … EXIST.
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Check out my thread about building my place. I walked a 2x12x20 up a wall, by myself. I built a 10x40 loft, by myself. I put up thousands of feet of woven wire, by myself. I pounded hundreds of t-posts by hand, by myself. I dug and set 6x6s and 4x6s by myself. I hung the dutch doors, by myself. I hung my stall doors, by myself.
“You need a man” is obnoxious. Maybe YOU do, but that is not a blanket statement. Anything that exceeds my bodily strength can be moved by a chain fall, a come along, or a tractor.
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I did not say that whatsoever. I would say in fact that MOST men, and most women do not have what it takes to run a farm property and what all goes wrong. My husband grew up on a farm and can fix anything. And it’s damn handy. That’s all.
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Maybe you should just stick to saying some stuff requires strength and leave it at that. Jesus.
Both men AND women can be strong and competent.
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And maybe you just have it out for me at this point eh? I have lots of female friends who have horses at home and they all farm out pretty much anything that goes wrong. So yeah I think what you are talking about is pretty rare.
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Hiring help for whatever you can’t do?
Whatever, cool. Knowing your own personal limitations on desire or strength or capability is great.
Insisting men are the only ones who have desire or strength or capability?
WTAF.
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NWIH was I suggesting I need a male to run my farm.
Former lifetime Citygal has managed just fine for 21yrs next month.
But will you admit a man is muscled differently enough so sometimes that gives them an edge?
My FG is my height, but his muscle mass along with youth means he can literally manhandle things I can’t.
Would you continue trying to.pound nails with a tackhammer when a claw would do it faster & more efficiently?
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I mean no? If your FG is stronger than you, that’s cool, and totally fine that you utilize him as you need him.
But why do you think that a woman can’t be that strong? Because you’re not? Or some other reason?
Again: women can be strong and capable. Telling someone they need a man for their farm is wild.
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I never said a woman can’t be strong.
In my late 30s I lifted.
I could press my own weight (130#) & legpress 200+.
But now I’m mid-70s & the strength isn’t there.
Add bone-on-bone knees & there are things that are just no longer within my ability.
I don’t doubt there are women my age that are stronger & more mechanically inclined.
I’m still stronger than a lot of women my age & attribute that to barn chores 3X daily and handling horses.
“Telling someone they need a man for their farm is wild.”
Pls show me where I said this.
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And as I have said, repeatedly, it is not unreasonable at all to hire out work that is outside of ones strength, desire, or capability. Everyone should do that.
Saying those jobs must be done by a man is crazy sexist. A woman can be strong, and capable, too.
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Simkie is saying I said you need a man for a farm. What I said was “Do you have a husband/boyfriend/handyman?” And that was wrong. What I should have said was do you have the engineering, electrical, plumbing, excavating skills and general labor strength like taking a tire off your tractor. We just had that happen. No, I couldn’t have gotten that tire off.
Oh, and when we built our place I worked so hard physically I herniated which is what can happen to women since we have an open cavity. Unlike men.
Sorry but it’s pretty rare to see women in these roles. I don’t know any friends who do this kind of work on their property and every single person that came here when we built our place was male. Not to say they don’t exist but I’ve rarely seen it. The barn builder, excavator, plumber, electrician, garage door installer, the young guys that deliver hay…they are all male. Sad I know.
And I’m not sexist. This is just reality.
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It’s normal to feel anxious. Once you get your horse home and start going about your routine, you’ll be fine. Heck, I’ve had horses at home for nearly 35 years. I have two boarders right now. I haven’t had my own horse (for the first time in decades) for almost two years, but I’m horse shopping now. Even though I currently have horses on the farm and have many years of having my own horses at home, I’m a little anxious about bringing a new animal home. But I have enough experience to know that as soon as it arrives, everything will be fine. You’ll have a great time with your horse at home!
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Thank you Seabreeze. I am more excited than nervous now for the simple fact that I will have full control of how my beautiful boy is cared for. My friend is already standing by with her tractor so we can dig post holes and get the fencing back up.
I had to chuckle a bit about this thread devolving into the response to the boyfriend/husband/handyman comment. My friend does all her own work on her farm that would put most men to shame. I call her MacGiver. I’ve been on my own my entire adult life, so I know where my abilities lie and when I will need to call in help. I don’t care if it’s a guy, woman, or cyborg as long as it gets the job done.
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One other thing I will add - definitely try to establish relationships with a vet and farrier as soon as possible (unless you are close enough to use your current ones). I don’t necessarily love my local vet and would certainly trailer out for any major issues but will probably continue using them for basic stuff just to maintain that relationship if needed for emergencies (came in handy for a minor colic last fall - they were able to be here in 30 min). Finding a farrier who will actually show up for a small number of horses can be a pain if you are in a rural area but if it’s a “horsey” area I’m sure it will be easier.
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This is very good advice!
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