bl**dy mess -any ideas on what to do?

kombikids

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 September 2007
Messages
1,811
Visit site
so horsey has been diagnosed with arthritis and can only hack, hes an absolute superstar and love him to bits my OH and 3 yr old ride him (hes 16.3hh too!)- bought him after a TB lost my confidence after returning to riding from a 15 year gap. Trouble is horsey has done such a fab job that I want to now compete and start dressage and particulary jumping, but he needs to slow down, hes only 11 but vet thinks he will be most comfortable hacking of which he is 110% safe - he is used as an escort for the naughty horses at the yard! What are my options though? Feel so bad that I want to do more but hes given me so much I dont want to sell him, just not sure what to do so we are both happy.
 
I would suggest that to sell him would be a huge mistake.

Can you find a horse to loan? So you can have the best of both worlds.
 
i dont want to sell him you are right,i would just worry that he would end up in the wrong hands and either sold as an eventer for big bucks (has breeding by clover hill and has jumped some open xc) and would be too honest to refuse or end up in a sale! Love him too much!Would loan but am i being realistic to want to keep him near? Dont know whether people have the cash to keep someone elses horse at the mo - my yard is a fortune - have asked about doing DIY rather than part that hes on and YM has said no. Are there decent loan horses out there - want a schoolmaster jumper type, could afford to buy if not silly money but not 2 at full livery!
 
[ QUOTE ]
my yard is a fortune - have asked about doing DIY rather than part that hes on and YM has said no

[/ QUOTE ]

What?!

Is your YM allowed to do this? Does she not offer DIY at all? Seems a bit much to tell you that you are now allowed to 'do' your own horse. I expect she is thinking of the lost livery money!
 
Could you not move yards to a cheaper DIY yard and keep him for OH and kid to ride and/or part share for a contribution towards livery etc and get another horse (loan or buy) for you??
 
Find a sharer
smile.gif
 
Where abouts is the horses arthritus, and to what degree is it at the moment?The reason i ask is that many horses can still do low level competion,ie prelim dressage and 2.6" S Jumping .Ask about the possiblilty of medicating his condition to give both of you an opportunity to have abit of fun (.Unless of course you want to go round Badminton next year.)Obviously if his arthritis is severe then that will not be fair on him.But i do know of many older horses that regulary compete at a fun level and with some careful tlc are still going strong.
 
sounds fab but he prefers to have on rider unfortunatly, hes not naughty- just affectionate and gets attached!
 
she is thinking of the money - its a great yard but very do what shes say or leave type thing which is fine the yard runs great that way! I can have DIY but then I have to poo pick 2 wheelbarrows of poo from my fiueld every day (no oneelse poo picks) move stables and not use straw! love the yard tho - has great facilities great grazing and 1 minute from home.
 
Maybe light at the end of the tunnel though....

Merlin was diagnosed with serious arthritis in his fetlock and spavins in his hocks over 2 years ago.

I was told that he would only be able to hack in straight lines on perfect ground... ie..... dont bother!!
frown.gif


He has been in full work for all of this time, and even went on a 6 day trip to Ravenwoods last year where we hacked over some of the least 'perfect' ground at all paces
smile.gif
We covered around 120 miles in those six days!!!

He also jumps with my children (see previous post) and sometimes with me
smile.gif


I dont however, school...... ahhhh poor me
frown.gif
wink.gif


He is on no painkillers, and just a joint suppliment (hocks were medicated once around 2 years ago).

So all may not be lost
smile.gif
 
that sounds positive! my instructor thinks hes fine and says aslong as i dont do anything excessive -small circles/bombing aroundon hard ground he should be more than fine.hopefully the bute might give him a new lease of life. merlins cool-i never realised he suffered with that!
 
Yes... Big time
frown.gif
frown.gif


But we just carry on as normal now.... a year of wrapping him up in cotton wool, scared he would break at every stride
frown.gif
And then I thought we could go on doing nothing for the next 15 years..... or we could go and enjoy ourselves
smile.gif
So that is what we do....

If he breaks I will be heartbroken, but at least he will have had an interesting life . . . . If he doesnt break, then we will have had fun and not wasted the good years
smile.gif


I am careful, but it doesnt stop us.
 
Lots of horses with arthritis manage to compete at low level RC stuff as long as their owners are careful about ground etc.

I'm sure you'd find a sharer or be able to loan him locally, if I could squish him, I'd have him in a heartbeat
laugh.gif
 
Top