Think Twice About Risks of Horse Rental Business By Robert C. Church It is unrealistic to consider profit as an incentive for owning horses on a limited, part-time basis. Liability insurance makes it almost prohibitive for even full-time stables with professional help to operate. An element of risk for a horse-oriented busi- ness has never been established; therefore, the insurance rate is arbitrarily set. Volume of business and services such as indoor riding arenas, instruction and training, and professional supervision offered to their clientele keep the full-time stables profitable. Most rental stables cater to the novice rider who has had no formal instruction and thus is a considerable risk on a horse. A person who keeps horses for public hire must become familiar with the habits, disposition and traits of the horses. An owner who knows a particular horse is apt to be vicious may be held liable for injuries caused by that animal. The rental horse business is fraught with risk and should be entered into only after considering suitability of the horses involved, insurance costs, availability and safety of trails, and the expertise of those who will supervise riding. Some people use personal mounts for riding instruction.- In most cases a homeowner's policy will cover liability if this enterprise falls within the confines of a casual and not a full- time enterprise. However, many recently written policies do not include this type coverage. If you have the required skills, training horses on limited acreage as a part-time occupation can provide supplemental income. But it's not easy to make money from these part-time endeavors. Keep in mind the volume of income that would be required to cover costs involved in order to realize a profit. Robert C. Church is Associate Professor of Anima! Industries and Extension Horse Specialist, University of Connecticut, Storrs. 365 Without indoor riding facilities, weather very much Umits the activities in most areas of the country. Many small stable operators are in the business as a part- time occupation because they love to work with people and horses. Selecting a Horse Horse trading is an old and sometimes not too honorable activity. In no other industry is the point of law Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware) so closely adhered to. Where no war- ranty is implied or given, the buyer accepts all responsibility unless illegal practices can be proved. Most dealers in horses are honest businessmen looking for satisfied repeat customers. But too often the sale and purchase of a horse is between private parties with neither a knowledge- able enough horseman to be aware of the horse's faults. The novice should seek the help of an experienced equine veterinarian or horseman when buying a horse. There are standard examination procedures to determine stable habits, temperament and disposition, and to detect disease and un- soundness. Also there are certain conformation faults that limit the usefulness of the horse and predispose it to specific unsoundness. Tennessee walking have throat latch and horse cools oft in a girl should be wearing farm pond. Note that heeled boots. for safety, bridle should George Robinson Ji." "l«^^^!^^ _^<^- "■■-■ If you are paying an average or considerable amount for a horse, take steps to ensure a sound investment. The price of horses varies from slaughter prices to thou- sands of dollars. Check with several dealers for an idea of the price range. Horses between the ages of 8 to 14 years, well trained, gentle, healthy and sound, make the best beginner horses. The horse should fit your needs and you should fit the horse. A height for ease of mounting and a width to fit your legs makes for a safer, more comfortable ride. The stallion is not for any but the very experienced horse- man. Some mares become difficult to handle when in season. The gelding is a castrated male and is usually more stable than the stallion or mare. Sources of horses include: • Public auction barn—usually the dumping ground for less desirable horses, and disease problems. Strictly Caveat Emptor ' Horse dealers, as discussed earlier • Horse farm sales. Some deal in trained horses, but most sell weanlings, yearlings, 2-year-olds, and surplus breeding stock of one of the registered breeds • Casual sales, as outgrown pony, former 4-H mount, going off to college, or just lost interest. Sometimes dumping an unsuitable or fractious horse. The former owner of a horse, with no ties to the present owner, will usually tell you the truth about the horse. Space and Fencing In most communities, keeping horses in heavily populated areas has precipitated the inclusion of animal ordinances in zoning regulations. Laws governing cruelty to animals, nui- sances, health and safety usually are already on the books. Be sure to check all governmental requirements. Pasturage should be high in fertility of soil and density of desirable forage species in order to provide enough feed for the horse. Your County Extension Farm Agent can give sound advice. If the horse is to be confined with limited riding, about 800 square feet should be provided for a minimum exercise area. Longeing the horse for a half hour a day can be done on very limited space. (Longeing is having the horse circle you on a long 25- to 30-foot line.) Fencing for horses usually involves more expense due to the temperament of the horse. Barbed wire, one of the most inexpensive fencing materials, is the least desirable for horses. 