Having horse PTS next week

[stroppymare153]

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to OP - I hope I would have your courage in the same circumstances. thinking of you. ((((hugs)))))


to everyone - one other thing to check in cases of erratic behaviour is eyes. one of my boys was becoming more and more erratic - turns out he has an eye problem - which is hopefully going to be operated on to try to fix him. Before it was discovered, we were advised by many people to have him pts as he had become dangerous to ride. Obviously not the reason for all horses problems though.

 

[Puppy]

OP, I commend your decision. I do think it is for the best, and I can't believe there are people on this thread suggesting breeding from such a horse...

I was wondering if I could make a suggestion though (& I hope this won't add to your upset) have you thought about asking your vet if there is a vet school/practice near to you who would be able/interested in performing a PM on the mare, so that you or they may learns something of why she acted this way......? For example, it could well be a brain tumour.

 

[PapaFrita]

I'm sorry you've had to make this decision, but I think absolutely 100% that under the circumstances it's the correct one.

 

[kookymoose]

Having her put in foal would be a very silly thing to do as foals will copy the mothers behaviour and if it is just a trate will be hereditary. I knew a horse like this would panic bolt through fences. Found out he had a severe neck injury and was in tremendous pain. After a lot of money spent at a skilled vet clinic he is now good as gold. It can be pain or distrust it depends how far you want to take it and how much money you are willing to part with.

 

[ever_hopeful]

Sorry not to have replied before now to all the posts.
I got a call from the A&E department at 5.20pm yesterday, asking me to come back in, as one of my x-rays had been reviewed by a specialist who'd spotted a break in my foot. I've been discharged this afternoon with a lovely knee-to-toe cast fitted to my left leg!

and my scrapped side from hanging onto the reins!

I've also got numerous small injuries all over my body. I genuinely cannot remember what the heck happened after the point from which I took my feet out of the stirrups. It's very frustrating as I'd like to know what caused me to fall as badly as I did. I'm genuinely pretty hard to get off, and am used to riding very strong horses, so something pretty dramatic must have happened. Guess I'll never know.

Thank God I was wearing a brand new scull cap, though. First time I'd ever worn it actually. It had been bought specifically for riding this particular mare in light of her past history and boy did I need it.

Anyway, just wanted to answer the query about why I haven't considered breeding from her, instead of the pts option. Well, the mare is unregistered and of indeterminate breeding, has never competed and does not have the best conformation. She has a heavy head, is narrow through the front and is very herring gutted. She moves nicely enough, but all in all, she's little to recommend her as a broodmare. She's also extremely difficult to catch, even in a very small paddock, and genuinely distrusts humans. With the economic market as it is, and many posting on here about the difficulties of selling horses at the moment, it doubly convinces me that breeding from this particular mare would not simply not a viable option.

The horse charities are already under immense pressure at the moment, and I genuinely feel that this mare is not the type to bare being passed from home to home. I really don’t. The poor thing is so stressed and anxious. I've never seen a horse shrink and shake with fright, but she does. Often at the slightest thing. Poor girl. I don't know what happened to her in the past, maybe something happened when she was being ridden - hence her reaction to bolt when under saddle? I don't know.

I have considered having her PTS on the yard but I keep her at a huge livery yard and I know the decision to have her pts will horrify many of the other liveries, so I don't want to have it done there. And then have to have the body dragged out to be carried away. She travels well, and loves Polos, so I'm planning on a quiet trip up there. The people have said I can be with her when it happens. I'll give her lots of Polos and hope she doesn't know what's about to happen. I've never had to do this before, but as I've explained to my Mother (who is horrified that I'd want to be there) that it's only fair I'm with the mare as she knows me now and will be more relaxed if I'm there with her and distracting her with some treats. Hope I'm brave enough.

 

[MurphysMinder]

As I said earlier on in this thread you are making absolutely the right decision for this mare. The horse you describe does not sound to me as if she would be happy as a field ornament. Well done for being so responsible, and hope the injuries aren't too painful.

