Moving an Old Horse

[Lorred]

Hi, I need some advice. I have a 27 year old horse (I've had him for years). He has a few health issues now and poor teeth, but he looks fantastic because I really look after him well. He is my absolute world. However, I am unhappy at my yard. The yard manager causes so many arguments. She constantly talks about people and slags them off to other liveries. Unless I do what she says, it causes me so much grief. I know it's her yard, but a few weeks ago I was forced to put my horse in a field full of lush green grass for 2 weeks, he had Laminitis last year, so I am very paranoid about him having too much grass now. We had a huge row, and now no one is talking to me. I was offered another field, but there is a really nast gelding in that field and there was no way I was putting my 27 year old horse into that situation, so I had to put him in the field with loads of grass. He is OK, and now we are back in our normal field, but no one on the yard is talking to me. I am a grown woman but I feel bullied. I really want to move my horse, but he is old and im really worried it will be too much for him and cause him too much stress and upset. I don't know what to do. I dread going to the stables now. If I have to text the yard manager anything about my horse she just ignores me. Its awful.

 

[PaulineW]

How long has he been on that yard? Is he a stressy type? I’d vote with my feet and move from this yard.

 

[Lorred]

He has been there about 4 years. He likes it there, and he is normally very chilled out, not really a stressy horse, but the situation is so awful for me. I left there in tears today !

 

[cauda equina]

What are the alternatives? If there's a decent yard nearby I'd move
If not, I'd make my peace with the YM/other owners and try to make the best of a bad job
I get that you hate it there, but if your horse is happy you'd be taking one for the team
Presumably he's been tested for Cushings?

 

[JBM]

My mare is 21 younger yes but she’s chill too I’ve moved her a lot over the last year and she honestly never seems to care! As long as there’s grass she’s happy

 

[JBM]

These are some of the different places she’s lived last year..happy everywhere never minds a move

 

[Lorred]

Lovely photos ? No he doesn't have Cushings, he looks fabulous, looks more like a 12 yo. But it worries me moving him I'm case he takes it badly and he is unhappy.

 

[ponynutz]

Happy owner = a happy horse in my opinion. From what you've said it doesn't sound like he's a hot-headed type and if he's only been there 4 years I'd suggest he's also not particularly attached to the yard in the way an old horse can be.

I'd do it but just keep a closer eye on him than you would a younger horse. Hope everything gets sorted out for you x

 

[Flowerofthefen]

O would probably move if he isn't the stressy type and you've only been there 4 years. I moved my then 22 yo 4 years ago from a yard he had been on for 11 years. He really didn't cope well. He is now 26 and I won't move him again.

 

[GreyDot]

My cousin moved her horse (was also 27) due to an awful YM (who was an aggressive alcoholic). Her pony had lami issues and had to be carefully managed. After a particularly awful week of abuse from YM, she hired a trailer, and the pony just walked straight on after not being on a trailer for over 15 years. Now at another yard, totally settled and 32 years old, in a managed paddock and a very happy and chilled owner enjoying her pony's golden years.

If you have a good place to move to, I would go. Feeling bullied and being reduced to tears, and being ignored by the person you are paying (the YM) is no way to carry on. This is your hobby and your downtime and as long as you can find a place which ticks boxes for you and your horse, just walk away from it all.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I think you should move. Ensure to do research first. Good luck.

 

[Arzada]

I think you need to move. Sounds a nightmare of a yard if all other liveries aren't speaking when this is nothing to do with them. It helps me to break things down rather than feel overwhelmed by a big event so I would see what other opportunities there are and go and see them. You aren't committed to moving so see it as that and not the whole shebang. Hopefully you find something that you just know will work for your horse and for you and you will feel able to take the next step. Wishing you success

 

[JoannaC]

My old pony came home to me this year, he is 28 and settled in straight away and had a 2.5 hour journey. If he is usually chilled about these things i'm sure he'll be fine.

 

[Peglo]

I moved my 28 yr old 2 years ago to new stables. (Although same fields) and she was happier than ever. She had been at her old stables for 16 years but is much happier now. It surprised me how well she took the change. I think I’d move if I was you. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[Lurfy]

If he has a good place to go to then I would move him. Where you are now sounds awful.

 

[Fjord]

I moved my mare earlier this year. She was coming up to 25 and had been at the last yard for 13 years. She's a chilled sort too and settled perfectly, absolutely no problems.

You need somewhere that suits you AND your horse, so it's definitely worth having a look at what else is out there. You could always try him with a calming cookie if you think he might stress being moved to a new place.

