A What Would You Do question about retirement

[vannersrus]

I have a 20 year old cob that I am looking to retire in the next year or so and would like some thoughts please .
He is currently in a wonderful full livery with amazing care and attention to detail. He is happy and settled.
He has lovely paddocks but in the winter is only out from 8.30 to 3 pm . Turnout is pretty much guaranteed though .His stable is quite small.
I have the option to bring him home to a much larger field where he could be out pretty much full time apart from summer when we always get in during the day to give them a rest from flies .
If we had a really bad winter we would stable .
I would have to get him a companion at home as I don’t think he’d cope alone.
What would you do ?
Stay on livery - more expensive but I can cope with it just or
Come home , get dirty and muddy and live out!
TIA

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I'd bring him home and get a companion

 

[mug]

I’d also bring home and get a companion - maybe try a charity or I’m sure someone with another retiree would take your arm off if you could have a second oldie.

 

[Britestar]

100% take home. Whw for a companion.

 

[Rowreach]

Bring him home and get a (free) companion.

 

[Jenko109]

Home. No question.

 

[Wizpop]

I suppose the thing is knowing whether he is likely to settle at home? Home seems ideal in many ways though.

 

[Gloi]

It depends what else you do with your life. If you do anything other than stay at home all the time and he's happy where he is I'm not sure how much it is worth making extra work for yourself having to care for two ponies.

 

[exracehorse]

The winter turnout from 8.30am until 3pm, guaranteed, is really good. Considering a lot of yards close the fields. If I could afford and knew he was happy. I’d probably keep him there. If you bring home your need a companion. Not sure how much land you have at yours ?

 

[vannersrus]

I suppose the thing is knowing whether he is likely to settle at home? Home seems ideal in many ways though.

I think he’d settle if the companion was right / he’s been kept at home before.
He does like his livery yard though

 

[vannersrus]

It depends what else you do with your life. If you do anything other than stay at home all the time and he's happy where he is I'm not sure how much it is worth making extra work for yourself having to care for two ponies.

I seem to have an increasing brood of grandchildren who don’t live near me
Tbh I can get help nearby if needed I just worry about whether a change is good for him really. I love everything about the current yard I just wonder if it’s good for him to be stabled for so long as he gets older
That said he’s always loved his stable

 

[vannersrus]

The winter turnout from 8.30am until 3pm, guaranteed, is really good. Considering a lot of yards close the fields. If I could afford and knew he was happy. I’d probably keep him there. If you bring home your need a companion. Not sure how much land you have at yours ?

We’ve got a 6 acre winter field that he’d occasionally share with sheep and 2 acre summer one so pretty lucky . No school though hence why he’s on livery really

 

[cauda equina]

This, with a companion, sounds perfect

 

[Clodagh]

I think both set ups are great. If you can afford it, and want to be able to see your grand children whenever then I’d keep him at the yard. If you think he’ll be equally happy at home I’d advertise for a retired companion, I’m sure someone would be delighted to cover their horses running costs if you kept it for nothing.

 

[eahotson]

Can they come in the winter.?When I retired my old boy he was fine the first winter but struggled a bit the second.He was moved to what they call the barn livery where they have 24 hour access to the barn as well as 24 hour a access to the fields.I am told that even in the worst weather they go out for a little while and then return to the barn.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Id bring him home.

 

[2 Dragons]

I would bring him home, ensure he has a shelter from the wind and rain. Find him a companion or maybe find a nice responsible local owner in a similar position to you who you can share care with.

 

[eahotson]

Incidentally my Indian relatives tell me that grand children are a source of free slave labour.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Bring him home 100%

 

[Spotherisk]

Bring him home, get an older companion (because youngsters might drive him mad with play), let him live out and find a freelancer. I have similar to you, a 6 and a 2 acre field - I’m on clay and shillet. Mine lived out for the four years we were here with horses. My 31 year old was emergency PTS a year ago next week, and his same age companion was PTS later that day. They spent their retirement mooching around slowly, and dozing by the hedges. On hot days with lots of flies they’d go into the stables, but they wouldn’t lie down, I expect with old age the standard 12’ x 12’ stables felt a bit small. In winter they didn’t want hay/haylage, they were happier with the grass, and I fed as necessary, rugged the companion a lot and mine actually had last winter very happily naked.

 

[Fjord]

I'd bring home and advertise for a companion, but it's my dream to have them at home.

 

[NR88]

Bringing him home, with a companion, sounds idyllic. However having horses at home can be a lot of work.

Have you had horses at home before?

I appreciate that you are on livery for the facilities but how time rich are you?

Do you have time to see to horses both ends of the day and can you accommodate if they needed etc care eg box rest?

Do you have a contact for hay and bedding, and storage? Muck heap removal, cover for holidays etc?

Having horses at home always sounds perfect when you don't have land and struggle with livery yards. The reality can be very different, especially outside in the middle of winter at 6am in horizontal rain!

If you enjoy your yard and it works for you, and your horse, I'd be tempted to stay unless, or until, you have the infrastructure in place to have horses at home. Also, a plan B in case your older horse does not adjust to living out as well as hoped.