I don't want to loose my beautiful mare

[Phoebe Amelia]

My mare has unfortunately suffered two tendon injuries in the past 3 years and whilst she is now 100% sound, we have made the very sad decision to stop competing her. Due to the risk of further/ more severe damage being done.
She is a 16.2 Dutch warmblood xISH 12y/o she has been used for eventing, show jumping then moving into dressage due to injuries.
She has previously had two foals before the age of 10 and we are now considering sending her to be a surrogate mare.
She would be ideal for somewhere like Twemlows or Beaufort however I care so much for her I don't want her to be abandoned as soon as she can no longer have foals.
I know it sounds unrealistic but a forever home is idea, is there any way I can do this???
Please now harsh words this has been a 3 year long struggle and love this mare very dearly however we cannot afford to keep a horse which we no longer want to risk riding.

 

[be positive]

I don't know the exact terms mares go to either place as ET recipients but they are not going to abandon them once their useful life is over I suspect they will have them humanely pts so to my mind that is a "forever home" and possibly the best option you will get, they are both reputable places and may take the mare on loan so when she is no longer useful you can be involved with making a decision, probably a better option than finding a private home who may not be so open about what they will do with her, these mares are a valuable asset so every care should be taken to ensure they are in the best of health.

Otherwise you have only 2 ways to ensure her future, 1 keep her and go without riding, 2 pts rather than pass her on.

 

[Morgan123]

Don't quite understand - you said you made the decision to 'stop competing her' - could someone else ride and enjoy her doing low level non-competitive stuff? If you can loan that's always an option, though obviously have to be careful etc etc.
Like Be Positive, I don't know anything about those places but agree they won't 'abandon' them, but you could just phone and ask them what they do when they need to retire them, and whether you can keep in touch, take the horse back at that point, etc.
I guess you also might find a private home wanting a broodmare, but as BP says that's more risky (though not impossible, there are people out there who will look after horses well forever ). Still an option though.
Phone and talk to Temlows and places like that about what's involved - you'll know more then so you can make an informed decision and see how you feel.

 

[GirlFriday]

I understood from the OP that the mare could be ridden but not jumped/competed? A sharer / loan to a gentle hacking (& dressage?) only rider would be another option if mare has suitable temperament for someone wanting a quieter ride.

But, at the end of the day, OP you *do* want, overall, on balance, to loose your mare becasue you want something you can ride in the way you want to. It is just a question of finding a suitable option (for her/your finances/your conscience/etc). It doesn't mean you won't have mixed feelings. It just means you, yourself, don't want to be the home for life you want for your mare. Many (most?) horse owners are the same.

 

[SusieT]

If you care so much for her I suggest you either retire her to a field (which if she's 12 and has had two injuries I would think would be the most appropriate rather than breeding her/trying to make money out of her in what will involve moderately invasive procedures) or find someone to loan her as alight hack/companion.

 

[FfionWinnie]

I wouldn't choose that life for a well loved mare. Can't you get her a rider as a light hack or something or just keep her as a pet if she means that much. I have a mare who is the nicest you would meet but isn't up to the work I want her to do. My options are loaning her out, keeping her as a pet or shooting her. None of them will cause her any discomfort as things stand. Having invasive procedures and foaling would. It sounds like you don't want her but you don't want to make the decision either. I think I would change my management of her to try and keep her sound as long as possible and keep riding her and be prepared to call it a day if she goes wrong again. An afternoon as a lion or a life time as a lamb and all that.

 

[sychnant]

Twemlows certainly don't abandon them once they are no longer useful. They either put them to sleep or return them to their owner.

My big mare went to them a few years ago. She was returned when she unfortunately lost her foal.

 

[Louisech]

I had a similar situation in which my soul mate gelding could no longer do the work I wanted to do. He has a home with me for life and now just has a part-time job hacking out which keeps him happy and ticking over, he too is only 12.
You say you don't want her abandoned at the end of her 'useful life' and a brood/recipient mare yet it seems that you are happy to get rid of her as she no longer fits your situation. The most responsible thing would be as others have said, either find someone who might want to hack her out a few times a week or have her PTS.

