Do you buy a horse to keep it for life?

I just tend to think I'll see what happens. I might sell my riding horse in a year or two as I'm quite taken with endurance and she's not.
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But I really like her and she's a good, sound horse. Don't know, is the answer.
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I bought Lucy to sell on.
It's a bit of a family joke now as 12 years later she is still here!!!
Lucy was very dangarous when i first bought her she had been miss treated in her first two homes and would attack a person as soon as look at them. I was her last chance as she was going for meat if i didn't have her. I was 14 at the time and had only been riding for about a year. It took me 6 months to be able to go in the field without her attacking me then it was another 6 months before i could ride her. I fell off her atleast everyday for about a year but we finaly clicked and Lucy lurnt to trust me and we have the most amazing bond she would follow me to the ends of the earth and prob off the edge. I can't imagen life without her she comes first in everthing i do.
I do buy and sell childrens ponies and also take on problem horses i'm usualy there last chance and i always sell them on to sutable homes not always to the highest bidder (i'll never make a buisness woman) but i will always have my special horse that i will keep for life as you can't beat the bond you have with a horse you have kept for years. I also would never put a horse down if it could no longer be ridden. To me life is life and even if i couldn't have another horse i will keep Lucy for as long as she was happy and not suffering.
 
I will keep mine for life but he is perfect for me, and I see him as part of the family. However, my friend struggles with her horse (overhorsed) and think that if it was me I would sell. I had to send a loan horse back as he was too much for me. So I think every circumstance is different.
 
Yes, would buy for life now. However, as a kid we had ponies and generally the intention was they would be sold on as they'd be outgrown. Turned out we only sold one (my sister's) and mine stayed with us as he got bone spavin and also windsucked. Also he was bigger (14.2hh) so was fine for an adult to ride anyway.

My horse was bought for life and I've had him 14 years (since a 4yo). I intend to buy another youngster in the next year or two so mine can be steadily retired eventually (as long as he doesn't notice! Lol) and I can start another off.

I think though if I got a horse who I realised had more ability and potential than I would maybe be capable of (say it really loved xc and was v v bold and I could see it'd go far) then i would consider selling i guess but i reality i probably wouldn't (as no doubt i'd become attached) and the most I'd do would be to loan it to someone who maybe was braver than me!!

Horses are much like dogs to me too and I wouldn't sell my dogs. We are fortunate to have our own land so it wouldn't matter really how many horses we had and I wouldn't either put one down if for some reason it couldn't do what I wanted/didn't have the right temperament to be able to trust it 100% or it was diagnosed with a condition which meant it could only be field sound.

As Laurawheeler says - life is life and providing the horse is not suffering or in pain then it would have a home for life.
 
Think i'm the same as a lot on here- Mine are pets and with me for life unless there is a reason why I cannot keep them anymore or if they are no longer suitable e.g. personal situation, financial etc.

One of mine is more my mums at the moment and if she eventually gets to an age where she feels she can no longer ride (quite possible as he's 6 and she's mid 50's) then I will take him on full time again.

I would probably consider loaning them if I got to a point where they were un-suitable or if I was struggling.
 
Captain is most certainly for life. this will sound silly but when we first meet him he was a nightmare, reared, kicked and bit, had been abused and was almost impossible to tack up, ride or lead. However Elizabeth and I fell for him, I told him if he stopped his bad ways and never hurt Elizabeth he would always have a home for life. Although he is still very difficult for other people (E.'s AI said he was "the most bloody minded and difficult horse I have ever ridden") He never behaves like that for her. He has changed into a gentleman , generally. He is a sweetheart to us and rarely puts a foot wrong, still not so keen on other people. So I doubt anyone would buy him anyway!
IMO they are pets, I would no more sell either of mine than sell my dog or cat. I want to ensure they have a happy and secure future.
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Hmm, seems to be a couple of people on here who have bought 'dangerous' horses they seem to have reformed and now wouldn't be without. Just goes to show, with the right handling and understanding these horses who have previously been written off can be reformed!

Maybe the poster who bought the horse for their daughter but feel it's too dangerous should chat with fancyduchamp and laurawheeler as the issues seem to be very similar (aggression and bad behaviour).

We also had a horrible 12 pony we bought for my sister he used to run at her teeth bared when she went in the field and terrified her. He would also try kick at any given opportunity. With firm but fair handling he improved no and was with us til the day he died. He never really did like little children but stopped being so extreme in his aggression.
 
I tend to keep them for life! Of my 5 ponies we still have 3 all loaned out to various riders (but they all live at home with my mum!). They are 19-27 years now but all fit and healthy. The 4th was Tricky my Shetland who we had PTS last summer at 33 ish, and the 5th Premy was the only pony/horse I have ever sold and he is still out jumping at 24ish!

