Help for a horse in need! Please...

So much to say about this.
trith is we dont know all the facts.

What i do read though it that the owner would happily drop him off or say to someone free to collector.
She should be saying ( if she cared as much as she should)
To right home only, home to be inspected, commited, reliable home only.

I hope he finds a great home with an owner that cares as much as the horse deserves.
 
Am I the only one who is a Bit shocked at some of the replies here? For one, horses can go for years with cataracts that never affect them,we have three older horses that Have them, They were picked up by the vet on our annual inspection. Vet was more than happy to let them continue their working life in the school as long as we are aware and monitor and unusual behaviour which might be the result of the cataracts. We had a livery that was diagnoised at seven, he went on until he was 25 doing all activities until he was put down for some thing unrelated.
The owner is not hiding the issue from potential loaners/owners so where is the problem? Better than some would do, some some would have just advertised the horse at a cheap price in the hope of no vetting and not mention the issue.
There is every chance, as op stated the vet said, that this horse may had a full working life ahead of him yet there seems to be the theme to give him the death sentance! IME cataracts are easy to manage, unlike recurrent uveitis.
 
I think that people are maybe reacting To the fact that the owner wants To move him on as he is no longer suitable for her ambitions, hard I know, but lets face it, she isn't the first person to do this! If the horse has a useful working life in another home and the owner is honest what's the problem?
 
charlie76 said:
I think that people are maybe reacting To the fact that the owner wants To move him on as he is no longer suitable for her ambitions, hard I know, but lets face it, she isn't the first person to do this! If the horse has a useful working life in another home and the owner is honest what's the problem?
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Because a large number of horses given away get sold on at some point later without their 'issues' being declared to the new unsuspecting owner. It is a very common scam and one the easiest ways to make money from horses.
 
Well lets hope Puffin goes to ABC and gets the happy pootling round he deserves. But I tell you one thing I wouldn't be selling him, I'd be long term loaning him on the proviso that if he should ever need to come back - a good notice period is offered, in order for OP's friend to get her **** in order.
Why? because circumstances DO change - and that horse does not need to be passed from pillar to post. If god forbid, ABC's fortunes change - then I'd want that horse to come back to me, whatever the cost - even if it was only to come home to be pts.
Better the surity (sp) of death than the faintest possibility of god knows where he'd end up or in what situation.
 
How do you know how the owner will set up the situation? We have many horses come to us on a very similar basis, talented horses that still have a working life but have niggles that need to be managed. When we take this horses we buy them for a nominal sum and the previous owner has a signed reciept to say that should we no longer want the horse we offer them the horse back for what we paid for it or should the horse deteriorate we have permission to put the horse down

One such horse is one from this website and I bet none of You would have suggested putting him down!

There was no suggestion that that the o.p friend would not vet homes first and having spoken To the op off the forum I can assure you that the owner of this horse could not be more fussy or concerned about where the horse goes. She is not about to pass it to any old person to get rid of it!

Same old jumping to conclusions
 
Sorry Charlie how do I know the owner will set up what situation? I'm just saying that like with your example I'd tie that horse up so tightly that his future would be as sure as though he were with me..
 
Quote:- "Shes already got one horse out on loan and an old pony companion and is stretched to the limit."

If that is the case then surely it is irresponible to be getting another just to further her ambitions? What happens if the new horse needs expensive treatment too? I'm sorry but she really needs to take care of her own responsibilities instead of adding to them and hoping others will pick up the pieces, as for expecting charities to take on your discarded horses, words fail me.
 
This forum is so bloomin fickle.

I've seen posts exactly the same on here before and the OP has been congratulated on making a sensible decision because people can't be expected to keep a horse they've outgrown when their aspirations are greater than what the horse can achieve. And his health is not the difference as I remember one that was intermittently lame.

As for the OP she sounds like a sensible person who is trying to find someone who maybe interested in taking on a horse needing a quieter life. This happens all the time irrespective of age and health. As long as the horse's wellbeing is fully monitored with who ever he goes to I can't see a problem.

I can't understand why people would PTS a healthy horse rather than let him go to someone else, not all horse people are mad wicked demons looking for something to abuse :(
Good luck.
 
