Your horses and their current occupation

[moonlitoaksranch]

What sort of freeloaders do you have heading into winter? Is anyone earning their keep? Any extra farm animals around to make things interesting? Any pictures?

We’ve got 1 horse, 1 pony, 1 mini donkey, 3 goats, 2 cows, and 10 chickens.

The horse’s job is to carry me around and check on the cows in the pasture and check fences on our farm. Maybe an occasional trail ride. No shows or competitions. That’s it. Not too hard.

The Shetland pony is on her second career as a driving pony. Her first job was raising our niece and then our son. She did all the crafty pony tricks she could think of to make them better horse people. She got them ready for bigger horses. They both adore her.

The mini donkey has no job at all. He’s unemployed and lacks motivation to go find a job. Except that he makes faces behind my back and puts on a very innocent face when I turn around. He also fetches random things when he feels like it. He brought me a glove he swiped from just outside the fence. Then, demanded a treat ransom. Little criminal.

One cow is retired. Not many people put a cow out to pasture, but we have the room, so why not? She’s very tame and sweet. No more babies for her. The other is a heifer that will someday give us steers for the freezer (I hope).

The goats are official fence testers. They are quite skilled. I don’t believe they have any formal education, but the two younger ones are definitely apprentices to the older one.

The chickens will be egg layers when they grow up. Except the Silkie rooster. He’s just decoration and for hen morale.

I’ll add pictures later.

[clanter]

@moonlitoaksranch

What sort of freeloaders do you have heading into winter? Is anyone earning their keep?

one on extended stall rest and one who learned how to limp when ever there is mention that she should be ridden otherwise she is ok.

Both have a job, stall rest dude is wife’s pet and limpy has found a volunteer (Katie) to brush her, Katie is a local young woman who wanted to learn about horses, she really is interested in learning so here you are dear Bonnie (limpy) needs caring, they get along very well

both horses were rescues

the others are workers, Lexie is learning dressage (won her beginner class a few weeks ago) and the new one (Prairie Hill Imagination) is to take the pace of Socks will be shown in hand both at Morgan Nationals in a few weeks

Prairie Hill Imagination

[quietann]

Just one here, in a well deserved retirement. Her “job” is to walk with me on trails when she’s sound enough, and always to remind the BO that she and her buddies need to be fed Right Now, and she MUST be fed first or she will have a tantrum worthy of a much younger horse.

[Calvincrowe]

Two retired bachelor geldings— kind of like the odd couple. One is a grumpy, spooky, stand-offish, “catch me if you can”, must be bribed type who also hates bugs and heat. The other is a happy go lucky, “hey what ya doing, got a cookie?!”, stand out in the rain, eat anything type. The first horse’s job is to try my patience and destroy fly masks and sheets. The other’s job is to worry me constantly about his health. The chickens pay their way with eggs in exchange for kitchen scraps.

[2DogsFarm]

ETA pics

Equine Population:
*1 20-ish(no proof) TWH (again, no registration, but he is gaited). Make that “was”, as he trots when asked.
Until 1 ran out of bi-monthly lesson $$ & lately, motivation , he was my Dressage prospect.
Only job he’s had recently was to meet up at a State Park w/ COTH friend to ride trails.
That was in June
His main job is to be Herd Boss/Benevolent Dictator to:
*1 22yo (have his papers) Hackney Pony.
For the12yrs I’ve had him he’s been mainly decorative. I did ground drive him - with an eye to possibly driving (he was driven by former owner) - until my knees protested.
His main job is to be Minion to the Walker, he excels at this.
Latest addition to his resume is limboing under the mini-sized less than 4’ cutout door to the mini’s stall from outside & nomming the uneaten hay. This is fine, as:
*8yo mini (purchased 6yrs ago to be my Driving horse) regularly shares hay with the Herd Boss, in Boss’s stall.
Pony is not allowed this freedom.
Mini would never go in with pony.
There’s an Order of Privilege
Mini is an awesome Driver
Driving friends tell me I won the Mini Lottery.
He is also a Monster of my making
Comes in the service door of the barn.
I’d say accompanies me, but it’s more like I’m the Doorman.
He then plunders the stacked hay while I prep grain buckets for all 3.
At my “command” of “Go to your house!”, he will go to his stall, but ears are pinned, so really he’s telling me “Going cause I want to, not cause you told me to!”
The 3 Amigos:

Felines:
2 Indoor Only < by their choice shelter cats.
Acquired to be barncats, that failed 6yrs ago & neither is the least interested in the outside.
They see their assignments as sofa cushions, occasional bedwarmers & nerve compressors for my legs.
I am encouraged to rub bellies, 1 constantly falls or rolls over to present the target, the other is a bit more discreet, but they’re both Hos for a good rub.

