Has anyone else felt like this?

Shantara

Shantara

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Since Ned went lame, I really really REALLY missed riding him...until a few days ago.

Now I don't want to ride him again. Not because I'm scared of him, or lost my confidence riding...

...but because I just want him to live the rest of his life in luxury. I really think he's earned it! Of course I will try my best to get him sound and do whatever is necessary to get him right. He's 14 now, so not exactly old, but not young either. I just look in his eyes and never want him to go through any pain or fear again.

Maybe I'll feel different if the vet says I can ride him, but who knows.
Am I being silly?
 
I don't think you're being silly, because I've done it, and still love every minute of owning him, and get just as much pleasure watching him happily pootle around his field with his friends as much as I ever did riding him. Just having him in my life is enough, and I pride myself on how well he is looking and doing x
 
Nope, not me. Mine is 14 next year, and if he's sound (a big if after the last three years!) he's getting worked dammit! :p

It's nice that you feel that way, but I feel mine has had the last three years effectively in retirement :redface3:
 
They haven't evolved over so many years just to serve us. Ned has been through a hell of a lot in his life, I just feel he deserves to have a nice retirement.
Of course I won't just leave him in a field, I would like to still do stuff with him.

Aww, Montymum, that's really sweet :)
 
I understand as I'd be happy to keep mine if they were unable to work to,o but they do enjoy being ridden. It keeps them fit mentally and physically, so retirement would be hopefully, a temporary solution or the last resort.

Hope your horse recovers well soon. (Sorry, I haven't seen your other threads and don't know what's wrong with him. )
 
dogatemysalad said:
I understand as I'd be happy to keep mine if they were unable to work to,o but they do enjoy being ridden. It keeps them fit mentally and physically, so retirement would be hopefully, a temporary solution or the last resort.

Hope your horse recovers well soon. (Sorry, I haven't seen your other threads and don't know what's wrong with him. )
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Thanks :)

I think Ned enjoys being ridden to an extent, he loves a good blast across the field and adores jumping!
I would still do things to keep his mind busy, such as bombproofing etc :)
 
My boy still does stuff with me, we go on 'in-hand-hacks' around the farm, he comes up to the menage for a mooch while I've been starting my youngster, we've done bits of in-hand pole work to maintain some muscle/co-ordination, he's stabled over night in winter and during the day in summer, groomed/bathed/has his mane pulled/feet trimmed/dentist/back person etc just like any other horse in work. I'd say he's very happy with his lot, and certainly not wasting away in a field. He's actually sound now, after just over 3 years of this, and has the all-clear for me to start riding him again, but I'm just not in any rush, after the injuries he's had and the good fortune we've had for him to have pulled through them, he is happy the way things are, which is the main thing to me.
 
Nah said:
They haven't evolved over so many years just to serve us.
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Well, er, they kind of have! Without us using them to serve us the modern horse as we know just would not exist :)

I'm sort of worried about breaking mine, but next year I'm going for broke quite frankly, he'll either thrive and improve with the work, or he won't. One way I get a sound competing horse back, the other I have a field ornament and can consider my options (lucky enough to have own land) one option for me is to buy/loan another established comp horse, or failing that, lose lots of weight and buy a child suitable 13.2 and convince myself I've bought it in preparation for my kid (due in oct!) to ride on ;) :p :biggrin3:
 
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Did you ever get a diagnoses? If not that might help with your worry about it happening again.

To be fair if he's visably lame in the field still how do you know he's not in pain just being in the field? It's not your fault Hun, don't beat yourself up but do find out why it might he happening xx
 
Nah said:
When you put it like that, I sound mean!

What I mean is, he's so happy just living out in a field, coming in for grooming and stuff. I'm scared of breaking him again, as well, to be honest.
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Until you know what's wrong with him you don't know what the future holds. You did not break him. I suspect his problems go way back.
 
Oh no, I'd still make sure he's 100% sound, I'm not just going to chuck him out there :P
Not yet, they're coming tomorrow.

Don't take this thread the wrong way - I LOVE riding! And if my new job goes well, I would look at getting myself a riding horse (pay rise, woo!)
I just feel Ned has earned a good ol' rest :)
 
I can see why you feel like that, but I doubt your riding (whilst he is sound) would cause him fear and pain?

