A What would you do? (sorry long)

Olly's crew

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Hi all, I have been on this forum for some time, but not really posted much, but some recent threads have interested me and have prompted me to post to get your views on my head/ heart quandry. Tea and cake here if you get to the end!

Background; I am 51. Came to horse ownership late, having always dreamed of it, been some of the best four years of my life.Bought pony in question in 2012, always quirky (nappy, can put in some nifty shoulder drops/ spins and does not hack alone) In hindsight was a case of 'wrong pony', but love him etc etc and have had some brilliant times with him taking on holidays, beach rides, very low level dressage etc and generally having a great time in my mid life.

Feb 2012 incur tendon sheath injury. This is followed by 12 months of fairly permanent box rest with re injury when turned out, surgery, PRP injections, steroid injections. He is now 'field sound' and wait for it; to be used as a light hack (walk with occasional trot).

His temperament means that I have to rely on a benevolent friend to walk around the block with me to exercise him (have tried school, he either goes lame or I end up on the floor as he is bored and then plays up and spins).This means he is not ridden more than twice a week.

He would be a very happy retired pony, but although he has never had laminitis, this is because he is muzzled all day in the summer, stabled every night, and fed soaked hay only ( and enough chaff to get his occasional danilon down him). Even with this regime he is always cresty. Previously managed wight better with being ridden 6 days a week in moderate activity.

Choices as I see them;

1. 'Suck it up' keep him and do what I am doing (he is 12, in otherwise good health) but I miss being able to do more. Feels like I am missing my window of opportunity riding and age-wise (Husband/ daughter have own horses I can ride but time an issue and to be hones they are too big for me and I feel overhorsed). Not able to have an other horse and keep him, due to time/ finances etc.
2. Have him PTS; this is a hard one to think about as he appears happy and well and would be done essentially for my benefit.Big ethical/moral debate goes on in my head here.
3.Retirement livery is more expensive than me keeping him myself, so solves nothing.
4. Try to find another home as a companion (would need to be restricted grazing or he would end up laminitic) and I worry about someone in the future trying to ride him, especially a child, as he is child-sized and there being an injury.Also worry about his future care when his perceived 'value' as a companion/ light hack would be low.

I go around in rings on this, and I know I am not the first, and will not be the last in this position. However really missing the riding at the level I was doing, and being able to try to progress at my obviously low level of riding.

So, what are your views? What would you do?

Thanks (kettles just boiled and the tea is on....)
 

Peter7917

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He's a 12yo. He could go another 15 years or more. I don't think there is any shame in considering PTS. That's one hell of an expensive pet to have for another 15 years!

Your other option is to just find something else to ride without the financial commitment. If you are small enough and capable enough to ride a cheeky pony then this should be easy. Plenty of people will jump at the chance of having a half decent rider help with exercise and not expect you to pay anything.
 

Olly's crew

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Thank you, your thoughts are similar to mine when I thinks of his age... I am fortunate that I am never out of offers to ride other horses, and do, at times ride the husband's and daughter's (in school and hack out on the one). However this is not regular, and I feel due to their size and my time to practice, I never really progress beyond wandering around in an aimless fashion (feeling sorry for myself here). Think a lot of the issue is my self pity tbh
 

FfionWinnie

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So essentially you can't retire him, you can't ride him and he's only 12. If I were you I would make the unpalatable decision if I couldn't just keep him easily as a pet. Hard for you but he won't actually know anything.
 

Equi

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I know it would be hard but as said he could be a very expensive lawn mower (or actually not even that as laminitis risk)

There's no shame in putting an animal that is in pain or is unable to have a full retirement to rest. If he got a companion home there's no saying what could happen - buted up and sold as a kids pony only to kill the kid etc
 

Natch

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I'd retire him and get lessons on the others in order to progress with them. You could try clicker training or some other form of ground work (horse agility perhaps) with him. IF you can keep him sound enough in a field - have you got the facilities to keep him on poor scrubby grazing and feed only soaked hay?
 

Shay

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You are doing the brave and responsible thing for thinking of him. I'm afraid I agree with the others about PTS. Horrible horrible thing for you - absolutely. But he will know nothing. These are very expensive pets. If you don't have the means to retire him yourself - and he could live a lot longer than just another 12 years, ponies can go on past 30 - then PTS is actually the more responsible of your options. If you loan him out or sell him on he risks a horrible future. For me there isn't a moral dilemma in that - you are doing the best thing you can for him and that is no different than deciding to PTS because the vet treatment is too expensive. These are choices we sometimes have to make.

But in saying that I really do not underestimate how incredibly difficult such a choice is.
 

rachk89

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Chances are if after this amount of time that injury hasn't healed it may never heal. Sometimes these things heal and sometimes they don't.

The best I can suggest if you don't want to PTS is turn him away for another year, solely grazing no attempt at riding and let his body attempt a second round of healing. But after all of the treatment he has had not working I would guess the chance of him ever healing properly is slim. There is no shame in PTS though and it probably is the right thing to do.
 

Goldenstar

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So essentially you can't retire him, you can't ride him and he's only 12. If I were you I would make the unpalatable decision if I couldn't just keep him easily as a pet. Hard for you but he won't actually know anything.

So do I , I have done this myself and will do it again .
As FW says they don't know .
 

meesha

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Another option!!! With 3 horses I assume on livery I would buy land and then you could keep him and have another, you could also construct an all weather turnout to keep him off grass and to save the ground in the winter by keeping all the horses on it. The cost for 3 at livery must be substantial and land will not de-value once you have bought it whereas at present you are giving money to yard owner for no long term gain. We increased our mortgage on house to get land as this was the cheapest way (i might have said it was for home improvements!)

