Does it ever get too much? WWYD?

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horsesatemymoney

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OK, briefly...currently lots of work on, no sign of it easing anytime soon, and have two horses on full DIY, with no option of services, and half day turn out. Struggling to do this because of workload, nobody that I can ask to help me bring in, so try and get the horses out for an hour before work etc. Finding this really hard going and can't face a winter like this, but love the yard I am on. Have one 4 year old and a 30 year old. What would you do?

1) Move both horses to a yard further away, but where they do mornings and it is cheaper, meaning only one trip a day. No idea what this yard is like.

2) Keep going as I am and try and pay a professional groom to come once a week, twice a day, so I get a break.

3) Keep old horse on current yard, so same problem but halved, turn youngster out at local grass livery, youngster lived out before I bought, so likely they'd adapt. I've never had a horse live out, so worried about this.

4) Turn young horse out, move old horse to part livery, with the money I'd be saving through youngster living out, or put old horse on a yard where they do services/mornings.

5) Do as above with old horse, sell younger horse.

Any help would be really needed.
 
I don't suppose you'll like this idea but it could make sense. To avoid upsetting the old horse with change pick a day and have him pts, then move younger horse to part DIY with option of extras if/when needed and better turnout.

I do know it sounds callous but you are trying so hard to do what is best for them and it's grinding you down. An old horse doesn't sit there thinking what he's going to do next Spring, he lives in the moment.
 
You cannot keep going as you are, no real turnout for either the young or old horse is going to get worse as we get into the winter, is there no one else on the yard to share some jobs with, when do the others come in, go out?

I think that yards offering DIY with rules such as this but not doing any services are unrealistic, if they impose restricted T/O they should be there to assist, I would look to move to the yard that offers help, at least go and see what it is like, you will be saving money and the horses should be healthier and happier with proper time out.
 
If I was in your position I would move both to yard further away, that way you only need to do 1 trip a day and will have more time to yourself. or I would turn youngster out and move old horse to yard where they can do mornings for you
 
I agree with Dee I'm afraid. At 30 a horse has had a fantastic innings, and I would have no qualms saying goodbye. You are only delaying the inevitable, and I have several friends who have hung on and hung on, only to see the horse die a horrid death through colic. They did their old friends no favours letting them die that way.

I had a similar dilemma a few weeks ago, I was waking up thinking how am I going to cope this winter? I said goodbye to 2 old friends, to save them having to go through another winter with various health issues. I felt a huge relief and I no longer worry about them (I hadn't realised how much time I spent not just looking after them but thinking about them in bad weather/stood in the stable for hours etc) and I can look back on great memories.
 
Dee O'Dorant said:
I don't suppose you'll like this idea but it could make sense. To avoid upsetting the old horse with change pick a day and have him pts, then move younger horse to part DIY with option of extras if/when needed and better turnout.

I do know it sounds callous but you are trying so hard to do what is best for them and it's grinding you down. An old horse doesn't sit there thinking what he's going to do next Spring, he lives in the moment.
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I agree with this ^.

You can't go on as you are and this winter is going to be hard, we are in for a long haul I'm sure. it's not unkind to pts your old boy, he's happy, settled and well.

I hope you find a solution soon.
 
1) Move both horses to a yard further away, but where they do mornings and it is cheaper, meaning only one trip a day. No idea what this yard is like.


I have this. While its a pain when I am there twice a day at the weekend, going once a day doesn't make it feel like you life revolves around the stables. Obviously the yard needs to suit though.
 
Thanks for all your comments, I can see what people are saying about the old horse, but it is old on paper; in reality, it is still rideable, looks at least 6 years younger, has no health issues and doesn't have any special requirements or anything like that. (saying it as I want to remain anonymous, btw!) I don't see how putting it to sleep would be appropriate, because it has the same quality of life as the youngster, it is happy and loving life, obviously if this changed then yes, I'd do something about it, but I feel it still has a lot of life left in it. (Hope that makes sense)

I may look at the yard further away, it would cost a an extra few miles a week in petrol, as current yard close, not sure they do service, but I know mornings are included ie turnout and feed, so that would be a massive pressure off. It will be about £40 a week cheaper too.
 
