Are there options?

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angellauren

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If you are unable to keep a horse and he's not gathering any interest for sale either but your running out of time, what options do you have?

I've split up with my partner and cannot afford to take 2 to a livery yard, they are currently kept at home you see but my horses and I are not wanted.

I can't have him PTS, he's 18 months old and has an incredible dressage (I suspect!) career ahead of him, he's worth too much. I paid a small fortune for him and as long as I can secure his future I'm not too worried about getting it all back, obviously if I could get something for him it would be useful as I have a new home to find.

Running out of ideas... :( has anybody else been in a similar situation?
 
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I think if you told the people who work at your local tack shop your situation and asked them to tell people your looking for a new home, you might get some interest. Could you ask at your new livery if they know someone who might be interested?
 
You check and re-check your ads and where you have them placed. You speak to the breeder and ask if they would take him back, even if for peanuts.
 
Either sell the yearling for a very low price to a good home, or put the 2 horses out at grass until you get yourself back up onto your feet financially. Its a terrible situation to be in, I feel for you.
 
Inthemud said:
If he really is very talented at dressage, maybe offer him to a dressage professional to sell for you?
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Well that's what he was bred for anyway, he has Sunny Boy and Sandro Hit bloodlines, he was gelded several weeks ago and I thought that would be better than trying to sell a colt. More than happy to let him go for a low price if I could find somebody interested. He's a lovely person and I think the sales ring would blow his brains so I'm sort of reluctant to do that. If I was to approach a dressage professional, I'm assuming they would want paying and I simply can't afford it.

As for grass livery, I know I would struggle to find this around our county, almost nobody offers this anymore!

Very, very stressful. I feel so guilty.
 
There must be big studs in Shropshire that offer youngster grass livery? If you could keep him until the spring it would make selling him easier I would think.
You poor thing, what an awful situation.
 
I am assuming he's bred in the UK if so first thing I would do is call the breeder who may take him for a token price or know some who may do so .
It's a bad time to be trying to this I feel for you in this situation.
 
Thank you for the reply guys.

It's a real tricky situation. I'm 21 and can't move back home as my sister has moved back in with her 10 week old baby as her and her partner are having "issues" so there is no room at the inn for me! So am having to look desperately for something affordable.

I'm not sure, I'd have to ask around but putting him on grass livery doesn't really take the weight off my shoulders as he'd still be under my care and although it wouldn't cost much to keep him on grass livery, it's still money I need to be saving. I know this sounds stingy but I have to be realistic I guess.

His breeder has been ignoring my messages, as soon as I asked for help. I feel pretty let down.

It's certainly not ideal, I feel like I've hit a brick wall.
 
Without wanting to be dramatic PLEASE be careful if you re-home cheaply, there are unscrupulous people out there now touting locally for unwanted brood mares/companions. I suspect the loving forever home offered will be the first truck to Potters (acceptable of course providing naïve owners haven’t been duped along the way).

Grass livery would buy you time but as you say virtually no one offers 24/7/365 around here. I can think of a couple of decent competition riders who sell a few horses, maybe someone like that would help you out for a fair share of the sale price if he has good prospects? Trouble is as I'm sure you're aware the market is virtually stagnant now until Spring.
 
I feel for you. I wish I were in a position afford two horses -- I'd snap him up and solve your problem. There surely are people like me about who actually can take on another. He sounds like what I may be looking for at some point, but at the rate my 20-year old is going, possibly not for the next ten years (unless I get the cushy lectureship that will allow me to keep two). Maybe try marketing him more aggressively. Ads in tack shops, on all the horsey websites, on the BD website. Also, a lot of livery yards let you post flyers, so maybe worth traveling around and posting an ad at the local yards (that's how I found my horse many years ago). And grass livery until he sells.
 
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I am looking for a horse ATM the moment there are ( apparently ) well started well bred horses for sale for the price a well bred yearling would have fetched a few years ago, I am astonished at what I have seen on offer if you are prepared to buy very green unfortunatly I am too old .
 
Gosh, i really feel for you.

Do your parents have facilities at home for the horses? Could they go there even if you rented a room very locally? I know that still leaves you doing them but at least would be cheap & perhaps by March you could either find grass livery or the market will have picked up.

The only other thing i can think of is emailing every single dressage trainer, stud, competition venue & rider that you can possibly find with his advert. I'm guessing that you would rather he went cheaply to the right home?

If you want to PM me the ad i will pass it on to the few dressage people that i know.

Good luck.
 
HazyXmas said:
Gosh, i really feel for you.

Do your parents have facilities at home for the horses? Could they go there even if you rented a room very locally? I know that still leaves you doing them but at least would be cheap & perhaps by March you could either find grass livery or the market will have picked up.

The only other thing i can think of is emailing every single dressage trainer, stud, competition venue & rider that you can possibly find with his advert. I'm guessing that you would rather he went cheaply to the right home?

If you want to PM me the ad i will pass it on to the few dressage people that i know.

Good luck.
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Hi,

No, unfortunately not! I am the only horse lover in the family.

Thank you - I will PM you now, I'd be very grateful. You only need one person at the end of the day!

joelb - Don't get me wrong, if somebody was willing to pay what I did for him, then they are more than welcome BUT with things like they are as you've said I thought people would be more likely to think about it if he wasn't too expensive. I understand what your saying though, I don't intend to give him away to just anybody. He was supposed to be my forever horse but I'll be happy if I can find a nice lady or gentleman to take him on because he is full of promise, I'm just gutted I won't get to see his success like I'd planned.

I'm free on Saturday to go posting everywhere and anywhere which is what I plan to do!
 
You say you have 2 horses - what are the options for the other horse, loan etc.

Might be worth speaking to farmers as they might have a couple of acres that they could justify in letting you use over winter for not as much as a livery would.

Try facebook etc as well.

Chin-up :)
 
I'd post on the BD forum - you need to join first (it's free and quick to do on-line) but you may well find someone willing to take him. There's no advertising on there either but if you word your post similar to what you've done on here you should be fine.
 
Gamebird said:
I'd post on the BD forum - you need to join first (it's free and quick to do on-line) but you may well find someone willing to take him. There's no advertising on there either but if you word your post similar to what you've done on here you should be fine.
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This is a great idea, do it OP.
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
You say you have 2 horses - what are the options for the other horse, loan etc.

Might be worth speaking to farmers as they might have a couple of acres that they could justify in letting you use over winter for not as much as a livery would.

Try facebook etc as well.

Chin-up :)
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My other little chap came back off loan almost a year ago. The family adored him and are happy to take him under their wing again until I'm back on my feet which is incredibly kind. Wonderful people!

I'll take a look on BD - thanks, didn't think of that
 
Could your youngster possibly go with the other one as a companion for a while? Perhaps too much of an imposition if this family are at livery but if they keep their horses at home......
 
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