Hard Decision

[mandk]

I have the most beautiful coloured mare I could ask for. She is 15.2hh and is TBx, looks like a pure TB yet is skewbald.

We get comments where ever we go. And she is very loving, although does have rather a character.

However, I am going a bit crazy trying to make the decision to sell her or not..... how can I make this decision??????????? I was considering breeding her, but have now decided that is not the right thing to do.

When I bought her as a filly I always said if she does not do what I want her to do I will sell her. (as I already have one pony which we have kept more as a pet and can not afford to have 2 like that!). I have never sold a horse before and I know that it would be hard.

If I decide to sell, I have to sell her and not loan her. As we can not afford to pay for 3 horses if down the line I have got another horse and my mare comes home. Also, if she is on loan and then returns in a poor state or ruined I would be so upset and blame myself.

Here are my reasons to sell:
1. She has not made the height I had hoped. I ideally would like a 16.1hh+. She is 15.2hh.
2. She is very flashy and way to special to be kept for leisure. (her sire won HOYS - coloured). I do not have the time or money to take her to this level.
3. She needs time spending on her schooling/jumping, which I do not have due to other commitments.

Reasons to keep her:
1. I love her!
2. I do worry what hands she will get into if I sell her.
3. What if I sell her and can not find another horse to suit and regret it.

My mind is boggled.

 

[ISHmad]

You say that if she does not do what you want her to do you will sell her. But you don't mention what it is you wanted her to do? Perhaps if you could clarify that first we can all try to help.

She does sound gorgeous by the way.

 

[mandk]

She is not as big as I would have liked. (ideally 16.1hh+.... she is 15.2hh). Also when I bought her I wanted to compete in eventing. She needs time & work.... I do not have the time anymore to spend on her, nor the money. So its not her fault, it just has not worked out as I planned.

 

[Twilight]

How much do you really want to event. Is she really to small for you or just not as big as you would have liked. What ever you get you need to put some time into, so maybe sticking with one you already love would be best. I have never sold one before and couldn't bare to part with T even if he didn't do what I had planned - doesn't do dressage! It is a really hard choice.

 

[mandk]

She is not too small for me really. I am 5'7 and about 11 stone. So I would like something bigger for my height more than weight.

When I bought her I wanted to event, but last year I had a baby and do not have the time or money to put into it and to be honest I am quite happy not eventing and just riding for leisure, its far more relaxing.

My mare still needs work and she can be hard work to ride. I ideally would like one that is easier to work with. I do not know if its cos she is a mare or just her!

Its a really hard choice and one you can not get wrong, as if you regret it you can not get them back!

 

[alicedove]

Sooo it sounds as though she is not everybody's ride, when you say

"mare still needs work and she can be hard work to ride. I ideally would like one that is easier to work with. I do not know if its cos she is a mare or just her!"

that sounds a little as though it needs be sold as "not novice ride" which is a bit of a downer on an ad.

But if you want her to go to someone who will treat her well, then a big way to sort that one is the price, if she is stunning, healthy, jumps well, hacks alone, etc and has some experience out and about then the price could be above say, 3.5k? Thus eliminating the people likely to abuse her, although not necessarily the inexperienced ones,

you will have to vet them, and don't hold back in the ad saying you will vet prospective purchasers, and they will like her all the more for that!

I sold three in the last 9 months, and am not a dealer, it was all due to circumstance, I am simply a mummy with a teenage daughter and sold a pony and my own horse, to get a share, then had to sell the share to replace it as it was a bit too much for daughter, etc.

Go for it, the ad isn't too expensive, you can always make your mind up when a buyer comes along!

 

[NotSoSillyFilly]

Hi.
Sometimes we get carried away by what the horse COULD do...but don't think about what the horse really wants, or what you want or have time to do. Would she really miss out if she wasn't competing? Personally, I think that a horse is happy living as close as possible to nature, with lots of of loving and caring from its owner and a change of scenery from time to time.

You say 'She's way too special to be kept for leisure'. Why? A horse that could compete at a high level but doesn't is not wasted...it will live longer and with less problems.

If you really want to compete at a high level and she doesn't fit the bill then perhaps she's not for you and loads of people would give her a loving home, competition or not. She sounds lovely! I'm 5 ft 9 and ride a 15.1h for fun and we're both happy and have a great life together. I know he will never be good enough to seriously compete but for us it's just a hobby.

I know it's a difficult decision but I think only you know what you want to do with a horse and if she suits. You have to think realistically about what you want, what you enjoy and what you have time to do. Size doesn't matter, if you're happy, lol! Sounds like eventing is not on the cards due to time and other commitments but if you took on an eventer, it might mean even more work than your mare.

Good luck with your decision x

 

[MagicMelon]

If you do decide to sell her, Id recommend finding a home locally, ideally through word of mouth so the potential home would already be recommended to you. Then Id loan her out to them for a month for example and see how it goes. Then you still have control and can see if they get along. If you don't like it then simply take her back! I never normally trial horses out as its quite risky however I did with one pony who I didnt know if I could live without! I was VERY picky about where he went and they had him on trial first so I could check up on him and see if the home suited him.

 

[Shooby]

why dont you think of getting a sharer, that way your mare will get more work and maybe easier to ride and this will help with bills and time, mares can be difficult ( i have a chestnut one) but you have to remember they are entire so will have hormonal moments!

 

[CBFan]

I agree with the people who have questioned whether a horse really thinks about what career path will make him / her happy... we are the ones who put pressures on then to compete etc and if thats not your thing, thats no bad thing - she's none the wiser that she could be out there doing more. If she were badly behaved because she had excess energy through lack of work then I'd maybe start to question it but otherwise I'd be very pleased to have a very special looking horse to go hacking on!

As others have sugested, why don't you look for a sharer to do 2 / 3 days a week? That way she'll get more exercise and you'll get more free time and money. you might even find someone who wants to compete but can't afford a horse of their own and if thats what you want her to do, its a win win situation!