Horses in Maine

[mainewannabe]

These are all good things to know. I didn't even consider the idea of a carriage, yet !! Cool !! And also all the rest of the stuff as you pointed out. People are so rude here ... didn't used to be. We grew up in what was then the 'country' here. Just a few miles from where I currently live but .. back then, WHAT a difference. Lots of us had horses. It was great.
Driving the horse about (actually riding it til you planted the 'driving it' seed) was exactly what I had in mind.
I'm going full-bore lifestyle change. I'm sick of metro traffic, people, neon --- the whole nine yards. I may park my car as much as I can.
We had our horses here (in the previous location) for years and years. Probably considerably less trouble than where there is ice. We used to have so much fun riding and then they built yucky apts. where our horses liked to be ridden.
Well, thanks for all the good ideas and the tips. I appreciate it.

Originally Posted by AlisonL

I wouldn't rely on a horse for my main means of transport, unless I lived way back in the boonies. Too darn many drivers are not at all courteous to riders these days.

Several years ago we got cussed out by an impatient fool waiting behind us at an area where utility work was being. We were obeying traffic laws and had to stop for the flagger. The fool in the pickup got blasted big time as the utility workers jumpe on his case.
Some idiots also think its great fun to come up behind you and try to spook your horse. Had a kid do that years ago, his only mistake was he felt guilty and came back to make sure I was okay. He got an earful and then some from me.
I used to drive my horse all over town and to the store. We had to cross a 4 lane highway, and never had any problems. Unfortunately my riding trails got taken over and ruined by 4-wheelers.
Your biggest concern in winter with horses will be the ice. Keep them barefoot or have borium put on their shoes and use common sense and you will do great.

[mainewannabe]

Ouch! I had already mentioned to the animal-lover in the family that rural communities would have a huge need for vets so ... maybe things will improve in that area. A friend recently relocated to maine and she finally got her vet's degree after years of hard work. Not sure her specialty she's actually the family member of a friend but is opening her practice in maine. Building a log cabin, whole nine yards.
I'd have horses for pleasure definitely and for love of the big beasties.... we are looking downeast -- coastal beween perry and gouldsboro --- NOTHING in the city.
Thank you for telling me all of this. I had wondered. Somehow I ask the wrong questions but I still get the right answers.
Mainahs are special.
Seriously thank you for this.

Originally Posted by Seaglass

Hi, there--
Where in Maine would you be buying?
Sorry in advance if I'm repeating anything--just saw this and haven't got time to read other responses right now.
I rode Medal/Maclay and A/O Hunters, and bred and showed for many years, based here in Maine...Just a heads-up: I no longer have horses (I live Down East)--which was a tremendously difficult decision to make--as there are NO EQUINE (or large-animal) VETS HERE. NONE. The nearest acute care/surgical facility if we need it is literally hours away, and you would have to haul yourself to get there in an emergency. This is a risk I simply wasn't willing to take with my animals when we lost our last practicing vet several years back. So, be careful where you're looking at living.
Winter's also a major consideration. If you have pleasure horses, it's not such a big deal, but if you breed, haul or show it complicates things quite a lot; it's very difficult to keep horses fit when it's zero outside without access to an excellent indoor facility, for example. Good luck!

[mainebrokerman]

i cant remember seeing too many horses out on the roads in the snow,,snowplows and mail-boxes dont mix,,i cant imagine snowplows and horses are a good mix.
tho i do see many horses being ridden on the back(dry) roads,,,,i always carry spare apples with me,,in case i run into someone i know with a horse,,ive seen many horses trail-riding, when in the woods with my atv,,,even on snowtrails when on my snowmobile,

[Coaster]

Finding a good lar4ge-animal vet should be a priority for you. As some folks have already said, they're getting few and far between in Maine these days. I guess the Pomeranians pay better.

Winters even in Down East Maine are not nearly as bad as our reputation suggests. We just spread those stories to keep the flatlanders honest. BTW, I think Forest Beekeeper and I wear the same size tinfoil hats. Having back-up transportation is never a bad idea.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Coaster

... BTW, I think Forest Beekeeper and I wear the same size tinfoil hats. Having back-up transportation is never a bad idea.

We once had trucking coast-to-coast via beasts of burden. Mule teams and horses, brought building supplies and food from rural areas into the cities. And trucked manufactured goods everywhere.

Thousands upon thousands of mule teams, with relay stations every ten to twenty miles on every road. Where teams could be switched out and rested.

Mules can not breed, so also scattered across the nation were breeding horse ranches with both horses and donkeys. Producing thousands of horses and mules. In twenty short years, they became almost extinct. From 1920 to 1940, we completely changed how we transport goods.

If oil went away tomorrow. We can not just rebuild a million mules in a year. It would take another hundred years of constant re-breeding just to get those numbers back working once again.

[AlisonL]

We would never go back to the days of mule deliveries. Too many folks want things and they wanted them yesterday!!

[Submariner]

If oil goes away; folks will have far too many other things to whine about.