If your horse was unfit for intended purpose....

golddustsara

golddustsara

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Would you keep them?

I bought an ex eventer/showjumper in Oct '09 and soon after he became injured. I wanted him originally for BE80 and RC activities but now I am so happy to have him despite his quirks that I am not going to be incredibly upset if it turns out he is only suitable for hacking etc. That's life after all and I'm sure the outlook is more positive but I like to think of worst case!

Meanwhile someone I know bought a horse to compete on and she has also become injured (bloomin horses eh) and if she is not competition fit, my friend is going to get rid....
 
I think i would get rid. My old cob was 15 when i sold him, i had known, loaned and then owned him from a 2 yr old. He was the most amazing horse ever and did everything. However i outgrew his ability and was getting so fustrated with him (so different situation) and decided that its not fair on him. It was heartbreaking to sell him but it was the right thing to do and he is now in a semi retirement (happy hacking) home being so spoilt and i am in regular contact with the owner
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!

It was a good thing to do although i miss him everyday, and i have my warmblood now - dont know what i will do if he doesnt come sound soon though
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It was a good thing to do although i miss him everyday, and i have my warmblood now - dont know what i will do if he doesnt come sound soon though
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Must be a warmblood thing
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I had a connemara previously but wanted something a bit sparkier and larger so finally moved onto horses aged 24! Connemara was never lame though
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i would have to have another horse to compete somehow whether that meant loaning, retirement livery etc etc.

i adore eventing and wouldn't be happy just hacking or doing dressage.

while i am still young enough (and stupid enough!) i want to have a real crack at going up the BE ladder.

i sold a 4yro this summer that i had owned since a 5 month old foal as she ended up too heavy to event properly.
i adored her and she would be my perfect horse in 15-20 years but atm eventing comes first.

i am lucky that i can support more than one horse so already have 1 older horse who i will never sell who won't go above PN.

however, i couldn't afford for another of mine to top out at PN so it would have to be sold.
 
I'm afraid I would sell the horse, Banner I would NEVER sell but he has the scope I'm after
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however if Lord doesn't turn out as good as I'm expecting in a good few years (1.25m + SJ) then he will be sold.

I thnk it's sometimes unfair to keep pushing a horse further than what it is capable of and all involved would be better off if the horse went to a home where s/he could work and compete to a level s/he is happy at with a different rider.

We have horses for the fun and it is no fun if you are constantly arguing with your horse.
 
I guess the answer is in the circumstance, if a persons passion lies in a certain field whether dressge, eventing, driving or other and the horse they bought was injured and the likely hood would never be fit for the intended purpose then decisions must be made.

Do you keep the horse out of loyalty and give up your dream

or

Sell the horse and buy one that fulfills your ambition.

The answer for me would be .. it depends on how strong my ambition is.

I bought a second horse to drive after semi retiring my other. However so called prof trainer totally screwed my horse up and destroyed any hope of driving him. (I never sent him to this trainer)

I near on sold him twice but 2 years on I have started in a different discipline with him and don't regret the choice I made.

I loved Driving Trials and was competing very successfully but my new discipline is just as great for me.

If my heart laid with driving and nothing else then the descision to sell would have probably gone ahead.

So really to me there is no right or wrong unless your the type of person who swaps horses like changing your socks.
 
If Meg wasn't sound, and the chances for full recovery were slim, Iam sorry but she would be PTS. She has so many quirks, I really couldn't trust anyone to abuse her quirks for bad behaviour and if trust is broken then she could be dangerous.
I'd rather she went early and safe than older and in danger of seeing the meat man.
(she is as tough as they come mind, never been lame, but selling is not an option, never will be).
 
I would sell it. My old eventer got arthritis and i treated it and sold him as a hacking hose and now my dressage horse has ringbone and has been treated but if she goes lame again she will go as a broodmare. i buy my horses to do a job, i love them and look after them but if they dont do that job they have to move on to somewhere they will be happier.
 
yes, i think i would. my TB (who was purchased as an eventing prospect) has lung damage and can only be used for light hacking, is currently out on loan with possible purchase. it was heartbreaking letting somebody else have him but i know he is in a good home having an easy life. i had a heartbreaking 2 years seeing if i could improve his health but ended up getting upset all the time. i wanted to do a little more than just pootle around the block so i have a 4 year old now who is keeping me on my toes! and at the moment it still feels like i have 2 horses, but if loanee does decide to buy my TB at least i have had a bit of time to get used to the idea.
 
It depends. I'm thinking of selling my riding horse and getting an arab for pure endurance. Its hard because she's so lovely to ride, sound, healthy, genuine and I get on really well with her, but since buying her I've got hooked on endurance and she isn't safe alone in traffic. This is a problem on the inevitable road work sections and it really limits how fit I can get her when I can't hack her out much. Plus she's filled out into a pretty strapping sports horse so even if temperamentally she'd suit endurance, she wouldn't progress far through the levels. I'm thinking it would be doing her a favour to sell her now while she's young enough to start off in another direction.
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I really hate selling horses.

