Do You Think You Owe Your Horse A Retirement?

My 22yr old is semi retired, I won't take him competing anymore, we will do pleasure rides, common ridings, hacking and we are going to have fun with a little bit of TREC this summer :)

He owes me nothing and he's still active and sound despite being diagnosed with arthritis in his left hock at 15 and now I think he has it in both. He is on a joint supplement and fibre and oil feeding regime and also barefoot now after a life in shoes and is a very happy wee horse.

However if he developes a long term condition that I cannot afford to manage (now not insured for illness just injury and third party) then he won't be sold or loaned he will be PTS as he has given me the best 12 years (and hopefully many more) and been my rock through some hard times that I feel I would owe it to him to make the best decision for him.

As he us right now he is happy in his workload and loves nothing more than razzing around the scottish countryside with me and that's just what we will do :)
 
Crugeran Celt said:
It would be interesting to see if the people on here who don't feel they have a responsibility to their elderly horses would feel the same about a dog. Would they be prepared to sell an elderly dog or would they keep them to the end. If not why do they feel a horse is any different? Just a thought.
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No difference. If I had a working dog and it wasn't up to job, it would go! Horse is not a pet but bought for a purpose.
 
Simply put no We owe it to ourselves to enjoy our life to the full So i would say it Depends on what owner wants. May seem harsh but we only have one life and if it's owners passion to ride and can't afford two.then they do what is right for them.
Although I would think if the horse has served you well and long looking after it and loving it for as long as horse is happy would be what you would want to do

If not I have no problem with someone who pts a retired horse so they could replace with one they could ride.
 
I currently have 3 field ornaments:

40 year old TBx mare who's been in the family since the age of 3
10 year old ISH with EPSM
8 year old ex-racer with a baffling gastric issue

I used to compete nearly every w'end either BS or BD & do lots of lessons, etc. Now I mooch about in the school on the ex-racer & occasionally the ISH who also has a sharer. I really, really miss competing & lessons & would love another horse, but my land & pocket barely support the ones I've got. Realistically I would have to PTS at least one in order to get something functional.

With my sensible head on, I should say, right, you lot aren't doing what I want, so you can be cleared out of the way for my new horse/s. But my heart says that it's not the old girl's fault that she's old, & it's not the others' fault that they've got issues. If I got rid & got something else, I honestly wouldn't enjoy myself because I couldn't square it with my conscience.

So we shall continue as we are, & if I can find a supplement that suits the ex-racer, I might even get back to Doing Something one day!

T x
 
paddi22 said:
I suppose it comes down to a philosophical question of how you value a horses life - does it have a value in and of itself, or does it only have a value while you are 'getting' something from it in return?

People can sometimes view a horse through the prism of their own human viewpoint, without acknowledging that that horse has its own life enjoying herdmates, sunny weather, spring grass, playing.
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Of course a horse's life has intrinsic value in and of itself - just not that much! Sometimes what tips the balance is the additional practical value to the owner.

In an ideal world, we wouldn't have to worry about such niceties.
 
I haven't read the thread but judging but the length of it can kind of guess the various tangents it has gone in ;)

Do I think I owe my horses a retirement?

My answer to that would very much depend on the horse in question.
I strongly believe that I owe it to my horse to do the very best for them and their future in order to keep them happy, safe and pain free. But for me that could range from keeping them in retirement myself, putting them on loan as a companion (whilst keeping a close eye on them) or shooting them.

It does not include selling on, or giving away free an unrideable/unsound horse
 
In response to the person (people??) who are comparing to a dog,I do think that's very different TBH.

Generally people don't buy a dog to have a purpose like riding,they are more of a pet and companion that live in your home (very important point IMO),and are either something to come home to for company or a family pet etc.

Very different to something that is bought to pursue a hobby activity on and that is dependent on living outside with suitable conditions and environment that are a secondary expense.

Also I don't think many people have said about selling retired horses anyway,so again not sure what the point about selling an elderly dog was about??

I don't consider I 'owe' my horses a retirement,but I certainly wouldn't consider selling them at that stage of life.
If I could afford the time,money and had the living space then would be happy to let them mooch in the field for however long,BUT if not then I would PTS.I don't feel bad about that,it's simply a practical solution and a responsible one in my eyes.

