If your horse was no longer rideable, what would you do?

[Puppy]

Following the post a little way down, which has me swinging between seething

and disbelief,

what would you do if your horse was no longer rideable?

For me, with my current two girls, it's quite easy/soppy.

Star (my first horse, owned 12 years) is into her twenties now, and retirement is a foreseeable possibility. She has given me the best years of her life, and I would spoil her rotten (like I already do

) but regardless of her no longer being able to be ridden

With Be, (who is only rising 8), when I bought her I made a point of looking for a mare good enough to breed from, which she certainly is, and I aim to one day. Were she to no longer be rideable, I would be devastated

but still keep her and breed Beanie babies sooner than planned

I am lucky enough to rent my own field, and she is low maintenance (if not burning through shoes every fortnight

), so I am in a position to do this, even for a horse I can't ride.

I'm not saying I would do this with every horse. Just these two girls are special to me and it would be viable. I had a TB once, who was developing into a very nice showjumper, however he was a thug to handle and quite high maintenance.

He had a serious injury to his knees, which whilst he was recovering from the surgery I was VERY aware that if he was only capable of light work there was no way I could keep him and a nasty decision would have to be made. There was no way I could keep a tricky gelding for the next 20 years.....

(as it was the decision was taken out of my hands and he died of a heart attack post GA

)

Anyway, one thing I would guarantee is that I would not pass a horse of mine on to an uncertain future, but sadly plenty of people do....

What would you do with yours if they were no longer rideable?

 

[Nailed]

Ted could nto longer be ridden, So i tryed my hardest to maintain him as a companion, when the day came that the pain was too much, I had him pput sleep.

Lou

 

[showjump2003]

I am very lucky that my parents have a small holding. They currently have three horses there, two of mine! My dun pony is 18 and I've had her for 13 years. She's not really unrideable but because she has given me so much and isn't the easiest of ponies I decided not to sell her on. After 13 years I think she deserves a happy retirement. Then there's Bean who is out of work due to injury. Both are field sound and happy and both will be with me for their retirements. My parents horse is also about 18 and we have had her 15 years! She will be with us for good too!

When the time comes that they are no longer healthy and happy I shall make the decision but until then they can just be happy field horses! The dun hates people so she loves retirement. Bean is still fussed daily so is happy enought!

 

[MrsMozart]

Tiggy was no longer rideable due to chronic damage to both rear SLs. I fully expected to have a large field ornament for the next twenty-odd years; then as my understanding of her condition grew the timescale shrank, then I realised she was not going to survive (couldn't walk properly even on three Bute, found turning difficult, couldn't stale properly). I had her PTS. The insurance company was a bit sticky at first, but I told then she couldn't survive and I didn't care if they paid out or not. When we get our own place with land, he'll be a companion.

Little Lad, well, he's open to debate really. He's rideable, so long as you just want to hack. But, he's a safe hack so that's what he does. If he didn't, then he would be a companion. I've debated long and hard over what to do with him! I'm in a quiet battle with hubby as he wants him gone, but so far so good

. I'm scared that if I sold him he would do a child some harm, so for now, he stays with us as a hack.

 

[RachelB]

Two years ago it looked likely that I would never ride Maiden again. I was (and still am) keeping her for as long as she is happy and healthy. Luckily for both of us, she is able to walk and trot out hacking (and is the perfect happy hack, safe and sensible, a confidence giver, but with a bit of spark when she knows mummy is on board

) but if anything else happens I will stick to my plan.
I suppose it would be different with different horses, but Maiden is special to me... I knew I was going to buy her within 30 seconds of meeting her, and it was never questioned that I was going to keep her for as long as she lives no matter what the diagnosis of her injury was. I debated loaning her out but I wouldn't trust anyone not to break her again!

Of course, if anything every happened that meant she was going to be unhappy, unhealthy, or in constant pain... well, I'd like to think I could make the right decision for her.

 

[MistletoeMegan]

Mine is physically only suitable for light work now, but mentally needs to be either in medium/hard work or nothing, so he is a very expensive, very beautiful lawnmower

It's not for everyone, but it suits me as I just wouldn't be without him. I don't have enough time atm to train and compete at the level I want to, so once my job/exams settle down in a few years then I'll be in a position to have the time and money for another horse hopefully.

