Aged, difficult or slightly unsound horses.

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burtie

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In light of recent events would you consider ever selling on any of the above if you had one of these and could no longer keep it or would you consider PTS?

I personally have always said I would PTS rather than sell on a horse that is past it's best if a suitable loan home couldn't be found or loaning wouldn't work and I have done it, but could you do this or would you be one of those that sells it on?

Is it unreasonable to sell on a horse for any of the above reaons?
 

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What are you thinking of when you say 'difficult?'


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Well that is up to you! I suppose to a degree how experienced you are would effect the answer. I'm not looking for a right or wrong. So for a real novice who ended up with the wrong horse, selling on may be the best option, but for the more experienced rider may be not?
 
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In light of recent events would you consider ever selling on any of the above if you had one of these and could no longer keep it or would you consider PTS?

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I had one that ticked all of those box's - Amy. She was put to sleep.
 
I think it depends on the problem with the horse & the temperament. Some retired competition horses with a slight unsoundness may be fine doing some light hacking in which case if a suitable home can be found, I don't see why the horse couldn't have a few more years enjoying this life. Old horses are often ideal for novice riders to start off with as a school master type, so again I think it would be sad to PTS just because the horse has said good bye to his youth. In both of these situations I think the key thing is to make sure you are honest about what is wrong with the horse & why it is no longer a competition animal, also to put a clause in any agreement/sale that the horse is to be returned to you or PTS at the end of the arrangement or when the horse is no longer enjoying life.

Horses with behavioural problems are a different matter & unfortunately few people have the ability or time to rehab such a difficult horse. In this situation I think I would almost always advocate PTS.
 
it would deffinatley depend, i bought a horse that had navicular as my husbands first horse, he was lame but with pads was sound and fine to be used as a light hack, unfortunatley it turned out he hated men, so i sold him on, i did advertise him as with navicular, had many calls, in the end he went to a wonderful hackiing home just up the road,

my current mare is difficult in every way, her previous owner never had the tiome or confidence to deal with her, but on the flip side shes succsess full as a showjumper. and with time and confident sensitve handling shes becoming a different horse..
 
I have a 19 year old gelding, who has bone disease and can not be ridden, he was retired at 8, if I couldn't afford to keep him or circumstances changed I would have him PTS, would hate for him to end up in the wrong hands............
 
Def PTS, unless you have acres of your own land and dont mind paying for trims/worming.

I'd sell a difficult horse but only to known contacts
 
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PTS everytime......

if you cant/wont deal with it yourself, DON'T give the problem to somone else

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Best condem MFH09 and myself now then....
 
another definitely PTS, in fact I would not sell any of the ponies on even if they were 100%. If it comes to where I cannot keep them, and cannot find loan homes where I can keep an eye on them, then they will be PTS rather than sell on to an uncertain future. I have had them from babies and always swore they would be loved and in a home for life after the bad start they had.
 
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PTS everytime......

if you cant/wont deal with it yourself, DON'T give the problem to somone else

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Best condem MFH09 and myself now then....

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PMSL! Well, I've already stated (as you know and with your blessing) and mean it that if she doesn't 'do' motherhood for any reason at all or it proves to be a ghastly mistake, then she's off to be hound food; no question about it, I wouldn't pass her on.
Saying that, she has been a delight to have around and handle; it would be very easy for someone to say on her current form - 'I can handle that' but my conscience wouldn't allow me to take that risk that they wouldn't try to ride her again, so for the moment, the hounds will have to be at the back of the queue!
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Roll on May when we might be able to find out if we were right or not. Even if it was the wrong decision, she's had two years of fun and company in a nice field which she wouldn't have had on her previous form. Hopefully it will soon be crunchtime to find out if I have to eat humble pie or not!
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My pony is 23 so I would class him as aged, but other than that he is great and is only out of work because I am at uni so there is no way I would have him PTS as I am sure I would find someone suitable for him.

