Elderly pony

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Dek

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Hi there, I'm a bit confused about what I should do with our elderly pony. She hasn't been ridden for approx 2 years as daughter has outgrown her. She's approx 30 years old - not sure exactly. Just before Xmas, she got laminitis & the vet thinks she may also have cushings. She's now on medication & restricted grazing. The only problem is, as I work full time now, I just feel as though I really don't have the time that she needs. I do not want to sell her but was considering rehoming her, but not sure how to go about this. Are there sancturies that take on elderly ponies etc? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Sanctuarys wont take on elderly ponies, they are full to the bursting point.

Sounds harsh but pts if you cant look after her anymore.

I used to look after a elderly pony with cushings until he was 39, so dont write off the fact that you might find some pony mad kid to come and fuss her like i did with Monty :)
 
Dek said:
Hi montyforever, pts is definitely not an option.
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Then i would definatly find some pony mad kid to come and groom and fuss her, rather than try and rehome her at her age and with her cushings you'd find it hard for someone to take her!

I know the one i looked after took some work :eek: But he was worth it :)
 
I might be shot down for this, but at her age, and with her health conditions, I'd be thinking about having her put to sleep :( I've had an oldie with laminitis and cushings, and it isn't easy. You might be able to find a sanctuary, but with the recession, they are only really taking on urgent and neglect cases. Even if you could find her a place, at her age, the move itself would be disruptive - moving from a familiar place, with people she knows, to somewhere unknown and with strangers.

It's a horrible decision, I've been there myself, and no doubt will shortly be making a similar decision (my current oldie is 29 and I know she doesn't have many winters left in her).

Sorry I don't have any more suggestions for you x
 
Sounds like the same problems as my old boy :rolleyes:
He however is also riddled with arthritis and has not done well on the hard ground we have had this year.

Mine are at my own yard so easy for me to manage him as I see fit.

If you are struggling with time how about a retirment livery? Most of them look fab and they can also cater for grazing restrictions etc. Just google equine retirement homes and some should come up.
 
TBH, while not wanting to sound harsh it appears that you have 2 options either find the time to look after her or pts.

The chances of anyone wanting to take on an elderly pony who needs expensive meds and a lot of management are slim to nil and that's not even mentioning the disruption and possible upset a move would cause her.

In cases like yours, I'm afraid that rescues like WHW are advising that PTS is the responsible action.

As I said, I'm not unsympathetic but I do think you owe the pony more than just rehoming even if that would be possible.
 
if she were mine I would pts while she's still happy enough and definately before the winter comes along. I couldnt leave her in the hands of someone else and would rather (possibly selfish on my part) take the final decision for her. Good luck whatever you decide.
 
OMG I'm shocked at the number of people suggesting I put her to sleep! This thought has never even entered my mind. I do understand where a lot of you are coming from in suggesting this, but as she is so well & fit at the minute, this is not something I can even contemplate.
 
I commend your sentiments for not wanting to PTS if she is healthy, but at 30, I think you really need to consider if it is fair to re-home her. Fair on her to move and have a new owner, or fair on the new owner to be saddled with her potentially increasing bills for not many years of ownership.

If you won't PTS and can't afford retirement livery, I really think your options are limited to sticking it out as you are now.

Edited to add
OMG I'm shocked at the number of people suggesting I put her to sleep! This thought has never even entered my mind. I do understand where a lot of you are coming from in suggesting this, but as she is so well & fit at the minute, this is not something I can even contemplate.
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Many will suggest PTS as being a far better option for an elderly pony than re-homing her - and I agree. if you don't want to PTS, in my opinion you will have to find a way to keep her yourself or take the risk that someone else will sell her on as younger/fit to ride/ not look after her properly etc etc etc.
 
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Dek said:
OMG I'm shocked at the number of people suggesting I put her to sleep! This thought has never even entered my mind. I do understand where a lot of you are coming from in suggesting this, but as she is so well & fit at the minute, this is not something I can even contemplate.
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I realise that you find it shocking for people to say put to sleep, but, and forgive me because I don't want to sound harsh, I find it hard to hear of someone wanting to rehome a thirty year old pony - the fact that she needs meds and management makes it even stranger to me.

