GRR why dont people take responsibility for there oldies?!?!

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BobbyMondeo

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Just come across this advert!

Pretty 11.2 welsh cob 31 years old, FREE to good home. Due to personal circumstances we
are looking for a new home for our pony. We have had her for 11 years and she has been a
great pony. She is very easy going will live in or out. She is in good condition and
would make a great field companion or even a pet. We really would like her to go to
someone that will look after her well, be loving and caring. So please no time wasters
as we really want her to be loved.She deserves to be cared for. If you are interested
and would like to see her please feel free to call me


Sickens me to think these people cant let her live out her days in a home she knows and is happy in!!
Surely if you loved the pony that much and she is just a great pony you would want to make sure the last few years of her life are comfortable and stress free!!?!?! wouldnt you?


Gah dont understand it!
Small rant over
 
i share yr annoyance
i am currently looking for a loan horse & have had severall people contact me to see if i want their 21/22 yr old light hack horses:mad:
[ i have one of those at home - going nowhere - hence why looking for a younger model on loan]
the saddest advert is in my local tack shop - 17.2 ex-whipper in - cant be ridden anymore - owner looking for a companion home - surely a horse that has worked this hard deserves a commitment from his family:mad::mad:
 
I read last night on the NFED of a 29 year old being rehomed.

I have a 29yr old, and a 24yr old and the only way they will be leaving me is dead. Maybe even together as they are inseperable.
 
To be fair, you just never know the circumstances the owner is in.

Before I'd critise anyone, I'd want to know for sure that they were merely selling on because they can no longer be bothered or simply want to buy in another younger horse - and not because of redundancy, divorce, serious illness, etc. People's lives do change unexpectedly sometimes. No one knows what's around the corner for any of us.

That said, it's likely to be a lot fairer to PTS your oldie rather than look to be rehoming it at age 31. :eek:

I think a lot of people are squeamish about the PTS option, incorrectly believing it's cruel or would be too much for them to face. The animal should always be put first, no matter how hard some decisions are to make.
 
Unbelieveable ! as you say pts would be kinder than passing her around as if she were just a lump of meat. People dont seem to think they owe their animals a good retirement but once have no use for them just get rid !! makes me cross cross cross and sad (my mare had to be retired at 13 due to lameness after one a year of having her and she will be with me for life - a beautiful field ornament - and a useful companion to my gelding)
 
Who would make their 90 year old granny move out of the care home she's been in for 11 years? Answer - no-one! Poor little sausage. These people are just shirking their responsibilities. If you don't want it have it PTS. At 31 its hardly being deprived of a life. I took on a 40year old pony which the owner simply hoped would drop dead in the field and save him the cost of the vet. He cheerfully told me that she'd lost weight in the winter for 20 years and he wasn't worried by it. Funny how in her first winter with me she put on 250lbs and I had to cut her down a bit before the spring grass came through. Basically he wouldn't feed her in the winter and having missing and flat teeth she couldn't eat hay at all so she lived on her body fat throughout the winter. Lived out of course because he was too mean to pay for a stable and do the work. A decent rug, lots of soaked fibrous food (cheap as chips) and she was sorted and when she did finally go, I was content to know she'd had 4 happy healthy years and knew that she was loved and had real status. On no occasion did she ever pull a face or be rude to me and whinnied cheerfully every time she saw me as she cantered in for her grub - which is more than can be said for my own spoiled old bag!!
 
'Change of circumstances' to me means - I Don't wan't an old horse especially the vet's fees, additional work, maintenance costs and the fact they can't ride the horse as they did when it was younger.
However I am looking for a mug to take on the financial cost and reponsibility for my horse.
 
If someone had posted on here (and it has been done) saying that due to circumstances they could no longer care for their horse and were having it pts (myself included) there would also be those crying "Oh no, poor horse, heartless owners, why don't they try to loan/rehome/give to a charity" I got those comments too.

Perhaps they have tried the rehoming route already, perhaps they are considering the pts option but are trying one last effort to find her a new home. Do we always know? No.