 

[SirenaXVI]

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i do respect you for what you are doing but have you even thought about using as a broodmare
is there any reason she cant do this if she cant maintain a ridden cereer

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I think that's called indiscriminative breeding!! There are lots out there without problems, so I would not IMO advise breeding from something with problems!

I think she's being responsible and doing the right thing.

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Completely agree f_s it IS indiscriminate breeding and would be totally irresponsible. To breed from a mare with this temperament would be madness, the trouble is far too may people think 'oh, it can't be ridden - lets put it in foal' and breed the temperament into another one!

OP FWIW I think you are making a brave and honest decision, well done, you just may have saved someones life. You must be feeling really crap, but some horses really can't be turned around and the kindest thing is to PTS.

 

[SirenaXVI]

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Broodmare? No god no, unless she has fantastic breeding maybe(?). I think enough waste is bred already like the endless litters of puppies and kittens ending up without homes

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why does every broodmare have to have good blood lines if everything else is ok confo faults etc why not
why not give her the option to be a mum if not good enough for ridden work

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The clue is in your own words 'not good enough to be ridden', what makes you think that any future foal would be good enough to be ridden either? Just what we need, another indiscriminately bred baby to join the ranks of all the others facing an uncertain future, there is FAR too much of this kind of breeding in this country. The mare is 60% of the equasion when breeding a foal and no matter how good the stallion is, he cannot work miracles.

 

[SirenaXVI]

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and another thing how many people on this web site have many horses being a conpanion ??

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I have

 

[SirenaXVI]

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well many of people on here have many veterans that are keeped as companions am i right or not so what the difference between keeping a veteran(that cant be ridden due to age ) to a horse that can no longer be ridden

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the OP's horse has unpredictable "Mental" problems.....

there is NO comparison....

why can you not just respect the OP's wishes/decision and stop giving her a hard time, eh?

it's hard enough as it is without someone who has NO IDEA what the horse is like trying to push a guilt trip....

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Round of applause for JM please

 

[Gingernags]

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2 colts??

what breed?
age?
price?

thank you

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^^^
What she said!

I'll take them off their hands if they are going free and if JM doesn't have them!

 

[lilym]

You are doing absolutley the right thing. The horse, from what you describe is downright dangerous, next time it does it - and there will be a next time with this type - the outcome could be far worse.......Potters is the best thing you can do.

 

[lilym]

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i do respect you for what you are doing but have you even thought about using as a broodmare
is there any reason she cant do this if she cant maintain a ridden cereer

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YOU MUST BE OUT OF YOUR TREE

There are a good many, well tempered, sane and sensible horses out there to breed from, the OP even says she is so nervous at times she shakes, why the heck would you want to breed from an animal like that????????? No wonder british breeding is in the state that it is in.....

 

[lilym]

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would you put a vetaran down if its not ridden anymore ??

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that is a totally different kettle of fish.......a veteran has given a life of service and owners usually make allowances for retirement, but an 11yo......

 

[JillyB]

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I'm sorry you've had to make this decision, but I think absolutely 100% that under the circumstances it's the correct one.

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I agree with PF and could not have said it better.

 

[Erehwemos]

When I first read the OP, my instinct was, 'well if the mare is good on the ground, only bad when ridden - why not keep as a companion?' PTS did initially seem a drastic option to me, too. But then I paused for a minute. Having been in a situation before where a change in circumstances have meant we had to reduce our number of horses - all bar two of them companions/veterans - from 5 to one - you never know what is round the corner. And for as much as I agree that a horse is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly, some people do not have the luxury of keeping a horse as a field ornament. There is a difference between people who keep horses to ride/compete/as part of a business, and those who have a horse as a pet, and would not care if that horse could not be ridden again. Neither is right - its just that in my eyes, horse owners tend to fall into one or the other category.

