Giving up your horse because of the recession

D

dianaappleyard1

New User
Joined
19 November 2009
Messages
2
Visit site
I am writing a responsible article for the Daily Express newspaper - I am a horse owner myself - about the fact that more owners are having to give up their horses or have them PTS because of the financial situation. This will be a very responsible article, and I want to include information for owners about what they can do if they can't afford their horse anymore. I am also happy to include details of horse sanctuaries and organisations which are helping owners at this difficult time. Please could you email me asap at dianaappleyard@aol.com if you can help? I look forward to hearing from you, regards, Diana Appleyard.
 
Perhaps you should seek the advice of the charities before you write this article. I'm sure you have the best intentions but a scaremongering article which ends up swamping the already overburdened charities would be irresponsible. Perhaps the article should be concentrating on money saving tips ensuring that owners can keep their horses for less? Sharers, loan agreements, working livery, equine colleges, selling. All options that are not handing over the responsibility to someone else. My opinion is that the charities are there for neglected and ill treated horses and not always for those that are just given up when there could be other possibilities.
 
Hi - I am talking to the charities and sanctuaries now, but I can't have an article published if there are not real people in it. The aim is not to scare-monger, but reflect what's happening and how people can help. Regards, Diana
 
I don't see how other people can help as such , we can either afford our horses or we can't and giving people ideas to offload their equines is not a good idea.

I totally agree with ISZ, an article how to help yourself through difficult times is far more appropriate. You could always include stories from real people who have perhaps gone from part livery to grass livery or someone who has found a sharer etc.
 
Its a no win situation. You can either afford it or not, but there are things you can do to economise.
Your article should be based on that, but I DO think that options on what to do if you CANT keep your animal should be included. PTS is an option in England, but from what I have been hearing there is a 3 months waiting list at abbatoirs in Ireland, so no help for them over there is it!
 
Honestly I would not think this was a responsible article to write. I have already seen two local old horses PTS "because of the recession" from owners and I did wonder if it was just an excuse. As others have said scaremongering just isnt helpful. Horsey magazines have been helpful lately with articles on how to cut costs and keep horses in a responsible and cheaper way. This kind of article is just going to spook people who are struggling but making ends meet and still managing to look after their horses.

Also I think (well, I know) there are people who will take any excuse to off load their equines.
 
at least Diana is out there trying to help/ avoid sad situations- many cases will be genuine and i would be grateful for someone like her to help me if i found i couldn't cope!! why do folk always try to put people down- odd!!
 
Well the OP is being up front, which I appreciate, instead of lurking on here and filleting comments to put in a poorly thrown-together piece.

OP, the last time this happened and someone came on asking for help in their research, lots of posters were a bit concerned with how sensationalist the finished article appeared, which perhaps explains some of the responses.

I understand news eds and subs can change meanings and tickle up stories to make them more 'in your face' but I agree with others that the article should be as measured as is humanly possible, even with non-horsey people trying to take the red pen to it!
 
I can't help but wonder what some people would do, outside of the recession, if they were suddenly forced to find large sums of money to keep their horse. I realise losing your job is terrible, and keeping a roof over your head is the most important thing, but alot of these horses that are being given up by their owners are on full livery, the owners have horseboxes, competition entry fees, posh everything and so on. My horse is retired now, and has cost me a fortune over the last 11 years for drugs (when I say a fortune, I'm talking around £30k probably); just this month I had to find nearly £800 in one week and I earn below the national average wage. But my horse is more important to me than a new car, holidays, a new kitchen, nice clothes. She has given me years of fun and pleasure and now she has earned the longest happy retirement I can give her. She is my responsibility, not someone elses' when I can't be bothered to find the money for her any more.
 
There are so many ways to cut costs right down without compromising the horse's health. Over the past 15 years or so people have got used to buying the latest technology available in rugs, feed, accessories, bedding, tack, etc, etc. Yet when I was a child (this is only 20 / 25 yrs ago) we used to cook our own horses feed, out of the raw ingredients, and even make part of our own hay by careful field management and using only restricted grazing. No one fed expensive supplements and the horses were fine!
Shavings cost a lot now, so why not change to straw or wood pellets. If the pony has good feet, why not try bare foot? If livery has gone up, look around. When advertising for a sharer, don't just put adverts up in tack shops. If they don't currently have a horse, they're less likely to be visiting a tack shop, and more likely to notice an attractive ad in a supermarket!

I would hate to think that people who aren't 100% committed to their horses would use a media article to try to justify getting rid of them. It would be better to try and encourage people to look back a few years and remember that it didn’t use to cost the earth to own a horse, and it is OK not to have the latest 'fashion' feed, supplements, rugs, gadgets, etc.
 
The person in the article took a career break in 2007. Well, that was her choice. Lucky her to be able to in the first place. Sky123 makes some VERY sensible observations - I'm with her!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am writing a responsible article for the Daily Express newspaper - I am a horse owner myself - about the fact that more owners are having to give up their horses or have them PTS because of the financial situation. This will be a very responsible article, and I want to include information for owners about what they can do if they can't afford their horse anymore. I am also happy to include details of horse sanctuaries and organisations which are helping owners at this difficult time. Please could you email me asap at dianaappleyard@aol.com if you can help? I look forward to hearing from you, regards, Diana Appleyard.

[/ QUOTE ]


All I can say is that 4 horse rescue centres that I know of have very strict rules for taking horses in.

Roughly speaking, all have to be over 18 and pref older, no laminitic ponies, no tb's, nothing with any problems. In other words - not really "rescue centres" at all. Oh and the ex owners (after signing their horses away) have to pay a set sum to the centres each month!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top