Ours live for their jobs, it is the summers off when the injuries roll in- bored hunters in fields just looking for trouble!!
 
RunToEarth said:
I can see why you feel like that, but I doubt your riding (whilst he is sound) would cause him fear and pain?

Ours live for their jobs, it is the summers off when the injuries roll in- bored hunters in fields just looking for trouble!!
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I also suspect most of his pratting around and field jumping etc. Would stop with proper, consistent work.
 
I have a horse that I adore. He's 8 years old and got injured badly last year. He is now 100% sound and back in work. Something in me stops doing too much on him like xc or jumping. I'm afraid of breaking him. If he was older I would probably just want to mind him even more and would probably stop riding him altogether. I've had horses that I don't love as much and I wouldn't worry about them as much at all.

Horses can live a happy and fulfilling life in retirement if the environment is right. Mine live on a track in a hilly location so they are slim and constantly on the move with lots to explore. They don't need to be worked to be occupied
 
I understand having just spent the best part of 5k and the last 6 months trying to get my TB sound again. It got to the point where every time I rode I was worrying if he was ok, was he in any pain and just got to the stage where enough is enough. He is now officially retired at the age of 13 and I have to say I feel quite relieved about it now !
At the start of last week I was in pieces about the whole situation. Then on Saturday I went to try a horse out that I am going to take on loan and I have just been ( tonight) offered 2 spaces at a yard just down the road from my current where I can keep them both ! I am still grinning about the turn around of events
 
I don't really understand people's reaction to this post? Knowing ned and emily personally she is actually doing something very kind for her best four legged friend! nothing about this is bad emily, that horse is so lucky he ended up with you!

Also I think It is easy to say things like being in work would stop his pratting around without actually having met the pony! He really is not like any other horse i've known!
 
No one's having a go aimee. And no I haven't met the 'pony'. But nothing about what nah has ever said about him would lead anyone to conclude he should be retired. He seems to love life, and enjoy work. Providing his injury doesnt force retirement I actually think it would be rather unfair to retire him.
 
she knows she didn't cause him fear or pain!! she's saying she doesn't want him to have to go through it again! ridden horses are at the risk of having accidents and pulling/straining things.... I completely understand where she is coming from! horses were not put here for our amusement....
 
It's not generally the horses fault they get an injury e.g it's not my horses fault he got a spavin on his hock. I wouldn't get rid of my dog just because he's to old to chase the ball and fetch it back !

Since I made the decision to retire my horse it has made both of us more chilled and I don't imagine he is ever standing in the field think " Damn I wish I was being schooled right now "
 
aimeedoodles said:
she knows she didn't cause him fear or pain!! she's saying she doesn't want him to have to go through it again! ridden horses are at the risk of having accidents and pulling/straining things.... I completely understand where she is coming from! horses were not put here for our amusement....
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Just to say, my horses last two injuries, both requiring lots of box rest and rehab work (14 weeks in now with this years injury, and finally back in a small paddock during the day) have both occurred whilst being out in the field. So for mine ridden or not, he could injure himself, and knowing him if he was occupied and in full (hard!) work he'd be too bothered about resting and more importantly eating when turned out instead of trying to annoy me by injuring himself and making my insurance premiums go up yet again! :)
 
amymay said:
What about your riding causes him pain and fear?
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Oh dear that made me snort with laughter :D

Nope, never felt that way. Mine are there to do a job (even if Dae's has largely been growing up till lately). Far too expensive to keep as pets - plus it's very hard to keep them at a healthy level of fitness and condition given standard livery management and facilities without work in my opinion.
 
Well, in fairness, the equus caballus as we know it would not exist at all were it not for humans selectively breeding working animals for around 6000 years. That certainly means Standardbreds like Ned! They would all either look like Przewalski's horses and be very different, wild creatures to handle, or if unlucky, most populations would be extinct.

Plenty of horses have accidents or damage themselves pratting around in the field. In my personal experience (23 years or so of riding), I have known of more horses to get injured in fields and arguing with one another than in riding-related incidents. They are probably safest being ridden!
 
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