Comments on: How to House-Train Your Horse

on 5/16/2007 as a horse lover and trainer i thought this artical was quite funny it brings back the thought of my 13 month old filly coming in to my house and jumping on my bed needless to say she broke my bed as she laid there winnie for her breakfast, you can spoil these animals and before you go on to house break them know this they will get bigger, i think its ok to to walk them in but i would never leave them alone.

on 6/30/2006 I think it is perfectly crazy to keep a horse inside a house! It may seem fun at the time, but first, look at my reasons why not to keep a horse in the house, and consider them sensibly.
1. There are hazards. Almost everything is a hazard to a horse! China, glass, cutlery? Children? Fancy or valuable furniture? Cleaning products? You will have to thoroughly horse-proof your house before you let a pony takeover! Do you have time?
2. If you have young children, think of them. Sure, It might be enjoyable to have a fluffy, friendly pony in the house, and they might like it, but they could get hurt. Pony could hurt kid, kid could hurt pony! Also, kids might get jealous if you fuss over the pony.
3. Do you really want to have a pony in the house? To have to wake up at midnight to take a pony out for 'elimination' purposes? To wake up to find pony has demolished kid's toys and your best cushions? And what if he grows too big? You may have to put him outside, which may cause problems if he isn't used to living outside in the cold. Could you cope with saying goodbye?

I hope you have considered these reasons sensibly, and I hope they will help you make the major decision of housing a horse!

on 11/22/2005 Common sense dictates that a horse is not physically or mentally equipped to live inside of a house. It's bad enough that some horses are stall-bound the majority of the day. The next thing you know, I'm going to find a diaper for a horse so I don't have to potty train it.

on 11/22/2005 Why not give your horse a room of his own. That room can be designed for the horse to live in. To make it even better, why not connect your bedroom to his room with a very short but big hallway. That way, your horse can wake you up with a big slobbering lick and he can even let you ride him in your undies.

on 11/22/2005 I've only ever heard of guide ponies being kept in houses (they're used like guide dogs). These ponies are trained by experts and are only about 7 hands (very small). There is no reason to keep a horse in a house. Keeping a horse in a house is dangerous for the horse and humans. To effectively keep a horse in a house, a room with direct outdoor access, would have to be horse-proofed. This basically means turning it in to a stable. This type of intensive, time consuming training with a foal is wrapped in controversy. A racehorse is weaned at four months, most others at six, and new arguments say that this is also too young. House training a foal at less than six months means long separations from the dam or early weaning. At six months a foal is about equivalent to a 3-4 year old toddler (depending on breed). Very short attention spans and always looking for their mummies, especially when in a new environment. Scare training and bomb-proofing at this age should only be done with a dam.

on 11/22/2005 I think it's absolutely insane to bring your horse inside the house! Why would you want your horse in your house? They certainly don't want to be there! I mean, by all means, go ahead if you've got a mansion, but in a normal sized house a horse wouldn't have room to roam around in, which is what they love to do.

on 11/22/2005 It is not safe or sensible to keep a horse inside. They are designed to be outside with horses, where they can run and play and be horses! If you want a horse in your house get My Little Pony.

on 11/22/2005 Be careful. Houses are designed for people. Horses can get injured or spooked by things we might not perceive as dangerous at all. When a horse gets upset, s/he will try to flee. If they cannot get away from whatever they think is dangerous, they can really freak out. If they are freaking out in a confined space...it's not good.

I suggest teaching your horse to "spook in place" before s/he comes in the house. You can't make a horse NOT be afraid, but you CAN teach him/her to react to the fear in a less dangerous way.

The only thing worse than a wreck is a wreck in a confined space.

on 11/22/2005 Remember that most homes are not designed with the size of a 1000+ pound animal in mind. Your horse will most likely get too big for your house and to be able to move around safely. At some point, he/she is going to have to stay outside permanently. If this thought brings you to tears, just remember that you could invite your faithful friend back inside on special occasions like Thanksgiving, birthdays, and Christmas (just watch out for that tinsel!).

on 11/22/2005 Just because your horse is inside, doesn't mean they arn't in danger! Think of them as babies: table edges can hurt them,cleaners kill them, vapors make them deadly sick!They still need water,hay,feed,worming,hooves trimed,feet looked at a daily basics, teeth looked at,excersises,and fresh air!

on 11/22/2005 Unless you want to buy a new carpet every few months, try to limit your horse to an area with a linoleum floor. If your horse makes a mess, it is easy to clean. The only drawback to this type of floor is that it is slippery, so you have to be careful.

on 11/22/2005 Unless you like to see your horse panic at the thought that some big monster is chasing her, do not tie a horse to an object she can drag around! It would be safer to just hold onto her lead rope yourself.

on 11/22/2005 Do not put a trash can where a horse can get into it. If this is not possible have a lid to put over the trash can.