BBH could not agree more! As stated before, I have a number of horses in the school from this forum taken under very similar circumstances. All of the horses are amazing and teach people so much. Just because the person who has asked advice isn't one of the hho 'favourites' everyone has jumped to the conclusion that They must be a heartless person!
 
How many people sell ponies, sadly out grown, or sell horses because they need some thing more, because they want to advance their riding?

I understand he has got problems, but ATM is still a usefull prospect for some one just wanting to do happy hacking.
 
I don't know Daidydo, but I think the future is a little more certain for a healthy riding horse, than one who is deteriorating. All most people are saying is be very cautious - which I don't think is a slight on the owner, just people who are only too aware of how easy it is for handicapped horses to end up making the long journey overseas as dinner..etc etc
 
BoolavogueDC said:
Sorry Charlie how do I know the owner will set up what situation? I'm just saying that like with your example I'd tie that horse up so tightly that his future would be as sure as though he were with me..
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It's a lovely idea but it's impossible.

Your loan horse goes missing on loan - where do you find it?

You sell with a contract but the horse is being mistreated. You have no right to recover the horse because of your perception of "mistreatment", it belongs to someone else. You can report it to the RSPCA but there is no guarantee that anyone will act. If you go and fetch it you are guilty of theft and will end in a criminal court yourself. And don't think the Magistrates will approve, things can get a very different slant put on them in Courtrooms with good lawyers.

You sell with a contract and the new owner breaks the contract term. (This happened to me - she leased the horse to someone else.) If the new owner will not voluntarily give it up, you have to go to law to recover it. Have you got the money to do that, and if you have, by the time that process is complete the horse will have disappeared.



Get off this owners back people! Not all of us think horses are pets who can't possibly be looked after by someone else as well as we can. After a couple of weeks, this horse isn't going to care two hoots if it goes to a new person who loves it and feeds it well. And some of us actually, horror of horrors, believe that it is a person's right to maximise their own potential, provided they do others no harm. I've never read such a load of sactimonious rubbish as on this thread. I hope you all have the same standards for women who chuck out the father of their children and get another one because they aren't fulfilled in their marriage?
 
This is what it says about catarachts on horse and hound:
Horses with small cataracts show no clinical signs. If one is found, it is sensible to have it rechecked six months to a year later to ensure it has not progressed. Many owners do not bother because treatment is not an option, but I recommend having the eye checked to ensure that the horse is still safe to ride.

Where cataracts are causing a progressive loss of sight, the signs can include:

* stumbling

* walking into objects

* an abnormal number of facial injuries

* an alteration in head carriage

* sudden shying

* increased anxiety and jumpiness

The majority do not progress and are unlikely to affect vision, although some cataracts can be assessed only by repeated examination of the eyes on several occasions over a lengthy period of time.


Please note the last paragraph, as the OP said, this was also confirmed by the vet. The horse many have YEARS of normal work.

It is also a well known fact that Appalossas are prone to them. I bet there are many appalossas working and leading a normal life with cataracts and because the owner has never needed to vet they are undetected and the horse is living a normal life!
 
Hasn't Charlie76 just proved it is possible? Of course you are dealing also with peoples honesty and good nature but isn't that the best thing you can do - at least try?

I don't disagree the OP's friend deserves to be happy and fulfill her dreams but she also ultimately has a responsibility to try her hardest to secure his future as best she can. I know it might be a bit pie in the sky to try and do so - but just the action of doing so shows a real dedication to a horse and is something that hopefully buyers/loaners will respond to in kind.
 
Rueysmum said:
Sorry, but if she's "got a heart of gold" then she'd keep him and forgo buying a new one until he pops his clogs.
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I must be a heartless cow then because if I had a horse that was unable to do the job I wanted it to but it was suitable for someone else I would move said horse on, not sure what everyone elses circumstances are but I am not in a position to 'collect' horses that I cannot use for the job I want them for! If anyone on here is in a postion to maintain a sanctury for all of the horses in their life that are not suitable then good for you and I wish I had your money and time!

Ridiculous comment!

Its not like she is handing him over to some dodgy dealer just to get rid!!!!
 
What a nasty lot of replys, the op whats a home for this horse, NOT to slag the owner of this horse off, If you can not help with homing this horse or have suggestions, THEN DONT REPLY, as its not getting this horse rehomed.
 