I still have Dan now at 15 and retired to the field as unsound when ridden and I have ridden him since he was 5. And Fleur I have no intentions of selling, although currently she only a young lass of 10!
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Mine will be with me for life - I technically outgrew her years ago (she's 14.2hh, I'm 5ft 8"
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) - but we have reached an understanding over the years and I wouldn't be without her for anything.

I can't imagine going through the new horse routine now; I don't bounce as well as I did, for one thing.
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And strangely I don't think that I could devote as much time as I spend with her on any other horse. I get up a silly o'clock each morning and fight snow and floods to look after her because I love her to bits, not just because I like to go riding occasionally.

Besides which she's blind in one eye and no-one else would be daft enought to buy her.
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Seeing as she is called Beauty I am reminded of the last lines of Black Beauty...

"My ladies have promised that I shall never be sold, and so I have nothing to fear; and here my story ends."

*blubs*
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I always go to buy a horse with the view of keeping it for life, however if when I get home and its not working out after a while, then theres no point making it miserable for you and the horse, and I think it's better off if the horse is sold on and gets on with a new rider!!

I don't think I'll ever get rid of my current 2 though, and I do regret selling on some of my previous horses/ponies, miss my first pony dearly, and everyday I wish I'd never sold her
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If a horse isn't right for me and doesn't do the things I want it to then I usually have no qualms about selling them.

However the 2 I have now will be with me for life.
Chance - although we do have our problems has been an absolute horse of a lifetime and as much a part of our family as my husband!
Polly - is very, very high maintenance and isn't ever going to be an easy pony to look after I would worry about passing all of her problems on to another owner (as they were passed on to me
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dont know yet, only on first one, had for 4.5 years. he is rising 18 now so not going anywhere! I might in the future find him more of a hacking/dressage home if he tells me he doesnt want to do so much anymore but that would only ever be on loan, and am more likely just to try and build another stable
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I aim to keep mine for life (as you can probably tell given that I was willing to pay for colic surgery for my 21yr, if she needed it).
However, circumstances can change, and should I become ill/unable to look after them properly, I'd probably look for loan homes for my youngsters, or as a last resort, sell.
I disapprove strongly, though, of people who sell old/unsound horses with no credible future - they should take responsibility for them, and PTS if they can't keep them.
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Lady was a rescue case, had been returned several times to the shelter and had numerous issues, I swore that I would keep her for life, the first few years were very tough and I felt like giving up on her a million times 12 years on I'm pleased I didn't break my promise.

Fudge is my dream horse in nearly every sense, depending on whether he manages to remain sound or not will decide what happens to him as ideally I want to compete. I think I would look at loaning or sharing him or putting him on retirement or grass livery somewhere as I can't imagine my life without him in it.
 
i buy mine to do a job, i love eventing and would not have horses just to hack about on etc.

i cannot afford to buy a ready made horse or a super 4yro with lots of that magic 'potential' so i buy my horses as weanlings.

if they get to 4/5yro and aren't looking like they are going to event to a decent (Intermediate +) level, they are sold.

i don't have any qualms about this as they are well educated, well rounded horses who should always find a good home.

if someone can afford to buy my a 5yro who shows bags or ability with the soundness, temperament and 'spark' to match i will happily keep it for life!

on the other hand, Pilfer is here for life.
he is 16 soon, i bought him 6 years ago and he has taught me everything about eventing.
i owe him a home for life and he will live in luxury to the end of his days.

if my situation changed and i could only keep one horse, it would be Pilfer even though he cannot match my eventing expectations- he is my number one priority.
 
Quote "What REALLY bugs me is people selling on horses at 14 -15 just before they get to the 'older' horse stage of selling cos they can't be fannied with a horse in it's late teens early twenties."

If someone has a top class eventer or a hunter, who then needs to do a slightly less energetic job, say event at local riding club, or hunt at the back of the field instead of the font, then why should someone who wants to event affiliated or jump huge hedges out hunting keep that horse when a new owner would love it even more for what the horse can teach it?

I think we often make the mistake of thinking that no-one else can possibly look after our horses as well as we can.
 
No I don't buy a horse for life as my ability is always changes and what I want form a horse changes.

I was supposed to go see a horse for sale and the owner kept going on and on about finding it a home for life (so why are you selling it then?) so I didn't bother seeing it. I would give it a good home, but once I stopped enjoying it it would be off. If it did nothing wrong it would stay, but how honest are sellers?
 
At my current stage of life - no.

