I've made the decision

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Annagain

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Some of you may have seen my recent posts about my lame horse, riding my friend's horse which made me realise that mine is really not that easy to jump. As he is pretty easy to do other stuff with I came to the conclusion that, by making him jump what I have been, I'm not being fair to him so I was considering selling him.

Last night I decided to keep him. I realised a few things.

1. Most importantly I love him to bits - just considering selling him had me in tears all weekend.
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2. At his age (13) and with melanomas I won't get much for him so what I could buy would be limited and would be likely to have some issues. I'm better off with ones I know about than ones I don't!
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3. My friend is incredibly lucky with her horse. She bought him cheaply as a 6 year old from a very novice girl and he didn't even know how to canter. He is a naturally talented and very amenable horse and has turned into a superstar without that much effort from her. Most horses wouldn't live up to him, not just mine.

4. I took her horse for a hack on Friday and all the way round I was wishing I was on my boy - he is a brilliant hack and that's what I do most of. I was constantly nagging at my friend's horse to keep him going and he's not great with big things. I had to get a tractor to stop and turn off its engine to get him past, mine wouldn't have batted an eyelid at it. This is what I do most so that should be my priority. I'm better off with a horse whose jumping is a bit dodgy than one who's dodgy in traffic.

5. His jumping really isn't that bad, he usually goes clear at 2'9" but will put a stop in once it gets bigger and he has a strange jumping style. I think that might be linked to this lameness (first time in 4 years) as with regular lessons he was getting so much better but about 6 weeks before going lame started going backwards again. I think it was nagging away at him before it erupted and once it's sorted I'm hoping he'll start improving again. If I go and do 2'6 for the rest of the time I have him, it doesn't really matter as long we're having fun. If it turns out that he'll never jump I'll find him a loaner to stay at our yard and get something else, but I'll cross that bridge if I come to it!
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6. My friend has also said I can take her horse to things when she isn't going - which is most of the time (2 young kids and full time job) so if I want to do the riding club teams I have something more reliable to take.
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Now all I need is someone to tell me I'm doing the right thing!
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[ QUOTE ]
Now all I need is someone to tell me I'm doing the right thing!

[/ QUOTE ]

You're doing the right thing
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Joking aside, you've obviously thought this through and from the sounds of it you've come to a good conclusion where you keep your horse and do what you enjoy together but haev the opportunity to compete available to you if you so wish on a horse you wouldn't otherwise choose to have as your own. Best of both worlds I think.
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Sounds like the best solution!!! I would also much prefer a horse that won't kill me in traffic but is not too keen to jump big to one that will jump clear but throw me in front of a tractor!
 
Still not 100%, back to the vet on Weds. Rode him last night and was best he's been for a while and he peed off with me on the common - not in a bad can't stop way, just went as soon as one hoof hit the grass. I was planning to walk and he has been perfectly happy to walk as well for the last 3 months so to have him wanting to go was quite nice! he always stops at the end anyway so I thought i'd just let him go and see when he wanted to stop and he kepty going right to the end. He has always seemed more sound in canter anyway! He was 98% sound for 90% of the time I would say, and the remaining 10% was in short bursts now and again - he had the odd hobble when he stood on uneven bits of ground and going down the hill but other than that he was almost there. Fingers crossed it is just bruisng and ligament damage that's just taking its time to heal.
 
Sorry, haven't read your previous posts but if you think your horse's lameness is down to bruising or ligament damage I hardly think "letting him pee off with you" is going to help him come sound.
 
i'm half way to making that decision too although mine was advertised yesterday at quite a cost i don't think he'll get much interest well hopefully not anyway
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i've been particularly swayed by my gran who has always been very unsupportive of my horse, when she found out he was for sale she was dead against it
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Good on you. You've made a sensible decison and realise that whilst he won't do exactly what you want the other 90% is good enough. Thats the best we can all hope for really.

I think you are totally doing the right thing and have realised his limitations. Hope you both have fun for a long time to come.
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Jambo - the vet has told me to ride him as he needs good criculation to the foot, and to let him dictate the recovery - i.e. do more when he's feeling good and less when he's not. he has done this short route 3 times a week for 3 months and yesterday was the first time he chose to go. Pee off was probably a bit of an exaggeration, he just chose to start a steady canter without being asked (have never asked him to canter while he's been lame) and feeling that he was sound I let him choose when to stop. It was on soft ground on which he has been sound for weeks. He could and would have stopped if he was in pain. He was clearly feeling good and loved every second of it, and I loved seeing him enjoying himself for the first time in 3 months. I know my horse and know that he was ok to do it.

Elle - I know what you're going through. Hugs. My instructor also puts pressure on me to get rid, but he only ever sees the jumping, none of the other stuff. It's your decision, nobody else's.
 
I think you've made the right decision. When push comes to shove there's a lot to be said for a horse you love and feel comfy with, especially if you can take advantage of a "more glamourous" model when the situation comes up.

I'm sure the leg/ligament with come right with time - good luck with the vet.
 
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