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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
  
Location: Texas | I don't know what everyone's idea of maintenance is but I sure do see a lot of people against it when looking for a horse.. So I'm just wondering how many people have competitive horses that meet this standard. No supplements, no previcox/bute, no injections, no special shoes, no bleeders, no horse that has to be walked in the alley, no chiro, and all the other extra stuff we do just so our horse can go make its best run..
Maybe i'm wrong about this way of thinking but what really defines maintenance? I don't think my horse is high maintenace but I don't know anyone who doesn't atleast do something for their horse..
Is it really possible to have nothing to maintain with a horse? This statement just seems to be getting quite ridiculous with what people want IMO... ok rant over |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | Most think that maintanance is only when someone else has to do it not when they have to do it to their own horse. |
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
 
Location: Pacific Northwest | My current mare is "no maintenance" but not if you want to clock in the 1D. With 0 "extras" and in mediocre shape she will clock in the 2D, usually 3D. She doesn't have an actual soreness issue, but there's a noticeable difference in the way she runs when she's in top shape and kept up to date on chiro/massage and using BOT/PHT/liniments, versus good shape and me slacking on things. |
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | Well all our horses (barrel and ranch horses) see a chiropractor when they need it and my seasoned barrel horse does need help into the arena.......I'd say our horses are very low maintenace, they don't get X Y Z supplements, just good quality hay, free choice mineral, proper grain supplement for work load, regular farrier and proper conditioning. |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8552
Location: sunny california | mine is at the spa... does that count? |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| This is an awesome thread. I have been thinking here lately, is my horse this high maintenance or am I making her this way?
Before I started doing all of my stuff, she was 2D at small stuff, 3D at big stuff. We have moved up .5 seconds with all of my extras. Extras being ranitidine every 8 hours (8a,4p, 12a if I can) the day of a show, injectable joint care (IA when needed, pentosan and Adequan as needed), BOT before a run/ day of and I now rub her down with liniment every time I ride.
Do I think she would be fine without the extras? Sure. Tons of horses are and radiographically her joints look great (as of last week) so I don't think she NEEDS any of it but she sure runs better with it.
I feel like there is a difference in need and want when it comes to maintenance and everyone differs. Some might do more than what I do, some might do less.
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Everybody has different definitions of maintenance.
I won't run a horse that I have to give bute or previcoxx, as I believe if they are not sound enough to run without, I shouldn't be running them.
I sold a judge cash daughter who is used in wrangler high school rodeo in barrels, poles, and now goats, she has made nationals the two years she has owned her, and this mare needs nor gets anything.
Another I sold a grandson of FWF is knocking on the door of placing at prorodeos, is a 1d horse, the girl only gives him platimum cj for preventative care.
All my horses currently are young and just starting their career, I put them on Lubrysin as a preventative measure so I don't have to fuse hocks or inject joints, as I do believe the more prevention I can do at a younger age, the longer they will last, and less maintaince later on. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| A lot of 3-d and 4-d horses could be faster if they had some maintance. It always scares me when people say never been injected. There are a few horses that when you run your hand down them they just quiver. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| My horses require quite a bit of maintenance, Adaquain, Cortisone, special shoes, chiro, the list goes on... |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| That'd be a big fat zero, Ghostrider! |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Mine requires hock injections and I am putting him on Pentosan/Adaquan soon. I chiro regardless. For 16 I'm completely fine with that and don't consider him high maintenance. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | No unicorns in my barn!
I honestly think that more horses would get "maintenance" (injections, chiro, supplements, etc) if more people would be willing to spend the $ and see first hand results and not just assume that it would be a waste of money.
Even my retired pasture ornament gets his hocks done. It's just what I do to make sure he's comfortable. He gets trimmed about every 8 weeks and gets a scoop of Forco every night. I consider him no maintenance compared to my other gelding. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| There is a girl that lives around here whose dad trains race horses. She said that they spend between $600 and $1100 at the vet each month per horse but their horses are still sound and running as 7 year olds. First of all if they were not winning they would not still be running. This should tell you something about maintenance.