Poultry Team is sadly down to 3 hens & a rooster.
Now moulting, so any egg production is on Hold.
But they still expect the perks that came with feeding me:
Morning oatmeal with yogurt
AM treat of sunflower seeds
PM treat of Cheerios
3 of 4:

Why I am getting no eggs:

Lastly Piscines:
6 2yo feeder goldfish residing in a 160gal stock tank in my back yard.
They overwinter with a floating deicer & have grown since purchased for 25¢ each. Largest is now a good 6", others around 4".
They have no job save come to the surface when I call “Fishies!” & scatter flaked food.
I am easily amused.
Tank is too murky to get a pic, will this do?

[Bluey]

Since I lost our old Cushing’s horse, all left now are two early teens super nice ranch horses.
One is with a neighbor’s little herd of two, in love with his ranch mare.
He is being used by said neighbor and his son to ship fall cattle and wean calves.
He is an independent soul and very full of himself, makes himself at home any place.

The other one is more sensitive and needs a light, educated hand to be confident.
He has been helping an elderly friend ride pens and check pasture cattle all summer.
Her DH had open heart surgery and is just now getting back on his feet.

Kind of lonely without them here, but took the time to power wash and paint the inside of the barn, straighten mats and just clean all around.
Since I had some minor surgery lately and will need to have both knees replaced soon, not needing to care for them right now is for the best, maybe even thru this next winter.
Our winters can get … interesting when we have Blue Northerns and blizzards blowing in and ice to break in troughs.
Both horses are contented and useful right now, in good hands, with proper care, so is ok.

[walkinthewalk]

Two horses who do a good job of telling me what to do.

1. The 28+, 16.1H TWH is a retired trail horse whose been with me 26 years. I could still ride him on mild trails if I could still ride but he is on the lazy side and much prefers lazing & grazing on his 19 acres to wearing a bridle.

2. When his 26 TWH bud passed last February, Fate brought me a 26 yr old, 17H Dutch Warmblood who, due to an old hock injury & a fractured splint bone, became a fully retired, not rideable, show jumper, who had dabbled on Dressage in his early career. His previous owner needed to find him a good home as she already has one in full retirement and couldn’t afford to board two retirees.

He wants to still be able to work, but the sports medicine vet who x-rayed him, told me no, no, and no. He is Mensa Smart with an honest heart & ethics and always tries to do the right thing. His previous owner was spot on that he deserved a retirement home and not “that long black train” ride.

He likes to communicate and is Better Than The Average Bear at telling me what he wants - he is sort of a diva - the critter chiropractor said he gets upset over a hangnail, but that was early on and he has come a long way in saying “no I don’t like that”, a lot less than he did when he first arrived.

He makes monkey faces, like my Arab (RIP) used to, and he huffs if I don’t catch on to what he is trying to say.

He has more of a sense of humor than my Walking Horse but he has only been here six months. It was a huge change in environment and in routine. I’m sure as he gets more comfortable with us, his brutally handsome self will show more of the comedic side I think is in there:)

The sorrel is my 28+ yr old Walking Horse. The dark bay is the 26+ Dutch Warmblood

Rusty, Duncan, 09-21-22

[ladybugsbw]

I have two very loved free loaders heading into winter! My retired 30+ year old mare and her evil mini friend. Oh yes, and the evil mini’s two goats. Because the companion always needs a companion.
Every year I say the mini needs a job, but here we are… still free loading

[moonlitoaksranch]

I got some pictures of my freeloaders.

Bitsey the Mustang mare.

Her BFF, Tony the mini donkey.

Maggie, the lovely Shetland.

The goat herd calculating their latest escape plan.

The cows and chickens were feeling shy today, lol.

[RedHorses]

I have a 24yr old super horse who has been going on adventures with me this year (outings to trail ride in various places with various people and their horses). He’s been retired from competition for many years but I confess I have a secret hope and plan for one last, very special competition next year (which may involve a prep competition or two). A number of things will have to happen that I have zero control over, but I am committed to doing the things I can and will see what happens.

I also have a freeloader who’s been doing almost nothing this year and has lately been making it clear that he wants nothing to do with me unless it involves food. As in I provide the food and leave him to eat. I have decided it’s time he went back to work as he will have to step up if the things I can’t control fail to cooperate. He generally likes doing things and is pleasant to be around when he’s in regular work, and not so much when he’s not.

[exvet]

No freeloaders here currently. My 20 year old retired welsh pony of cob type is dutifully fulfilling his duties as companion to a colleague’s rescue Clydesdale and that’s after he dutifully competed through PSG successfully. He’s fat, happy and loving every minute of NOT being on my feed bill. The other three all have honest jobs to earn their keep - on takes care of my SO like no one could believe (I still shake my head), the other two are competing and suffering through my requests.

No cats

Dogs, well the 3 year old is a diligent watch dog. Both the 3 year old and 4 year old herd and do that well. The old man 17 year old JRT isn’t catching rodents anymore, but he still tries to govern the rest. So for one of the few times in my life, I have just one sort of, almost, not really because of all he’s done in the past - free loaders.