ETA - I'd never sell an unsound horse unless I was conned into buying it with the unsoundness (and even then I probably couldn't, it just weighs too heavily on my conscience)
 
i sold the 15.2hh i had as a teenage after 5 years as he just could not jump the heights i wanted to
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the time i had him was fantastic and although it was terribly sad i know it was the right thing to do although i would like him back now as i have room but i cant find him
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he will only be 11 this year (15.2hh bay tb/conn passported as toy prince known as teddy if anyone knows him???)
 
I wouldn't but I'm not particularly ambitious when it comes to competing and to be honest I love my horse for what he is rather than what he can do. This isn't having a pop at anyone, at the end of the day its horses for courses and this is mine. However, if your horse isn't up to doing what you want to do and that frustrates you then selling is probably the best option.
 
Could I just put a dampner on this post please.

I have absolutely no problem with ppl selling a horse which is unable to keep up with its owner.....ultimately,upgraded.

However,I do have a problem with ppl merely selling horses through injury. I am currently caring for an ex eventer,worth a hell of a lot of money in his youth and prime. He got injured and was unable to do the eventing thing anymore. He has had 14 homes in the last 2 years,3 of them dealers and has been sold to numpty owners as happy go lucky hack for a few hundred quid. He has been passed from piller to post. I am currently trying to get him in a sanctuary.

He is only 14 and the most gentlemanly horse you ever could wish to meet.

I'm sorry for the rant,but it makes my blood boil. Once a horse is sold you have no say on where it ends up. The last person who bought 'harry' wanted to return him within a month to the dealer he bought him from and was told 'no chance,you got a cheap,sound horse there,but I can give you the number of the knackers yard who'll give you £150 dead weight for him as long as you take him there.....'

We have a duty of care to our horses,and especially injured and unable to do a job,either find a retirement home,keep yourself or have PTS in the comfort of its home environment.

Rant over
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I'd keep as I don't really ever intend on selling. I may consider loaning but keeping on our land I guess and I'd get myself something else either buy something or loan something I could compete.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Could I just put a dampner on this post please.

I have absolutely no problem with ppl selling a horse which is unable to keep up with its owner.....ultimately,upgraded.

However,I do have a problem with ppl merely selling horses through injury. I am currently caring for an ex eventer,worth a hell of a lot of money in his youth and prime. He got injured and was unable to do the eventing thing anymore. He has had 14 homes in the last 2 years,3 of them dealers and has been sold to numpty owners as happy go lucky hack for a few hundred quid. He has been passed from piller to post. I am currently trying to get him in a sanctuary.

He is only 14 and the most gentlemanly horse you ever could wish to meet.

I'm sorry for the rant,but it makes my blood boil. Once a horse is sold you have no say on where it ends up. The last person who bought 'harry' wanted to return him within a month to the dealer he bought him from and was told 'no chance,you got a cheap,sound horse there,but I can give you the number of the knackers yard who'll give you £150 dead weight for him as long as you take him there.....'

We have a duty of care to our horses,and especially injured and unable to do a job,either find a retirement home,keep yourself or have PTS in the comfort of its home environment.

Rant over
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[/ QUOTE ] yep, have to agree, its sad, that once a horse gets injured, alot of the time, it just gets thrown out,, like rubbish , I couldnt do it, I would feel really depressed, to think I had binned something, just because its got an injury. Horses like anything living, can suffer injury, and I think, if one doesnt want to face that possibility, and deal with it, p.t.s, treated, etc, then you shouldnt take the responsibilty on. Just my view.
 
I agree with KS1. Every person and circumstance is different.

I am a happy hacker but equally happy to love Archie from the ground so in the event he became unsound or unrideable he would not go anywhere, it is my intention to have him to the end of his days. I am lucky though that I know I would be perfectly happy looking after him solely as a pet, however, I understand not everyone is like me.

I do think though that it is our responsibility and duty to ensure our horses go on to have a loving and caring home, one in which they will be safe and their needs met, not just gotten rid of.
 
We found ourselves in a similar situation recently- the lovely little mare we had did both her hind suspensories at the PC Champs. My little sister is very into eventing and wants to progress up the ladder- she competes and is a decent rider. Ellie was sent back to her owner as she was on loan as Alice didn't want to just hack and do dressage. For me, my horse will never be more unsuitable for his purpose than he actually is, so I'm pretty lucky!
 
I understand the sell point of views but for me its a commitment and should the horse become injured then I believe it is important to look after them 'in sickness and health' and all that. If the horse is unsuitable, thats another matter entirely.

Maybe I am soppy or my desire to compete isn't as strong as others... Or perhaps I have found a wonderful horse who it doesn't matter to me now whether we go competing or not...

Horses for courses entirely tho.
 
I love my horses and they are more pets than riding animals even though I enjoy riding and want to compete. I hope I will be in a position to keep my horses for life, I would however consider loaning one out or grass or retirement livery if I was certain that this would be best for the horse.
 
I have one unsound horse and another fairly oldie thats creaking a bit. I am retired now and finding it hard to look after both horses. I dont have my own land and could not afford to put them on livery, they are both on DIY. I do worry about what to do with them. I will keep the unsound lad until I can no longer look after him, then I will have him pts. The other one I dont know as not many people want a 15 year old hack. I will just have to see what happens. Does keep me awake a bit at night !
 
I could never part with my pony. He has bone spavin and luckily can still do light scooling and hacking. But even if he couldn't, he's like a member of the family, he'd stay as a big pet!
 
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