Im in a dilema

Just a comment for those that say having a horse at uni doesn't work - some people can't go a day without being with a horse, as it is part of their lives. The passionate ones make it work despite all the study and parties.

I think the loan is a good idea too. The horse is staying at the same yard in the surroundings it knows, and is only going for a hack every now and then so not much risk is carried there. Going for hacks and keeping active is better than wasting away in a field. The loan just has to be with a very good person, and that has to be certain.
 
I think loan is the best way forward. If she's staying on the same yard then the YO would know the horse, and (if they are any good at their role!) keep an eye on things. She'd probably get more attention from a loaner than from a retirement (or full) livery, as she'd be the only horse for that person, rather than one of a whole yard-full.

I wouldn't even contemplate moving her, to uni or to a different yard. It simply isn't fair on her, unless she will happily travel in a lorry or something other than a trailer. I certainly wouldn't put to sleep just because I'm going to uni. If you find someone you trust, keep on the yard you trust, there is no reason why she won't be looked after. If she's healthy and happy, let her live. PTS for convenience is not fair.

As for the new horse, I'd get settled at uni first and see how much spare time you have, scout out the livery options there etc. You may not have as much free time as you think. Plus you don't want to miss out on other opportunities because you have to go and do your horse :)
 
Well essentially I see that the OP has two options.

Find someone to take her on who can be trusted, with additional supervision from the yard to have the pony's best interests at heart, or if the above cannot be guaranteed PTS.
 
hmm, tricky one. Are your parents horsey, does d need to be ridden ?

Avoid young loaners- you need to be very careful if loan is your only option.

From my own experiences of horses and uni - I took my coloured after Xmas of first year, it worked because i know him very well, I would not want to do the whole new horse experience in my first year of uni, you will have a lot of educational/social ties without the stress of an unknown horse.

You need to prioritise your old horse, find a solution that gives both of you a very fair chance, when horses get to that age its very important they get the best care.
 
Thanks guys. D will definately be staying at her current yard. The yard is DIY so no option of livery :( there is a woman who looks after her when I go away. She can muck her out/ do basically full livery occasionally but I may ask if she could look after her 3/4 days a week and then let the loaner do D for a couple of days a weeks? Then depending on how the loan goes let the loaner do more days?
My parents aren't horsey so no option of them looking after them :(
 
I'd get D sorted and yourself settled at uni before considering a new one.

As a once-sharer of an on/off lame horse I can say there will be people around who care and won't do anything too silly with a more fragile mount. Having the person you already trust check up though probably won't hurt!

Also, as your parents aren't horsey, perhaps consider a uni loan/share rather than buying?

Once you graduate and want to move locations/houses/get a job/partner/whatever how are you going to care for the new one?

D may not be around for long then but a younger one will be!
 
Hmmmmm tricky situation quite close to home as well! I took my 20yr old up to uni with me, no regrets about that, best thing I ever did but she travels well and I felt re-assured that I was in full control of her care, got a p/t job and neither me nor her went without and I still had a social life :) . I too had bad experiences of loaning so that was not an option.

IMO I would work on her loading and take her to a recommended retirement livery or if all else fails I would keep her at yard and pay for a trusted freelance groom (or pay a close friend) to look after her and get yourself a job and make sure you keep a close eye. Where there's a will there's a way!

In your situation I wouldn't PTS until your mare is unable to enjoy a good quality of life. I don't think you should through a life away because owning her is inconvenient.

It will be hard work, and horses aren't easy things to look after as you know they seriously restrict you and give you a massive sense of responsibility. And at the end of the day shes your horse, your responsibility. I wouldn't trade her in for a younger model just yet, deal with the horse you've got first, join the uni riding club or share a horse while at uni. Another horse can always come later.

I hope that rambling makes sense :) wish you all the best! Let us know what you decide xxx
 
Why do you have to go 3/4 hours away for uni? Are there no decent unis near where you live offering the course you want to do? My pony came back from loan (I had been living abroad then went to uni as a mature student) when I was in my final year and it was absolutely fine, but I was at uni within commuting distance from home so I was able to keep her on DIY livery.
Perhaps you could look into living at uni in the week and at home at weekends with that lady you mentioned helping out or a sharer who is interested in quiet hacking. Yes, that would mean sacrificing most of the social life that goes with uni (that's what I did) but it is a matter of deciding very honestly what your priorities are as it is never going to be possible to have everything.
 