I would go with option 1 or 4. Your youngster will be fine living out and will probably be happier for it.

I hope you find a solution that suits you, it doesn't sound like your having much fun at the moment.

Good luck x
 
I'd turn them both out.

It is often beneficial to old horses to live out - as theyre legs dont fill with being stood and they dont get so stiff as can move all the time.

With appropriate rugs, ad-lib forage and a bedded up field shelter (though normally they prefer the mud :rolleyes:) You'd be at ease knowing they had room, warmth and shelter as well as each other for company and having a horsey holiday from stabling :D
 
Is it your yard restricting turnout or your hours at work? If there is turnout I wopuld leave the horses out for a few days during the week and give yourself a break. My veteran is living out hairy as with ample grass and no feeding at the minute. I can add hay and feed as he needs it. Hes not as old as your boy but hes not a good doer but is doing fine :)
 
I would ditto the full turn out option tbh, think both the 4yo and older horse would benefit. Less work, and less set times to do stuff, if they have hay etc, it doesn't really matter if you're an hour late one day - horses don't have watches!

Our 28yo lives out 24/7 and does really well on it :)
 
How old is the youngster? A yard where you could keep them both but have the youngster out 24/7 would be my preference. If your old horse is 30 then things could change very suddenly with it and you may regret parting with the youngster in the long term.

I personally couldn't get the old one pts if it is healthy etc. The youngster will be perfectly happy out 24/7 assuming there is company.

Or yes as others have said turn them both out. That's my preference. I have 3 out 24/7 and very little work mostly just fun :)
 
ok. i cant even finish all the replies... not without popping a vein in my head anyways. the OP NEVER suggested the old horse was in any way suffering or in bad health. so lets assume its a perfectly healthy, perfectly happy 30 year old horse... why they !!!!! are you people suggesting having it put to sleep? thats just maddening.

simply put you have one real option. if a yard isnt working for you, it isnt working for you and thats that. find a yard that will. and if there is no reason to put to sleep. find one that'll take both. he'll adjust, and be happy, and can live quite a while longer if he's still going strong.
 
Thanks all, lots of good suggestions. Old horse has never lived out, and is more of an 'in' horse, will do a few hours then wants in, I've owned it 20 years so I don't think I could send it off to a retirement home (I don't make life easy for me!) There isn't anyway where I could have one out 24/7, one on day turnout, but there is somewhere I could have 24/7 turnout for one. The turnout is restricted by the yard, but it changes from day to day depending on the weather, we have to wait to see what the YO decides on the day, he doesn't come out until about 9am, so pretty hard, but will always let them out for an hour whilst you are there, so i usually play it safe and try and do that.
 
horsesatemymoney said:
Thanks all, lots of good suggestions. Old horse has never lived out, and is more of an 'in' horse, will do a few hours then wants in, .
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Sorry but thats anthropomorphising - yes hes used to his routine - a routine can change! He would grow accustomed to the change.

A friend of mine does retirement livery and has a 40 yr old with her this yr, who has been in 18 hrs a day his whole life. He took about a week to realise that standing at the fence shouting didnt get his dinner - wandering around he found the hay and has been happy ever since. He is usually found at about 3pm having a nap in the field shelter, apart from that hes with the rest of the herd :)
 
TigerTail said:
A friend of mine does retirement livery and has a 40 yr old with her this yr, who has been in 18 hrs a day his whole life. He took about a week to realise that standing at the fence shouting didnt get his dinner - wandering around he found the hay and has been happy ever since. He is usually found at about 3pm having a nap in the field shelter, apart from that hes with the rest of the herd :)
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Really? I guess I'm worried that I would put oldie out, who wouldn't settle, and then would go 'downhill' but I suppose if I didn't try it I'd never know.
 
