Annagain
Well-Known Member
I've only sold one, the others have all been with me for life. I sold Charlie after about 2 years as we just didn't click and things were getting worse not better. It broke my heart as I've always intended to keep them for life but I know it was the right thing to do and we're both so much happier now. I lost Archie last October after nearly 20 years. He was the one who was with me the longest (which I never would have thought as I was told I'd be lucky to get him to 20 with all his issues - he made it to nearly 30!). I had Eb for 14 years from when we were both 13 until 3 days before my 27th birthday (6 weeks before his). Although Monty was only my share horse for about 9 years he was as good as mine for 10 years before and 2 years after our official partnership. He was with his owner, my best friend, for 21 years from 5 to 26. Wig is definitely with me for life too.
I never thought I'd have sold one, I suppose it's where the line between pet and 'working' animal crosses. I have never (and would never) sold/rehomed any of my cats and dogs partly because it doesn't matter if they are 'useful' (for want of a better word) and/or fulfill their potential (I think Norm my cockerpoo would be an amazing police search dog given the correct training but we'll never find out!) and partly because it's much easier / cheaper to keep them at home. If Charlie could have been a pet and nothing else (so if I had my own land at home) I might have kept him but with horses on livery, it was never an option if I wanted to carry on riding. I really didn't want to carry on riding him but didn't want to stop riding altogether but I also didn't want to see him just in a field doing nothing when he had potential to do more than that. I kept Archie (and looked after Monty) well into retirement (and tried to retire Eb but he insisted on at least two walk hacks a week to keep himself sane and happy) but keeping a horse who could be ridden but I just didn't click with didn't feel right. It felt like I was robbing him of an opportunity even though I know he doesn't lie awake at night thinking about his future!
I never thought I'd have sold one, I suppose it's where the line between pet and 'working' animal crosses. I have never (and would never) sold/rehomed any of my cats and dogs partly because it doesn't matter if they are 'useful' (for want of a better word) and/or fulfill their potential (I think Norm my cockerpoo would be an amazing police search dog given the correct training but we'll never find out!) and partly because it's much easier / cheaper to keep them at home. If Charlie could have been a pet and nothing else (so if I had my own land at home) I might have kept him but with horses on livery, it was never an option if I wanted to carry on riding. I really didn't want to carry on riding him but didn't want to stop riding altogether but I also didn't want to see him just in a field doing nothing when he had potential to do more than that. I kept Archie (and looked after Monty) well into retirement (and tried to retire Eb but he insisted on at least two walk hacks a week to keep himself sane and happy) but keeping a horse who could be ridden but I just didn't click with didn't feel right. It felt like I was robbing him of an opportunity even though I know he doesn't lie awake at night thinking about his future!