sfward
Well-Known Member
Well I'm now 10 weeks pregnant and starting to get a little stressed about what to do with Missie whilst I'm pregnant. At the moment I'm fine riding but I don't know long I'll feel happy doing so and I need to make a decision! It's not easy as I don't have any family members who are in a position to look after her and ride her regularly, and having recently been diagnosed with bone spavin my original plan of sending her to a professional to event for the season is now out of the window
It also means I wouldn't really want to put her out on loan as I would want to be sure she goes to someone knowledgable who is going to be sensitive to her condition and not aggravate it, inadvertently or otherwise!
First some background on the horse: rising 6 TB mare, very talented but sadly diagnosed with bone spavin in January and not really up to full work at the moment, though hopefully she will come sound enough in the next few weeks/months to be worked relatively normally; bit of a play it by ear job at the moment though. Competed successfully at unaffiliated dressage last year and done BE affiliated up to PN. When sound easily capable of affiliating in any discipline. Sweet natured but green, can be sharp and forward-going, needs experienced hands!
So my options so far are:
1. Turn her out for a few months until after the baby's born
Pros:
It's cheap
She could come home to my parents' farm so there would be no livery costs and she'd be close by with good grazing and trusted people on site
Cons
Probably not the best option for arthritis, generally better in work
If she comes back to the farm she would need a companion
She wont learn anything or be in work and is only young (5) so I will more than likely have to start from scratch with her next year, not ideal when out of practice, unfit and with limited time!
2. Put in foal
Pros
She wont need to be in work
Potentially nice foal at the end
Cons
Her condition is likely to be genetic so breeding would be a risk
She will be out of work for a long time, so I wont be able to ride for a while even after the baby's born & as above I will have to start from scratch with her
Cost of stud/vet fees
Foal to look after at the end
3. Ask my good friend to ride her
Pros
Know my friend well & trust her to be able to care for & improve Missie as she is very knowledgable and experienced
She could stay at my present yard, with existing vet, physio etc
I could stay involved and watch her being ridden/competed
Fairly inexpensive
If she proved to not be up to doing much work it wouldnt be a big problem as I haven't gone to too much upheaval
Cons
My friend might not want to /have time as she has a horse of her own and works full time; 9/10 months is quite a big commitment time-wise
Could be awkward if issues arise as she is a friend
I dont want to put my friend under any pressure to help me out, and I would want it to be for her enjoyment and not just to help me which it may not be if Missie isn't sound enough to do much with
4. Send her back to her breeder for a while
Pros
I have stayed in touch with her breeder who knows & loves her, & is therefore likely to take care over her schooling and treatment, & as it is Missie may not charge the earth
She is a professional event rider and produced her very well initially so would be great for improving her schooling if Missie was up to it
Cons
She's based in Oxfordshire (I'm in Yorkshire), so I wouldnt be able to visit Missie or watch her being ridden or competed
I can't help thinking it might be better to keep a distance from the breeder who I think can get quite emotionally involved as Missie is the daughter of her best ever eventer; what if she thinks Ive not done a good job with Missie or is then critical of future plans having got back involved with the horse? But I may be being irrational!!
It's a long way for her to go for a holiday if she's not sound enough to do anything
5. Send her to my trainer's event rider friend
Pros
She should be capable of improving her and competing her if Missies up to it
Recommended by trusted trainer
Cons
Again she is based down south, so I wouldnt be able to visit Missie or watch her being ridden or competed, or have much knowledge over what shes doing day to day
I dont know the person
She may be expensive
I suspect there are other places up north who could offer similar service?
Missie may not be sound enough to make it worthwhile
6. Send her to the Yorkshire Riding Centre on schooling livery
Pros
I have had lessons with two of their advanced instructors and was impressed with them both so would be good to know they're riding my horse, also one of them has ridden Missie last September so knows her
Relatively local, so I could go and visit/watch her being ridden
Professional environment, great facilities, instructors have support & training of the Bartles
Cons
Likely to be expensive on long term basis
Missie may not be sound enough to make it worthwhile
7. Send her to yard which offers recuperative livery
Pros
People on site who have experience of caring for horses with illness/lameness/injuries, & facilities to match eg. hydrotherapy, physio/vet visits, solarium etc
I know at least one in my area which seems to have experienced people on site who can also ride and school horses
Tailor-made exercise/therapy programmes
Local, so could visit etc
May be an option in short term, then if came sound enough could swap to more straightforward schooling livery elsewhere?
Cons
Likely to be expensive on long term basis
Riding side of livery may not be as good?