Could you find a yard where they offer 24/7 turnout but also have some horses stabled overnight in winter so the old one can stay in? If the yard doesn't offer services then most big yards have someone you could either swop am/pm with or pay to do it for you. And btw, while I've seen some older horses move & stress, I knew one v calm 30yr old who moved & lived another 5 years. And a 32 yr old pony who'd spent a lifetime staying over at comps & shows move & live another 10yrs. Not saying that always happens, but for some if the owner knows them well it can work.
 
TigerTail said:
I'd turn them both out.

It is often beneficial to old horses to live out - as theyre legs dont fill with being stood and they dont get so stiff as can move all the time.

With appropriate rugs, ad-lib forage and a bedded up field shelter (though normally they prefer the mud :rolleyes:) You'd be at ease knowing they had room, warmth and shelter as well as each other for company and having a horsey holiday from stabling :D
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/\ This :)

Older horses are much better out, where they can move around and with good quality rugs (Rambo supreme ;)) and ab lib forage then they can keep themselves warm :)
 
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See if you can find somewhere with assisted livery. The YO is completely unreasonable to expect to make a decision at 9am with working liveries.

Trust your own gut feeling about what your oldie needs - you know him best.

Paula
 
Thank you, if they could go out together, they'd be happier as they know each other. Life would be so much easier, I feel.

Another question, for those with horses living out. These are silly questions I'm sure as I have never done it, what do you do when it is icy? And how do you ride? (as in school, for the youngster)
 
Thinking about it I guess you could put a gate on most field shelters and shut the oldie in at night if you felt it necessary (seems mean to me but eh :P) and deep litter the bed during the week and blitz it on the weekend?

Rambo rugs are the bees knees for living out for sure :D

I have a school fenced off, as there is only me it doesnt get trashed.

What do I do when icy? um nothing?? Am i missing something here? The horses just get on with whatever they normally do.....
 
Thanks everyone :o So many good suggestions, I don't know which one to choose. I can't afford pure part livery, for two, could only do this if the youngster lived out, but I could have the option on the other yard where the mornings were done for me, that would be a massive help. We don't know day to day if they're allowed full day, half day or an hour whilst jobs are done, so I do that option just in case.
 
Is there anywhere that offers grass livery, but has facilities for schooling etc? I know of a few places near me that do. I think with 24/7 turnout you just have to be more realistic with your goals in the winter months. FWIW I think unshod horses cope better on the ice (presuming oldie is unshod here!) and ours cope fine with the icy weather, as long as they have enough hay, but then more often than not they get bored with hay and go off to eat the grass and browse. They do have access to a hardstanding field shelter, but if I'm honest they don't use it all the time, although the oldie does appreciate it for an afternoon snooze :)
 
1.

Pick a time, head down half hour earlier (left early to find it) and bump into a couple of current liveries :)
You tend to get instant feels on places, whether people are generally happy or not :)
 
horsesatemymoney said:
Thank you, if they could go out together, they'd be happier as they know each other. Life would be so much easier, I feel.

Another question, for those with horses living out. These are silly questions I'm sure as I have never done it, what do you do when it is icy? And how do you ride? (as in school, for the youngster)
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Icy, nothing. They're horses. I certainly wouldn't drag them in and out of a yard on concrete though, far worse than left to their own devices in a field!

Riding, outside school, depends on surface. Indoors, long as not lethal getting in no difference.

Personally though, winter is a break for them and me, unless nice days.

Feed wise, depends on your horse. Several of ours have a minor amount of hay to keep their system ticking over, some nothing, some hard feeds, if haylage always hay too to stop it going straight through.

Oldies move far better when left out, esp with a youngster in the mix. Just make sure you ru appropriately for stiffer joints.
 
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