~Advice needed~ Should she have him pts?

If he is capable of hacking then a loan home should still be possible - but you say you think an hour in the school is too much and the vet didn't think he could cope at the college, so it does sound as though he shouldn't really do any dressage anymore. So is he able to hack?

Could he hack for a couple of hours a day, with trotting and cantering, if someone wanted? Or what is he like if all he does is go for quiet sensible hacks once or twice a week - is he still good? The problem is that, if someone wants quiet hacks they need a horse that stays sane on very little exercise - is he one of those? If he hots up, then he can't go as a quiet hack.

It's things like that that dictate how easy (or possible) it might be to find a loan home and how many options your friend really has.
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Atwork- (love the name btw- wonder how many of us should also be called that!)

He is fine being left for a week and then going for a ride. When he was with me my friend didnt have the time to ride him, so after a week I go on and he happily walked to the school to do 20 minutes of work. (he is the kind that the instant you take contact with the reins he works in an outline!) I really ENJOYED the ride (My girl dosnt do outlines, contact, schooling ect!) I hink that as he works so well and is so willing this has been taken advantage of and his workload exceeded his capabilities.

He would happily hack for a few hours a day. The college dont hack them, only school. If he wasnt to be ridden then as long as he was turned out for the day he would be quite happy.

I really think- well hope- that there is someone who just wants to enjoy riding at a low level that would fall in love with him straight away, as that would work out well.
 
I have just spoken to the Veteran Horse Society about my boy who needs to retire to light hacking only due to arthritis. I have been incredibly worried about what to do with him, and have considered the pts option as he's a bit of a handful, needs a routine and regular work, otherwise he takes matters into his own hooves. He will need a farrier every 4 weeks and expensive joint supplements. I just didn't think I'd be able to find a suitable home for him as I imagined that anybody willing and able to take on all that wouldn't want to just hack.

I'm delighted to report that I'm totally wrong!!

There are apparently loads of people out there who would be happy to have my boy, and who would be more than capable of providing him with the home and discipline that he needs. The VHS vets all homes, and checks at least every 6 months. I finally feel reassured that if he goes on loan through them that I won't find one day that he's been buted up and competing, or passed on to a dealer or a meat man, or ending up somewhere like Amersham. I stay in control because I will always be the owner, but I just feel that this option is safer all round rather than putting up loan adverts willy nilly.

I feel as if a cloud has lifted and I can finally just concentrate on getting him right before finding a new home for him to start his retirement.

Please get your friend to talk to them - I'm sure they'll be able to help.
 
Bedlam thats fantastic news!

I am really pleased for you.

I will definaly make her aware of your story. I think the more options she has to consider than the better it will make her feel in the end that she considered all eventualities!

He has natural balance shoes every 6 weeks, but apart from that he is on absolutly no medication. (I think if he was to be put on something to aid his joints then he would definatly benefit)

I will definalty let her know about them.

Thanks x
 
It's an impossible situation, but only your friend can make the right decision for her.
I currently have a 9yr old TB who due to injury will only be able to hack lightly. He's currently up to 5mins trot work. It broke my heart being that he was bought 5yrs ago and I've spent a lot of time and money taking things slow and trying to do things right. Sadly for me he'll never compete again but I've made the decision to keep him regardless. He is difficult to handle and manage and a very expensive pet but for me I could not live with the decision of having him PTS whilst he is still happy and lively and he's not suitable for loan.
Whatever your friend decides there is no right or wrong answer and I'm sure she'll have the horses best interests at heart.
 
I hate to say this but I think your friend has been selfish to him, she bought a new horse to suit her riding ambitions, and should have considered this one first ie, could she afford to keep two if this one comes back, which invariably they do following a loan period. And it sounds like he is an inconvenience so don't worry will just have him PTS. Sorry for rant but it annoys me when horses are discarded because they don't fulfill a purpose through no fault of their own.
 
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sounds like he is an inconvenience so don't worry will just have him PTS. Sorry for rant but it annoys me when horses are discarded because they don't fulfill a purpose through no fault of their own.

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He wasnt discarded after his accident. She rehabilitated him for over a year before getting her new horse and she only got the new one once he was on loan to a lady how was keen to buy him. (though my friend wouldnt sell). Everything pointed to this lady keeping him at home till the end..... it was a huge shock when she sent him back.

Horses are so expensive to keep as pets as people on here have pointed out. She is only trying to find him a lifestyle which will suit his abilities.

She is a young talented dressage rider who shouldnt be held back because her horse was injured in the field when she has tried everything possible to make sure he has the best chance in life to continue living happily.

