Companion horse

[Steeleydan]

My friend has a TB that she rescued as an injured race horse from a young age with tendon problems, cant be ridden but has been a very use full companion to her youngsters for a number of years, but now he is surplus to requirements but she cant bear to have him put down, she has rung HEROS and they arnt interested in him does anyone know how to go about re homing him as a companion, he is low maintainance will live out with shelter and 2 turn outs on with plenty of haylage. PM me if prfered

 

[Shay]

Sadly it is very difficult to find good companion homes at the moment.

There are two "sides" to that if you will. The first is that very few people at the moment can afford to take on another 4 legged mouth with the uncertainties over hay and feed prices in the next 12 months plus the general economic position.

The second - and more serious - are the homes that say they will take the horse then re-passport it and sell it on as a riding horse. That used to be a real problem - although it may have reduced now as horse prices drop generally.

Charities are really not in a position to take horses like this - they have to save space for the cruelty and neglect cases. They are also still rather full of Spindles farm horses who have only been available for re-homing since the summer.

There are places that specialise in retirement livery. They are not cheap but they are safe and gaurenteed.

Other than that your freind may have to face the horrible prospect that the best thing to do for the horse if he cannot be kept and cannot be found a safe home would be to PTS. I'm sorry - but that is the reality of horse ownership, especially at the moment. If we really love them we have to conisder thier welfare before our natural squimishness about it.

 

[TallyHo123]

Ditto Shay!
I would be very wary that the horse got sold on. Charities have huge waiting lists at the moment for horses with no problems etc.