Deciding when to retire

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sjdress

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I am currently debating whether it is time to retire my horse. She is 22 and has been on/off lame now for 18 months or so.
I am struggling with the decision as on good days she is still happy to hack out round the village but these are getting less and less.
I also know that financially I cannot keep her retired forever so this is potentially a step closer to making the decision to PTS. Also, it seems most people send to a retirement livery. Does anyone keep them at home in their current routine, minus the riding? We have fairly good turnout, allowing 24/7 all year round.
I think I am struggling with the decision as it’s an end of an era after 17 years together and I will very much miss riding her but happy to give her the retirement that she deserves after years of fun.
 
sjdress said:
I am currently debating whether it is time to retire my horse. She is 22 and has been on/off lame now for 18 months or so.
I am struggling with the decision as on good days she is still happy to hack out round the village but these are getting less and less.
I also know that financially I cannot keep her retired forever so this is potentially a step closer to making the decision to PTS. Also, it seems most people send to a retirement livery. Does anyone keep them at home in their current routine, minus the riding? We have fairly good turnout, allowing 24/7 all year round.
I think I am struggling with the decision as it’s an end of an era after 17 years together and I will very much miss riding her but happy to give her the retirement that she deserves after years of fun.
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My girl is 22 and semi retired we hack in the summer and she gets whole winter off
She just lives out 24/7 all year round
Can’t comment on if it’s the right time as I’m not overly knowledgeable! But retirement isn’t a bad thing 🥰 I enjoy just hanging out with her in the field
 
I have a field full of retirees and they appear to be a happy herd of 13, mooching around interesting grazing up and down hillsides (I am lucky to be able to rent this land). I do nothing with them except the basics, hay, water etc. When they become too stiff or not enjoying life, the decision is made. (2 are on my 'radar', one being a shitland who is 30+ years).
 
Ours stayed at home, much easier to manage all the little things that helped him and that was even without 24h turnout in the winter (too wet at ours).

I think actually retiring depends on the horse. Frank was never that attached to work so once he was struggling enough to go on bute at 26 he retired other than the odd lead round the block. The other one loved going out so she err'd more to staying in work (we lost her to colic so she never hit proper retirement but was on intermittent bute while still being hacked. )
 
It's daunting thinking about retirement, my eldest Loxley is 24 now and I'm thinking semi retirement may be needed, he hasn't got any problems or issues so I waited a while for this but I might retire him fully in a few years time, and luckily I have the space to retire him at home, he lives out 24/7 anyway so it won't be much different Xx. But if you have the space to retire at home then 100% do that 🥰
 
I have retired all mine in their late teens/very early 20's, and am glad to say they've all had a minimum of 2 years out at pasture, in at night when necessary. Once they are retired I leave them to it, they've all worked hard enough and deserve a rest. When life gets less pleasant they are put down. I will give bute short term, but won't keep an uncomfortable horse going.
 
You say that you can’t afford to keep her in retirement forever - is this that you can’t afford her full stop, or you want another to ride? (not being judgmental, it’s just that it sounds as though you’d keep her alive if in work but not long term if she isn’t).

There’s always a balance with older horses of the benefit work gives them vs the greater damage to whatever is already damaged. If she has arthritis then generally gentle work will benefit. Other conditions maybe not. Her attitude also affects things - if she prefers work despite her lameness then it would be a kindness to keep her doing something. If you are lucky enough to keep her at home and working appropriately, more for her benefit than yours, it’s best for her. If you’re longing for another horse you can do more with, there’s another factor to consider.
 
Poppy+MrDarcy said:
It's daunting thinking about retirement, my eldest Loxley is 24 now and I'm thinking semi retirement may be needed, he hasn't got any problems or issues so I waited a while for this but I might retire him fully in a few years time, and luckily I have the space to retire him at home, he lives out 24/7 anyway so it won't be much different Xx. But if you have the space to retire at home then 100% do that 🥰
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If he doesnt have existing problems that prevent it, he'll stay healthier longer if he's kept exercised enough to retain some muscle tone. Obviously don't expect him to perform like a 10yo but if he's healthy he can still do a fair bit at 24. 24/7 turnout is great too, the more he keeps moving the longer he'll b able to keep moving if you get what I mean.

