In order to participate in the forums and post comments, you need to be registered on Horse Hero. Please make sure you are Registered and Login to get involved!
|
|
|
25 Sep 2008 00:11
|
I do not have much experience of stabling over at competitions and I suspect that much temporary stabling is pretty poor, but I was absolutely appalled at what I saw at Stoneleigh last weekend at the National Dressage Champs. Tiny stables which were totally inadequate for huge warmblood dressage horses, low door frames so most horses had to stoop to look out and duck to get in and out and were are risk of banging their polls, flimpsy partitions especially dangerous in the stallion block where I witnessed one stallion kick the wall which promptly fell down on the horse on the other side. I also heard about a horse having to reverse in as he was too big to turn and I saw nails visible. It was a joke, especially as the horses were confined for 4 days. How is it that the pre-eminent dressage fixture in this country doesn't have permanent stabling or at least more adequate stabling than I saw. There were millions of pounds worth of horse on site in facilites most owners wouldn't dream of subjecting their precious mounts to if they had any choice in the matter. As an aside, might this be the reason Laura B wouldn't stable her horse Andretti overnight, and then was unable to compete on Sunday due to a closure on the motorway?
|
Laura Bechtolsheimer
14 Oct 2008 19:32
|
Indeed! Its not too far from home for me and as the stable aren't ideal I didn't stable - look where that got me...not very far!!
|
Diana
15 Oct 2008 20:24
|
I think it depends where you go, I competed at Addington about 4 years ago and was given the end brick-built stable which was lovely as my horse, Dutchie, had the benefit of fresh air, and I could also lead him out to graze a lot!!
One of the things that used to annoy me was how some people don't muck out before they leave the stables then you arrive after a long drive to spend the next hour trying to make the stable clean, even after putting £20 of new bedding down!
Poor Laura, it was really sad what happened to her with Andretti being stuck on the motorway in the lorry. I haven't had a problem with a horse being injured in temporary stabling but can understand why people would prefer to commute.
|
Alfie
19 Jan 2009 19:23
|
It's always amazed me that people are happy to put their very expensive competition horses (or any other for that matter) in the flimsy temporary stables. Many of the horses look unsettled in them as the stables are small and don't give good security from neighbouring horses. Often the horses are trying to have a go at each other. I would be very worried putting my horses in one. Luckily when I went to Addington over night I had one of the old brick stables which I think have now been demolished to make way for new ones. Hopefully the temporary stables will be done away with then. I think it would be better to leave your horse on the lorry rather than put it in one of the temporary stables personally especially if the partitions can be moved over for more room.
|
Horsemad
19 Jan 2009 20:07
|
The British Horse Society issued a Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies at Events earlier this year and this document states that "under no circumstances should any horse be kept stabled in a trailer or horsebox overnight". Mind you, they also say that "No horse should be left unattended unless they are in the horsebox /trailer" which is a slight contradiction!
|
Alfie
20 Jan 2009 19:55
|
That made be laugh! I suppose ideally the stabling at events should be a better option than a trailer or lorry - that's where the dilemma is!
|
kerryslack
13 May 2009 11:29
|
When I have competed away before, I chose to stable my horse in the lorry, simply because the stabling was poor, and not much of it. I was only competing one horse so removed all partitions and put a nice thick bed down. As I was staying in the lorry too, I could keep a eye on him. Needless to say, he had a wonderful time and was more rested than some of the other horses who stayed in the stables. So there are benefits.
|
29 May 2009 12:49
|
The only experiene I had in the UK of temporary stabling was going to 3 counties with my pony and I wasn't impressed. It was tiny (he was only 13.2) and then when it rained and he was flooded out, they didn't want to change the stable. I did also have to muck it out myself - which is completely unhygienic - imagine if the horse before had a virus. Your horse could get it too!
I have to say that I think the UK need to take a few lessons from the continent, where temporary stabling is the norm, stables are more than big enough and especially in Spain, where there are very few one day competitions, horses, owners and yards are more than able to cope. Stables are always clean and ready when you arrive.
I don't blame people bedding down in the truck!
|
pamplemousse
04 Jun 2009 13:37
|
Last year, for open pony club areas, we were in temporary stabling, we took one look at it and decided we would rather commute, which was a 3 hour drive. The stables were tiny, the door frame was low, neither of which suited a 17hh1 dutch warmblood. Also we saw that the taller horses were able to look over into the other stables. On top of this the ground was gravel with damp straw on top for bedding. This was such a shame as the permanant stables were amazing.
In the morning when we returned the temporary stables in some cases were leaking. Never the less the competition was great and this year we've booked the permanant stables!! :)
|
loopylilo
15 Jun 2009 14:07
|
I agree the stables are far too small at Stoneleigh and I only have a 15.2hh! Had seen them on previous years and made the decision not to book stabling on the showground but it is too far to commute! Instead we found a local yard 2 miles down the road and stayed there! Horse had a proper stable and a good nights sleep, and accomodation for us was on the yard too so could check up on the horses overnight! All for just 15 pounds for a stable and 15 pounds for us! Not a bad deal at all! Whenever I need to stay anywhere overnight from now on I will check the accomodation first and if its not up to scratch I would definitely recommend ringing around the local area to try and find a yard close to the showground! Most people are pretty accomodating and will make room for you just to make a bit of quick cash! It is also worth speaking to your eventing friends as when BE publishes the schedules for comps they give a list of local stabling, some of these may be close to dressage venues too!
|
|
|
|