[pony_baloney]

My pony, who my trainer calls “The World’s Cutest Pony”, has the job of carting my butt around the arena a few times a week so I can pretend to do dressage. We’re improving at last. He also has taken on the job of testing out SmartPak’s Ultimate turnout sheet’s 10 year guarantee. Being cute, he’s perfected his “sweet li’l old me” look so he can get pats from any sucker passing by. He’s currently moving up the ranks in his herd’s hierarchy with scars, and also rips and tears in any sheet he wears to prove it. It’s a tough life living outside all day and night but he is paid with supplements, long grooming and bodywork sessions, lots of hay and a private dining experience twice a day. What a tough life.

[chestnutmarebeware]

Both my freeloaders are in their early 20s and are retired mostly because my schedule doesn’t allow for regular riding in the past couple of years and I worry that as spicy as they both still are, irregular riding would not be good for them (I.e. no calm strolls around the ring or trails— the TB still needs several minutes of a spanking trot before her brain settles enough to walk )

They’re still boarded at the same full-service barn we moved to almost 13 years ago, and hopefully will stay there the rest of their lives.

[NancyM]

A selection of retirees, cripples and pets, whose job it is to keep the fields mowed to reduce fire hazard. I won’t tell you how many. Most are in their 20s, a couple surviving retired broodmares, one that was born a cripple and wasn’t supposed to survive, but did (my vet tried to talk me into putting her down twice, but I have a problem with putting down a foal who nickers to me every time I walk into the stall to treat her ills, and gets up and keeps on sucking milk- shes 18 this year I think). Our last racehorse, turned showjumper, retired due to unknown soundness issues which she isn’t concerned about. Various other similar issues with others. And four functional ones, in training, two just green broke this summer. One of those has decided that he would rather just be a trail horse rather than a show horse, which is OK with me. The other one is competitive, though hasn’t been to a horse show recently. It’s a good thing we have these horses, otherwise we’d have to have cows instead to keep the grass down. DH doesn’t want cows.

[Texarkana]

This cute freeloader probably has the most important role on the farm. She is companion extraordinaire. Everyone’s BFF. Emotional support donkey for neurotic TBs (though she is currently without a neurotic TB who needs her services).

In January, my ultimate freeloader retired TB broodmare had to be put down after a severe spinal injury. For the first time in years, I had the opportunity to bring home something useful.

I found an 18 year old standardbred mare being being offered for adoption through a racehorse organization. She seemed like exactly what I needed right now: something sensible I could enjoy or even have a friend ride if I wanted. My other riding horse is my 17 year old warmblood, but she is a lot of horse in every way. She is not beginner friendly, and when she’s not in regular work, it can be exhausting to get her back into a program.

Well, so much for best laid plans. My new mare had a surprise:

New mare was just weaned and hopefully I’ll get to actually ride her now!

[Posting_Trot]

That foal is so cute! I love that huge star!

[anon40672407]

I help keep other people’s horses. Got a 19 year old boss trail mare and a sweet black blanket appy on half lease at 2 different barns.

On the property, a useless schnauzer who cannot, cannot, cannot catch a gopher to save his life, and 700 gophers who are very good at their jobs.

9 chickens. 4 adult layers, and 3 who are up and coming. The other 2 are just for fun.

Next year: Geese!

[Arelle]

What sort of freeloaders do I have heading into winter? Most of 'em.
Is anyone earning their keep? Not especially.
Pictures? Absolutely.

This is my good horse who is currently undergoing stem cell therapy, and has been on stall rest since July. We recently started back hand walking.

Then we have his barn mate. She has one brain cell that constantly battles for second place.

I have seven others at home - a mix of my retired and upcoming show horses, a couple of mini horses whose job is solely to entertain me, and one mini donkey who exchanges great comedic timing for coastal hay.

I quit adding up how much I spend a long time ago. Most of my horses have been with me almost their entire lives - I’m not a big buyer or seller; so when I add one to the “herd” - they tend to have a pretty solid life.

[Displaced_Yankee]

Oh I want to play!

Watson aka the Yankee Pony aka the Ponysaurus: his job is to be “there” for what I need. Somedays he is my riding horse and we entertain first level dressage. Other days we hang out on the lawn and share a beer. It just depends. He does give me purpose. “Oh you are rubbing your tail? You must need your sheath cleaned and tail conditioned”. He loves being groomed and I love keeping him show ring ready.

SO and I have already created jobs for our other two.

Lily is our “Carolina Road Dog” aka stray we picked up. She is the farm sheriff. She monitors all comings and goings of the farm (and neighbors). She defends against all delivery drivers and makes nightly perimeter checks for security. Often places land mines to deter burglars.

Pesky is the barn cat. We call him the warden, as his territory seems to range wider. He reports to the sheriff. Our problem with the warden is that he has started a side hustle with a taco truck…so he seems to be spending more and more time inside working on the menu instead of patroling the ground.

Ponysaurus

Carolina Road Dog

Pesky Cat

[CindyCRNA]

The cat seems the least concerned with making himself look like he has a job!