Up until now, and for the foreseeable future at least, I haven't been in the financial position to keep more than one horse, and that at a stretch on DIY. Although I love horses, I couldn't afford to keep one as a pet because I love riding and competing and so I've always had to consider the saleability of any horses I've owned.

I agree with OP that there is no problem with selling on a horse that you have outgrown or is unsuitable for you - so long as you take care to find the right home, then its better for the horse to be in a home that will really appreciate it.

Its very easy to be self righteous about keeping a horse for life [not anyone here but I know those that are] when you have plenty of money and your own land, and if a horse goes lame or gets too old you can just retire it and buy a new one.

That said, I hope in future when I next buy a horse, that I will be able to buy one that I really love, that does everything I want, and I'll be able to keep it for life - just need to win the lottery first!
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As a child I had lots of unsuitable ponies that got sold on without any tears - the last one I had however my parents sold as I went to uni and my parents did not want to have look after him - we had horses at home and I could not have afforded to take him to livery and he was not suitable for my younger sister to ride. I was devastated and I wish I had had the strength then to stand up to my parents and to have found a way to have kept him.

Nearly 20 years later and after spending many years riding at RS and sharing I was in a position to buy another pony. It took me ages to find one as I wanted to make sure he was right as my intention was going to be to keep him for life. However he has had issues and I nearly sold him within the first month as he developed a dangerous dislike for stabling which meant he had to live out - I was so upset that I actually got signed off work!

In the end I managed to find a good grass livery yard and moved house to be near it. Luckily I live in a rented place so could do that. I did contemplate selling him but one of the reasons I had chosen him was he had such a lovely gentle friendly nature and that made me fall in love with him so I could not bear the idea of parting with him - so much so that I have saved up a decent sum of money so that should I loose my job I could still afford to keep him. He was only 5 when I bought him and now 7 so he could still live a long time.

However if I felt I was not really attached to a horse and there was an issue that made it unsuitable I would sell. I would not keep a horse that I did not like or irritated me as I don't think I would be able to offer it the best home.
 
Absolutely!! And if I couldn't (because mine are a bunch of crocs anyway apart from two) then I would put the ones with problems to sleep. Simple as. I don't trust another human being to deal with their problems and anyway why should they?

But I never thought I would get another chance to own a horse until I met my lovely husband. My mother sold my last Thoroughbred and her two little companions from under my nose when my Dad and her split up. I didn't even get to say goodbye. Just a phonecall, they were gone.
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I vowed then that if I were ever lucky enough again that they would be with me til death us do part and I hope I fulfill that.
 
I do look for a long term partner in a horse. I would and have sold if we really didn't suit each other as there's no point in making each other miserable when that horse may be someone else's idea of a perfect partner. I wouldn't sell just because the horse was getting on a bit, which is probably why I have 4 veterans at the moment, one well over 30, and one who's been in my life for over 20 years. A horse is a long term commitment for me.

Yes I do have my own land, but the 'overflow' has ended up at a local farm
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for life...

One purchased as a yearling now 15, the other aged 15 came with issues and so also for life.

They are in my will that if anything happened to me they are P.T.S
 
Yes mine are for life. If I die first, they are willed to WHW or if they are taken very ill or old age I do the decent thing and have them put down at home, isn't that what a decent owner does for their own.
 
When I bought Freckles, it was for life, she was 5 months old when I got her and shes 11 now, and I even bought her out to Spain with me, Ive now got her son ''Harley'' (stallion) and I will be keeping him too...

but a couple of others Ive had would be sold if needed...as will any foals that are born next year..
 
I bought Buddie when I was 15, he was 4 (now coming 13), he'll be with me for life. I bought Bear 3 years ago (now 6yrs), he'll be with me for life,. Bought Gimley last November (now coming 5yrs), he'll be with me for life
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I got given Burger a few weeks ago (just 2yrs), looks like he's a permenant fixture too
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My sec A stally Norman (coming 4yrs) is debatable, going to show him in hand this season then ridden the year after, and see how his price tag comes on
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Oh and I forgot Mr Dinks
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He's a 2yr mini colt, he'll prob be with me for life, he's part of the furniture
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The others are for sale
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I am a lifer!

My first ever horse was with me 21 wonderful years. I had a lovely ex racer who sadly died last year-had him 9 fantastic years.

In the mean time the exracer needed a little friend-so got him a dartmoor (rescued him off the side of the road) still got him!

So the dartmoor needed a new friend! So got a lovely youngster who developed massive lameness issues-so my friend gave me her 20 year old FEI eventer! I had the youngster pts a couple of months ago.

Will never part with my neds ever. And when they do need to go rainbow bridge then I will be with them and then they return to be in my house.

Call me sentimental if you like but I would not swap any of the adventures I have had with my horses-high or low points (horsepitals)
 
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