 

[Archangel]

Any YO that puts an at risk horse in a field full of grass has no business running a yard. Any YO who wants to put an old horse in a field with a younger gelding known to be nasty has no business running a yard. I really hope you find a new yard, with the right grazing and social group for your horse quickly, for both your sakes.

Owning a horse is just so blooming difficult sometimes isn't it.

 

[pistolpete]

Definitely move. If he needed stitches or a procedure you’d travel him to a vet. No difference to moving to a new yard just choose very carefully as he will take a while to settle. You may find he is a lot happier when you are!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi, I need some advice. I have a 27 year old horse (I've had him for years). He has a few health issues now and poor teeth, but he looks fantastic because I really look after him well. He is my absolute world. However, I am unhappy at my yard. The yard manager causes so many arguments. She constantly talks about people and slags them off to other liveries. Unless I do what she says, it causes me so much grief. I know it's her yard, but a few weeks ago I was forced to put my horse in a field full of lush green grass for 2 weeks, he had Laminitis last year, so I am very paranoid about him having too much grass now. We had a huge row, and now no one is talking to me. I was offered another field, but there is a really nast gelding in that field and there was no way I was putting my 27 year old horse into that situation, so I had to put him in the field with loads of grass. He is OK, and now we are back in our normal field, but no one on the yard is talking to me. I am a grown woman but I feel bullied. I really want to move my horse, but he is old and im really worried it will be too much for him and cause him too much stress and upset. I don't know what to do. I dread going to the stables now. If I have to text the yard manager anything about my horse she just ignores me. Its awful.

Hi,

I find horses will adapt providing owner is still there, it is harder when yard gone - friends gone- owner gone.



MOVE - he will be ok, you can get de stress supplements to help him, better that than you both unhappy.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Any YO that puts an at risk horse in a field full of grass has no business running a yard. Any YO who wants to put an old horse in a field with a younger gelding known to be nasty has no business running a yard. I really hope you find a new yard, with the right grazing and social group for your horse quickly, for both your sakes.

Owning a horse is just so blooming difficult sometimes isn't it.

Quite agree. I had a potential livery coming, but owner of the yard she was at put a known kicker in with hers, her Alfie got kicked- box rest- moved at vets say so due to yard issues, sadly he got down and a fracture not know of fractured his leg.


Please both of you move

 

[Caol Ila]

I moved a 26-year old horse a few years ago. This horse was neurotic. Moving yards was like playing Russian Roulette. You would not know until you got there whether or not she would like a yard, or if she would fencewalk like no horse has ever fencewalked before. If she was going to fencewalk, she wasn't going to stop. She also needed individual or paired turnout. She could not, under any circumstances, be out in a herd without being a major safety hazard to herself and other horses.

I stayed at a yard for almost nine years and spent about eight of them yard hunting. The YO was weird and got weirder as the years went on, but the horse's neuroses were mostly manageable, most of the time. I certainly did not want to take her to a place where they would be worse. I knew some of her triggers, but not all, so I never knew if that round was in the chamber. As the horse got older, I got more dithery about moving, and chickened out of doing so in 2017, when I viewed a yard that might have worked. Horse was about 24 at the time. I stayed put for another two years, then some things happened which made the whole move-or-not-to-move decision a serious welfare consideration, rather than a merely my-sanity consideration. I moved. We had a saga. It's chronicled on this forum and COTH, readily available for reading if you know how to stalk. But anyway, we ended up at the yard where my gelding is now. She settled quickly and did not fencewalk. And we had the best two years. Tons of amazing hacking; made some great friends; I didn't dread going to the yard.

One of the things going through my head was that a horse in its mid-to-late 20s doesn't have a lot of time left. Maybe it will be one of those rare creatures that makes it to 32, but stats are not in your favour. Do you want those last years you have together to feel awesome, to be enjoying one another, or do you want them to suck because your yard is miserable, you're stressed, you're feeling like you need to be your horse's advocate all the bloody time, and the YO is a douchebag? No. The answer is always no. I'm so happy that she ended up at the yard where we had our last two years together, because they were a quality two years.

 

[lme]

I would move. I moved my old girl in her mid to late 20s and she settled in happily.

 

[exracehorse]

I took on one two years ago at 27. With bad legs. Was worried about travelling. Best thing he done was move to me. And settled after a few weeks.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Any YO that puts an at risk horse in a field full of grass has no business running a yard. Any YO who wants to put an old horse in a field with a younger gelding known to be nasty has no business running a yard. I really hope you find a new yard, with the right grazing and social group for your horse quickly, for both your sakes.

