Now what? Would anyone want him?!

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12Feb

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Am having a dilemma with one of mine and feeling very fed up at the moment. Am looking for some useful advice please?

I have a homebred gelding who injured himself as a baby. Big vets bill, weeks of box rest. Long term prognosis was, wait and see but should be rideable to hack at least. He has progressed much better than expected and I personally think he would be more than capable of jumping and hunting with the correct muscle work but he would never pass a vetting.

The plan was to get him going nicely under saddle for a year and then sell him for a nominal amount, bearing in mind his injury but his wonderful temperament. In order to prove he could be worked and be productive.

So, last year at three, I longreined him a little and sat on him but he wasnt physically mature enough to do much else so turned away again. In the meantime he manages to get ill, looks like a hat rack, three months of antibiotics and another huge vets bill.

So, having gotten him over that he starts to really grow up over the winter and get a bit bored. He looks like a horse now instead of a baby and is quite a flashy chap! Stunning extension and I clocked him at 20miles per hour next to my car!!

Then he gets kicked..

X rays today show small fracture to cannon and now six weeks box rest so another huge vet bill :(

I had already decided that he needed to be rehomed, after much heartbreaking thought but was wondering how on earth I could advertise him and if anyone would want him??

I just dont have the time he deserves, he adores people and would happily follow a human friend to the ends of the earth. I am self employed with a few other horses and a young family and am now expecting again.

I dont get maternity pay as I am self employed so am already struggling to afford all of mine as it is. I also have hurt my back so am now having to stop working and riding...:mad:

Just dont know what to do with him now. I definately wont be able to afford to pay someone to ride him in six weeks when he is better and as he isnt financially going to be worth anything I cant even get someone to do it and then pay them from selling him.

What on earth do I do with him now? I just cant believe I have six weeks of him on box rest, again. I actually had a cry today as just feeling at a dead end. I so want to do the best by him but just not coping!

Any bright ideas please?
 
How big is he? Could he not have a very small paddock instead of a box? Tell your vet you don't want another huge bill, ask to be treated as an agricultural client instead of an equine one.

Some horses just seem to be accidents going somewhere to happen and no matter what you do you'll find them lame, bloody, or belly up.

I suppose you have to ask yourself what he is going to be useful for and what is the kindest way to attain this. Just be very glad that he's not a mare that could be bred from!! If you can possibly afford to keep him till he's rideable you can then give a full and honest account to anyone interested in homing him.

If he is going to be a really big lad he'd probably benefit from another year in the field anyway, provided you have enough cotton wool and bubble wrap for him. Hopefully he'll grow out of his clumsiness and sharpen up a bit.
 
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You are going to hate me, but this is why Before breeding you really have to consider what you will do if it dosen't go to plan.

There is a great saying, you are free to make choices, but not free from the consequence of those choices.

What would I do,? Feel responsible, buckle down and see it through - it really isn't the horses fault it is where it is, you made all the decisions!
 
Are you not claiming maternity allowance? I know its not much but thought I'd mention it incase you don't know about it (self employed maternity "pay").

As for the horse, he sounds a bit accident prone but I suppose it could all be viewed as bad luck and not connected at all!
 
Do I understand you correctly in that you have other, not lame, horses, and you want to keep them and get rid of the one that is on box rest?

He is only three, get him through the box rest, turn him away for a bit, then sell him from the field as a project if you can't afford someone else to start him.

In the meantime, if you can't afford all your horses, sell something that is not on boxrest. He deserves more. He didn't ask to be bred, he didn't know you were going to get pregnant etc.

Sorry if this comes across harsh - its not the first thread this week about wanting to get rid of a horse that doesn't stand a chance of getting a good home, while keeping horses that would be saleable...
 
canteron said:
You are going to hate me, but this is why Before breeding you really have to consider what you will do if it dosen't go to plan.

There is a great saying, you are free to make choices, but not free from the consequence of those choices.

What would I do,? Feel responsible, buckle down and see it through - it really isn't the horses fault it is where it is, you made all the decisions!
Click to expand...
I was thinking exactly the same thing.
 
canteron said:
You are going to hate me, but this is why Before breeding you really have to consider what you will do if it dosen't go to plan.

There is a great saying, you are free to make choices, but not free from the consequence of those choices.

What would I do,? Feel responsible, buckle down and see it through - it really isn't the horses fault it is where it is, you made all the decisions!
Click to expand...

Yep this. He sounds like a horse with a decent future ahead of him - cannon bone fractures have a good prognosis and it sounds as if he's recovered from his former problems. You just have to accept your responsibility to get him right before you can sell. That's not asking much, is it, when you bred him?
 
I think I want to say gently you sound a bit self pitying , the horse did not choose to be born but he's here and you have to decide his future, it's not easy it's not nice but he needs to get through his box rest and then you have to see.
Do you have a friend that would bale you out I took a young horse from a friend with a little baby years ago and kept her while she got stored out .
 
Rightly or wrongly I don't take the 'you bred him/bought him now you should keep him forever and sacrifice your own life/first born for him'.

Life sometime get's in the way of our plans and we have to roll with the punches.You and your human family come first,so you need to do whatever is best for you and them.

I don't honestly think you could sell him,simply as can't see anyone willing to pay for him as he is.

You could try the free to a good home route,not ideal usually as so many less than honest people that will only want him to lie about and sell on,but OTOH there are honest people around and who's to say you won't find one?? Maybe try this idea but only if through recommendation of someone you know or know of??

