Does every horse have a price?

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really? you would rather have a beloved horse put down than sold to the right home??

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When my husband was first diagnosed with cancer I had two horses, an 18 yo tb mare that I'd owned for 16 years and an 8 yr gelding that I had from a foal. I had to give up work to care for my husband and children (8 & 6 yrs). I tried for three months to rehome my mare with no luck. Rescue homes won't touch ones that are in good condition. I ended up turning her out for a year. My gelding went out on loan twice, and was sent back twice. He's a real schoolmaster to ride but has a leading "quirk" to put it mildly! So he was turned out with my mare. Once my oh had recovered I went back to work, had my horses back and got back into them in a big way. Six months later the cancer was back and we were told it was terminal. By now old age had caught up with my mare and I couldn't devote enough time to her, couldn't afford livery and so I had her pts. It broke my heart but it was the right decision. My husband died nearly 4 years ago. I am in full time employment juggling my time and commitments with two teenagers to look after! I now have another tb, 7yrs old and my other horse is still with me, 15yrs old. My young horse would be given on permanent loan if I needed to give up again for any reason. My older horse would be pts because of his handling issues.
 
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i am sorry but no, my horse is like my child would you sell your child?

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Your horse may be like your child, but the fact of the matter is, it isn't your child - absolutely no comparison I'm afraid.

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But i_luv_my_appy - aren't you (if memory serves) a child/young teen yourself???
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I agree with Tia, Honeypots and all who agree with them- I love my horse but he would have a price.
 
Yes both major and Radders have/had a price. I became so attached to major and found it hard selling him but it was right. Don't think we rally plan on selling Radders on (not atm anyway) however he does have a price even if it is high.
 
I would hate to think I'd ever sell mine. It would never be willingly as it would break my heart. We never know what's round the corner, I know, but for peace of mind it's nice to tell yourself you would never part with them and then you don't have to worry about it.

On the slightly more depressing side, I have arranged in my Will and with a good friend to 'inherit' my horses, should I die
 
QR - I suppose it depends how rich you are!
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I personally don't get that attached and so I would sell any horse for the right price.

I also don't think that horses get attached to individual people, and so it's totally not like selling your child (or dog for that matter) because as long as they are well looked after, I don't thin horses really care who does it!
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QR - I suppose it depends how rich you are!
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I think you've hit the nail on the head there.
In an ideal world it's easy to say that you would never sell your horse at any price, but people can find themselves in dire financial circumstances, and their horses HAVE to go.

It has to be remembered that no matter how much we love our horses, keeping them regardless, isn't neccessarily always the best option if we cannot serve their needs.
They are a luxury, not a neccessity.
 
One horse I could not sell anyway as he does not belong to me.
The other which I bought would not be sold.
Having said that though in the worse case scenario if tragedy struck or there was a major financial crisis the big lad would go back to his owner and the cob would either go out on loan or be rehomed.
Oviously I am speaking hypothetically because you cannot predict what the future holds. Unless provisions have been made in wills or the future care of the horses has been already arranged then it would simply be a case of dealing with the matter when faced with the situation.
But going back to my original statement.
No I do not plan or wish to sell/rehome my horse.
Caroline
 
Only my S is priceless. He just isn't going anywhere. I bred him and I bred him to keep and he is my perfect horse. All other horses have/had a price tag just not him.
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He is like a Dog. A longstanding member of the family.
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QR - I suppose it depends how rich you are!
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I think you've hit the nail on the head there.
In an ideal world it's easy to say that you would never sell your horse at any price, but people can find themselves in dire financial circumstances, and their horses HAVE to go.

It has to be remembered that no matter how much we love our horses, keeping them regardless, isn't neccessarily always the best option if we cannot serve their needs.
They are a luxury, not a neccessity.

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I completely agree with the logic that if you have no money, then it would be unkind and unfair to keep a horse under those circumstances.....however finances are NOT the only consideration.

Take my situation; I have no need to sell any of my horses - I never have had to. I chose to, not because of low finances but because I placed my horses above any selfish thoughts I may have that they "belong" to me - they don't! We are merely caretakers of these animals.

I bred one of my horses in England; I had him for 13 years. I had another horse, possibly one of the loveliest XC horses I had ever had up till moving here to Canada. And then I had Cloud; our dear little pony who has been with us for 10 years.

We decided to move to Canada; I immediately called for quotes on flying all 3 horses out here. The price was not prohibitive to me and because I had 3 horses and the containers are 3-horse-stalls, this was going to work out just fine.

Then......I thought of my lovely XC horse with his blemish on his leg. I sat there imagining him standing and bracing himself on a flight for 9 hours. Could I guarantee that he would arrive here unharmed? What if his blemish worsened because of the long flight and he became forever unsound as a result? The risk was too great to take, therefore I placed him up for sale for peanuts and interviewed a number of people and the right one came along and bought him.

My other one, the homebred. No way would I ever have sold him.....but once again I did! The thought of him on a plane had me imagining allsorts. He was a very highly strung horse - what if he went berserk on the plane? What if, by the time he arrived in North America, he had caused mayhem and had either injured himself, someone else? No I couldn't risk that either, so once again the perfect person came forward and he went to live with her.

And then there is Cloud. Almost died earlier that year but had recovered astonishingly well. How would she weather the flight? Perfectly! I knew she would be okay....had no doubts whatsoever!

So the arrangements were made for just Cloud to come over here. Interestingly enough, because I still had to pay for the whole container of 3 stalls, the price was only very slightly less than if I had brought all 3. For 3 horses the price was reasonable - for 1 little pony, the price was horrendously expensive, however we paid it happily and the rest is history.
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I now own a large farm, I have no grazing issues and enough hay to keep them all going forever and a day. I have no need to sell any of my horses.....but I do. Why do I? Because I want the very best for them! I am not so blind or self-absorbed to think that I am the only person in the world who can give these horses what they need, that would be silly, LOL!!

Why did I agree to selling my very own special, second "horse of a lifetime" when the intention was to keep him forever? Because I felt it was best for him. Yes making the decision was VERY hard, no I didn't take it lightly....hell it took me 9 months to come to this decision, not exactly and overnight mull-over. I knew he would be adored; I knew he was a horse of a lifetime.....but hang on a minute, I have at least 4 other horses of a lifetime here! So how selfish of me to have 5, when this lovely person doesn't even have 1. That's why I sold him - so that he can be her horse of a lifetime. (I do have a first refusal buy-back contract mind you, just incase.
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So you see, it isn't so black and white. There are many facets involved in making these decisions; and for all the youngsters in this thread who have said that they will never sell their horse....when you do in a few years time, and it will be a very slim proportion of you who don't, think back to this conversation and then you might have found that you have finally seen the bigger picture. That the world does not revolve around you, that situations in life are continually changing, and that you have to be ready to change with them.

Then hopefully you will see what I am saying; that it is the horse who comes first - a selfless person always wants the best life for their animals and that life may not be with you! Anyway enjoy them while you have them
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because at some point in time, it is a guarantee that they WILL be taken away.
 
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Yes! Every single one of mine has a price ....... however it may not necessarily be financial.

I think that anyone who says they would never sell their horse under ANY circumstances is either deluding themselves, a child or they have no grasp on reality.

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Am I not mistaken in thinking that you have said many a time that you would never sell Cloud, she is with you for life?
 
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Am I not mistaken in thinking that you have said many a time that you would never sell Cloud, she is with you for life?

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Absolutely! I would never SELL Cloud.......but if needs must then yes I would give her away. As I said further in the conversation
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As I said, the price is not always financial.....meaning that their "price" may not be money. Self-explanatory really.
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