However if he was unable to be ridden, wasn't good to handle and wasn't happy turned out 24/7 then I would have him PTS.
In regards to the other problems, if I felt that the horse could be used as a field orniment or someone else could give them the time and experience to start them right from the beginning and sort their problems out then I would try to find them a home.
If I stuggled to find them a honest home where they would be kept and not sold on in a month or two with people who understood their problems or medical conditions and I coudln't keep them myself then it would be kinder to have them PTS. Unless I know it should be put down straight away then I would always try find it another home first I think.
 
I'd sell a horse if I thought it would have a viable future...but I'd research carefully to ensure that it did...and charge money to reflect this, not meat money.
If I couldn't see a future I approved of, then I'd have it PTS myself.
I do think that many novice horse owners seem to buy 3, 4 and 5 year old hotbloods or warmbloods thus overhorsing themselves....when they'd be better off with an older horse even if it's a bit mechanically unsound.
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Well I'm sure people would condemn me for selling on Taz. However I did so at the time because although he was difficult, he had come a long way, and I [perhaps naively] saw no reason he wouldn't continue to progress in a new home. He was tricky but not dangerous in any way. I do regret selling him now, but he was PTS due to a physical problem diagnosed shortly after sale, which none of us had previously been aware of - he stayed in that home and was loved til the end so it was not a mistake in that sense.

I feel now that in the case of a real problem horse or an unsound horse, I would keep them rather than sell, or PTS. Horses don't deserve to get passed from home to home, and after the guilt I felt from selling Taz, I couldn't do it again. However an older horse or a difficult horse, yes, I would be fine about selling them on. Not a real oldie, but an older horse perfectly healthy but just in need of a quieter life - I would not PTS just because they no longer suited me. I would be very careful about the homes though.
 
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PMSL! Well, I've already stated (as you know and with your blessing) and mean it that if she doesn't 'do' motherhood for any reason at all or it proves to be a ghastly mistake, then she's off to be hound food; no question about it, I wouldn't pass her on.
Saying that, she has been a delight to have around and handle; it would be very easy for someone to say on her current form - 'I can handle that' but my conscience wouldn't allow me to take that risk that they wouldn't try to ride her again, so for the moment, the hounds will have to be at the back of the queue!
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Roll on May when we might be able to find out if we were right or not. Even if it was the wrong decision, she's had two years of fun and company in a nice field which she wouldn't have had on her previous form. Hopefully it will soon be crunchtime to find out if I have to eat humble pie or not!
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Which is precisely why she went to you! I may have to eat humble pie too....but either way I don't think things are ever as black and white as some people believe they might be. And heck, if she ends up as hound food, well like you say, she's had two more years of field-ornamentary that she wouldn't have otherwise had coz I'd have sent her to Potters myself had I not been able to find somewhere suitable.

Fingers crossed for May though!
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another definitely PTS, in fact I would not sell any of the ponies on even if they were 100%. If it comes to where I cannot keep them, and cannot find loan homes where I can keep an eye on them, then they will be PTS rather than sell on to an uncertain future. I have had them from babies and always swore they would be loved and in a home for life after the bad start they had.

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I hate to disagree with you, but I think that your response is awful! If you were no longer in a position to keep your horses, but they were 100% happy, fit and healthy in every way, you would still PTS??? I think that is such a horrendous thing to do to a pony who still has a good life ahead of them. I agree that there are dodgy people around that you wouldn't want them going to, but as long as you fully vet the home, the pony will end up with a loving person for the rest of their days.
This is not just aimed at you, but I think that people in general are far too quick to assume with their horses that there are no other honest people out there who will look after them if they are sold. What about when you buy a horse from someone? You are an honest person who wants to get the horse a good life, do you think you are the only person in the world like that?

Sorry for the rant, nothing personal meant.
 