I hate this advert bashing with a vengeance. If people are so concerned, then how difficult is it to contact the advertisers and find out the real facts rather than just slagging some unknown person off on a public forum and condemning them out of hand. Often these bitchy threads come back and bite you on the backside because the forum pond is a big one and ripples spread.

Hopefully they will find a home, heck, I'd take her, I have a couple of ancients here now anyway that came via this route, I've also taken others and had them pts straight away rather than see them go through auctions, and I am not the only one, by far, on the forum that has done this. If no solution is forthcoming, then, as many have said, a well placed bullet is not the worst thing that could happen to her.
 
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OWLIE185 said:
'Change of circumstances' to me means - I Don't wan't an old horse especially the vet's fees, additional work, maintenance costs and the fact they can't ride the horse as they did when it was younger.
However I am looking for a mug to take on the financial cost and reponsibility for my horse.
Click to expand...

Guys - you can't judge, you just don't know! I choose to keep my oldie and can do so but you don't know what the reasons are and you are all a little quick to jump to the conclusion that this is definately because the owner can't be bothered.
 
OWLIE185 said:
'Change of circumstances' to me means - I Don't wan't an old horse especially the vet's fees, additional work, maintenance costs and the fact they can't ride the horse as they did when it was younger.
However I am looking for a mug to take on the financial cost and reponsibility for my horse.
Click to expand...

Nope. That phrase doesn't say that to me. It says to me that the person's life has changed for the worse for some unexpected reason. People are too quick to assume the worst all of the time. That said, maybe you're right. But I hate it the way people always ASSUME things.

IMO the pony should be PTS in its current home, regardless of why the owner is unable/unwilling to continue with its care.
 
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OWLIE185 said:
'Change of circumstances' to me means - I Don't wan't an old horse especially the vet's fees, additional work, maintenance costs and the fact they can't ride the horse as they did when it was younger.
However I am looking for a mug to take on the financial cost and reponsibility for my horse.
Click to expand...

It could mean that of course, it could also mean, I've lost my job, had a bereavement, am ill, have gotten divorced, partner has walked out on me, have kids to feed, cloth, a roof to keep over their heads, livery bills have gone up, yard is closing and I am literally penniless :(

Agree with Spyda on this one.
 
You just have to know exactly what they're saying - For example:
Free to good home
Please take this off my hands so I don't have to worry about it or pay for it anymore
30 Year old pony
Old pony
Would suit light hacking or field companion
OK you CAN ride it if you really have to but better just turn it out into your field and eat your grass because I don't want it eating mine anymore
No timewasters please
Listen, do you want it or what! Make up your bloody mind or leave me alone
Good home important
Any home except mine thank you

I totally disagree in putting a good horse to sleep
 
The lady I ride for at the mo is fab.

She has 3 old ponies (2 in late 30s, one early 40s!!!) and a younger TB with lameness so she will never be ridden again. The oldies all get fed 3 times a day, given hay and have salt licks in the field to keep vits and mins up! Happy as larry they all are and they aren't going to be going anywhere! One in the late 30s still goes for the odd hack and at 14hh easily outwalks me on a 16.1 hano X !!
 
People have change in circumstances no matter what age the horse is, just more people interested in taking the younger ones.
I hope that this horse is from someone who is in these circumstances and not making it up.
I cant make my mind up if it would be kinder to PTS.
 
totally agree with enfys that you just don't know their reasons from that small advert. there could be 101 different reasons why they can't keep the pony, some genuine reasons and some not so.
i had a horse gifted to me, owner was going through a tough time so had put it on loan, loaner then decided she didn't want to keep her but owner was in no position to take her back, rather than send her to a dealers a friend asked if i would take her on loan, i agreed and 3 months later her owner signed her over to me to try and safeguard her future. Now I'll bet everyone would say well thats different she cared about where the horse went, circumstances caused it etc etc, but what if i hadn't taken her? owner would have had to send her to dealers, or she could have advertised her to a free home............sometimes life truely turns upside down and hard decisions have to be made
 
Enfys said:
If someone had posted on here (and it has been done) saying that due to circumstances they could no longer care for their horse and were having it pts (myself included) there would also be those crying "Oh no, poor horse, heartless owners, why don't they try to loan/rehome/give to a charity" I got those comments too.

