Much appreciated advice needed please,what to do?

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Moggy in Manolos

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Well I am feeling rather down as Seren was lame to ride today, that poor foot of hers was just giving her pain today. We have been lucky to have some light riding at weekends until now. Some of you may remember the vet said I would be very lucky to ride her again due to the severe pedal bone rotation, so we have been lucky until now.
Maybe we will get a ride again, but I just don't know, my heart is sinking a bit really as I am just thinking as she is very happy and healthy otherwise and field sound,perhaps I should retire her
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I just wonder if we will just go round in circles now, where she comes sound to ride one time and then not the next, I am definitely aware that she goes very carefully on her bad foot. I just dont know, I can only afford to keep one horse so the thought of retiring her is tough, but I just wonder if it is best for her.
I have had Seren 17yrs now and she has been a cracking ridden horse and broodmare, I just think perhaps it would be fair to retire her
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We will see, just needed to share, maybe she will feel better, but with that underlying foot I am just not sure. I think she would be more than happy being a pet. I just wonder to save the heartache is retiring her is best.

Well done for getting this far and thanks for listening

*cookies and hot chocolate for getting this far*
 
I think that deep down you already know whats best for her. Its not fair asking a chronically horse to hack out or whatever. She has given you 17 years and now its your turn to repay her . Retire her with honour and allow her to enjoy herself bumbling around doing what horses were made to do
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Thanks wilma, its so very hard, but I do wonder, she has seemed great on walking hacks until now, perhaps she would be again but I am not sure about it.
Gonna head up yard now and give her a good groom and think.

Thanks to you all
 
Its always hard to retire them, our little 12.2 pony is semi retired due to cushings, he needs exersise to keep his weight down so we have someone just to ride him a couple of times a week in the school or a little hack, nothing serious. Last year he was jumping 3ft.
 
I certainly would think about retiring her. The only caveat I would put on this is that not all horses take well to retirement but if you girl is happy to retire (and it sounds as if she is doing less and less work so it will not be such a change) then you probably owe it to her.

I retired my old mare when she was 20 as she was about 2/10 lame (sound in walk but not quite right in trot) and with my vet's approval had her on one Danilon a day. However I kept her routine the same as if she was still working (ie. turn out times, field companions, grooming her, etc). After two years she got a serious kick in the field and after discussion with my ve she was PTS as we felt the recovery would be too traumatic for her.
 
Thanks eggs, I certainly am seriously considering it.
We only generally walk out hacking and that's it, we had tried a few trots on soft ground and had been fine, but perhaps I have upset that vital balance by doing this last weekend.

She does enjoy going out for walks with her field mate, but I just don't know. I will see what she is like next weekend and judge from there. I know I can be too quick to decide, but I had hoped to just gently tick her over for a fair few years yet. We shall see, thanks to you all who have given advice, I appreciate it all.
 
Thanks kallibear. This did cross my mind. I had hoped the soft ground would make it nicer for her over winter, which it has, but maybe the cold has got in the hoof like arthritis gets in the joints, I just dont know. That could be rubbish about the cold affecting the underlying hoof structure, but maybe it would settle in warmer weather. We shall just take it day at a time and see how she goes
 
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