23 year old hack for £1500?

cptrayes

cptrayes

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I can't make up my mind if the person who placed an ad on Preloved for a 23 year old horse is mad, bad or both.

Is it ever fair to sell a horse of that age? I certainly couldn't.

And if it is, is there a snowball's chance in hell of getting £1500 for 23 year old 16.3 warmblood cross hack???
 
I have just seen an ad on a site for a 13hh pony that is currently lame & suffers from laminitis £150, so to be honest not much suprises me anymore :(
 
Just wrong imo. I suppose its possible the owner wants to permanent loan, & the price is to put off people out to make a quick buck. Otherwise, I think its a horrid thing to try & do. My 23yr old is a 14.2 conniextb, & still more than capable of being a pc schoolmistress type, so very different to the ad. But I'd pts before I sold her, its the least she deserves.
 
It it is still fresh and forward then its okay to sell. I think death is a little harsh.

This woman might think because of the breed that it is worth this, but yeah it's not.
 
I just paid well under £500 for my 23 year old boy. He was an absolute bargain based on the fact that he is completely bombproof and great for a nervous Nellie like me. I personally wouldn't mind paying a bit more for a safe pony like him who is in good health but £1500 is unrealistic.

I also bought my boy because I knew that he would live out the rest of his days with me. It is such a shame when the oldies are considered not fit for purpose. If i win the euro millions on Friday, they can all come and live with me :D
 
Equi- you may think death is harsh, I think for an oldie to end up at auction is harsher & not worth the gamble. If the person who's had a horses best years cba to either offer peaceful retirement or a dignified end, why would a stranger be more likely too? No doubt some people do buy oldies & treat them well, others don't.
 
I sold my friends 20 yr old Arab for £2000 a few years back. She couldn't keep him after having a disabled baby. I had loads of people looking at him and sold him quickly to an older lady for hacking around the forest. He was a very very safe horse and not like a typical Arab. I admit 23 is knocking on a bit but if its healthy and going to be a safe hack for someone then they will pay it.
 
I'm in total agreement with LL. if anyone values a horse of this age it should never be for sale, or loan. Take responsibility and see it to the end of its life happily and responsibly. I hate the fact owners will not face the fact ageing horses need their support not market value! Death is not the worst these faithful animals could suffer.
 
It's not necessarily a bad price if you're looking for safety and enjoyment, especially if they include tack & rugs as that alone is going to be the best part of £1000 buying a reasonable second hand saddle and some new rugs and bridle so a safe horse for £500 - I'd consider it if I was looking for a hack if it came with some sort of a wardrobe. :)

We have a recent arrival on the yard of a 19yo that had been put out to grass for no real reason, now back in work with new owner and happy in his new hacking home - 23 isn't so far away from 19 from having had an oldie.
 
SmartieBean09 said:
I just paid well under £500 for my 23 year old boy. He was an absolute bargain based on the fact that he is completely bombproof and great for a nervous Nellie like me. I personally wouldn't mind paying a bit more for a safe pony like him who is in good health but £1500 is unrealistic.

I also bought my boy because I knew that he would live out the rest of his days with me. It is such a shame when the oldies are considered not fit for purpose. If i win the euro millions on Friday, they can all come and live with me :D
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**LIKE** button needed and ditto :D
 
littlelegs said:
Equi- you may think death is harsh, I think for an oldie to end up at auction is harsher & not worth the gamble. If the person who's had a horses best years cba to either offer peaceful retirement or a dignified end, why would a stranger be more likely too? No doubt some people do buy oldies & treat them well, others don't.
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i get that, but i wouldn't pts unless the horse was in pain/not coping. i would happily pay for a retirement home or find a rescue that wanted a nanny companion but i would still look after it. i couldn't just pts because i was worried it wouldn't get a nice home, if i thought that i would never give away any horse.
 