Perhaps they have tried the rehoming route already, perhaps they are considering the pts option but are trying one last effort to find her a new home. Do we always know? No.

I hate this advert bashing with a vengeance. If people are so concerned, then how difficult is it to contact the advertisers and find out the real facts rather than just slagging some unknown person off on a public forum and condemning them out of hand. Often these bitchy threads come back and bite you on the backside because the forum pond is a big one and ripples spread.

Hopefully they will find a home, heck, I'd take her, I have a couple of ancients here now anyway that came via this route, I've also taken others and had them pts straight away rather than see them go through auctions, and I am not the only one, by far, on the forum that has done this. If no solution is forthcoming, then, as many have said, a well placed bullet is not the worst thing that could happen to her.
Click to expand...

i agree with this - we do nto know the owners ciorcumstances - they could be ill, going through a divorce, on a pension now - its not ideal but im 45 and my horse is 8 - i do hope to god i can keep him for ever but i worry about what life can bring - illness, lifestyle changes etc - we can all only do our best
 
I agree that the owners problems may be unforseen rather than them just being fed up with looking after an oldie 'overhead'.

But the fact remains that unless rehoming to a friend or family, there is no way that this owner can be sure of what future this horse has by advertising them to strangers.

For that reason alone I think it is wrong, and there are so many ads like it. Even ones where the horse has been broken doing the sports the owner wanted and now they are broken they are thrown out to make room for one that isnt broken....

The thing that makes me cross is all the ads that say ' looking for loving forever home' when advertising a crocked up late teens horse.
Wasnt that what the horse thought it was getting from YOU, Ms Owner?? How dare you demand from strangers what you are not willing to provide.

In an ideal world all oldies would have an idyllic retirement not be PTS but life is not like that for many, perhaps most, especially in the current climate. To me, if you are prepared to pass an old horse onto a stranger you should instead be prepared to face up to what you owe to the horse and instead either look after it for life as you do the rest of your family, or PTS in familiar surroundings.
 
Whatever you do in life, there are critics.
I keep my older girl with my two youngsters and am often advised I am 'wasting money' as I pay livery, and 'wasting time' as I look afer her DIY.
Each to their own.
S :D
 
For the last two years I have been in an awful situation where both myself and OH have been out of work; ( not many jobs for the over 50's! ) we still have a mortgage to pay as well as the ponies, dogs and a daughter half way through university.

We have had to rely on our family to help us out; we are lucky, some are not.

Don't judge anyone until you know the circumstances, you could be in the same boat one day.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
I agree that the owners problems may be unforseen rather than them just being fed up with looking after an oldie 'overhead'.

But the fact remains that unless rehoming to a friend or family, there is no way that this owner can be sure of what future this horse has by advertising them to strangers.

For that reason alone I think it is wrong, and there are so many ads like it. Even ones where the horse has been broken doing the sports the owner wanted and now they are broken they are thrown out to make room for one that isnt broken....

The thing that makes me cross is all the ads that say ' looking for loving forever home' when advertising a crocked up late teens horse.
Wasnt that what the horse thought it was getting from YOU, Ms Owner?? How dare you demand from strangers what you are not willing to provide.

In an ideal world all oldies would have an idyllic retirement not be PTS but life is not like that for many, perhaps most, especially in the current climate. To me, if you are prepared to pass an old horse onto a stranger you should instead be prepared to face up to what you owe to the horse and instead either look after it for life as you do the rest of your family, or PTS in familiar surroundings.
Click to expand...

^^^^^^^

What she said!

Yes, circumstances change - often through no fault of the owner but advertising an aged horse usually shows a lack of moral fibre IMHO...nobody likes being the one to hold them for the hunt/knackerman/vet but I honestly would prefer to do that rather than see a trailer disappearing down the drive with then to God knows what. The one in 50 chance of a good home in circumstances like this don't make the risk of the other 49 chances acceptable in my book.
 
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cbmcts said:
^^^^^^^

What she said!

