Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Horse power

I don't know if I posted about this before, but here it is.
I really haven't enjoyed riding a motorcycle since the last Arkansas rally. That was a fun time but it was the last time I enjoyed being on my bike.
So as some of ya know I have been working on my homestead and small farm. Trying to get to the whole self sufficient thing as it were.
Well, I have found great pleasure in horses. Yep horses are fantastic creatures with interesting personalities. So I've got three rescues and man is it a blast. Whether you ride up to town or head out down a trail or even off the trail into the woods they are a joy. Ya can't go 100mph, but 40 is as fast as you want to go on one.
They become a companion thats always there. When I come home from work and whistle out to the paddock and ole Charlie knickers back to me, and they all come running up to greet me at the fence. Hell, I even have one that will play ball with me.

Horses are cool. I often wish I had a place in the country where I could have some animals besides dogs. Although dogs are great companions also, you just can't ride them. Chad I have a solution to your mc blues. Since the last time you enjoyed your bike was at the AR rally come back again this fall.

I have been thinking about it.

plus, you can't eat a motorcycle.

mmmm Pferd steak

I understand the love of horses. But I am in the other camp. Don't care for them at all. When ever they get the chance, they will bite you, kick you, throw you, stomp you! But occasionally, they will take you in the direction you want to go. If you think maintenance on a bike is expensive, WHOOOOOOAAAAAA! Maintenance on a horse is year round, which includes feeding and vet bills. Having said all that, I do know that my limited experiences with horses are limited and bad, mostly because, through no fault of my own, I've only been exposed to bad, poorly trained horses. I really love animals, and I especially love dogs and all other kind of pets. Just never had a good experience with a horse. But again, I know my experience is unusually negative and I understand why people love a GOOD horse! I hope you enjoy yours!

I love horses and have owned (as much as you can own a horse) a few. One thing I've learned is that they are very costly to keep and whoever coined the term 'healthy as a horse' probably never had one for any length of time.

I'm not finding horses to be any more expensive than motorcycles. About $50 a week on average I easily spent that on motorcycle riding. I figured motorcycles cost of operation to be about $0.50 per mile on average over a year. It's easy to put 20,000 miles on one in a year.
Horses, have minds of their own and require more personal investment, in time and effort. And at horse events there are no sons of anarchy tough guys. No "biker" bull ******. And the police aren't out to prove something to the guy on a horse, as they seem to be about the guys on motorcycles.

A horse's performance can be greatly improved with a modern flash tune. I just wish the USB port wasn't in such an awkward location!

interesting. I did think large animals were delicate and expensive but I'm a city boy. I'm very glad you're enjoying the experience.

About 75 to 80% of the expense in keeping get a horse is feeding that bugger. They eat about 15 to 20 pounds of hay per day. Along with 4 to 6 pounds of grain. A 50lbs bag of feed is $11 per bag and a 60lbs square bale of hay is $10. You end up feeding about $35 per week per horse. That's food alone then ever 6 weeks you get their hooves trimmed and that's $40, twice ya year ya worm them, that's $20 and once a year you have the vet give them shots and cogins tested, that's $75.

The main drawbacks to having a horse would be that you need quite a lot of space for them, they need constant care and feeding and that there are very few times or places where taking the horse make sense. They are often quite pretty, and likely a lot of fun, but are considerably less practical than a motorcycle.

While a wreck on a horse hurts, it's not normal to die from it.

We had horses for yrs and what I came to realize is this, unless you have plenty of land available for riding them ? They're a pain in the arse!! Had to be home every day at 5 to feed them ( the cost has been discussed so won't go there) had to be up every morn at 6 to feed them , they break the fence ? Gotta fix it no matter the weather ( and in Mi winter snow to fanny? No fun) then if you don't ride them often they get to where they don't like being ridden. The day comes eventually when they die, and what do you do with them ? You get a backhoe and dig a deep hole next to where they dropped and roll them in ! I have tried to keep this short because I could go on becuse that's just a few of the high points. We havnt touched on the work involved after a good hard ride lol !! But like I said , if you have plenty of land and lots of time to spend with them ? They can be fun but an awfull lot of work and time involved!!! On the other hand , when it comes to my bike? I go out to barn , start it , ride the hell out of it and when done? I put it back in the barn and close the door untill next time. I understand owning horses for some but never again for me!! We spent the last 10 yrs of ownership waiting for the last two to die , they were to old to ride and just kept on living and eating and craping ! For my $$ I'd rather own cows, you can either milk them or if not milkers you get to eat them when they get big. Lol but my family always said cows would end up as pets and we could never eat a pet WTH I use to say " maybe you can't but I could" roflmao !!! Don't mean to discourage you but they are just not for me anymore, I'm much happier with Millie and will just stick with her . Besides I don't think my back would care to much for a horsey ride these days lol

At first I thought that was a comment about Aprillia motorcycles.