Can anyone help my lovely old boy?

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rosemary53

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I have a lovely Arab/Welsh who is 33 years old and recently retired due to arthritis. After 25 years together I can no longer keep him at the livery I'm at (Chaldon, Surrey) due to my ill health and financial position. Does anyone nearby need a companion horse or know of somewhere where other 'old boys' hang out so he can still enjoy his last years. I cannot afford much but I could pay his feed/vet/farrier bills. Apart from his arthritis he is still in excellent health.
 
Oh no, surely you owe it to him to see his days out.

I'm sorry if I sound harsh but how on earth can you contemplate passing him on after 25 years together???
 
After 25 years together you now think some other person would want to take the 'burden' of him off your hands.
What a total joke!
You owe him a decent retirement and a secure future so if you cant provide that at 33 id say its time to do the responsible thing and have him PTS instead of expecting someone else to take him off your hands.
 
Ditto above. If you really can't manage to keep him, have him put to sleep at home. Please don't even consider re-homing him, it will be very distressing for him to move to a new place, without you, and you could well be sending him off to an uncertain future (abandoned in a field etc).
 
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After 25 years together you now think some other person would want to take the 'burden' of him off your hands.
What a total joke!


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Bit harshly worded perhaps Wigglypigs, but I do agree whole heartedly with your comment.

Hi Roz,

You have obviously done right by your horse to get him to that age, but in your position, selfishly perhaps, for my own peace of mind, after 25 years I would be considering the pts option above all else, sorry. That way you know ABSOLUTELY that he isn't going to passed on, and on, he isn't going to be chucked in a field and left to fend for himself in all weathers, he isn't going to know, or care, what decision you make, only that he has his head in a bowl of oats and that he's in familiar surroundings.
 
Come on people, bit harsh. If OP has health problems it may not be possible to keep her horse. I know my hubby couldnt keep his lovely mare without help from the rest of us for the same reason.
 
If i was in your situation sadly i think i would be considering having him pts because of his age and the amount of time you have been together i would be concerned (sp) that he would now be passed from home to home, just be left in a field, or be brought back into work.
 
Perhaps I wasn't being quite clear. I do not want to "unburden" myself. I would like to keep him nearby so that I can still do all the things for him that I currently do. As I had to retire early I can no longer afford high livery fees. I would rather have him 'pts' than be parted from him.
 
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After 25 years together you now think some other person would want to take the 'burden' of him off your hands.
What a total joke!
You owe him a decent retirement and a secure future so if you cant provide that at 33 id say its time to do the responsible thing and have him PTS instead of expecting someone else to take him off your hands.

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Couldn't have put it better myself - there doesn't seem to be a week that goes by on here without somebody wanting to dump their veteran onto somebody else to pick up the bills etc when they are no longer fun.

There is another one further up the page wanting to get rid of an 18 year old that has been injured and is no longer what they want.

Take some responsibility for your animals if you can't be bothered or don't want/can't afford the expense then PTS

And before anyone starts I have two veterans - one 21 yr old TB ex racer that I have kept for the last 12 years with nothing in return and one 23yr old who is suitable for hacking only (broke pelvis two months after I got him and that was seven years ago and he was to replace the TB!) - I can show him as a veteran in hand and I have been very well rewarded for this.

NO i am not rich and yes I would love to be out every weekend competing - it is disheartening when your only competing is in hand.

I have never had a rant on here before - but as mentioned I am sick of the " dump you old problem horse attitude" and can no longer not say anything about this.

Sorry if I have offended
 
Could you ask about in your area (farmers etc.) to see if there is anywhere you could keep him on grass livery with a shelter/stable so he can still get out of the weather, be stabled at night if he is. Then it would be much cheaper than being on livery.
There is usually lots of places like this around which are 'tucked away' and you wouldn't know about unless told.
 
Why is everyone assuming OP wants to dump him on someone else?? They are just asking if anyone has somewhere that he can stay cheaply (if I am not mistaken?).

I would definitely ask around farmers etc and if you have any estates around you try them too - we have ours on land from Blenheim Park and it was very cheap. Worth a try good luck!
 
QR

I think people (not Vikki89 above) could be a bit more sympathetic to the poster, who due to ill health/resulting financial position can no longer afford to keep a 33 year old that she has had for 25 years. This is a dreadful postion to be in and could hit many of us in the current climate or if we hit serious health problems.

I would not class this poster in the same class as those who suddenly don't want a horse that has had an injury/accident, who of course they loved to pieces until that happened.

The OP is seeking a companion home/cheaper keep and is willing to contribute something to future upkeep.
 
Thank you for your more understanding post. I have already asked around to just about everyone I know who might be able to help us stay together. I thought that by putting a post on this forum I might, possibly, get some sensible ideas on how we can stay together until the end. Sadly, most of the posters have assumed that I want to "dump the veteran". Thank you anyway for your post.
 
I agree grass livery, perhaps on a farm could be the answer. I have mine out in a herd on grass livery and it is only £28 per month per horse.

I would offer to keep an eye on him for you at my place, however i think that he ideally needs to be with other veterans since our lot will probably be too boisterous for him.