You wouldnt enjoy riding if you are unable to do what you want to do and what you are paying out for (AND spending so much time doing it).
 
You wouldnt enjoy riding if you are unable to do what you want to do and what you are paying out for (AND spending so much time doing it).

I do understand because I am in exactly the same position, my nine yr old gelding was intermitently lame for two years and I bought another because I knew I could afford to keep both of them. My first gelding has been a field ornament for 12 years now.
 
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I hate to say this but I think your friend has been selfish to him, she bought a new horse to suit her riding ambitions, and should have considered this one first ie, could she afford to keep two if this one comes back, which invariably they do following a loan period. And it sounds like he is an inconvenience so don't worry will just have him PTS. Sorry for rant but it annoys me when horses are discarded because they don't fulfill a purpose through no fault of their own.

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I think that's a bit harsh. Until you are in the situation yourself, you just can't know I'm afraid. I think the responsible thing in some cases is to pts rather than shirk responsibility and pass on a problem. Not everybody has the facilities to keep retired field ornaments indefinitely, and not everybody views horses as pets.

It doesn't sound as if this horse has been discarded at all - sounds like the owner is doing all she can to safeguard his future, and if that means being pts because other options just don't work, then it will be the hardest decision of her life.
 
If he is a 'confidence giver' type, who will be a good happy hacker and do the odd local dressage, I can see no reason why someone wouldn't want to loan him.

I would have him on loan if I wasn't going to uni in Sept! I'd love to do a bit of local dressage and I love hacking. I'm sure the right home is out there.
 
I do understand because I am in exactly the same position, my nine yr old gelding was intermitently lame for two years and I bought another because I knew I could afford to keep both of them. My first gelding has been a field ornament for 12 years now.

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You are extremely lucky to be in that situation, and I wish I could do the same. But my boy is in livery and costs the same there whether he is ridden or not. 12 years of retirement livery would cost me £28,800 in basic rent alone. I know it's not all about money, but I'm afraid at some point financial implications do become important. The VHS is going to help me find a suitable home for him where he can enjoy light hacking, and I think that's the best option for him. Once he's out on loan do I not get another horse for my daughter to event just in case he comes back? Does she have to give up eventing before she's even really started because her pony has arthritis?

I don't mean to have a go, because if I had the facilities I'd keep them all forever, but I sold my daughters 11.2, 12.2 and 13.2 once she'd outgrown them because they were no longer useful to us TBH, and I don't think moving on through ponies is a crime. Her 14.2 (the current one with arthritis) will obviously not be sold, and I have an obligation to him for life, but it won't stop me replacing him once he's out on loan, and if he really can't be loaned out for whatever reason at any point, then I think being pts may be the last option. I hope it doesn't come to that.
 
I'm also sure she could find a loan home for him - th VHS sounds a good bet. Otherwise depending on finances, I have just sent my mum's pony to a fantastic retirement yard in Wales, £42 a week for what is basically full livery (they live out 24/7 in the summer, come in at night in the winter and don't ride them obviously)
I know you said money was an issue but at £95 a week plus everything on top of livery, it would be for many of us!!
 
your friend should not consider having him PTS until his quality of life is suffering and by the sound of things that will be a few years yet.

as well as Andy, i have an 18yo mare who i have had for 11 yrs. back in 2001 she started to suffer from joint problems and over the course of the next year it was one after the other, navicular, spavins, DJD of the coffin joint and arthritis in her knee.
just before she 'broke' we were gearing up to have a go at intro eventing but it was very clear now she was only suitable for light work, if at all given all the problems she had.. i made the decision to retire her and look for another horse in 2002 (enter Andy) and as i worked on a yard with a lot of land i was lucky to be able to retire her to pasture for a couple of years (didn't think she would last that long tbh!) when i changed jobs i moved to a new yard and still had her on grass livery and it was during this time i decided to start riding her again as she was looking and moving well (for her!) and was on no medication/joint supps at all.. she took to it really well, just hacking about and i decided to see if someone would like to loan her, although i was thinking who would want to loan a 17yo cripple! (bless her)..
anyway to cut a long story short, the first people who came to see her loved her and she has been with them for over a year now doing all sorts, hacking, small local shows.! i made sure i covered in the loan agreement what they can and can't do work wise but she is very happy now.!!
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there will be someone out there who wants to loan a horse like your friends so tell her not to give up.!!!
 
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This might upset some of you but I'm disagreeing with those of you who think it would be wrong to have him pts. She deserves a horse to ride for herself - after all, that is why we keep them. It can't be this one. She's tried very hard to give him quality of life and it's not working out.