 

[Bossanova]

Boss is very special to me and I am quite happy to pay for him to be out at grass retirement whilst he is healthy and sound. If he became lame or unhappy then he'd be PTS. Or if I had major financial difficulty and couldnt afford him, he'd be PTS

 

[Flame_]

Realistically, I can't and won't collect young, unridable horses. If they can do another job (not companion - this really isn't a job and there just are not that many people trying to acquire useless horses to hang around keeping things company!) I'd loan them out for it, like breeding, light hacking etc.

I retired my old pony after riding her for about three years when she went permanently unsound. That was 15 years ago and she's still very much with us, but I couldn't keep doing that with subsequent horses. I've since had two break down at 12 and 7 and while they could have been field ornaments, I can't afford the time or money for endless giant pets so they were PTS. I've a sort of sound but unridable, unsellable eight year old who is a liability looking at the same fate, I'm afraid.

Saying all this, if I did have a horse that did a good job for a good number of years and made it to its late teens in work, I would expect to, and be happy to keep it in retirement.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

Being the owner of a 21 year old I have every intention of keeping him for life. I was fully aware when i got him at 19 that he is an older horse and am happy to accept the responsibility of retiring him with me when the time comes (which i hope won't be for a good few years yet!). He has had a hard life being moved around a lot and deserves a stable home now, no more selling on or being loaned out as I feel it would be too stressfull and not fair on him (he is a sensitive chap anyway so i don't think he'd cope with being moved again). I would make every effort to give him a comfortable retirement andthe only way that might not happen would be if i really couldn't afford it but i don't think that is likely, afterall it doesn't cost very much to keep a horse at grass on DIY so I don't really see how cost would be an issue. I am by no means rich by the way! I am lucky to have a younger horse who I can ride (though things are abit up in the air with him at the moment), so shouldn't be without a riding horse. But even if my old man were my only horse and i couldn't ride him iwould still keep him as I owe it to him and look after him and love him for as long as he needs me to.

 

[MagicMelon]

My very first pony came down with really serious lami when he was young - he was off work for about 18 months and it was a real battle to bring him through. Ever since he's never been quite "right" in that he sometimes gets bruised soles and is generally more footy on stoney ground etc. When I outgrew him soon after he came right we decided not to sell him on purely because we knew if he got lami again then that would be the end of him and we worried pony club kids would hate a pony who was lame occassionally with a bruised sole or an absess etc. So we kept him, he's now 22 years old and still with me! We also still have the shetland who came with him.

Personally, I would always keep the horse by any means possible - I would never ever put a horse to sleep purely because it was no longer "useful".

 

[Grey_Eventer]

I cannot beleive you Puppy!

 

[Eira]

Sol can't be ridden (long term or quite possibly in the short term if she breaks down at boot camp) and I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do with her ...

She is an unsuitable companion ( expensive shoes , expensive feed etc) and I keep her on livery so she's a very expensive pet at the moment ...!

If you'd have asked this when she was fit and sound . I would have told you'd I'd keep her whatever and I'd never consider PTS if she had an injury that meant she was unrideable/unsuitable anymore ..

But really looking at the logistics of it all it just isn't a feasible options for the next 20 years

God sorry I've waffled on

 

[Honeypots]

I only take on animals with the intention of keeping them for life...that goes for my horses/dogs ..whatever.
That said...I realise circumstances change sometimes but I will always do what I can to keep mine regardless, even if they were unridable. If I have to go without a riding horse to be able to keep my unridable ones going then sobeit. I can always ride at a school or a friends.
I currently have 4 that I don't ride. 1 because its only 8 hh

, 2 that daughter has outgrown and 1 that is currently recouperating from recurrent laminitis.
My cob has sweet itch so will never be sold..would rather pts if it came to it and I can't risk him going to the wrong home and daughters horse is too long in the tooth and too f**cked up by being moved about to ever leave us...

I do think its a shame horses are passed around from pillar to post so much and often on to uncertain futures.

 

[Grey_Eventer]

I dont think any of you have quiet got what is happening here. She is 16. She has no income. Not everyone in this world is super rich and can afford to look after 2 horses, one which she cannot ride due to not enough experience.
This is no way Pixxies fault. She bought Marley thinking he was a ncie horse, easy to do just needed some re schooling. He is far from this. I am horrified that you have written this. This has schoked me and has upset me. You do not know her.
Leave her alone. This is a very nasty post and i hope you feel ashamed of what you have done, no doubt you dont.
I just dont understand how an adult can write this boaut someone they have never met.