I get what you're saying equi, I have no intentions of getting rid of my 23yr old either. But if someones circumstances mean they can't afford to keep it, pts is better than passing on imo.
 
equi said:
i get that, but i wouldn't pts unless the horse was in pain/not coping. i would happily pay for a retirement home or find a rescue that wanted a nanny companion but i would still look after it. i couldn't just pts because i was worried it wouldn't get a nice home, if i thought that i would never give away any horse.
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Agree ^^^:)
 
Azmar said:
I'm in total agreement with LL. if anyone values a horse of this age it should never be for sale, or loan. Take responsibility and see it to the end of its life happily and responsibly. I hate the fact owners will not face the fact ageing horses need their support not market value! Death is not the worst these faithful animals could suffer.
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Although I dont think this horse is worth £1500, I dont see why its wrong to sell on an older horse. If the horse is still perfectly capable and enjoys going out hacking then who is to say that the next home wont suit it down to the ground and look after it beautifully until the end of its days? Why are some of you assuming it'll end up in a bad home?! There's no more chance of that than selling a horse of any age. BTW, I have kept my two veterans (my 2 very first ponies) who are now about 26 and 24 and they will never be sold but thats my choice because I see no reason to sell them. If someones situation changes or something then I dont see why they shouldnt sell their older horse. Shocked to hear so many of you say you'd rather put to sleep. Why?! If the horse is perfectly healthy then why on earth end its life purely because you seem to think it'll end up in a horrid home - you're the one choosing the home at the end of the day, simply choose wisely!
 
MagicMelon said:
Although I dont think this horse is worth £1500, I dont see why its wrong to sell on an older horse. If the horse is still perfectly capable and enjoys going out hacking then who is to say that the next home wont suit it down to the ground and look after it beautifully until the end of its days? Why are some of you assuming it'll end up in a bad home?! There's no more chance of that than selling a horse of any age. BTW, I have kept my two veterans (my 2 very first ponies) who are now about 26 and 24 and they will never be sold but thats my choice because I see no reason to sell them. If someones situation changes or something then I dont see why they shouldnt sell their older horse. Shocked to hear so many of you say you'd rather put to sleep. Why?! If the horse is perfectly healthy then why on earth end its life purely because you seem to think it'll end up in a horrid home - you're the one choosing the home at the end of the day, simply choose wisely!
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Well said :) x
 
MagicMelon said:
Although I dont think this horse is worth £1500, I dont see why its wrong to sell on an older horse. If the horse is still perfectly capable and enjoys going out hacking then who is to say that the next home wont suit it down to the ground and look after it beautifully until the end of its days? Why are some of you assuming it'll end up in a bad home?! There's no more chance of that than selling a horse of any age. BTW, I have kept my two veterans (my 2 very first ponies) who are now about 26 and 24 and they will never be sold but thats my choice because I see no reason to sell them. If someones situation changes or something then I dont see why they shouldnt sell their older horse. Shocked to hear so many of you say you'd rather put to sleep. Why?! If the horse is perfectly healthy then why on earth end its life purely because you seem to think it'll end up in a horrid home - you're the one choosing the home at the end of the day, simply choose wisely!
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Abso-friggin-lutely! ;)
 
Looking at this positively, yes I think £1500 is rather hopeful but if someone is prepared to pay this then they are probably prepared to look after the horse.
 
If an oldie is rideable & healthy, why not loan responsibly, instead of trying to profit? Or maybe I'm just realistic & would rather do the right thing for the horse, than save my own feelings by telling myself it has a great chance of a happy future.
If you've ever seen the oldies at an auction, you'd understand why I would pts before I got rid. They aren't the product of overbreeding. They are all there because after someone got the useful years, they passed them off to uncertain futures. And seen too many oldies in bad homes before too.
I don't understand how anyone can risk their old faithfuls future happiness just to save their own feelings.
 