Sorry this is so long, but I thought it would be useful to put down all my thoughts. I think really I've decided that breeding isn't going to be an option, and turning her out would be my last resort I think. The only other option would be to advertise for a sharer, but I really would like someone experienced and capable to ride her who is going to do her some good - not saying that a sharer wouldn't bet this necessarily but it is still a stranger you're trusting with your horse on an informal basis. I imagine the right person would not be easy to find...
Anyway I'd really appreciate some advice, what would you do in my position?
I know I probably need to make some enquiries, but I wanted to have a bit better idea of what I want to do before I start approaching people, especially friends...
First some background on the horse: rising 6 TB mare, very talented but sadly diagnosed with bone spavin in January and not really up to full work at the moment, though hopefully she will come sound enough in the next few weeks/months to be worked relatively normally; bit of a play it by ear job at the moment though. Competed successfully at unaffiliated dressage last year and done BE affiliated up to PN. When sound easily capable of affiliating in any discipline. Sweet natured but green, can be sharp and forward-going, needs experienced hands!
So my options so far are:
1. Turn her out for a few months until after the baby's born
Pros:
It's cheap
Cons
Probably not the best option for arthritis, generally better in work
If she comes back to the farm she would need a companion
She wont learn anything or be in work and is only young (5) so I will more than likely have to start from scratch with her next year, not ideal when out of practice, unfit and with limited time!
2. Put in foal
Pros
She wont need to be in work
Potentially nice foal at the end
Cons
Her condition is likely to be genetic so breeding would be a risk
She will be out of work for a long time, so I wont be able to ride for a while even after the baby's born & as above I will have to start from scratch with her
Cost of stud/vet fees
Foal to look after at the end
3. Ask my good friend to ride her
Pros
Know my friend well & trust her to be able to care for & improve Missie as she is very knowledgable and experienced
She could stay at my present yard, with existing vet, physio etc
I could stay involved and watch her being ridden/competed
Fairly inexpensive
If she proved to not be up to doing much work it wouldnt be a big problem as I haven't gone to too much upheaval
Cons
My friend might not want to /have time as she has a horse of her own and works full time; 9/10 months is quite a big commitment time-wise
Could be awkward if issues arise as she is a friend
I dont want to put my friend under any pressure to help me out, and I would want it to be for her enjoyment and not just to help me which it may not be if Missie isn't sound enough to do much with
4. Send her back to her breeder for a while
Pros
I have stayed in touch with her breeder who knows & loves her, & is therefore likely to take care over her schooling and treatment, & as it is Missie may not charge the earth
She is a professional event rider and produced her very well initially so would be great for improving her schooling if Missie was up to it
Cons
She's based in Oxfordshire (I'm in Yorkshire), so I wouldnt be able to visit Missie or watch her being ridden or competed
I can't help thinking it might be better to keep a distance from the breeder who I think can get quite emotionally involved as Missie is the daughter of her best ever eventer; what if she thinks Ive not done a good job with Missie or is then critical of future plans having got back involved with the horse? But I may be being irrational!!
It's a long way for her to go for a holiday if she's not sound enough to do anything
5. Send her to my trainer's event rider friend
Pros
She should be capable of improving her and competing her if Missies up to it
Recommended by trusted trainer
Cons
Again she is based down south, so I wouldnt be able to visit Missie or watch her being ridden or competed, or have much knowledge over what shes doing day to day
I dont know the person
She may be expensive
I suspect there are other places up north who could offer similar service?
Missie may not be sound enough to make it worthwhile
6. Send her to the Yorkshire Riding Centre on schooling livery
Pros
I have had lessons with two of their advanced instructors and was impressed with them both so would be good to know they're riding my horse, also one of them has ridden Missie last September so knows her
Relatively local, so I could go and visit/watch her being ridden
Professional environment, great facilities, instructors have support & training of the Bartles
Cons
Likely to be expensive on long term basis
Missie may not be sound enough to make it worthwhile
7. Send her to yard which offers recuperative livery
Pros
People on site who have experience of caring for horses with illness/lameness/injuries, & facilities to match eg. hydrotherapy, physio/vet visits, solarium etc
I know at least one in my area which seems to have experienced people on site who can also ride and school horses
Tailor-made exercise/therapy programmes
Local, so could visit etc
May be an option in short term, then if came sound enough could swap to more straightforward schooling livery elsewhere?
Cons
Likely to be expensive on long term basis
Riding side of livery may not be as good?
Sorry this is so long, but I thought it would be useful to put down all my thoughts. I think really I've decided that breeding isn't going to be an option, and turning her out would be my last resort I think. The only other option would be to advertise for a sharer, but I really would like someone experienced and capable to ride her who is going to do her some good - not saying that a sharer wouldn't bet this necessarily but it is still a stranger you're trusting with your horse on an informal basis. I imagine the right person would not be easy to find...
Anyway I'd really appreciate some advice, what would you do in my position?