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont think any of you have quiet got what is happening here. She is 16. She has no income. Not everyone in this world is super rich and can afford to look after 2 horses, one which she cannot ride due to not enough experience.
This is no way Pixxies fault. She bought Marley thinking he was a ncie horse, easy to do just needed some re schooling. He is far from this. I am horrified that you have written this. This has schoked me and has upset me. You do not know her.
Leave her alone. This is a very nasty post and i hope you feel ashamed of what you have done, no doubt you dont.
I just dont understand how an adult can write this boaut someone they have never met.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, Pixxie does have choices, doesn't she?
1. Keep Marley and try to ride him.
2. Keep Marley and retire him.
3. Have Marley PTS at home, then buy a replacement.

Instead, she has chosen to sell him on (yet has explained how unrideable/useless he is) to an uncertain future - this I disagree with.
S

 

[Honeypots]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont think any of you have quiet got what is happening here. She is 16. She has no income. Not everyone in this world is super rich and can afford to look after 2 horses, one which she cannot ride due to not enough experience.
This is no way Pixxies fault. She bought Marley thinking he was a ncie horse, easy to do just needed some re schooling. He is far from this. I am horrified that you have written this. This has schoked me and has upset me. You do not know her.
Leave her alone. This is a very nasty post and i hope you feel ashamed of what you have done, no doubt you dont.
I just dont understand how an adult can write this boaut someone they have never met.

[/ QUOTE ]

UH?

 

[Grey_Eventer]

YOU KNOW NOTHING OF HER PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. She cannot do it for various reasons. She just cannot. im not going to say why, but she cant. do you not think that she has been through this over and over again? of course she has. she is in bits over this, but she has no other choice.

 

[sunflower]

If you can afford to keep a riding horse then you can afford to keep one that can't be ridden. If you don't have the facilities to keep a retired or companion horse then it is your responsibility to do the best for that animal - not to sell them on to an uncertain future to make room for a new one.

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
YOU KNOW NOTHING OF HER PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. She cannot do it for various reasons. She just cannot. im not going to say why, but she cant. do you not think that she has been through this over and over again? of course she has. she is in bits over this, but she has no other choice.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree that Pixxie has got herself into a difficult situation. I agree she has to decide whether to keep him, retired, or PTS.
I disagree that selling is a moral option, given her previous posts about the horse being unschoolable by experts.
If people like Pixxie resisted the temptation to sell dangerous/unrideable animals on, then people like Pixxie wouldn't be so likely to buy such animals too.
Surely you can see why Marley should not be sold on?
S

 

[Eira]

RIGHT I AM GOING TO SHOUT

I'M 17 , I HAVE NO INCOME . I BOUGHT MY HORSE AS A SUITABLE HORSE FOR ME TO EVENT .. I CANNOT ... SHE IS RETIRED AND SHE IS NOW MY RESPONSIBILITY , SHE WOULD NEVER BE PASSED ON BECAUSE IT IS REALLY QUITE OBVIOUS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HER !!!

SHE NEEDS TO TAKE SOME BLOODY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT HORSE AND DO WHATS BEST FOR IT , NOT HER BECAUSE SHE'S HAD ENOUGH AND WANTS A NEW ONE

God , the pair of you have hit a nerve

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
RIGHT I AM GOING TO SHOUT

I'M 17 , I HAVE NO INCOME . I BOUGHT MY HORSE AS A SUITABLE HORSE FOR ME TO EVENT .. I CANNOT ... SHE IS RETIRED AND SHE IS NOW MY RESPONSIBILITY , SHE WOULD NEVER BE PASSED ON BECAUSE IT IS REALLY QUITE OBVIOUS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HER !!!

SHE NEEDS TO TAKE SOME BLOODY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT HORSE AND DO WHATS BEST FOR IT , NOT HER BECAUSE SHE'S HAD ENOUGH AND WANTS A NEW ONE

God , the pair of you have hit a nerve

[/ QUOTE ]


Ishy, you're a great owner - I've read your posts about your horse and respect you for trying so hard to do the right thing for her.
S

 

[Eira]

[ QUOTE ]



Ishy, you're a great owner - I've read your posts about your horse and respect you for trying so hard to do the right thing for her.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Ahh thanks Shils

I do try , but I am the most indesicive person you could ever meet so having a horse with problems isn't really the best

Just figured if she's happy grazing in the field for now it can stay that way

And sorry Puppy for shouting on your thread I got a little pissed off

 

[jesterfaerie]

Ed is in his twenties and has been retired for several years, he is sound happy and healthy so he will stay with me until he passes, I deemed him unrideable as he just gave me the impression he wasn't as happy as he used to be ridden and due to his age I didn't want to sell him and couldn't find anyone in my area for a loan.