MagicMelon said:
Although I dont think this horse is worth £1500, I dont see why its wrong to sell on an older horse. If the horse is still perfectly capable and enjoys going out hacking then who is to say that the next home wont suit it down to the ground and look after it beautifully until the end of its days? Why are some of you assuming it'll end up in a bad home?! There's no more chance of that than selling a horse of any age. BTW, I have kept my two veterans (my 2 very first ponies) who are now about 26 and 24 and they will never be sold but thats my choice because I see no reason to sell them. If someones situation changes or something then I dont see why they shouldnt sell their older horse. Shocked to hear so many of you say you'd rather put to sleep. Why?! If the horse is perfectly healthy then why on earth end its life purely because you seem to think it'll end up in a horrid home - you're the one choosing the home at the end of the day, simply choose wisely!
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I'm afraid that I don't trust other people to know when a horse should be put down. I see too many old and obviously arthritic and in pain horses left to creak for winter after winter because the owner can't face their own pain in putting the poor animal down. I have also seen people hang on in the hope that the horse will die in the field and save them the cost to have it humanely dealt with. For that reason alone I would not pass on a horse of that age, because that would also mean that it had been with me for over 15 years and I would owe it a secure future, even if that meant a painless and peaceful death. I would loan close to home and well supervised, but I would never sell.

It is easier said than done to choose wisely. The person who did this to my ten year old horse gave references, signed a comprehensive contract (he could not jump and had to be on flat ground which was why he was cheap), bought him and paid for him to travel in a luxury racehorse transporter to her own stables (she owned the whole yard, which was immaculate). It did not stop her starving him or me having to rescue him:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IaGqwoQlnmA/RdWayC2aqOI/AAAAAAAAAD0/RiKQEUg0q70/s320/DSCN0793WR.jpg
 
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MagicMelon said:
Although I dont think this horse is worth £1500, I dont see why its wrong to sell on an older horse. If the horse is still perfectly capable and enjoys going out hacking then who is to say that the next home wont suit it down to the ground and look after it beautifully until the end of its days? Why are some of you assuming it'll end up in a bad home?! There's no more chance of that than selling a horse of any age. BTW, I have kept my two veterans (my 2 very first ponies) who are now about 26 and 24 and they will never be sold but thats my choice because I see no reason to sell them. If someones situation changes or something then I dont see why they shouldnt sell their older horse. Shocked to hear so many of you say you'd rather put to sleep. Why?! If the horse is perfectly healthy then why on earth end its life purely because you seem to think it'll end up in a horrid home - you're the one choosing the home at the end of the day, simply choose wisely!
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If you ever spend any time on the stolen or missing forum or trace, you will see a host of well meaning owners who sold their old horse on as a companion or light hack, thinking they have found the perfect home, only to see said horse being falsely advertised and sold on. Pony is also different from a horse as they do seem to go an a lot longer. I would be delighted if I could sell my old mare to a perfect light hacking home. But I can't guarantee the home, I owe her so my 24 year old stays put with me.
 
all about Romeo said:
how old is too old to sell then??
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For me it would be any age when the horse is quite likely not to live out the year in any case. For a 16.3 horse, 23 would be in that range. For a pony it could be a lot older. For a TB, especially one that had raced at 2, younger. For a horse with known physical problems, for me, it would be any age at all. The risk of someone buting them up and selling them on for a profit to an unknown future would be too high. After one terrible experience, I would only ever loan, though I would let a long term loaner buy if they wanted too.

It depends on the horse.
 
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Agree with cptrayes re age to sell. A 20yr old small native pc type is likely to still be going strong at 30 if not longer, so that is entirely different to selling a high mileage ex racer tb of the same age.
 
For your interest!! Here is my contribution to Ride a (Cleveland) Bay Day. I am on the left riding my 33 year old Gelding Shadrack. Yes 33 and still does a gentle hack.

I have a 3 year old CB Little Dorrit on the leading rein and two more pure bred CB mares to the right.

IMG_82571280x853.jpg
 
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