 

[splashgirl45]

I understood from the OP that the mare could be ridden but not jumped/competed? A sharer / loan to a gentle hacking (& dressage?) only rider would be another option if mare has suitable temperament for someone wanting a quieter ride.

But, at the end of the day, OP you *do* want, overall, on balance, to loose your mare becasue you want something you can ride in the way you want to. It is just a question of finding a suitable option (for her/your finances/your conscience/etc). It doesn't mean you won't have mixed feelings. It just means you, yourself, don't want to be the home for life you want for your mare. Many (most?) horse owners are the same.

sorry as a horse owner i am not the same!!!!! any horses i have had during my lifetime have been with me for life whether they can be ridden or not and are PTS when their quality of life is less than perfect. .. i can only afford one horse so cant just get another if one is broken. i recently lost my 25 year old to cushings related problems and she was not ridden for 6 months before that but if she had still been happy i would still have her and wouldnt be riding at all.... i am sure i am not unusual...

 

[Wagtail]

sorry as a horse owner i am not the same!!!!! any horses i have had during my lifetime have been with me for life whether they can be ridden or not and are PTS when their quality of life is less than perfect. .. i can only afford one horse so cant just get another if one is broken. i recently lost my 25 year old to cushings related problems and she was not ridden for 6 months before that but if she had still been happy i would still have her and wouldnt be riding at all.... i am sure i am not unusual...

No, you're not. I don't see the difference between a dog and a horse in so far as when I get one, I intend to keep them for life. It is not always possible, of course, especially with a horse if your circumstances change. But it does sound as though the only thing that has changed with the OP is that the mare can no longer perform at the level she would like her to. In this circumstance I would look for a hacking loan home for her if she can't afford to retire her or get another rider to share her.

 

[Nari]

sorry as a horse owner i am not the same!!!!! any horses i have had during my lifetime have been with me for life whether they can be ridden or not and are PTS when their quality of life is less than perfect. .. i can only afford one horse so cant just get another if one is broken. i recently lost my 25 year old to cushings related problems and she was not ridden for 6 months before that but if she had still been happy i would still have her and wouldnt be riding at all.... i am sure i am not unusual...

Me too, anything I have is to keep & be cared for regardless or whether or not it can still do the job I originally bought it for. It seems hypocritical to me to say a home for life is wanted when the seller isn't prepared to provide that themselves.

 

[meleeka]

Me too, anything I have is to keep & be cared for regardless or whether or not it can still do the job I originally bought it for. It seems hypocritical to me to say a home for life is wanted when the seller isn't prepared to provide that themselves.

I think for some of us, they are pets first and competition animals second.

It's a bit odd to say you don't want to lose the mare, when actually you don't want to give up competing more. It's blunt but competing is more important to you than keeping the mare.

 

[pippixox]

Ultimately, like others have said, it depends what your priorities are, and it seems yours are competing.
I understand peoples situations are different, and horses cost a lot of money and you want to enjoy them. So actually I do completely understand your issue and why you don't want her anymore. But like any horse lover, want a good home.

But I think you have to think what really will be a good home.... I don't personally think being a brood mare can be much fun! I've been pregnant and given birth and it was not fun!

as others have suggested- she sounds fit to do lower level riding- if she is mentally happy at a lower level, that could be an option. but it has its risks- selling, you never know in the end where they will end up, loaning, they may be returned.

PTS in some ways is the safest option.

Personally I am a horses as pets person! I have 4- not enough time for them as I have a baby, but although I have thought about selling, I can't! Like my dog, I took them on for life (circumstances allowing) and they are very happy just living out being horses (again another option for your mare)

 

[Frumpoon]

Second what others have said, if you want the horse to have a forever home then provide her with one yourself

 

[shirl62]

I don't own my own horse but my take on the situation is it appears that she is of no useful purpose to you so want someone else to have her to ease your guilt. How can you part with an animal that you love ?...Maybe I am too soft but I could never do that. Sorry if this seems harsh but that's my take on it.

