Dont know if I can really be botherd anymore

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251libby

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I dont want to be renamed moany minnie at home and at the yard and they've heard all this ALOT in the last few months. So I'm going to offload on you guys and need any experiences and opinions that you have.

Now my pony who I owned for 5 years is my love but not my entire life.....I do like the odd meal out every now and again and also looking at buying my first home in the next 2 years and on top of that I'm changing jobs (a bit more money but double the distance I currently travel). So I have alot going on at the moment.

But anyway my po was diagnosed after countless vet visits and a trip to the local equine hospital for x-rays with arthritis.
After 2 months off and 5 x catrophen injections and on the supliment Cosequin. Vet come out.....sound! So I followed his work plan to the T, the first week was totally fine walk with a tiny bit of trot, the secong week again fine, now last night I rode her and she just didn't feel right in literally the first minute of getting back on, so I got the lunge line out so I could see properly (she has always been sound on a straight line) and yes she definatly was lame probably only about 2/10.

The vet is due out December 22nd to see her.
But now I'm starting to think about retirment.....
Pony doesn't like hacking, she likes jumping and going out to competions, same as me really. We are never going to be able to jump again anyway so shall I just retire...?

She is totally not bothered about being ridden and tbh it's not the resson I have a horse even though I do love it. She just loves being groomed and being made a fuss of....and being a horse.
I am at a fantastic DIY livery yard that has great facilities but has the price tag to match.
Do you think I should give up on trying to make her sound enough to ride, take the pressure off her joints and just have her out in a field with a friend and maybe take her for the odd plod around the block...?

It would cost me alot less money, alot less on livery and she wouldn't need shoes as she has fab feet. Money is not the reason I'm thinking about it, it's more for her, I love her and want to keep her as happy and as comfortable as I possibly can and that means keeping her out 24/7 so she can keep moving and because she has COPD/RAO it would be better for her breathing if she was out too.

I'm sorry alot of this post is my silly rambling thoughts but it does help to write things down, I have tried to make it as factual as possible but truth is I love my girl and I feel guilty that she cant do all the things she wants to and I know she'd have the life of reily in a field.
 
would you miss the riding though
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it sounds like maybe it would be the best thing for your horse, and will help you save time and money too!
 
Do what is best for her - and you. That sounds to be out 24/7 to me in those circumstances even if this lameness is just a co-incidence/knock or something else. It won't mean she's any less loved or looked after but a more natural lifestyle for her and you can get on with your life too. Just make sure she's in the best place for those conditions and tosh to anyone who thinks you're being cruel/heartless/feckle and a million other things they'll come up with. I'm sorry she won't get back to competing for you though.
 
You know your pony better than anyone, so I would say if you believe deep down she'd be happier this way, then I would do it.

I'm sorry I can't offer anymore advice. It does sound like you are doing the right thing when you take everything into account.

Good luck with what ever decision you make.
 
I for one would definitely give her the life of Reilly in a field option. From what you've said, it seems it would suit her - and, even though you are currently at a lovely yard, why pay for all those extra facilities that you're not using?

And at the same time, there are loads of lovely horses out there looking for loaners or sharers - so if you do find that you miss the riding, then why not look for a share horse for a few days per week? You could contribute towards the share with the money you're saving by not paying for an expensive livery yard.
 
How about throwing her out for the winter as described and then seeing how you feel in spring / early summer? You might find you do really miss the riding. Is there no chance she might jump again with a good amount of time off and then some more injections?

If you find that you enjoy your life, new job, new house etc and can do without riding you can make the retirement permanent. Now is a good time for a few months off to reflect on it all.

Good luck.
 
My 'old gal' was diagnosed as having arthritis about 3 years ago; we had a re-think on the 12 hours in/12 hours out regime she'd been on. She too has COPD/RAO and has been a martyr to laminitis despite never having been overweight or gorging on grass etc.

She has an area around the stables in which to wander overnight (she tends to park up in front of each stable in turn) and her own stable has the door firmly secured open, with a nice bed, big haynet, water etc in there. Daytimes she is turned out with company. To say it has worked is an understatement; she is fantastically fit and probably 100% improvement.

She doesn't like the concept of being ridden, but once tacked up is as keen as any five year old (which she was 15 years ago). We don't do any jumping, but she did quite a few pleasure rides this year at very creditable speeds. She loves them, going to new places, seeing old friends and making new ones. It has given her a new lease of life.

I have to be careful who I turn her out with as she's an absolute terror for getting them to demolish fences or falling over while they try to keep up with her games. You'd think she was a quarter horse with the nimble spins, not a chunky little coblet.
 
I made the decision to retire a perfectly sound 26 year old horse just because I wasn't enjoying riding her anymore. She was quite a fiesty horse to ride & was mentally still young, so she wanted to carry on like she was still young but her body wasn't quite up to it anymore.
After a particulary trying ride when she got in a right temper because I wouldn't let her do what she wanted, I just got off & never got back on her again.
She didn't have a happy hacker mind, she'd spent her life either being got fit, or being kept competing fit; when she wasn't competing she wasn't ridden at all. Just hacking out didn't suit her at all, it only made her cross!
She didn't mind not having to work for a living anymore, if I was you I'd be thinking along the same lines that you are.
If you feel it is the right decision, go ahead & retire her.
 
A few years ago i made the decision to retire my mare - at the time she was my only horse and she was lame on and off for so long i decided it best to let her live out- she wasnt sane enough to be a happy hacker. She didnt settle to at like i thought she would and i missed her terribly so only 1 year later i bought her back to normal stable life and she was so much happier completely safe and sane and amazingly completely sound after the long break. It was the best thing i could have done for both of us.
I like you love my horses but they are 1 part of my life not my whole life - but after her being away re-instilled my love for having horses and i was so happy to have her back especially with her new found happiness to work and so far 2 years of her being completely sound.
 
Thanks for all your experience
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I'm thinking along the lines of not riding for a while be it 6 months to a year and seeing how she copes - I'm not just going to chuck her out in a field I'm planning on bringing her in for a few hours each day to be groomed and made a fuss of.
Thanks for all your help it has really helped to get it down and have people back up my decision.
 
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