367 Common breeds of horses Breed Normal usage Comments Arabian Pleasure {E & W) Exceptional Park endurance. Stock Horse Foundation Trail Riding breed of most Endurance Riding other purebred Parade breeds Pleasure Driving Appaloosa Pleasure (E & W) A color breed; Stock horse not pure bred Trail riding Endurance riding Reining Cutting Parade Gymkhana, timed events Pleasure Driving Roping Polo American 3 and 5 gaited Mostly used in Saddle Horse Pleasure show ring and Fine harness on bridle path Pleasure driving Morgan Pleasure (E & W) Descended from Park one foundation Stock horse sire (Justin Trail riding Morgan) Pleasure driving Roadster Paint Pleasure Color breed Stock horse of quarter horse Reining, roping conformation. Cutting Two basic color Racing (short) patterns— Parade Overo & Tobiano Trail riding Polo Pinto Used more extensively Color breed. under English saddle Conformation Polo may be Parade characteristic of most of the English type breeds. Overo and Tobiano Palomino Pleasure (E & W) Color breed. Stock horse Many double Parade registered, especially Quarter horses E & W refers to English and Western saddles. 368 Common breeds of horses Breed Normal usage Comments Quarter Horse Pleasure (E & W) Largest in Stock horse registration Reining, roping of all breeds. Cutting Due to its Racing (short dist.) versatility and Trail riding temperament, Gymkhana a very popular Timed events breed. Polo Hunters Dressage Standard Bred Harness Used almost Racing—trotters exclusively as and pacers racing and Roadsters driving horses Thoroughbred Racing Used extensively Hunters to add quality. Jumpers speed and Polo endurance to Stock horses many of the other breeds Tennessee Show ring A characteristic Walking Pleasure running walk; when developed to the extreme Is used mostly in the show ring Connemara Medium-sized adult's Noted for and children's mounts their temperament, Hunters hardiness, and Jumpers jumping ability Pony of Children's mount 46" to 52" in Americas Pleasure (E & W) height and have Timed events Appaloosa markings Hackney Pony Harness show Extreme flexion ponies in the knees and hocks. Probably the showiest of all at the trot Shetland Pony Children's mount Old Island type Pleasure driving short and blocky, Harness show and new Pony (American type) American type modeled after the American saddle horse Welsh Pony Children's mount A very hardy Roadster and pony. racing ponies Hunter ponies 369 The horse is easily frightened and in small pastures is apt to try to run through barbed wire, which frequently causes grave injury. Suitable types of fences include: Wood—plank, board, split rail, rail, and buck and rail. Wood is the safest fencing for horses, but expensive to con- struct and maintain. Metal—woven wire, chain link, welded pipe, cable, barbless wire and plain wire. Electric—Use only an approved, safe system. Follow direc- tions for installation. Horses must be trained to an electric fence, which can be used to divide pastures for rotational grazing. All wire or metal fences should be grounded at least every 800 to 900 running feet to a metal rod driven into the ground to permanent moisture depth, Fenceposts Locust, red cedar, and osage-orange are the best wooden posts available. Railroad ties in good condition have long life, are strong, and hold staples well. Pressure-creosoted, discarded telephone poles may also be used. All other wood posts—as white cedar, oak, hemlock, hickory, pine, spruce, birch, beech and ash should be treated with a wood preservative such as creosote or pentachloro- phenol. Note that with metal posts, a T-shaped driven post is stronger than U or V shaped posts. Concrete posts have long life but are expensive. Managing Pasture Many horse pastures are no more than exercise lots. The quantity and quality of feed on these rundown pastures won't meet the horse's nutritional needs. Proper management through introducing adapted grasses and legumes, and a proper stocking rate, can provide a con- siderable portion of the horses daily nutritional needs during the grazing season. Pleasure horses are usually pastured on very limited acre- ages. Therefore, a balance between the needs of the horse and those of the pasture grasses must be maintained. The pasture manager has several ways of stimulating the growth of pasture plants.