Have you tried putting an ad up in a tack shop? Perhaps someone has some grazing with other veterans?
 
Other oldies/quiet horses would definitely be best. I know of one oldie (30's) who suffered a broken leg (kicked) and had to be PTS within a week of joining a new herd.
 
I think everyone has been a bit harsh- jumped to conclusions perhaps? I don't see anywhere that the OP said she wanted to give him away/sell him, just move him from the yard he is currently at, which is expensive, to somewhere with other retired horses or to act as a companion! She clearly said that she is still going to pay vets, feed and farrier bills so to me it seemed quite obvious that she will still have an active role in his care. Why on earth should she want to PTS just because of his age if he is otherwise healthy? I don't think its a crime to want to keep your horses somewhere cheaper because of your changed circumstances- she has clearly done a great job of looking after him to reach the grand age of 33 and only just retired.
 
Some good suggestions, talk to local riding instructors, friends, tack shops, farms, even ask post offices if they know of the local farmers etc. hopefully you will be able to find a nice field with some shelter at the very least!
 
you got there in the end and i wonder how many people are sat there feeling slightly silly at not reading post properly in the 1st place...something i find happens quite a lot on here
 
I can offer you free full grass livery in Surrey. You wil lhave to pay trimming/vets/costs/feeds etc but I do have somewhere where he can live out his last years.

Poor boy x
 
I know of a place outside Guildford that might be what you're looking for. Not sure whereabouts Chaldon is, but PM me if you want more details!
 
Sorry but I for one am not - the OP states:

Does anyone nearby NEED a companion horse - this does not sound like a request for help finding new cheaper livery


Also:

I could pay his feed/vet/farrier bills - again livery not mentioned so implies that a new home with someone looking after him being responsible for his welfare

Also:

Apart from his arthritis he is in good health - if i was looking for a cheaper place to keep my horse his health would not need to be mentioned - however if you are looking for someone to take on your horse you would of course have to mentioned his health.

There would seem to have been a bit of a turn around as to what is required here - perhaps because of the reaction
 
What type of livery is he on? Would he live out - I know somewhere localish that does grass livery for youngsters/retired/resting with ad lib haylege in winter.
Might be cheaper for you?
 
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Why is everyone assuming OP wants to dump him on someone else?? They are just asking if anyone has somewhere that he can stay cheaply (if I am not mistaken?).

I would definitely ask around farmers etc and if you have any estates around you try them too - we have ours on land from Blenheim Park and it was very cheap. Worth a try good luck!

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Ditto - it seems it is sometimes easy to misread a post
 
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you got there in the end and i wonder how many people are sat there feeling slightly silly at not reading post properly in the 1st place...something i find happens quite a lot on here

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Not me
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I have re-read the post and it still reads to me like the OP is trying to get rid and just pay a small amount towards him, obviously, others interpreted the same as me, some didn't
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Really Richie,you need to let go of your inner anger, all you do is snipe at other posters, Rotchana was on the recieving end of your wrath last time
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, for no good reason!!

OP .... I hope you find somwehere that is suitable to both of you at a cost that you can afford.
 
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I can offer you free full grass livery in Surrey. You wil lhave to pay trimming/vets/costs/feeds etc but I do have somewhere where he can live out his last years.

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A really generous offer from R2R.
 
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I think everyone has been a bit harsh- jumped to conclusions perhaps? I don't see anywhere that the OP said she wanted to give him away/sell him, just move him from the yard he is currently at, which is expensive, to somewhere with other retired horses or to act as a companion! She clearly said that she is still going to pay vets, feed and farrier bills so to me it seemed quite obvious that she will still have an active role in his care. Why on earth should she want to PTS just because of his age if he is otherwise healthy? I don't think its a crime to want to keep your horses somewhere cheaper because of your changed circumstances- she has clearly done a great job of looking after him to reach the grand age of 33 and only just retired.

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I agree Laura.....

Yep...we all get peeved when we see the ''my horse is broken/old- who can I sell/dump him on'' post- but TBH I dont think thats the case here.

I'm sure that somehwre someone would be looking for a steady companion- especially as OP would still be contributing to his upkeep etc.
 
agreed, a very generous offer from R2R which I hope hasn't been overlooked in all this. i didn't read it as the OP trying to foist the old lad off at no further costs, onto someone else.
I really hope you find somewhere you can keep him to live out his days in comfort. good luck.
 
ETA QR ..

Gahhh these posts annoy me !!
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And not for a change about the OP ...... folk just like to jump on the bandwagon and ASSUME the op is "dumping" him onto someone . For once could people at least see what the op has said, she is in ill health and is needing to sort out livery, not dump the horse onto someone else .

She is only asking if anyone is needing a companion and she is still willing to pay for vets fees/trimming etc . How on earth is that dumping the horse onto someone ?
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At least have the decency to ask the op if that is what is happening instead of ASSUMING all the time !
The op is not selling the animal, she is still taking responsibility for it !!

Op I hope you can get the oldie sorted, if all is healthy and horse is happy then I don't see a problem with what you are doing .

Col x
 
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