This issue is all so dependent on peoples financial position and lifestyle,and it is probably unfair to judge unless aware of every individuals circumstances.It's very easy I should imagine to say you would give your horse a retirement if you know or are confident you could provide it with little or no hardship to yourself and other family members.Not so easy maybe when don't have that kind of security,or have others needs to consider doesn't mean people should be slated for it.
 
Although iv got a old retired horse, I don't/wouldn't just turn away to the field. He's brought in daily the same as the others, groomed daily and treated no different just not ridden and he's happy as larry. I would never just turn him away to be left to feel " unloved" whiles the others come in daily etc.
 
thatsmygirl said:
Although iv got a old retired horse, I don't/wouldn't just turn away to the field. He's brought in daily the same as the others, groomed daily and treated no different just not ridden and he's happy as larry. I would never just turn him away to be left to feel " unloved" whiles the others come in daily etc.
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You see, this is where is varies on the horse.
I have a retired one, who has spent the bulk of his working life partially stabled and pampered and very settled/happy in that routine.
He now throws the biggest tantrum if asked to stand in a stable for even 30 minutes - he adores his out 24/7 ferel lifestyle - and if he ever couldn't be out 24/7 then he would be PTS rather than stabled.
 
We keep ours into old age if possible and always make sure that they are pts at home. The first one we retired was kept at livery for several years before we moved to our own place. The last one had been retired for 6 yrs, following a nasty bout of colic, until pts recently after a rapid deterioration in her health aged 31. We don't just retire to grass, never to be seen again. They are brought in daily, with the ridden horses, fed and checked, kept in, in winter.
I realise that this is not for every-one but definitely think that we all owe our horses a dignified end, not being passed round in old age/infirmity.
If you are one of those people who is not prepared to keep a retired horse and not have a riding horse, fine, so long as you don't say 'I can't afford to keep a retired horse'.
Yes, you can - what you can't afford is to keep two horses. That is your choice.

I think some people keep their retired horses too long as well, retired shouldn't be a euphemism for 'hopping lame'. If the horse can't be kept comfortable the owner needs to make the responsible decision and pts.

As for selling on an older horse, it depends on the horse but I don't like to see horses over 20 for sale or advertised for loan, although older ponies, in particular, can be loaned locally very successfully.
 
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My big lad is 20, hes been retired 5 years now, I have owned him for 7 years. Little lady is semi retired, had her 12 years. Both are with me till its time for them to be PTS, they owe me nothing, I owe them a good retirement and to go with dignity when its time.
 
I am seeing two different versions of 'retired horses' being described, those that have simply slowed down through old age and no longer up to the job they were originally meant to do and those that are retired through some kind of medical problem. Speaking about my case again, I have one of each and I do have differing feelings. The first is older, he has slowed down through old age and although does not want to be racing around anymore he could enjoy a light hack, he is perfectly happy and well (aside from early Cushings) in the field and I have no intentions to PTS and certainly not sell on, although I may consider a part-loan to a lightweight rider in the short-term. The other is unsound in each of his 4 legs, he can get around the field right now just fine most days but his conditions will progress, he will not get better. It his him I struggle with, it will break my heart to PTS and I feel guilty for just thinking about it but also feel that is my burden to deal with not his. He will know nothing other than a high quality of life.
 
Mithras said:
What do you do with your horses when due to age-related degenerative conditions, such as spavin, they can no longer work or compete at the level they used to?

Do you retire them/give them life a bit easier, sell them or pts?

I keep seeing so many 14-18 year old horses advertised for sale of late, suitable only for hacking. Alternatively, people's horses just seem to "disappear" or be pts for a sudden onset condition around this age.

Personally, I think they deserve a retirement if they have served you well and aren't costing a fortune in vet's bills.
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Yes agree. Would rather PTS than bury my head in the sand and not be the person to pull the trigger ie I couldnt bear for them to end up with a worse fate ie the meatman off to the continent etc. If people sell as the horse is no use irresponsible owner. It sickens me to see such adverts We always retire and leave them to live a dopey life!
 
When my girl is actually ready to retire in herself then yes.
However if I couldn't keep her now I'd have no qualms in selling even though I see horses younger than her retires. She's 15, jumps everyday and rarely refuses (jumped over the top of the wings the other day!), safe as houses in traffic, done XC, dressage, bags of attitude but the dream horse for the right owner. Even at 20 I doubt she'll be close to retiring.

If she was actually in herself in need of retiring then I'd put her out to grass or PTS. I wouldn't sell her if she couldn't at least happily hack.
 
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