doodle
Well-Known Member
I feel right now that I could just give up completely. I in the past never understood people who did, but now Im not sure. Its all so much emotional heartache. I lost my sole mate horse 4 months ago, it has really affected me. I still have my other boy. I had him at livery. He is difficult to hack, we have tried hard with it. Anyway over 2 months ago I moved him and a friends horse to the farm where the horse I lost lived. I hoped that with continuing work his hacking would improve as hacking much better there, but no school, however I have transport and made use of old yard school and lessons. It has become apparent he will never hack alone and I have lost all my confidence in hacking him. He was much better with friend hacking him and me riding her horse.
However he then suddenly and dramatically lost weight about 3 weeks after we moved. Tried all the usual stuff with no luck. Have spent £2000 on vets investigations to work out what is going on, he has grade 2 ulcers, vet not convinced it is that causing he weight loss, 2.5 weeks on of gastroguard if anything he is still loosing, certainly not gaining. He is getting 3 huge feeds a day, all conditioning feed, now started equi jewel, and always been on adlib hay. Back to vets on tues for rescope. I guess the big thing is is it the move that has caused this? Vets have raised the question if he is stressed, he dosnt SEEM stressed but perhaps he has shut down and is depressed rather than calm. We also think he has had a slight infection, but nothing really medical wise that would cause such weight and muscle loss.
And now his buddy is on box rest and will be for some time so this means we have lost hacking buddy. Buddy is being very difficult about being left alone and the usual problems of having 2 horses together are very much apparent now. My horse has borrowed a little pony as company for the field and dosnt seem bothered. But buddy being in is causing more work for me, owner is my best friend and she works so its hard for her. I potentially have a horse to bring back into work that cant hack, on a yard with no school, and it is getting tiring always having to box somewhere if I want to ride.
I just feel totally worn down by horses, I am worried stupid about my horse, he looks awful, I have asked to go back to livery yard, am on waiting list as they are full so it may be some time. I miss Minto so much, I think perhaps by moving Soli I was hoping he would fill that space. It never mattered no school for him as he hacked well and was semi retired so didn't need a school. It is clear Soli will never hack alone tho and I am being unfair to him to keep asking when he is clearly so anxious about it. Buddy was becoming difficult to hack alone as was being silly on the way home which also is not great.
I feel if someone were to offer Soli a good home he would go and I would never get another. I did advertise him for sale but no one interested, and then I could buy something that would hack out easily. I feel bad as my friend will not move back to livery yard and I will loose her, but I don't think the farm is working for Soli, he is easy in a school and we do ok dressage wise.
So has anyone given up horses and not gone back?
However he then suddenly and dramatically lost weight about 3 weeks after we moved. Tried all the usual stuff with no luck. Have spent £2000 on vets investigations to work out what is going on, he has grade 2 ulcers, vet not convinced it is that causing he weight loss, 2.5 weeks on of gastroguard if anything he is still loosing, certainly not gaining. He is getting 3 huge feeds a day, all conditioning feed, now started equi jewel, and always been on adlib hay. Back to vets on tues for rescope. I guess the big thing is is it the move that has caused this? Vets have raised the question if he is stressed, he dosnt SEEM stressed but perhaps he has shut down and is depressed rather than calm. We also think he has had a slight infection, but nothing really medical wise that would cause such weight and muscle loss.
And now his buddy is on box rest and will be for some time so this means we have lost hacking buddy. Buddy is being very difficult about being left alone and the usual problems of having 2 horses together are very much apparent now. My horse has borrowed a little pony as company for the field and dosnt seem bothered. But buddy being in is causing more work for me, owner is my best friend and she works so its hard for her. I potentially have a horse to bring back into work that cant hack, on a yard with no school, and it is getting tiring always having to box somewhere if I want to ride.
I just feel totally worn down by horses, I am worried stupid about my horse, he looks awful, I have asked to go back to livery yard, am on waiting list as they are full so it may be some time. I miss Minto so much, I think perhaps by moving Soli I was hoping he would fill that space. It never mattered no school for him as he hacked well and was semi retired so didn't need a school. It is clear Soli will never hack alone tho and I am being unfair to him to keep asking when he is clearly so anxious about it. Buddy was becoming difficult to hack alone as was being silly on the way home which also is not great.
I feel if someone were to offer Soli a good home he would go and I would never get another. I did advertise him for sale but no one interested, and then I could buy something that would hack out easily. I feel bad as my friend will not move back to livery yard and I will loose her, but I don't think the farm is working for Soli, he is easy in a school and we do ok dressage wise.
So has anyone given up horses and not gone back?