skylark1
New User
After a lot of deliberating, I am wondering if this is the right time to put my old horse Po to sleep? He is over 30 years old, & has been in my family for 21 years. He's had a fabulous life, he trained as police horse, but didnt make the grade. We got him and he spent his years hunting, which he absolutely loved. He stopped hunting 10 years ago and I stopped riding him 4 years ago, due to his arthritis. He is a 16.1hh Shire x.
During the last few years he has started getting more problems: He now has cushings. Weve never been able to clip him without vet administered sedation and the vet now advises against sedating him to the level that we used to do when he was younger. Although I have clipped him by hand this summer, he still overheats and sweats every day at rest. He currently has mild conjunctivitis, which is not responding to treatment, even though he wears a clean flymask every day. He has developed eczema underneath his belly, which oozes and attracts flies, which I treat every day to prevent infection. Hes stabled during the day and out at night, to minimise his problem with heat and flies. He ruptured a tendon last year in the field, during a spell of wet weather, and the vet told me that his tendons have lost their elasticity due to his age. I nursed him back to heath and he has been fine since, though I cant allow him into muddy fields now. Hes had 5 abscesses in his feet this year, and he currently has one, which I am tubing and poulticing twice a day as well. The last time his feet were trimmed he went lame on all 4 feet. Were not able to shoe him easily as the farrier has terrible trouble keeping his back legs up long enough now.
His health is clearly deteriorating, but he is still a very happy chap who lives for food and is very cheeky! The thing is, its starting to affecting my enjoyment and my ability to spend time with my other horse, as I work and there are only so many hours in the day. My other horse is also now getting on (hes 20), and he recently retired from eventing and I was thinking that it would be nice to have a younger horse I could jump again and do a bit more on, before I myself am too old, but I certainly cant afford 3 on livery.
I feel terrible for even considering putting Po to sleep, but then I look around me and the majority of people I know sell their horses on at about 11 13 years and then after making sure they have nice new owners dont think much more about it. Po is the oldest horse on the yard, by a long way! I think a lot of people at the yard will be very angry and upset with me, but then no one has offered to help me out, as they are all busy competing and bringing their own horses on. I dont feel Im able to advertise for someone to help me look after him, as hes a tricky sod to handle, and he knows his strength. For example he broke the yard owners rib a couple of years ago, when he head butted her in her stomach.
Am I being selfish, or have I given Po a wonderful life and long and perfect retirement?
Your comments will be appreciated...
During the last few years he has started getting more problems: He now has cushings. Weve never been able to clip him without vet administered sedation and the vet now advises against sedating him to the level that we used to do when he was younger. Although I have clipped him by hand this summer, he still overheats and sweats every day at rest. He currently has mild conjunctivitis, which is not responding to treatment, even though he wears a clean flymask every day. He has developed eczema underneath his belly, which oozes and attracts flies, which I treat every day to prevent infection. Hes stabled during the day and out at night, to minimise his problem with heat and flies. He ruptured a tendon last year in the field, during a spell of wet weather, and the vet told me that his tendons have lost their elasticity due to his age. I nursed him back to heath and he has been fine since, though I cant allow him into muddy fields now. Hes had 5 abscesses in his feet this year, and he currently has one, which I am tubing and poulticing twice a day as well. The last time his feet were trimmed he went lame on all 4 feet. Were not able to shoe him easily as the farrier has terrible trouble keeping his back legs up long enough now.
His health is clearly deteriorating, but he is still a very happy chap who lives for food and is very cheeky! The thing is, its starting to affecting my enjoyment and my ability to spend time with my other horse, as I work and there are only so many hours in the day. My other horse is also now getting on (hes 20), and he recently retired from eventing and I was thinking that it would be nice to have a younger horse I could jump again and do a bit more on, before I myself am too old, but I certainly cant afford 3 on livery.
I feel terrible for even considering putting Po to sleep, but then I look around me and the majority of people I know sell their horses on at about 11 13 years and then after making sure they have nice new owners dont think much more about it. Po is the oldest horse on the yard, by a long way! I think a lot of people at the yard will be very angry and upset with me, but then no one has offered to help me out, as they are all busy competing and bringing their own horses on. I dont feel Im able to advertise for someone to help me look after him, as hes a tricky sod to handle, and he knows his strength. For example he broke the yard owners rib a couple of years ago, when he head butted her in her stomach.
Am I being selfish, or have I given Po a wonderful life and long and perfect retirement?
Your comments will be appreciated...
