Need to find a home asap

[Flame_]

Sorry OP, I think your friend's doing exactly the right thing. I don't think lame horses (even horses that are, in your subjective opinion, not that bad) should be re-homed in most cases. Long-term loans, yes, if they are done properly, but otherwise I believe that if you have a useful horse and it permanently breaks down while you are enjoying it there are two responsible options - keep it as a pet or pts. Don't pass it on to someone who its never been any use to and who owes it nothing. 1, Why should they take on a useless horse's upkeep? and 2, why should they care for its future?

You are being unrealistic, your friend is not. She's probably very sad about it, but not taking the coward's way out. Plus to all those who think pts a retirable horse because you want a riding horse is terrible, we'll never resolve that one.

 

[JM07]

[ QUOTE ]
QR
I think the mare should be PTS.
Firstly, it is irresponsible to use a mare who became unsound at age 11yrs to breed from, so that option is closed.
Secondly, in the current recession, the UK rescue centres are unable to take all the horses which are being dumped on them.
I think the owner is very responsible to have the horse PTS, rather than pass it on to an increasingly uncertain and unpleasant future.
Anyway, I take it you will be taking this mare on, thus putting your money where your heart is.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

A Succinct reply, as always.

 

[BankEndRescue]

I'd be heeding JM's warning...it's happening too often just now

 

[misst]

Having been in this situation or something similar I think it is very easy to judge. Until you are really prepared to put your money where your mouth is as Shils says then you cannot judge.

PTS is much much harder for the owner than loaning/giving away/putting in a sanctury. It is usually the right decision for an expensive large animal that needs time, money and vet attention that is no longer covered by insurance.

It is not a criminal offense to want a ridable horse. If people didn't want ridable/competative horses then no one would breed them especially not the larger breeds.

 

[charlie55]

I had to have my 7 year old pts bacause he had severe navicular disease and his tendons were shot and were ready to snap if he cantered round the field so i do know how hard it is to have a horse pts. Really i do.

All im trying to say is it could be something simple that needs to be done, changing shoes for example, that would make her come right. And if i could afford it then yes i would have her myself. But i dont agree with having her pts when she is getting another horse on loan with view to buy. If this goes lame and she cant afford vet bills, is it ok to have that one shot too??

 

[JM07]

[ QUOTE ]
. If this goes lame and she cant afford vet bills, is it ok to have that one shot too??

[/ QUOTE ]


no it would be returned to its owner...

one of the reasons reason why i personally don't agree with loaning either.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
All im trying to say is it could be something simple that needs to be done, changing shoes for example, that would make her come right. And if i could afford it then yes i would have her myself. But i dont agree with having her pts when she is getting another horse on loan with view to buy. If this goes lame and she cant afford vet bills, is it ok to have that one shot too??

[/ QUOTE ]

Plenty goes on in life that I don't agree with - but it doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong. And really at the end of the day - it's none of your business what this person chooses to do with her lame horse.

And at no point have you sugested that she can't afford the vet's fees - just the MRI (and without insurance covering that nor could most of us). She's had x-rays done, and scans (presumably) and will have had discussions with her farrier, you can bet.

I would go as far as to suggest that If the vet is proposing that an MRI then they suspect something that is going to take a lot of money and time to fix - if indeed it is fixeable.

I do hope she's not reading this thread - because in her shoes I would be furious with you and terribly upset.

 

[misst]

I do not know the owner obviously but surely if it was as simple as new shoes she would have tried this?

If you have lost a young horse too then I am truely sorry as that is so horrendous as I know.

If you bought another horse and god forbid the same thing happened you would still have to do the same thing.

For me there are 2 issues here 1. Should the horse be PTS?
and 2. Is the owner irresponsible if she is broke to take on another horse.

The two are separate issues and PTS should not be influenced by the her financial ability to support the next horse. If she is unable to afford the next one then of course that is irresonsible but that does not make PTS the wrong decision.

 

[lauraandjack]

Better a certain death than an uncertain future imo.

 

[Cuffey]

Please be very careful everyone about loan homes--particularly for horses with issues
Be even more careful about organisations offering to find 'good homes' for your horses
Far too many horses end up 'disappearing' on loan
Sold on
Re-passported taken to abattoir
Owners told 'horse died' but no proof is available
I could go on--but hopefully you get the picture

 

[wildpoppywild]

project horses is a fab web page, i have friends who have used it and found amzing homes for their horses

one of them just went to someone for a few moths and she came back a changed horse after working on natural horsemanship

and i have to say 16.1hh is defo not too big to be a companion, some horse dont get on with wee ponies some dont get o with large horses

 

[Honeypots]

[ QUOTE ]


All im trying to say is it could be something simple that needs to be done, changing shoes for example,

[/ QUOTE ]

If it were something THAT simple that needed doing then I'm sure the vet or farrier would have picked it up. The fact that it needs an MRI scan would indicate that its not necessarily something straightforward...