I think your best options TBH are- *try* and loan as a companion and potential light hack.Call it a day and PTS to guarantee his future,or spend some money (only if you have it of course) on schooling him on and if he copes sell as a ridden prospect.

Good luck and i hope you and your horse have some better luck soon.
 
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In answer to your title question, no, nobody wants an injured, unbroken youngster. He didn't ask you to breed him, nor is it his fault you have a family etc. Sell or loan one or all of the others, & get him to the point he will sell to a home other than the meat man. I have every sympathy for someone who physically can't keep an unsellable horse anymore, & chooses to pts. But absolutely none for people who want to off load their currently worthless horses, who could have a future purpose with a bit of effort, whilst still managing to afford to keep their other horses.
 
Am sat in tears looking at replies. Just having a bad day and thought, wrongly! that I might get some support. So, yes a little self pitying but why not? We all have a bad day dont we??

I have sold all the horses I could sell - left with a business that went wrong and 20odd horses to care for on my own (whilst pregnant and then with a small baby!) this was a few years ago now. The liveries went home. The sellable ones got sold. The ones I have left are quirky or 'unsellable'.

I even bought one back that was bred under the old business, sorted her out, backed her and put her on loan. Most others I have kept in contact with and feel that I did the best 'job' I could by them as they are happy, healthy and a pleasure to thier new owners.

Have rebacked one of the former broodmares to go on loan but thats taken some hard work over the winter. She was overfaced as a youngster and was a bag of nerves, now going to a 13yr old as a schoolmistress.

Should I look at 'getting rid' of my daughters 19yr old leadrein pony instead then? He has been in the family since a weanling and has developed arthritis this winter and cushings so needs some tlc but someone could 'use' him for thier kids couldnt they? Is that fair as well??

I know they are my responsibility and Ive been told repeatedly by harder hearted more business minded that I should have had him pts on the day of the injury. Well, hind sight is a wonderful thing isnt it! vet said to give him a chance and thats what I did but like most things in life you cant predict the future. I wish we could!

We used to have a farm and it didnt matter really then having an extra one about but since we lost that as they put the rent up by 25%, I have to pay livery and am really struggling. Now I cant work either and am at my wits end!

I love him to bits and really regret that he isnt getting the attention he deserves.

So instead of you all jumping on the 'band wagon' - my question if it wasnt clear was would anyone want a horse 'from the field' that wasnt quite right but had possibilities? Not that he would go anywhere now. You are quite right, I will have to sort him out first.

Think this will be my first and last post. Only came on here to look for arthritis remedies for my oldies.

Not a very nice place is it.
 
It is a nice place,and there is a lot of good advice around. Sometimes its not what you want to hear. It wasn't clear from your first post that your other horses are unsaleable. You do sound in a mess, but I do still feel sorry for this horse and the mess he has ended up in.

What area are you in? Have you tried any charities re taking him?
 
I am sorry you did not hear what you wanted to,
But think it through you know the econmonic situation at the moment sound straightforward youngsters are being given away .
Do you have a friend in a better situation who might help you through this.
 
Not clear from first post the other horses are also unrideable. Whilst I wouldn't send a 19yr old pony away on loan if its only ever been at home, if child has outgrown it, I'd look to loan it out from current yard. I also think you might find someone willing to back & bring on the horse for payment after it sells, even if that means they get nearly the full sale value.
 
Poor horse has had an unfortunate time with injuries etc and I do feel for you, as I would feel for anyone who has had to pay that many big vet bills in a short space of time, although we accept it is necessary, that doesn't make it less stressful!

So he is only 4 now and needs just 6 weeks box rest, then he should be ok provided no more accidents and be rideable when ready? Is that pretty definite or do you need to wait and see how he goes in relation to the original injury?

I think putting him on loan or lwvtb as a project when he is ready could be a good option for him, you won't get a lot of money for him in the end but if the injury is old and the buyer/loaner has the opportunity to work with him and see evidence it won't be a problem then it might all work out.

It's not all doom and gloom out there, there ARE nice people who take horses who need a bit of understanding, even people who take those who are unrideable, so I think you just need to hang in there and get him through this period of box rest (its not actually that long if I understand correctly) and your boy could have a perfectly nice future ahead of him if he stays out of trouble!

If you don't mind me asking, how many horses do you have? If more than those two are there not more cost effective ways to keep them other than livery such as renting some land/a yard to yourself?
 
You are right OP this is not a very nice forum any more. I think every horse has the potential to find a nice home with a useful life in some way or another. Look at horses 4 homes website, they seem to have a lot of success as people list honestly. It seems they can be for loan or ownership transfer.

If you are in a position to keep him till this injury is sorted then see how it goes from there. Are any of your other horses suitable for a part share? Even a small amount of money for this, and possibly more important someone's time to assist you a bit, could be very beneficial.

And your pregnancy hormones won't be helping! I hope it's sunny where you are today - that always makes me feel a bit better!
 
Do you know anyone locally who would break him and get him going for a share of the money when he is sold? I'm sure someone would take him free to a good home but (sadly and honestly) you have every chance that he ends up in a burger and they make a fast £400 out of him.
I wouldn't put my family(or myself) under financial pressure over a horse so if you really can't afford him and there is no alternative person to get him going to make him salable then PTS might be the kindest thing.
 
OP sounds like it's all getting on top of you, and pregnancy is exhausting without all this worry, but try not to make a decision on a bad day, maybe things will sort themselves out for you. I sincerely hope so.
 
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