Owning a horse is just so blooming difficult sometimes isn't it.

I am a YO and totally agree with this. I am frankly shocked and appalled that YO has done nothing to help the owner address this issue. You simply do NOT put a horse who has had a laminitic episode in the past, into a field of lush green grass. Totally unacceptable and it makes my blood boil!

Also the bitching and ignoring at the yard needs to be addressed. Owner is being made to feel penalised for wanting the best thing for their horse!

OP - one word, and that is MOVE. Just do it. You owe it to your horse. Last year at my yard we had an old-boy of 24 come in; he has settled nicely and is part of the field-furniture now! Horses do. Owner was naturally concerned about him (she's had him since 6 months old! awhh bless) but everything worked out fine.

There's nothing worse than both horse AND owner being unhappy.

Get outta there. Just do it. You don't need this - and your horse needs to be somewhere where he can be as SAFE as possible from laminitis - if there is no other reason I would be moving simply because of this, having had one with lammi in the past.

 

[Ratface]

I moved my horse, then 26, from a yard that had a lovely YO, fabulous hacking, beautifully maintained facilities and perfect grazing.
Toxic fellow liveries forced me to leave.
Horse and I moved to present perfect yard with no problems at all and have been there ever since.
Horse has a wide diva streak but didn't demonstrate it on that occasion.
Move. Life's too short!

 

[PeterNatt]

JUst to say that i am so very sorry to hear of your predicament. However you both deserve a calm atmosphere so find yourself a nice new yard and then move.

 

[eahotson]

My old boy, aged 21 had been at the livery yard for a mainly happy 12 years.I moved him to a retirement livery because old yard hadn't got the facilities necessary for his retirement.I did worry a bit though.Took him down.He was put in a field with his new herd, all old boys.He just put his head down and started to graze.He is blissfully happy there.

 

[Lorred]

UPDATE - I wanted to thank everyone for their support. I ended up being chucked out of my yard in the end because I brought my horse in on those 2 really hot days for a few hours to have a rest from the Sun. His field has no shade at all, and he was put out by the Yard Manager at 1pm. I came down around 2pm and got him back in. I hosed him off and put him in his stable with a haynet. His stable is in a barn and very cool. The Yard Manager went crazy, and was screaming and shouting at me to put him back out and I refused and i told her straight, i will do whatever i want with my horse, whenever i want. That evening I was sent a text saying I had to leave by 31 August !! I found a lovely new yard and moved my horse within 1 week. I was so scared about moving him, but he has taken it all in his stride and seems very happy. The new Yard Manager is lovely and has been fantastic. I just wish I had moved sooner. I feel so much better now i am away from that awful place !!

 

[eahotson]

UPDATE - I wanted to thank everyone for their support. I ended up being chucked out of my yard in the end because I brought my horse in on those 2 really hot days for a few hours to have a rest from the Sun. His field has no shade at all, and he was put out by the Yard Manager at 1pm. I came down around 2pm and got him back in. I hosed him off and put him in his stable with a haynet. His stable is in a barn and very cool. The Yard Manager went crazy, and was screaming and shouting at me to put him back out and I refused and i told her straight, i will do whatever i want with my horse, whenever i want. That evening I was sent a text saying I had to leave by 31 August !! I found a lovely new yard and moved my horse within 1 week. I was so scared about moving him, but he has taken it all in his stride and seems very happy. The new Yard Manager is lovely and has been fantastic. I just wish I had moved sooner. I feel so much better now i am away from that awful place !!

well done.Glad it has worked out for you both.

 

[JBM]

UPDATE - I wanted to thank everyone for their support. I ended up being chucked out of my yard in the end because I brought my horse in on those 2 really hot days for a few hours to have a rest from the Sun. His field has no shade at all, and he was put out by the Yard Manager at 1pm. I came down around 2pm and got him back in. I hosed him off and put him in his stable with a haynet. His stable is in a barn and very cool. The Yard Manager went crazy, and was screaming and shouting at me to put him back out and I refused and i told her straight, i will do whatever i want with my horse, whenever i want. That evening I was sent a text saying I had to leave by 31 August !! I found a lovely new yard and moved my horse within 1 week. I was so scared about moving him, but he has taken it all in his stride and seems very happy. The new Yard Manager is lovely and has been fantastic. I just wish I had moved sooner. I feel so much better now i am away from that awful place !!

Glad to hear it all worked out sorry you went though so much stress