Retiring a horse is very expensive - and for some of us, very depressing. Watching a horse get old is OK if you (and the horse) are into grooming and cuddles and both are happy. But not if what you see is a horse getting older, beginning to suffer (when is the "right time", when do you decide he has sufferred enough to pts?) and preventing you from enjoying life because he cannot be ridden and because of money worries.

I don't believe qauntity (length) of life is what determines a 'good' life, only that the horse (human or other animal) is cared for while alive and is given a peaceful death, as far as possible without suffering. That last bit is what she is considering doing now.



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Ditto, baa.
 
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I hate to say this but I think your friend has been selfish to him, she bought a new horse to suit her riding ambitions, and should have considered this one first ie, could she afford to keep two if this one comes back, which invariably they do following a loan period. And it sounds like he is an inconvenience so don't worry will just have him PTS. Sorry for rant but it annoys me when horses are discarded because they don't fulfill a purpose through no fault of their own.

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No only harsh but she would be devastated to think that people were thinking of her like that. I know this girl and she is amazing, her horses have always come first and she loves that horse to bits. Bearing in mind that she got LOU on him, she could have had him put down then but she wanted to give him the best chance, she could have sold him but she didn't. In an ideal world we would all have land and be able to keep horses out in field, but as we don't all have that luxury it can be a hard decision, that is why she found a loan home for life. It is just bad luck that the woman changed her mind. had a 17 year old that I had to pts 2 years ago but he had, had many war wounds from eventing before I got him so I got him knowing he had arthritis (sp) he then had an accident in the field and could never be ridden again, he hated life without work and damaged himself more, it got to the point htat he was in pain and not enjoying his retirement that it was the best thing for him. I would have kept him forever but he was not happy. This horse is different so she is trying to find a solution and some helpful ideas not someone who has a grudge. Plus remember it wasn't her who posted it was a friend who wanted to explore every avenue to help her out!
 
I have a 27 year old who fractured a bone in her hock 7 years ago and she is still going strong with regular gentle excercise. (Just plodded for a few hours a day).

What he needs is a nice private home where he gets all the care, medication and supliments that he needs and has company in the stable and the field and is used as a happy hacker.

With a hock injury the bones may eventually fuse together as a resulrt of arthritis setting in to the site of the injury.
 
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I have a 27 year old who fractured a bone in her hock 7 years ago and she is still going strong with regular gentle excercise. (Just plodded for a few hours a day).

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Thats really reassuring news that she has got to 27 and still enjoying life at a pace suitable to her.

I just hope that he will be able to do the same.

It does go to show that it needent be the end of the road for them is a suitable alternative can be found which results in them staying physically and mentally happy.
 
I can see that some of you are good friends with this person and I admire your loyalty. The other scenario's are completely different in selling on outgrown ponies and PTS broken down horses unable to retire pain free. Most of us don't know this lady and from the original post it comes across as if this horse following injury wouldn't get to the desired levels of dressage but would make a happy hacker, so another is bought and this horse is now surplus so off he goes to a loan home, then bounced back and onwards to a college, from where he returns whilst looking for another home . I fully accept not everyone has the money to keep two horses but then don't buy two horses, What happens if we all buy second horses and have to re-home injured / retireds, where would they all go. Is it fair to put so much pressure on charities when they could / should be dealing with rescue / cruelty cases. We all have to get by somehow financially and if a loan home takes an injured horse there is always a chance it will come back so you should take that into account before buying another. I am not a fluffy bunny person but you either see a horse as a commodity or as a living being with a responsibility to care for him dependant on which camp you fall in. I am sure you feel your friend has his best interests at heart and for the horses sake I hope it works out.
 
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it comes across as if this horse following injury wouldn't get to the desired levels of dressage but would make a happy hacker, so another is bought and this horse is now surplus so off he goes to a loan home, then bounced back and onwards to a college, from where he returns whilst looking for another home ..

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He was never seen as surples as she thought he had a new permanent home, and THEN moved on to buy her new horse. It is just sad that the loan home sent him back when the weather turned cold! You cant really expect things to go on hold and not move on just in case he was to be returned.

There are obviously homes out there for injured horses capable of continuing their life at a quiet pace and still be pain free.

If she can find someone suitable, and quickly then this would be the ideal situation.

She wouldnt have ever dreamed that she can just send him to a charity if he was to be returned, she just doesnt think like that (and I dont think many people think that way- well i would hope not!)

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At my last yard there was a 17yr old that could only be lightly hacked. His owner was happy with the situation and had bought him knowing that. I suspect that she liked having a horse that could only be lightly hacked because there wasn't any expectation on her to do more that she didn't want to. She mostly did in hand showing with him and they are and still are very successful together
 
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