I have a pony that we retired last year (aged somewhere between fifteen and twenty-five, no-one can tell for sure). He's off at grass livery with a grand lady, but he is no bother, he just lives in a field with the others, gets checked over daily, taken for walks, cuddled, has his teeth and feet and vacs done (all of which I pay for) and he'll be there until either we get our own land, in which case he'll come home, or until he has something that requires on-going treatment. He'd had a rubbish life before he came to us, which made him how he is; since we've had him he's lived a grand life and I am happy and content with that.
 
:( Oh gosh Dek, my heart goes out to you. I was very fortunate when my old horse left us.
He was nearly 36 and went quietly in his sleep.
You are right, caring for an oldtimer is much more time consuming than for younger equines.
If your daughter is still at home, could she be part of a care programme for your old girl.
Maybe her friends would like to join in ?
Youngsters (at least, our grandchildren and other youngsters I have come across), seem to like having the responsibility.
They (quite rightly), feel good and proud about making an old friends last days as comfortable and painfree as possible.
.
Anyone at your local school or vets. practise might be interested?
(I meant a notice on the wall of your vets and other places perhaps)
.
Hope you find a satisfactory solution fairly soon.
(Sorry if I have rambled or talked nonsense.)
Teg
 
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I imagine it will depend on how bad the laminitis is, how bad the cushings is and what she is like in general, if happy and in good condition then seems a shame to pts.

If she has been at present yard a long time, seems harsh to move her, I don't know if you are at own place or diy yard etc?

If you are too busy, maybe look for paid help at local yard who could come to where you are and help, or as someone has said - pony mad teenager who would enjoy the chance to look after her?
 
my old mare is 20 and i have owned her for ten years and would never ever sell her. she never suffered with lami until last year when she had 2 bouts in as many months. she was tested for cushings which came back positive. she is now on medication and lami is being controlled. she is fit well and healthy and alot of people comment on how well she looks and cant believe she is 20. she will be with me foreve but if i ever found myself not being able to care for her than i would have her pts in her home with people and horses around her that she knows rather then put her through the upset of moving home and new people.
 
Hi Dek

I'm surprised you hadn't thought of PTS, it might sound harsh, but the pony is not fit and well. It has cushings and is at high risk of getting laminitis again and is very old.
I have an old horse myself, even though he has no health issues at all, he takes a lot of looking after - clipping, careful rugging and feeding in the winter, regular dental checks etc. I wouldn't take on another oldie, but I owe it to him. If I couldn't look after him for any reason I would have him PTS, as I feel it would be mean to rehome him at this age.
It's a difficult decision but you have to do what's best for the pony.
 
Dek - I really do sympathise with your situation, but I'm afraid I agree with the majority of replies here.

You say that PTS is not an option, yet you don't feel you have the time to dedicate to her care, nor the money to pay for retirement livery. You'd be very, very lucky indeed to get any of the sanctuaries to take her, and even if you could, ask yourself whether it is fair to her to rehome her at her age?

I speak from experience, so I really do understand how you feel. We had an old boy of 27 who had been in our family since he was a foal. He belonged to my aunt, but he was stabled at our yard and so to all intents and purposes he was one of ours. When my dad left us and we had to sell the yard, we were faced with a difficult decision re. what to do with him. We had managed to rehome our other elderly pony, but Mum did not have the money to pay for the old lad's livery as well as Ellie's, especially seeing as he didnt officially belong to her. So we went to the Blue Cross, thinking it would be perfect - he could live out the rest of his days in peace and we could still visit him :D So we were shocked when they told us there was no way a sanctuary would take on a horse of his age, and that we were better off putting him down :(

We then investigated the possibility of full retirement livery, but it was going to be in the region of £500 a month, and my aunt couldnt afford it. So, as hard as it was (and it still troubles us now, six years on), we had him PTS. In the end, it was the only option. He was happy and healthy, too, so it was such a hard decision to make :(
 
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