I'm afraid I have to agree with other posters who are astonished you would consider loaning your mare. I would be even more astonished if you could find a loaner to take on a 30 yr old horse- I imagine the risk of vets expenses would be off putting for most people. I would also be wary of leaving any horse on a DIY yard where people tend to mind their own business- who can you trust to step in if the mare went downhill? If you are away at uni who would be able to make the ultimate decision in your absence? If it was me I would maybe try to sedate the mare and get a professional in to help transport the mare to a retirement livery yard with experience if dealing with oldies. I would never be ble to leave an oldie in a situation were there is potential for so much to go wrong.
 
I am surprised a few people don't see that loaning a 30 year old has huge and numerous risks associated with it. Too many times HHO has seen a post like this and then another 6 months later saying 'help, my loaner is not looking after my horse properly or wants to give up and has given me 24 hours notice despite our contract, and I can't be there to sort this mess out!' I think sadly her size and having to stay at the same yard would put people off, as would any medical problems for which they might need to foot the bill or she may need time off work for.

Incidentally, is there a yard you could hack to which may be able to provide for her better?

I think I would look around for someone trustworthy who could groom for you 7 days a week, and a 'sharer' to come down twice a week to ride her for a small fee, which would keep her looked after and some of the additional cost could be offset with the sharer's contribution... but if she becomes unrideable (entirely possible) you need to know a) you have someone who can step up to do 7 days and b) you can afford it. I don't want to pry too much, but can you afford this while you are at uni? Fees have gone up and student loan is for fees and living for a person, not plus a horse. It may be that your parents can help, and if you're not doing law, medicine or veterinary you will probably be able to work during your first two years to help, financially. Don't plan on working your final year if you can help it, trust me its hard enough and you will curse the hours spent away from your desk!

Whatever you put in place for this pony I would get the people involved with her now, so they can learn her and her needs, and you can be sure of how suitable they are.
 
I don't envy the position you are in, but I also wouldn't loan your oldie out, we took on an 18 yr old that had been in the same home for years, his confusion over his new routine/home was painful to watch, he did settle, but it took a long while.
We also had a livery yard years ago and was asked to care for a 25yr old for a year, while his owner was abroad, he was so settled with us, he ended his days at ours, he was pts when it became apparent he wouldn't last another winter, but he did enjoy his summer and his owner had chance to spend time with him, anyway as much as I enjoyed caring for him, he was hard work, I lost more sleep through him, than both my children.
Good luck in making this decision
 
unbalanced said:
Why do you have to go 3/4 hours away for uni? Are there no decent unis near where you live offering the course you want to do? My pony came back from loan (I had been living abroad then went to uni as a mature student) when I was in my final year and it was absolutely fine, but I was at uni within commuting distance from home so I was able to keep her on DIY livery.
Perhaps you could look into living at uni in the week and at home at weekends with that lady you mentioned helping out or a sharer who is interested in quiet hacking. Yes, that would mean sacrificing most of the social life that goes with uni (that's what I did) but it is a matter of deciding very honestly what your priorities are as it is never going to be possible to have everything.
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I think choosing to go to a different university for the sake of a horse is a huge decision and in order to go this year and change the OP would have to go through clearing anyway. Some of my job choices have been a bit horse dependent and to some extent I have regretted them and I'm not sure it was wise to so strongly include a pony's location in such life long changing decisions.

Naturally I certainly am not unaware of the perils of loaning or the complications of doing it with an oldie and I would only advise the OP to go ahead if she feels absolutely certain the situation is ok and there are safeguards in case. However I do suppose that I just thinking of bettyboo on here who has shown that some loaners do very much look after their oldies :D.
 
The horse is staying at the same yard. It's not travelling as OP sensibly knows she doesn't like travelling. There is a new loaner. She can hack lightly. Why people think PErson B is possibly not as good an animal lover as person A is beyond me..
 
Why would putting the horse on full livery at a different yard be any improvement-flabbergasted that somehow paying money ~(and having a trusted person looking over your horse which presumeably woul dhappen on loan anyway) would make the new carer any better..
 
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