juliette
Well-Known Member
I am currently making a big decision about my horse and would appreciate some other opinions.
My 17 year old cob went lame in May - tendon - had 6 weeks box rest and then gradually came back into work. He then went lame again last week - in exactly the same place. Think it is less severe than last time but we are on box rest again.
I'm wondering about retiring him. When he is sound he is not as forward going as he was, he copes with our hacking but just doesn't seem to be very keen anymore. He certainly doesn't seem to enjoy the pleasure rides we do anymore, seems too much for him. (I have therefore only done 3 this year).
My mum's friend has just lost a horse and is looking for a companion to her still ridden 24 year old! I have had an initial meeting with her and her husband, they have met and liked my horse. I am going to see their yard this week and meet the horse he would be companion to. They are both lovely.
I'm just worried, am I making the right decision. Realistically with 2 kids, dogs, husband with his own business I can't retire him but keep him and have another one to ride. I can't keep two where I keep him, and it would mean 2 horses at 2 different locations. If I do this I feel I'll be spreading myself too thin and won't give the kids enough time or the horses enough time. I don't want him to just get the bare minimum of care. He is such a lovely laid back chap, it does make it easy to overlook him if you are busy because he is so good.
So do I retire him and put him out on loan to a friend who I know will care for him really well or do I persevere with him and accept no more pleasure rides, reduced hacking and the worry of on and off lameness?
He would I am sure be very happy being a field ornament and would only be about 4 miles away so I could visit whenever I wanted.
He would only be on loan and the potential loaners have been honest and said that when they lose the horse they currently have they would not be looking to keep him, we would obviously have a notice period in the contract so that he is not dropped back to me overnight! I don't have my own fields. They're just clipping their horse so assume he is very fit for his age.
What to do......................... if only I didn't love him so much. Just want to make the right decision for him.
My 17 year old cob went lame in May - tendon - had 6 weeks box rest and then gradually came back into work. He then went lame again last week - in exactly the same place. Think it is less severe than last time but we are on box rest again.
I'm wondering about retiring him. When he is sound he is not as forward going as he was, he copes with our hacking but just doesn't seem to be very keen anymore. He certainly doesn't seem to enjoy the pleasure rides we do anymore, seems too much for him. (I have therefore only done 3 this year).
My mum's friend has just lost a horse and is looking for a companion to her still ridden 24 year old! I have had an initial meeting with her and her husband, they have met and liked my horse. I am going to see their yard this week and meet the horse he would be companion to. They are both lovely.
I'm just worried, am I making the right decision. Realistically with 2 kids, dogs, husband with his own business I can't retire him but keep him and have another one to ride. I can't keep two where I keep him, and it would mean 2 horses at 2 different locations. If I do this I feel I'll be spreading myself too thin and won't give the kids enough time or the horses enough time. I don't want him to just get the bare minimum of care. He is such a lovely laid back chap, it does make it easy to overlook him if you are busy because he is so good.
So do I retire him and put him out on loan to a friend who I know will care for him really well or do I persevere with him and accept no more pleasure rides, reduced hacking and the worry of on and off lameness?
He would I am sure be very happy being a field ornament and would only be about 4 miles away so I could visit whenever I wanted.
He would only be on loan and the potential loaners have been honest and said that when they lose the horse they currently have they would not be looking to keep him, we would obviously have a notice period in the contract so that he is not dropped back to me overnight! I don't have my own fields. They're just clipping their horse so assume he is very fit for his age.
What to do......................... if only I didn't love him so much. Just want to make the right decision for him.
x
