NNS5244
Member
I haven't posted on here before, but am interested to know what others would do. I have a lovely 16hh3, ex-racehorse with stunning paces. He has won 5 out of 8 Novice tests and 3rd first Ele, working Medium at home. He would easily be competitive up to Advanced-Medium, though may struggle beyond that as at heart he is a TB though a very, very smart one! He also events and doesn't stop at anything, ever, and is a lovely ride XC, though has the odd pole SJ. I decided to sell him this year as have run out of time for him and have another horse who is at a higher level. Unfortunately he failed the vetting, nothing major (passed all flexions and heart/wind) but he needs some remedial shoeing as he wasn't quite right on the lunge circle on the hard - he was fine in the school on a 10m circle so it's very minor. The vet thinks within a few shoeings he will be out competing and should not need any time off, but realistically to pass a vetting it may take 6 months for his heels to grow a bit.
I keep my horse at a very expensive full livery yard and now I've decided to sell it's hard to justify the livery. I also have literally no time to ride him and it is an absolute waste of a really nice horse with a good temperament. He's hardly been ridden since the vetting and I feel so guilty as there's nothing wrong with him but I just can't find the time. He is a quality horse who turns heads everywhere he goes and should be worth about £10k if there were no issues, so I'm loath to sell him cheap and feel it isn't right not to sort out the problem first.
Given I cannot fit in riding/competing him myself, my options appear to be:
1. Loan him at current yard. Ideally I'd find someone to loan him where he is, I would pay for his shoeing, and they would hopefully compete him a bit to keep his form going. Downside for the loaner, I want to sell him in the end, though would be happy to loan him for 6-12 months to the right person. Downside for me, hard to find the right person who can afford the livery, and I need to get him ridden and kept fit ASAP or he won't be fit for people to try him.
2. Loan him to another yard. Downside obviously that he might be not looked after properly. (I would still pay for his shoeing.)
3. Send him to a pro, dressage or event. Downside, it will cost me the best part of £1000 per month. Upside, he is really talented and they will add competition form, plus I can sell him whenever I want. However there is no guarantee he will still pass a vet on x-rays so may be of limited value to justify this expense.
4. Pay for him to be ridden where he is. Downside, cost and he won't be getting any competition form. Upside, I can keep control of him and his feet!
Any thoughts, or any ideas I haven't thought of that mean getting this situation sorted asap!!
(By the way if anyone is interested in loaning him, do get in touch but I am making a decision by the end of the weekend as he can't just do nothing for another week or I have wasted all my work over the winter! I would only let him leave the yard if it were to be kept at a professional livery yard to an experienced horse owner, and not to DIY, as I have had a bad experience loaning before. Have videos/pics etc. He's stabled in Berkshire.)
I keep my horse at a very expensive full livery yard and now I've decided to sell it's hard to justify the livery. I also have literally no time to ride him and it is an absolute waste of a really nice horse with a good temperament. He's hardly been ridden since the vetting and I feel so guilty as there's nothing wrong with him but I just can't find the time. He is a quality horse who turns heads everywhere he goes and should be worth about £10k if there were no issues, so I'm loath to sell him cheap and feel it isn't right not to sort out the problem first.
Given I cannot fit in riding/competing him myself, my options appear to be:
1. Loan him at current yard. Ideally I'd find someone to loan him where he is, I would pay for his shoeing, and they would hopefully compete him a bit to keep his form going. Downside for the loaner, I want to sell him in the end, though would be happy to loan him for 6-12 months to the right person. Downside for me, hard to find the right person who can afford the livery, and I need to get him ridden and kept fit ASAP or he won't be fit for people to try him.
2. Loan him to another yard. Downside obviously that he might be not looked after properly. (I would still pay for his shoeing.)
3. Send him to a pro, dressage or event. Downside, it will cost me the best part of £1000 per month. Upside, he is really talented and they will add competition form, plus I can sell him whenever I want. However there is no guarantee he will still pass a vet on x-rays so may be of limited value to justify this expense.
4. Pay for him to be ridden where he is. Downside, cost and he won't be getting any competition form. Upside, I can keep control of him and his feet!
Any thoughts, or any ideas I haven't thought of that mean getting this situation sorted asap!!
(By the way if anyone is interested in loaning him, do get in touch but I am making a decision by the end of the weekend as he can't just do nothing for another week or I have wasted all my work over the winter! I would only let him leave the yard if it were to be kept at a professional livery yard to an experienced horse owner, and not to DIY, as I have had a bad experience loaning before. Have videos/pics etc. He's stabled in Berkshire.)