My family have three heavies one who is 21 this year, one who is around 32 and the other in somewhere in between. They have all been used for breeding and showing in earlier life and are very special to our family and they will stay on our land until they die.

If Stylo who is my only ridden horse currently became totally unrideable I would be rather stuck. I haven't had him very long and when I did he had several problems and needed total reschooling, we are slowly progressing. Already despite everything he is my horse of a lifetime.
I would loan him out as a companion if I didn't have any room for him as he would make a brilliant companion.
Because he means so much to me I wouldn't have him PTS if he was happy and field sound, however I worry that because I kept Ed and would do anything to keep Sty it is going to set off an unstoppable collection of 'useless' horses in my fields if it happened with any future horses aswell.

 

[MrsElle]

I took Ellie on permanent loan last year. She is 27. I took her on not knowing how many years or months work she had in her and took her knowing that I would potentially have field ornament sooner rather than later. Even though I have only had her 6 months if she had to retire tomorrow she would still stay with me until the end of her days.

I know horses are expensive 'pets' but surely we shouldn't treat them as disposable when they have given us love and service and done their bests for us? I am lucky enough to have found land to rent which means I am not in livery and keep two almost as cheaply as one, but should my second horse become unrideable at any point she too would stay with me until the end of her days. It would be the least either of them should expect and deserve.

I know we don't know all the circumstances, but if for any reason I was unable to keep my horses and they had problems like Marley they would go out on very supervised loan/share or be pts. I could never pass on a difficult horse, knowing that I would be introducing it to a miserable and unhappy life.

My OH and I have a rather difficult dog. He is fine with us and fine when he is around us but I would never pass him on to anyone else should anything happen to OH and I that meant we couldn't care for him any longer. The best thing we could do for our dog would be to pts, even though it would be a difficult decision to make it would be the right one.

Keeping an animal alive isn't always the best thing to do.

 

[Puppy]

Explain to me why this post is nasty?

 

[shellonabeach]

Both of mine have a home for life. My 14.2 gelding I've owned for 14 years (now 19) and he is still in full work and enjoying life to the max. I appreciate he won't be able to carry on forever.

My mare who I've had almost a year I bought knowing I may never ride her - she failed the vetting big style. Unfortunately she touched my heart so I decided to take the gamble, pay meat money, and bring her home. Investigations showed she has early stages of navicular but she is now sound and in light work. Again I realise she may well be retired before my old gelding!

These horses will be with me for the rest of their days. If both were unrideable I'd look to buy a 3rd horse if money / circumstances would allow.

 

[Eira]

[ QUOTE ]


My mare who I've had almost a year I bought knowing I may never ride her - she failed the vetting big style. Unfortunately she touched my heart so I decided to take the gamble, pay meat money, and bring her home. Investigations showed she has early stages of navicular but she is now sound and in light work. Again I realise she may well be retired before my old gelding!

[/ QUOTE ]

Glad to hear she is in light work .. am sure her and Sol are twinnies !

 

[Puppy]

No worries Ishy, shout away if there's a chance the message gets through.

You are a terrific, responsible owner. Sol is a lucky to have you

 

[MrsElle]

[ QUOTE ]
Explain to me why this post is nasty?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't worry about it Puppy. This post isn't nasty and the vast majority of us agree with you 100%

We acknowledge that passing on a horse with problems to a dealer will result in a potentially miserable life for the poor horse. We don't see the world through rose tinted spectacles as some do, we understand that sometimes the best option for some horses is to be pts. It is something the kindest thing to do.

Its a shame we all don't think of our animals before ourselves. The world would be a much better place if we did.

 

[Lou23]

It depends on circumstances.

My pony was 14 yrs old and we did mounted games, when i was too big to ride him, he was broken to drive and he was pts at the age 34, he was never loaned out and happily retired.
We now have two mares, one is 12 (pony) and the other 14 and i have no intention of selling either of them if they become unrideable. The pony could possibly have a foal, as had one when younger and very good breeding, confirmation and temprement not sure about my horse.

If either were ill then i would do what was best for them, field ornament or pts but couldn't say as would have to be in that position to know.

At the end of the day its down to owner and the circumstances. I personally wouldn't sell on an unrideable unsafe horse and would have it pts if it was dangerous. Equally i would also have a horse pts if it was young and it couldn't cope with being a field ornament.

Ishy- You know whats best for your mare and have and are doing everything you can for her. Your mare couldn't ask for anymore from you as you have her best interests at heart. Good luck for the future with her.