Ameeyal, be realistic, people are just talking about the situation - as is liable to happen on an open forum. I agree about not slagging off the owner as she isn't here to explain, herself, but as for the thread going off on a tangent and people talking in general - I think that's good.

The real thing to do to get the horse a home is to advertise it - the forum is not for advertising, hence the conversations going around NOT about rehoming the horse. :)
 
cptrayes said:
It's a lovely idea but it's impossible.

Your loan horse goes missing on loan - where do you find it?

You sell with a contract but the horse is being mistreated. You have no right to recover the horse because of your perception of "mistreatment", it belongs to someone else. You can report it to the RSPCA but there is no guarantee that anyone will act. If you go and fetch it you are guilty of theft and will end in a criminal court yourself. And don't think the Magistrates will approve, things can get a very different slant put on them in Courtrooms with good lawyers.

You sell with a contract and the new owner breaks the contract term. (This happened to me - she leased the horse to someone else.) If the new owner will not voluntarily give it up, you have to go to law to recover it. Have you got the money to do that, and if you have, by the time that process is complete the horse will have disappeared.



Get off this owners back people! Not all of us think horses are pets who can't possibly be looked after by someone else as well as we can. After a couple of weeks, this horse isn't going to care two hoots if it goes to a new person who loves it and feeds it well. And some of us actually, horror of horrors, believe that it is a person's right to maximise their own potential, provided they do others no harm. I've never read such a load of sactimonious rubbish as on this thread. I hope you all have the same standards for women who chuck out the father of their children and get another one because they aren't fulfilled in their marriage?
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Ahh Cptrayes, I'm sure there's a post somewhere of you revelling in the fact that the minute your horses are no longer 100% fit for purpose you stick a bullet in their heads... You don't keep any of your horses into retirement, do you?

...Whilst I'm all for securing a horses future (be it bullet, loan etc) I dont throw my horses out as soon as something goes bad. I keep lame horses until they are sound, I keep old horses until they dont want to be kept any more - where ever possible.
I dont expect every horse owner to be the same, I understand that peoples selfish 'needs' often come before that of their horses. I dont like it, but I understand it - The problem lies witht he fact that the owner of the horse in question was prepared to dump it on a charity/give it away FOC to pretty much anyone on a forum who asks for it...

The horse has gone wrong - do the right thing and take responsibility for it - in this instance as it can continue to live a useful and healthy life, (for me) that would involve loaning him out locally to someone that she can keep an eye on, thus being able to ensure he's receiving the correct care and retaining the right to make any of those nasty decisions that may be required later in his life, when he becomes less useful...


... She could of course sell him - asking a fee would almost certainly put off most people with less than admirable motives, as it were. Good luck getting someone to pay anything for a (probably) uninsurable horse with potential vets bills though.....
 
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BBH said:
This forum is so bloomin fickle.

I've seen posts exactly the same on here before and the OP has been congratulated on making a sensible decision because people can't be expected to keep a horse they've outgrown when their aspirations are greater than what the horse can achieve. And his health is not the difference as I remember one that was intermittently lame.

As for the OP she sounds like a sensible person who is trying to find someone who maybe interested in taking on a horse needing a quieter life. This happens all the time irrespective of age and health. As long as the horse's wellbeing is fully monitored with who ever he goes to I can't see a problem.

I can't understand why people would PTS a healthy horse rather than let him go to someone else, not all horse people are mad wicked demons looking for something to abuse :(
Good luck.
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^^^Totally agree.

The worst thing she could do IMO is PTS. Why are people on here so happy for horses to be PTS at the drop of a hat? :confused: It seems that it is viewed as the brave and honourable thing to do regardless of whether the horse is capable of having a happy life as a hacker or companion etc. Of course, if the animal is suffering it should be PTS, but not just because it can no longer do the things an owner wants of it.

TBH though, I think that this owner should persevere with this pony until she can afford to have another. However, in the meantime, if someone comes along who can offer the pony a trusted and loving home, then there is nothing wrong in gifting him IMO. I have been gifted two medically unsound horses in the past and spent £000's putting them right. Not all gifties are not to be trusted. But you do have to be careful. :)
 
In an ideal world we would all be able to keep the horses till the end of there days, at least owner is being honest it would be very easy to sell on and not declare as not everyone will have a vetting
 
cptrayes said:
The bitchiness of some of these replies defies belief. The owner is trying to find the best compromise that she can between the fact that she is entitled to live life to the full and wanting to do the best for her horse when she can only afford to keep one.