One of mine is 28 and still hacks out regularly and does the odd veteran show although she takes a fair bit of warming up now and doesn't go further than 20km (ex endurance pony)
The previous oldest in the herd pretty much retired due to a cushings diagnosis at age 16 but continued hacking out locally including bogging off with her rider on what ended up as her last ride until she was pts after a last summer age 32 (had teeth issues and was struggling with weight, hated stabling or being seperated)
 
FitzyFitz said:
If he doesnt have existing problems that prevent it, he'll stay healthier longer if he's kept exercised enough to retain some muscle tone. Obviously don't expect him to perform like a 10yo but if he's healthy he can still do a fair bit at 24. 24/7 turnout is great too, the more he keeps moving the longer he'll b able to keep moving if you get what I mean.

One of mine is 28 and still hacks out regularly and does the odd veteran show although she takes a fair bit of warming up now and doesn't go further than 20km (ex endurance pony)
The previous oldest in the herd pretty much retired due to a cushings diagnosis at age 16 but continued hacking out locally including bogging off with her rider on what ended up as her last ride until she was pts after a last summer age 32 (had teeth issues and was struggling with weight, hated stabling or being seperated)
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Yes, I'm not thinking too soon, but in a few years, he is starting to slow down a little but he was quite a lovely one when he was young so it's quite nice him being calm 😂. He's mellowed out as he got older 😅
 
I see retirement as a process. With my schoolmistress it started with me toning down the work, and paying special attention to how she is feeling. My vet advises to keep her moving for as long as possible, so now I have retired her from carrying adults, and she has a lovely light child to carry. I see her moving very freely and willingly, and I really feel that this was a good decision for her. On the days that the child does not come I take her in hand alongside one of the others, or sometimes loose school. Even when she fully retires I cannot imagine changing things too much, it would be a lot of effort to monitor her if she was elsewhere, so I will do as I have with others and keep her in the routine she is used to, just without riding.
 
I retire at home, so they can keep their friends and I can keep a close eye on them. A horse that needs to be retired is obviously on a gentle downhill trajectory in terms of health, and I like to be able to keep an eye on that, ensure they get any supplements they need and be there to make the decision when the time comes. I keep an eye on their face for signs of pain and just monitor the situation. I also retire at home because they’re part of my family and I can’t just park them in a retirement home and visit occasionally - I still want to see them, give them cuddles and spend time with them every day.
 
I decided to retire my boy last summer, he had on going issues with laminitis but my stronger reason was that he bucked like stink and I felt it was no longer safe, I had had 3 too many falls. The plan was to see if he could be retired to a low level grass field but this was not going to work and he was unsound again within a few days. So I made that decision, best for both of us. He was 15.
 
I must admit that I think I feel I will only be happy retiring a horse if they can be retired happily living out in a field with adequate shelter. I haven't yet been faced with THAT decision, but I don't think I would retire a horse that had to be kept off grass or on very low rations to keep it healthy. I tend to keep my ponies out 24/7 and keep their weight down mostly through exercise. My old boy, who is now 25 years old and has been on prascend for 8 years and was retired two summers ago, is doing OK, but I am keeping a close eye on him.
 
sjdress said:
I am currently debating whether it is time to retire my horse. She is 22 and has been on/off lame now for 18 months or so.
I am struggling with the decision as on good days she is still happy to hack out round the village but these are getting less and less.
I also know that financially I cannot keep her retired forever so this is potentially a step closer to making the decision to PTS. Also, it seems most people send to a retirement livery. Does anyone keep them at home in their current routine, minus the riding? We have fairly good turnout, allowing 24/7 all year round.
I think I am struggling with the decision as it’s an end of an era after 17 years together and I will very much miss riding her but happy to give her the retirement that she deserves after years of fun.
Click to expand...
If i had my own place I'd keep my boy but I don't. I figure retired he'd be far happier out with a herd at retirement than on his own in a paddock with no stimulation.
 
Both of ours are semi-retired but for different reasons.

The older one is closer to your situation. She's only ridden maybe once or twice a year if that and the rest of the time lives her best life being a horse. We actually found that doing that she's MUCH happier and healthier and is more like a pet.

I wouldn't say making the decision to retire is at all making a step closer to PTS, it's just keeping her comfortable as she has paid her dues and is slowing down now and becoming more of a pet than a working animal.

Why would her being retired be any financially different than what you are doing now? I don't think retirement livery is necessary as long as her health problems are manageable at home also. She would probably prefer to stay in her current environment too :)
 
I am fortunate to be able to keep mine at home.

I have taken several ex RDA horses/ponies in for their retirement and made the final call for them all when I felt it was right to do so.

However personally I would never send one away from everything and everyone it knows in order to be retired.
 
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