Now, this mare in question. Supposing the OP decided not to PTS, but to pass the mare on - all above board - as a non-ridden companion. OP finds a nice home, mare goes off to be a field ornament. One day, new owners think, wow, the mare is so lovely on the ground, I'm sure no harm will come if we just have a little sit on her, there seems nothing wrong. Owners proved wrong when horse bolts and badly injures someone. Horse then in disgrace, owners badly frightened, but dont want to PTS because the mare is 'healthy'. Send horse to dealer/sales for speedy sale. Horse bought by unsuspecting purchaser. When under saddle, horse bolts, causes bad injury. New owner sends back to sale, perhaps having beaten the sh*t out the of the mare in the meantime. Horse goes back to sales.......and so on.

I may be naive, but I am sure that this pattern is an all too common one

I think the OP is being very brave, but ultimately very honourable in her decision, both with regards to the mare herself and to those who would have unwittingly purchased this mare should she have been passed on in the future.

 

[ever_hopeful]

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Now, this mare in question. Supposing the OP decided not to PTS, but to pass the mare on - all above board - as a non-ridden companion. OP finds a nice home, mare goes off to be a field ornament. One day, new owners think, wow, the mare is so lovely on the ground, I'm sure no harm will come if we just have a little sit on her, there seems nothing wrong. Owners proved wrong when horse bolts and badly injures someone. Horse then in disgrace, owners badly frightened, but dont want to PTS because the mare is 'healthy'. Send horse to dealer/sales for speedy sale. Horse bought by unsuspecting purchaser. When under saddle, horse bolts, causes bad injury. New owner sends back to sale, perhaps having beaten the sh*t out the of the mare in the meantime. Horse goes back to sales.......and so on.


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That is exactly what I fear. And pretty much what has happened to her so far. Must admit, even I was duped into giving her a chance (knowing a bit about her past) and having worked with her on the ground for the past 5 weeks. She does have the odd 'moment' on the ground when she'll freak out and become a trembling and jumpy mess over seemingly nothing obvious, but she'd had a new saddle fitted on Saturday and I'd sat on her and walked her around the yard to try it. She was quiet and walked out fine, no napping or messing about, so I figured there would be no harm in walking her quietly around the yard's quiet lane (about 1/6 mile in distance) the following morning. I was most certainly wrong. She's been lunged and long-reined, and does both well. And nothing was about on Sunday morning to cause the dramatic episode that occured. Like I say, I'm used to riding extremely strong horses and have never had a problem staying put and working them through an 'espisode'. But whatever this horse did, even I couldn't manage it. And I am now the third person in 7 months to be hospitalised. I do not know further back into her history, so would not know if there have been more injured riders in the past.

I'm absolutely mortified at our decision to have her PTS, as I've spend 6 weeks working with the mare for hours per day, and have formed an attachment to her. I'd really hoped we could work together. I knew she'd always been rather nervous and spooky, but had been willing to accept that. But bolting like she did on Sunday I just cannot tolerate. I'd actually be frightened to ride her again. I cannot believe I am saying that, but truthfully - because I cannot remember exactly what happened, I have had my confidence broken.

Too easily someone could be pursuaded to buy her as a riding horse, just because she is generally so good to handle on the ground.

 

[Erehwemos]

Poor girlie

It isnt your fault at all, and you are doing absolutely the best thing by her. As you say, you are probably the fifth or sixth rung on the ladder, so to speak, in terms of where she has been before and what has happened to her. Fair play to you for ending the cycle in the kindest way possible! Something has obviously happened to her along the lines that she cannot get over; sometimes you cant save them all. I had one once who sounds similar - an angel in the stable, bar the odd wobbly moment, but he too was a bolter under saddle, and he was dangerous. It was getting to the point with him that we didnt know which way to turn next - we'd rescued him in the first place from an awful, awful man who used to beat him over the head with buckets - his trust was shot to pieces. We got a lot of stick from people in the area who all said we were mad for taking him on - it was only a matter of time before I (not the strongest or bravest of riders) got badly hurt. Luckily for us (although I didnt feel lucky at the time

) he had a heart attack in the stable 7 months after we got him, and that was that. But I dread to think of the kinds of decisions we would have had to have made had Fate not intervened.
Hugs to you xx Give her a lovely last few days, make her feel truly loved, and then let her go. She wont know anything about it x