I think in this instance, in that the owner isn't going to be responsible for this mare's diagnosis, that PTS is the best option....poor horse

 

[MurphysMinder]

Can I echo what others have said about certain "rescue" sites, they are nothing more than dealers. I have heard of some less than perfect conditions for surrogate mares as well, so that is not always the solution. I'm afraid I agree that the most responsible thing the owner of this mare could do is pts.

 

[natalia]

I agree, PTS is the best option, she's too old for embryo transfer etc. and i think too old or the blood bank, so if she can't afford to keep her why offload her on to someone else?! At least then the poor mare will have never been passed round in pain and died somewhere she was happy and secure. Its not an easy choice but at the end of the day very few people have got the hundreds of pounds needed a month or indeed the time needed to keep what is really just a big pet which can't be worked, esp. single horse owners at livery.

 

[JM07]

[ QUOTE ]
project horses is a fab web page, i have friends who have used it and found amzing homes for their horses

one of them just went to someone for a few moths and she came back a changed horse after working on natural horsemanship

and i have to say 16.1hh is defo not too big to be a companion, some horse dont get on with wee ponies some dont get o with large horses

[/ QUOTE ]

fab web page?...is it now???

its full of horses/ponies that have generally come from parelli/NH wannabe diciples...with mental problems at worst...and behaviour ones at best.....

 

[Enfys]

I actually think that the owner is being responsible and looking out for the welfare of the horse.

If a home can be found then Good Luck to all concerned, but rather than risk the mare being passed from pillar to post and Heaven knows what fate, she is doing what she considers best for her horse. The mare isn't going to know anything about it.

I have had a healthy, but unusable, horse put down because I could no longer look after him and guarantee his future. I don't give a stuff about what people thought, or think, of my decision, because it was just that, my decision. The pink and fluffies didn't come hammering on my door with offers of a permanent home, just condemnation.

 

[Tinypony]

I've just had a look on Project Horses, at random the ones advertised 15hh up. Not a lot of mention of Parelli etc there to be honest, and some nice horses for people to take on. Some have obviously had hard times in the past and are ready to move on. I think credit should be given for that site, it does a good job, the horses can be described in detail, and nobody is being forced to buy.
However in this case, I don't see a lot of future for the mare unless you can find someone looking for a companion.

 

[Donkeymad]

QR

I have to agree with most on here, and think the best option in these circumstances is to have the mare put down.
AmyMay, why do you say a vet won't put it down? of course they will.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
AmyMay, why do you say a vet won't put it down? of course they will.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why would the vet put the horse down????

 

[gails]

If I had enough money to by a new horse, then I would be spending on my current horse to pay for the investigations that the vet has recommended.

Is she too lame to even be a gentl happy hacker?

 

[Flame_]

Vets will pts at owner's request if they're paid for it. Only thing the owner couldn't do is claim humane destruction on insurance.

 

[charlie55]

A home has now been found by the OWNER, not me!!! So i dont want people telling me i have done the wrong thing now! She will be living the rest of her days with some retired ex police horses!

Thanks

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Vets will pts at owner's request if they're paid for it. Only thing the owner couldn't do is claim humane destruction on insurance.

[/ QUOTE ]

They most certainly will not Flame, unless they deam the horse to need euthenising.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
A home has now been found by the OWNER, not me!!! So i dont want people telling me i have done the wrong thing now! She will be living the rest of her days with some retired ex police horses! Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Is she going to Redwings or the Horses Trust then?

Is this the owner you thought so callous?

 

[Honeypots]

[ QUOTE ]
A home has now been found by the OWNER, not me!!! So i dont want people telling me i have done the wrong thing now! She will be living the rest of her days with some retired ex police horses!

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats good news

 

[charlie55]

Amymay i couldnt give a flying f*ck what you think to be
honest! At least this horse will still be alive!!

 

[charlie55]

Thankyou for all the lovely offers of homes through pm's. And thanks to everyone that was decent about all this! Its a shame that some people are like they are but if we were all the same this world would be boring! Anyway, im off, its been good on here but id rather talk to horsey people that care, instead of wanting to 'get rid' when they are no longer useful!

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Amymay i couldnt give a flying f*ck what you think to be
honest! At least this horse will still be alive!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Why on earth have you got your knickers in such a twist?

 

[FestiveSpirit]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Vets will pts at owner's request if they're paid for it. Only thing the owner couldn't do is claim humane destruction on insurance.

[/ QUOTE ]

They most certainly will not Flame, unless they deam the horse to need euthenising.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes they will AmyMay - been there, done that. Horse had navicular, insurance company would not pay out as they claimed it had a future as a companion animal, after a lot of treatment and a lot of heartache I decided to have the horse PTS. The vets never queried that decision, it was mine to make as the owner of the horse.

It is just the same with any animal (dog, cat etc) - it is the owner's decision if they wish the animal to be PTS, the vet may not like it and may wish to discuss/offer to rehome etc but it is always the owners decision

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
The vets never queried that decision, it was mine to make as the owner of the horse.

[/ QUOTE ]

A vet will not put down an horse that it considers has a reasonable quality of life, unless they are in agreement with the owner that it doesn't.