I wonder how many of you are very young and do not realise that life is different when you are older and you see your chance of achieving something with your riding disappearing with each passing year as you lose your physical abilities.

Horses are not cats and they are not dogs. This horse is not in the house with her, he's in livery. He doesn't think she loves him, and he likes the people he sees around most and who give him his feed. He may like her, but he'll probably have no trouble at all liking someone else who thinks he's the bees knees. Provided she is careful who he goes to, there is no moral problem at all in finding him a new home. Keeping a horse costing thousands of pounds a year in a livery yard and taking hours a week to manage in no way compares to keeping an old cat or dog for a couple of hundred at home.

Give the woman a break. If you can't help her find a good home for this horse for crying out loud please stop preaching at her. Not everyone agrees with you that we owe every horse we buy a home for life. You are not saints, though many of you write as if you think you are. Your horses are no happier than ours and they may even be less happy. Why would a horse be happier being less than its owner needs, when it can live with someone for whom it is the bee's knees? Why do so many people think that no-one can possibly look after their horse as well as they can?

OP I hope your friend finds the right home for her horse and the right horse for what she needs.





ps noodle you would have a perfectly healthy horse with slightly fuzzy eyesight put to sleep just because you could not afford to keep him? REALLY????? And you think somehow that makes you a better owner than the poster's friend?
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Echo this. Those of you that are happy to sacrifice your own happiness for that of keeping a horse no matter what, are welcome too. Personally I would do what OP is doing.
BSJAlove said:
if she cant afford to have a horse sitting in a field with potential vets bills in the future, maybe loaning him out is the best option as he clearly has more to give someone! i would be doing the same! then when he cant do it anymore with his loaner, then id have him back and PTS. best outcome for both. this forum is a joke sometimes. people are so quick to judge and jump on a band wagon.
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This ^^^^

burtie said:
Because a large number of horses given away get sold on at some point later without their 'issues' being declared to the new unsuspecting owner. It is a very common scam and one the easiest ways to make money from horses.
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In that case find these people and name and shame. Don't blame people like OP for other peoples actions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

charlie76 said:
. Just because the person who has asked advice isn't one of the hho 'favourites' everyone has jumped to the conclusion that They must be a heartless person!
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Totally agree with this ^^^^

As for sending to a charity I think the OP was just looking at the idea that a charity could find him a new home and they would monitor said home much better than an individual could!! he would not be one of those horse that put major strain on resources. Maybe she could ask them if they know of suitable homes as they used to have people waiting for horses that can be ridden rather than just companions.
 
Then you are lucky to be in the situation to be able to afford the time and the money to look after endless horses forever, not everyone is in that situation.
Again, I repeat, she is NOT simply getiing rid of him to any old tom, dick or dealer! She is looking for someone to take on the horse to get some enjoyment out of him. This horse is NOT a write off, he has a lot to offer some one. Why should a horse that has still got a working life be chucked out in the field!
The vet said he is fine and may well be fine for many years to come.
Read the article I have posted and read the OP post. The horse did a xc ride last week! As far as I am aware he did not crash into anything that he couldn't see! He in NOT blind, he is NOT useless, he does NOT need to be retired!
 
charlie76 said:
Then you are lucky to be in the situation to be able to afford the time and the money to look after endless horses forever, not everyone is in that situation..
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... She does have the money, she is just chosing to spend it on something 'better' as the horse in question can no longer do for her that which she requires.

...The rest of your statement, I agreee with. The horse can prove useful to someone, and can continue to live a decent standard of life. I certainly dont think it should be put down. I just find it hard to believe there are genuine people in the world prepared to take on a potentially large amount of vets fees just for a horse to hack lightly..
I'm cynical, I dont mind admitting that, but in order to do the best by the horse, if it were mine - I'd be looking to loan it locally, so that I could keep an eye and take him back if/when needed.
As I said, she could try and sell it but.... it's unlikely anyone would buy it.
 
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