I dont know, it really would depend on the problem the horse had. If it was slight unsoundness which could be controlled then I might consider loaning it as a companion but agreeing Id pay for any medication it needed. If it was old, Id still consider loaning as old ponies can make the best companions! But again, Id pay for anything special it needed. With regards to a "difficult" horse, totally depends what it is!
 
I agree. Some people seem to have the mindset that they are the only people who are willing or capable of giving a horse a good home. Now granted, you can never really know 100% what will happen, and in the case of a particularly difficult horse it may be better to PTS than risk something bad happening and passing the buck, but for most horses, I do believe it is perfectly possible to find wonderful homes if you are no longer in a position to keep.
 
Oh dear - you've just described my horse perfectly
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She's 13 this year, I can cope with her but she is special and will never be a happy hacker and she has been lame, which fingers crossed is fixed. If it isn't she probably has a future as a broodmare as she is an ex-international horse but if that didn't work out she'll be PTS.
 
I cant believe that so many of you would simply put your horse to sleep
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. The saying 'a dog is for life' comes to mind and it is the same for horses. If you take on the responsibility of a horse it should be for the horses life. They can enjoy many years grazing even with unsoundness and other difficulties. Who gives us the right to dictate and end a life. I would prefer to go without my self than to end my horses life if i found it financially difficult. At the moment i have a retired section a that has severe allergic reactions that affects her breathing but with the correct management she is fighting fit and enjoying her life as a field ornament. The only time i would consider putting her to sleep is if she was physically suffering. I also would NOT consider rehoming her just because she cant do a job. I took her on and i am going to look after her until the end.

Would none of you consider organisations like the ILPH or Bransby home of rest for example. You would have piece of mind that your horse would be cared for and also you could make yearly or monthly donations to help with your horses upkeep
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If it was difficult as in borderline dangerous a lot of the time then I would PTS rather than sell on. Many slightly unsound or older horses are happy hacking or just being companions, however if I really couldn't afford to keep or find a 'good' loan home for an old or unsound horse that I had had for years I would probably have them PTS as I wouldn't want them to suffer in the wrong hands. If the horse was suffering at all I would PTS.
Both of mine will hopefully be with me for life even if they can no longer be ridden.
 
I would try to find them a home on permanent loan if I could. Having said that, we thought we found the perfect home for a friend's mare and despite visiting the premises, taking references and doing a water tight legal document stating exactly what workload she could do, she was ridden too hard and went very lame and they basically left her in the field and said come and get her.

We were very very lucky in that Willows Horse Sanctuary took her and she is in a safe home for life. I make regular contributions to them - whilst she was not our horse, my OH learned to ride on her and shared her for several years so we feel responsible for her.

If I had an old horse, there is no way they would be sold to a stranger.

Fleur my warmblood was difficult to ride and had a back problem. She was only 9. She has excellent breeding and conformation and though difficult to ride has a lovely nature. She is now a very happy broodmare producing stunning foals. I sold her for a token amount and a restrictive sale agreement stating that I must be given first offer back on her should she be no longer required.

Short answer, aged or very difficult if I could not keep them for financial reasons, then yes I would pts. Slightly unsound I would have to think about carefully seeing if I could rehome them, preferably via one of the charities.
 
I don't think you can give a blanket answer to this question - it all depends on the individual horse. No, it wouldn't do to have a horse like this passed on & on, but if you were able to find them the perfect home, then why not?

Aged horses who can still bring pleasure to someone, whether as a companion, or a schoolmaster, I can't see why you wouldn't rehome one, tho I might well choose loan rather than sell, unless it was lwvtb, until I was absolutely certain they'd look after the horse.

Difficult horses - there are actually more people out there who can deal with trickier horses than you'd think. Besides which, one persons unbearable rearing nappy horse is another persons slightly quirky but dealable with horse!

Unsound - depends on the nature. I'm in the process atm of rehoming a horse with a bone spavin. Technically unsound, but he is rideable, and a hacking schoolmaster. Actually, thinking about it, he fulfils all categories too - he is in his late teens, is definitely quirky, and technically unsound. Yet I've had some good offers for him, and am looking at several, and hoping that one of them turns out to be the perfect home - any home will be very carefully vetted.

