Making a decision to sell or not

[Vikki89]

It is so difficult!
I've got a 18yr old Irish sports horse I compete on who I will keep til the end of his days but I originally had him on loan while my other horse was too young to be ridden and then I would end the loan but after a year I was given the opportunity to buy him for next to nothing and I wanted him.
I also have a 4yr old cob who I am/have backed my self, I am planning on bringing him on myself and him taking over the competeing when the other retires.
I would like to do the above and I have got emotionally attached to the younger one as I have had him since he was 1 1/2 years old and I would worry how he was and what was being done with him if I sold him. But Ideally I shouldn't be paying for two horses (I have no savings and no money to save at the end of the month) and with me focusing on competing now over the summer I keep thinking the younger one isn't getting the time needed (looked after very well just not worked as much as needed).

I just can't come to a decision. Head is saying one thing, heart is saying another I suppose and I keep going between the two.
How have you come to a decision to sell or not in the past?

 

[Kenzo]

I suppose you have to ask yourself some hard questions and answer them honestly without the emotional attachment being there.

If you can't afford 2 horses comfortably or can't afford to compete because you are paying for 2 then one has to go otherwise you'll never get anywhere with either of them.

What is your goal if you have one? will your cob (as lovely as he maybe) be the sort of horse that you what in the future and be able to do everything you want on him?

Are you always wanting to compete, if so what and to what level?

Will you want to pay for training in the future, will you have the time that your youngster requires when your still riding and competing the other horse?

You could always put your older ISH on loan to help free up money and time for your youngster, if your cob is not ideally the horse that you can see yourself riding/competing on in the future then you have the option to sell him and perhaps then it won't be such a hard decision to make, or if he is then you could continue to loan your other horse or let him go instead?

 

[Vikki89]

I can afford both but I have no savings and like this month not much money left over. I am living at home, 22 next month and thinking I should be saving for the future.

My goal was to back the young one myself and keep him for life, I didn't compete a couple of years ago, Since having the older one I started off show jumping and am now doing unaffiliated ODE's. People think I will be able to do it all on the young one aswell in the future but things can always change and I may not want to compete in the future.

I currently have lessons twice a month and am planning on having lessons on the younger one when he is ready. At the moment I don't have time to ride both as they are in a field 10mins away from the yard and it has been awkward and time consuming going between yards. Before this he was working well, now he is just getting fat and I feel awful.

I'm so attached to both of them and just don't know what to do!

 

[Iceni]

What about a sharer who'll contribute to costs on one or the other?

 

[L&M]

Could you find a sharer/loaner for the older lad? The loaner could contribute to his costs easing the burden on you, leaving you more time and money to bring on your youngster?

Good luck with any decision you make...

 

[scarymare]

I'm confused. Are you choosing between which one to sell? Hope not as I don't think selling an 18 year old is a great option. Loaning out would work though - sounds like he owes you nothing and has been a great servant

 

[Vikki89]

I'm confused. Are you choosing between which one to sell? Hope not as I don't think selling an 18 year old is a great option. Loaning out would work though - sounds like he owes you nothing and has been a great servant

No I'm not deciding between the two. I won't sell the older one, Like I said earlier he is with me til the end of his days.
I don't want to sell my youngster either. Will have a think about loaning, I know I would have to refrain from interfearing (think that spelling is wrong?)too much.

 

[Marley&Me]

Maybe this summer is not the time to decide!

Your young horse is your future and how sad it would be to part with him now.

Your 18 year old is not going to go on forever and if you sell the youngster you will only be looking for another in a couple of years tops!

But whilst you can compete on your older boy and not your cob perhaps he needs to stay.

If it was me I would look to find a sharer to exercise your older boy...or someone who wants free riding a couple of days a week and then lunge him at other times to keep him ticking over so as you can compete with him this summer.

If you prioritise your cobs training this summer simply hacking him out and seeing the world, by next summer you will be able to do showing, dressage, pleasure rides and maybe more and your older boy can take a back seat and head into retirement (light hacking or perhaps a sharer or loan home).

This is like a transition phase (what you have been waiting for I suspect). It just needs thinking about...how do I move from one to the other. Essentially over the next 12 months they will swap roles, but to acheive this you have to reduce the focus on your comp boy and increase the focus on the baby.

Even if you say you will exercise oldie 3 days and baby 4 days a week over the summer, then you can turn baby away in October and compete oldie over the winter....then swap over!

I really wouldnt sell the baby....if your older boy goes lame you will have nothing left for riding.

 

[LaurenM]

I was abit confused reading that but I'm really tired so may just be me!

Look into loaning the older one out then. He deserves a happy hack home (if that's what he wants) after having competed. I also have two and am looking to bring on my mare (the younger one) whilst my gelding (eldest) gets to do as he pleases. I'm looking to loan my gelding out and have had interest so it is do-able.

 

[Vikki89]

It probably is confusing, I feel a little confused myself, just felt like bursting into tears earlier.
I'm not going to stop competing him just yet, he doesn't look or act his age. I suppose I could maybe put him on part loan/share with the opportunity to take him to local shows and me still compete. I think I might be noticing it all more this year as i'm doing ODE's so im spending more on entries, box hire and travelling further (costing more in petrol).