If you can't do this then retirement livery is around £130 (friend has just put her horse somewhere lovely) failing that pts!.
 

pheonix

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It seems like you have tried as best you can to get him sound again. I would pts. It's the responsible choice even if it's the one they may result in the most guilt for you. If he is a lami risk then even having him as a field pet is a tricky situation. It's a horrible situation I hope you have lots of lovely people around to support you.
 

Palindrome

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I would chuck in a field for a year with no bucket feed/rug if weight is good, no shoes, etc... Being cresty is a sign of being overweight not a sign of laminitis per se.
Meanwhile get lessons and ride the others, learn to school if you want to do that (wandering aimlessly is not related to the size of the horse).
I hope I am not sounding too harsh, but Dr Green can sometimes work really well and since winter is just starting the weight management should be easier.
 

milliepops

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So essentially you can't retire him, you can't ride him and he's only 12. If I were you I would make the unpalatable decision if I couldn't just keep him easily as a pet. Hard for you but he won't actually know anything.

yes, this for me too. I'd also struggle with it, if he were mine, that's entirely natural when they aren't at death's door. but it sound like he's had everything including the kitchen sink thrown at his injury and the treatment has essentially failed to bring him back to soundness... therefore it's a totally reasonable decision to take.
 

MrsMozart

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I would put to sleep, hard though it would be for you.

I have two, well D1 has two but she's away at uni so we look after them, that are out 24/7/365 as they're okay with that and can't be stabled for long due to various wonky bits that will never get better (we've tried). If they couldn't be out then they'd be put to sleep. They have a good life, but if they go wonkier, which one is likely to do as she's an idiot and loons about, then it will be put to sleep time.
 

Olly's crew

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Equi, mtf and Ffion, this is the conclusion I always end up at, but it's so difficult isn't it? When I see him essentially looking so fit and well it breaks my heart. Think I also worry, stupidly, what others will think if I make the decision to PTS.
I wonder at times whether it is worth seeing if someone had a laminitic pony that needed a companion, as if kept on very restricted/ poor grazing he would probably be OK, then worry that he will be passed on (heard the horror stories)
 

Olly's crew

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I'd retire him and get lessons on the others in order to progress with them. You could try clicker training or some other form of ground work (horse agility perhaps) with him. IF you can keep him sound enough in a field - have you got the facilities to keep him on poor scrubby grazing and feed only soaked hay?

Sadly no facilities where we are... grazing is too good! I can ride the others, and do get occasional lessons on the one, but as they are my daughter's/ husbands horses and they ride regularly I am not riding as consistently and regularly as I would prefer to.
 

Olly's crew

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You are doing the brave and responsible thing for thinking of him. I'm afraid I agree with the others about PTS. Horrible horrible thing for you - absolutely. But he will know nothing. These are very expensive pets. If you don't have the means to retire him yourself - and he could live a lot longer than just another 12 years, ponies can go on past 30 - then PTS is actually the more responsible of your options. If you loan him out or sell him on he risks a horrible future. For me there isn't a moral dilemma in that - you are doing the best thing you can for him and that is no different than deciding to PTS because the vet treatment is too expensive. These are choices we sometimes have to make.

But in saying that I really do not underestimate how incredibly difficult such a choice is.
Thank you Shay, you have summed it up well.
 

Olly's crew

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Another option!!! With 3 horses I assume on livery I would buy land and then you could keep him and have another, you could also construct an all weather turnout to keep him off grass and to save the ground in the winter by keeping all the horses on it. The cost for 3 at livery must be substantial and land will not de-value once you have bought it whereas at present you are giving money to yard owner for no long term gain. We increased our mortgage on house to get land as this was the cheapest way (i might have said it was for home improvements!)

If you can't do this then retirement livery is around £130 (friend has just put her horse somewhere lovely) failing that pts!.

You know what, Meesha, I have wondered about this as another option as you are right that the cost of livery for three is high. I may look at this more seriously as an option as I feel I have to know I have looked at all options. Thank you
 

Olly's crew

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It seems like you have tried as best you can to get him sound again. I would pts. It's the responsible choice even if it's the one they may result in the most guilt for you. If he is a lami risk then even having him as a field pet is a tricky situation. It's a horrible situation I hope you have lots of lovely people around to support you.

Thank you. I do have a lot of people around to support, but think that some would be less keen on the PTS and that is difficult (managing my own guilt the issue there)
 

Olly's crew

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For me it would be pts, sorry, the way in which he would have to be managed, would not be a quality of life imo.

Yes, LJR, in the summer when the grass was lush, I even had to keep him in some days as even with the muzzle his neck was solid. That,IMO, is no quality of life long-term
 

Sukistokes2

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I think you have thought this through very throughly and the pts option seems to really support itself, as horrid as it is. There are worst things that can happen to a horse.
 

Olly's crew

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I would chuck in a field for a year with no bucket feed/rug if weight is good, no shoes, etc... Being cresty is a sign of being overweight not a sign of laminitis per se.
Meanwhile get lessons and ride the others, learn to school if you want to do that (wandering aimlessly is not related to the size of the horse).
I hope I am not sounding too harsh, but Dr Green can sometimes work really well and since winter is just starting the weight management should be easier.

Not harsh. he is however unrugged and no bucket feed unless he needs danilon (only give after I ride) and consists of half a cup of unmolassed chaff. I agree that his cresty neck may not in itself guarantee laminitis and he IS fat.... he has fat pads which are really hard to shift, and were only controlled previously by regular moderate exercise.
I have been having lessons on the other horse, I think the 'aimlessness' is more to do with me feeling sorry for myself and overhorsed size wise (I am 4'9'' and the horse is a stocky 15'2''; think Thelwell cartoon and you have the correct image) I suppose that this is where I sound like a spoilt kid. This is where I go through the 'suck it up' cycle
 
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