In the past I have rehomed a number of very difficult horses - mostly they go on loan with view to buy - in fact two are still out on loan, but technically belong to me. The right homes are out there, but you have to be prepared to wait for them & look for them - months if need be!

And perhaps that is the thing. I can't see a problem with rehoming a horse with any of those three problems, as long as you do all the right checks, have safeguards in place to ensure horse not passed on, and you watch out to make sure the horse goes to the perfect home & not just the first people who come along. If you can't guarantee those things, there are worse things for a horse than to be quietly & peacefully PTS.
 
Gosh, I am surprised at the amount of PTS responses. I agree with JazziesMum, if they are not so poorly that they are contented with life, then let 'em live! If it is something like laminitis, or other long term conditions, then I think there comes a time when you must say enough is enough, there is only so much pain a pony can take.

As for difficult horses, one man's difficult might be anothers spirit/exuberance. If it is downright dangerous, then yes I would PTS, otherwise no, I wouldn't.
 
Aged or unsound - if I were unable to keep it myself or find a suitable loan home then PTS.

Difficult horse - depends on the horse. I'd probably try and sell it to be honest unless I felt it was dangerous and then I'd PTS
 
I Have an unsound horse and would use my last £1 in my bank to make sure she is happy and remains with me.

Unless someone would be willing to take on her unsoundness issues then i'd prob put to sleep BUT this is already on the cards for her future as we've done all we can (me and vets) and shes still rapidly decreasing in movement. Shes proper retired at only 11yo.

This summer is really the decider- it comes down to quality of life i think and at the moment shes alright but we'll see.

Cant comment on other issues as ive never been in those situations.
 
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I have just had the same dilemma. My first thought is that nobody can dictate to you what you should and shouldn't do. It is a very personal decision and only you as your horses owner can decide the best route for an aged, difficult, unsound horse. No body has the right to tell you what to do or make you feel guilty about the decision you make.

I decided to go down the PTS route. This only happened last friday and it was the most difficult decision i have ever made. My horse was 6 years old and had been diagnosed with proximal suspensory desmitis in both hind legs. The vets diagnosis was very grim (his words). Its a very difficult injury to diagnose and she was at the vets for over a week and prior to that in and out of the vets for x-rays, nerve blocks, scans and ended up having a bone scan. I know I had all the investigatory work possible done but with a very poor diagnosis I made the heartbreaking decision to have her PTS. She would have had to endure an emmense amount of box rest, restricted exercise while still box rested and then restricted turn out for the rest of her life. She was a TB and a sensitive soul, she would not have coped on Box Rest.

I think the plight of the Amersham horses also brought it home that even to the best of your knowledge you have sold, loaned your horse to the right home things change horses can end up in the worst possible places. I did not want the responsiblity of sending another permanently lame horse into the world (I bought her as a project to sell on).

As for putting your horse first and paying for them before you pay for yourself. I think most horsey people do this. I know I certainly do. But I have to pay my mortgage, bills, for my car. I live very close to the bread line to be able to afford my horse and I cannot afford to keep two. My horse had many years left in her as a lame horse and I would have had to give up riding and any enjoyment I get from horses to keep her. So maybe I am selfish but I am at peace with my decision because I took responsiblity for my horse when she needed me to and I know she is better off in heaven than in a field with bad legs or being put through a sale buted up to her eyeballs or ending up like one of those Amersham horses.
 
i hate things like this and i am one of those people that cringe when everyones answer seems to be PTS there are always other alteratives just my personal opinion
 
My TB is nearly 21, becoming arthritic and, while we can handle him, has his TB moments! He is still hacking out at the moment and we anticipate being able to keep him until the end of his life, but if circumstances changed and we could no longer keep him, I would rather him PTS than go on to an uncertain future. Let's hope it never happens, eh?
 
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