You can eliminate a lot of problems by having your horse's feet trimmed no longer than every 5 weeks and getting their teeth floated at least once a year. A good farrier and equine dentist are essential. What I am saying is that good maintenance will extend the length of time your horse will be able to perform at their best. |
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Member
Posts: 49
Location: In the saddle enjoying the East Texas sky | When looking to buy a horse the only thing I consider "maintenance" is stuff I can't do myself. Such at hock or stifle injections, and maybe the treatments necessary for bleeding (if they are bleeders and depending how severe treatments are.) Do they need special supplements every day to combat that(minor), do they need lasix before a run(minor) or do I have to give lasix for every single work out (severe) I look at it this way: I eat healthy, I take vitamins and supplements. I have breathing issues so I have an inhaler (I have to use almost daily) and a respirator for emergencies. Those are things I do to keep myself at my normal. I don't think doing those things for my horses or a horse I might buy is considered maintenance. I can also do them without doctor (or vet) help. That is just my personal opinion on the definition of "maintenance". |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I have about the closest thing to a maintenance free barrel horse. My 22 year old, Joker, has never had shoes, never needs adjusted by the chiro, and just basically doesn't require a lot of extra stuff to keep him running. I had his hocks injected once last year, I run him on Air Power or Ventipulmin, feed him a daily joint supplement, make sure someone is around in case he decides to try me at the gate (he won't refuse at all if someone is there to walk beside him a couple steps), and if I ran him back to back days, I'd probably give him a little bute. He does run better if he gets to wear his Back on Track stuff before he runs and if I use a Flair strip but I still feel like he's spoiled me with the lack of maintenance even after 16-17 years of running. That said, he's a 2D/3D horse who has placed at a handful of rodeos in his life.
My 2 1D horses need a lot more help but they're also a lot faster. Chance has to have shoes, pads on the front, occasional coffin joint injections, a massage/bodywork treatment a couple times a year, chiro checkups a couple times a year, and Clifford is going to need some stifle maintenance (we have injected one of them once and did hocks about the same time) plus regular chiro adjustments. I also feed them both a daily joint supplement, run them on Air Power & with Flair strips if its a big pattern & a hot day, and they get to spend plenty of time with their PHT and BOT goodies. Still, none of that is overwhelming for a 1D horse in my opinion. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | outrundaizy - 2015-06-22 5:19 PM
I don't know what everyone's idea of maintenance is but I sure do see a lot of people against it when looking for a horse.. So I'm just wondering how many people have competitive horses that meet this standard. No supplements, no previcox/bute, no injections, no special shoes, no bleeders, no horse that has to be walked in the alley, no chiro, and all the other extra stuff we do just so our horse can go make its best run..
Maybe i'm wrong about this way of thinking but what really defines maintenance? I don't think my horse is high maintenace but I don't know anyone who doesn't atleast do something for their horse..
Is it really possible to have nothing to maintain with a horse? This statement just seems to be getting quite ridiculous with what people want IMO... ok rant over
I just had buyers back out of a sale because my mare wears front shoes (she's flat footed and has no sole). I've tried going without them she is just to tender footed. And the fact that she needs hock injections once a year. Other then that she's sound and easy. But that was their reason!!!
Heck that's the least of my issues compared to my other horses!!!!!!
I couldn't believe it but I guess if you can't afford shoes and injections once a year then you shouldn't have a competitive barrel horse. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1304
| I think a lot of people also don't understand what specific maintenance requires, and I'm one of them! I have an idea with some maintenance requirements but I'm not the most familiar with a variety of them because I haven't had horses that have had that certain issues like needing Lasix, hock injections, etc. Some of these seem big and scary and can scare a person off just because they don't understand and predict it will get worse when it very well won't or is easily maintained! I'm trying to learn from you guys on here so I don't overestimate what may just be a minor issue in the scheme of things when it's time to buy a horse again  |
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7550
Location: In The Land of Cotton | If someone actually posted on here that they had a horse that ran in the 1D and was in the top 25 out of over 800 riders and had no maintenance other then feed, hay, water, shoes and dental work, people on here would call them a liar. Just my opinion, |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | What I find disturbing is the amount of horses that ARE run with no maintenance and have obvious pain issues.
I don't even like the word maintenance... it's really just upkeep. It's taking care of something that I want peak performance from. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 878
Location: "...way down south in the Everglades..." | The only maintenance free horse I own is a grade rescue gelding that is mostly a pasture ornament and occasionally a trail horse.
I don't think any competitve horse, whether barrels or other show events (jumping, cutting, reining,...), can be completely maintenance free. Just like human athletes, most people have some form of maintenance too. I figure if I'm using biofreeze, ibuprofen, a chiro, a knee brace, etc. etc....then I should be perfectly okay with the fact my horses need some help too.
However, there's a fine line between high maintenance and not fit for performing. I think when people don't understand that difference that they are scared away from sales, etc.
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