Yes, circumstances change - often through no fault of the owner but advertising an aged horse usually shows a lack of moral fibre IMHO...nobody likes being the one to hold them for the hunt/knackerman/vet but I honestly would prefer to do that rather than see a trailer disappearing down the drive with then to God knows what. The one in 50 chance of a good home in circumstances like this don't make the risk of the other 49 chances acceptable in my book.
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"willing or wanting to provide" is so so different from being able to unfortunately, dont be so harsh
 
If it is in good health , it is a shame but tbh no real difference to selling a 15yr old. To underline- if it is in good health. AT 31 it i possibly going to be quite frail in which case the next moe would need to be very carefully considered, it is unlikely to find a home at this age I have to say but good luck to them, if they very carefully vet (ideally someone they know) and permanently loan rather than sell , it's doable. Otherwise they need to consider PTS.
 
cbmcts said:
^^^^^^^

What she said!

Yes, circumstances change - often through no fault of the owner but advertising an aged horse usually shows a lack of moral fibre IMHO...nobody likes being the one to hold them for the hunt/knackerman/vet but I honestly would prefer to do that rather than see a trailer disappearing down the drive with then to God knows what. The one in 50 chance of a good home in circumstances like this don't make the risk of the other 49 chances acceptable in my book.
Click to expand...

ok so you have an oldie and your old or ill, cant afford or are not physically able to keep her - youd really have her shot without any final try to find a good final retirement for her????
I know what id do - i wouldnt demand my horse is shot when i am, if i had chance yes i would try and find her a good home - and if its free so be it xxxx
 
BobbyMondeo said:
Just come across this advert!

Pretty 11.2 welsh cob 31 years old, FREE to good home. Due to personal circumstances we
are looking for a new home for our pony. We have had her for 11 years and she has been a
great pony. She is very easy going will live in or out. She is in good condition and
would make a great field companion or even a pet. We really would like her to go to
someone that will look after her well, be loving and caring. So please no time wasters
as we really want her to be loved.She deserves to be cared for. If you are interested
and would like to see her please feel free to call me


Sickens me to think these people cant let her live out her days in a home she knows and is happy in!!
Surely if you loved the pony that much and she is just a great pony you would want to make sure the last few years of her life are comfortable and stress free!!?!?! wouldnt you?


Gah dont understand it!
Small rant over
Click to expand...

a horse that age shouldnt have to move around a tall (changing homes i mean) un;ess it really needs to like going to the vets but at 31 i think thats a bit pointless...it would stress the horse out especially an old one. all of its legs all tensing up to keep it balanced. just cruel :( its a shame really an old horse should live at it ast home until it dies, final resting place it think :( xx
 
fatpiggy said:
Who would make their 90 year old granny move out of the care home she's been in for 11 years? Answer - no-one! Poor little sausage. These people are just shirking their responsibilities. If you don't want it have it PTS. At 31 its hardly being deprived of a life. I took on a 40year old pony which the owner simply hoped would drop dead in the field and save him the cost of the vet. He cheerfully told me that she'd lost weight in the winter for 20 years and he wasn't worried by it. Funny how in her first winter with me she put on 250lbs and I had to cut her down a bit before the spring grass came through. Basically he wouldn't feed her in the winter and having missing and flat teeth she couldn't eat hay at all so she lived on her body fat throughout the winter. Lived out of course because he was too mean to pay for a stable and do the work. A decent rug, lots of soaked fibrous food (cheap as chips) and she was sorted and when she did finally go, I was content to know she'd had 4 happy healthy years and knew that she was loved and had real status. On no occasion did she ever pull a face or be rude to me and whinnied cheerfully every time she saw me as she cantered in for her grub - which is more than can be said for my own spoiled old bag!!
Click to expand...

Personally I'd love my 92 year old granny to go into a care home as she's a pain in the **** and I'd prefer to have her put down than any pony or horse. I could spend all this wasted time looking after a lovely equine that might actually appreciate the effort we all put into running her life for her!! It would be one really pampered pony with regular food, cleaning and care. And would the pony moan? I doubt it and if it did at least it wouldn't ring up several times a day!!!
Rant over!!!
 
Why tarnish us with the same brush, I've always kept my horses and had them put down at home. In this finacal climate people are struggling to pay their mortgages never mind for pony and with the hay shortage ahead, how many more adverts like this are we going to see.
 
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