Shirl

 

[meleeka]

I don't own my own horse but my take on the situation is it appears that she is of no useful purpose to you so want someone else to have her to ease your guilt. How can you part with an animal that you love ?...Maybe I am too soft but I could never do that. Sorry if this seems harsh but that's my take on it.

Shirl

Its a good job people do sell horses as most of us wouldn't have one otherwise!

 

[Cortez]

Well, I am firmly of the horses are NOT pets faction. I have them to do a job, if they can no longer do the job then the options are clear. I have enough land to retire horses, but not all adapt well to being field bound after a lifetime of being stabled and entertained by varied activities. I don't sell my horses unless I am very sure of the home they are going to, no interest in breeding, so the last option is PTS. None of those options are bad.

 

[Amirah]

I think you'd be getting fewer harsh comments if you'd not tried to make out that you care so much. Just be honest, she can't compete anymore so you'd like to offload her.

It's lose not loose. Lose is the opposite of find, loose is the opposite of tight.

 

[Frumpoon]

Well, I am firmly of the horses are NOT pets faction. I have them to do a job, if they can no longer do the job then the options are clear. I have enough land to retire horses, but not all adapt well to being field bound after a lifetime of being stabled and entertained by varied activities. I don't sell my horses unless I am very sure of the home they are going to, no interest in breeding, so the last option is PTS. None of those options are bad.

But you don't offload them once they outlive their usefulness, that's the critical difference

 

[Tiddlypom]

OP, are you insinuating that Twemlows and Beaufort abandon their surrogate mares once they are no longer useful? What makes you think this?

I know Twemlows as I sent my mare there to foal down. Whilst I wouldn't care to have her there long term as a surrogate, I couldn't fault the care they gave during a difficult foaling, saving both mare and foal. Absolutely they wouldn't abandon a horse.

 

[dreamcometrue]

I think you'd be getting fewer harsh comments if you'd not tried to make out that you care so much. Just be honest, she can't compete anymore so you'd like to offload her.

It's lose not loose. Lose is the opposite of find, loose is the opposite of tight.

Yes, this!

 

[fabbydo]

My mare had to retire last year. I love competing but I love my mare more. She has a home for life with me which means no competing for now as I cannot afford 2 on livery. In the past, I have PTS instead of retired my horses but this one has really got under my skin! I would really worry about putting a 'fragile' horse in the care of someone else. OP, could you loan the horse from your yard? PTS isn't a cruel option if you can't guarantee the horse will be safe. A tough decision to make and outsiders don't always know the full details. Good luck.

 

[scats]

I have horses to do a job, but I take my responsibility for their care, even if they can no longer do that job, very seriously and they all stay with me even if they can no longer compete or be ridden.
In 2005 my 6 year old had to be retired after pretty much destroying his collateral ligament. He stayed with me as a pet until he was put to sleep last June aged 18, due to complications arising from squamous cell carcinoma. He had an absolutely brilliant life- basically lived the same as my other horses, minus the being ridden part.
3 years ago the sports horse I bought for eventing damaged a DDFT and was diagnosed with navicular, and the vets were unsure whether he would ever return to any level of work, but he stayed with me also. I was in a situation then when I had 2 horses but neither could be ridden, so I sat down and did some jiggling of financing and the Diva came along shortly afterwards. I must add that the DDFT horse is now back in light work, albeit he will never do the things I had originally intended him for.

If I wasn't in a position to keep the horses, I probably would have PTS rather than pass them on.

 

[Apercrumbie]

While my horses are with me for life, bar any life-changing change in circumstances, I completely understand that not everyone can do this.

To be honest, I don't think you have many options. If she is sound enough for hacking, then I would put her on loan to a hacking home. If not, to be frank I would put to sleep. Pregnancy is tough on the body and if she has done tendons before, it would put a lot of strain on her legs - particularly once the hormones that relax the body in preparation for birth kick in!