Old horses for sale.. makes me sad :(

I bought a horse aged 23 and he is now 30.

He has had a good life with us. I also sold an aged pony mare. Probably in her early 20's and she went to a good home. I don't have an issue with it, where the pony is sound and going to a home suited for the horse.
 
I don't really have a problem with it if the horse is still in work and would like to buy a lot of them myself! I just feel a bit uncomfortable about it when they can't work anymore and are sold as companions. I really worry where they would end up or that someone would Bute them up and ride them, and I don't understand why most people wouldn't loan so they can have some control over their future.

I would buy a horse up to about 20, and I had a lovely share horse in her early 20s who I would probably buy if she were for sale.

I do feel a bit sorry for the 'not novice ride' veterans though as that's a bit of a difficult market to make it out of!
 
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ive just clocked a 32 year old pony up for sale :(

if i had more money in the bank id take her on and let her have a nice retirement. but right now i cant afford another euthanasia.... which lets face it on a 32 year old is inevitable. :(
 
32! oh no that's so sad :(

I hate seeing horses over 20 up for sale. My old boy was still ridden well into his 20's and died in his 30's, but i just don't like the thought of these older ones being sent from pillar to post at that sort of age.

I know there are lots of reasons for not being able to keep older horses e.g financial, time constraints, wanting a new horse to ride etc, but still i think that as an owner you have a responsibility to your existing horse, especially if it's in its 20's, has served you well and is on its last legs!

If i was in a position where i had to 'get rid' (for want of a better phrase!) of an oldie, the only options I'd consider would be either: loaning out (stay local so regular visits/contact possible), retirement livery or PTS. I know it sounds harsh but I'd rather PTS than sell on an OAP who would likely need extra TLC and management to keep in a good condition.

I couldn't stand to think of my old boy being sold on, as once sold you have no say on what happens to them. He could end up with a dealer who sells him on lying about his age and drugging him up, he could be in pain and end up being neglected, or going for meat! It's just awful to think about, that's why I'd rather choose PTS and know that my poor old horsey is at peace and safe from harm, than sell on in the hope that someone lovely buys him and pampers him as much as i would- as it's a risk i could not take!

If it was up to me, I'd have our fields full of OAP horses and ponies, I'd love to start an animal sanctuary and could easily spend my days collecting animals and looking after them. I'd probably end up with various other old animals too: cats, dogs, etc! :)
 
Wagtail said:
I don't think they are past it at 15. Not at all. I just feel it is bad to sell them on after that age, especially if they have served you very well. I think you owe it to them to keep them where they are settled and know people and other horses.
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On the whole I would agree with this, but ...

...my first horse was sold to me at around 20 years old. He'd been at his previous owner's place for years but was not well looked after. He was thin and wormy and depressed and lonely. So I bought him (out of pity) and gave him food, wormed him, he had a horse friend, and once at mine, his own human slave. I bet he was really glad he'd been sold!

Just wanted to say it's not always a tragedy when an oldie gets moved on.
 
suestowford said:
On the whole I would agree with this, but ...

...my first horse was sold to me at around 20 years old. He'd been at his previous owner's place for years but was not well looked after. He was thin and wormy and depressed and lonely. So I bought him (out of pity) and gave him food, wormed him, he had a horse friend, and once at mine, his own human slave. I bet he was really glad he'd been sold!

Just wanted to say it's not always a tragedy when an oldie gets moved on.
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I agree, I've lived in a few villages in my time and it wasn't unusual for a farm to have an old horse standing around round the back somewhere, bored and alone with cracked hooves and nothing to do after the daughter grew up and left home.
 
I have just sold an exceptionally talented 15 year old to a fantastic competitive home - I think you have to look at it case by case as I have seen several crippled 8 year olds I would never buy!
 
I wish i had the money to buy a lovely place with big fields so i could rescue oldies too! Im at a lovely yard and will still be paying the livery for two if i get another one as my older boy will still get all the best he deserves. I am thinking on getting a sharer for him to maybe help with costs thats happy to enjoy lovely hacks on him but if i can manage it i won't. I hate that our furry friends have to get old.. :( its been 11 years since i have been on the buying scene.. man is it daunting!!
 
My husband has a standing joke that once they are here they never leave. It wouldn't matter to me whether we'd have 25 fabulous ridden years or taken them on already retired. We have a small collection of oldies and they will only leave here finally once they are over rainbow bridge. Older horses can be a lot of work and expense to keep, we have several who need teeth checking every 3-4 months, they need more grass, hay and hard feed to maintain their weight, as well as rugging up well and nice cosy stables in really bad weather. What worries me is that they get taken on because they are cheaper than younger horses and then people don't bother to look after them correctly which results in suffering.
 
I have never sold a horse and don't intend to but that has meant the odd period of no riding. A pain but I'd rather that than cast them off to who knows where.

We bought a 17 yo recently, she is an absolute schoolmaster and ideal for my novice OH to ride and handle. She's just so "professional" as he puts it - never heard that word used for a horse but it fits! It's looking like she has early arthritis in her hocks so I'm having the vet out but she's sound so I don't anticipate it being a massive issue. She won't jump again but that's ok. But I did think it a shame that she gave years of service competing only to be sold on; luckily she has a good forever home but it might easily not have been the case.
 
noodle_ said:
ive just clocked a 32 year old pony up for sale :(

if i had more money in the bank id take her on and let her have a nice retirement. but right now i cant afford another euthanasia.... which lets face it on a 32 year old is inevitable. :(
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Totally agree noodle, pts is not cheap nowadays, and keeping some oldies who require daily meds is expensive too.

I feel really sorry for the oldies, where the advert states that they have owned them since a foal or very young, those horses/ponies have served this person all that time, just for the owner to now get rid :( seems a shame, bit like selling your granny/granpa - I couldn't do it, it seems like a betrayal to me.
 
I bought a 31 year old horse 5 years ago who was in a bad way. Two vets looked at him and both agreed he would likely be dead within 2 weeks. He's 36 years old now and still going strong. He's totally sound and loves to go out on trail rides. He used to be a well known competition horse around these parts and I'm sure he'd still love to compete now as he's just the zippiest creature ever and super well trained, however I have him lead a quieter life for his own sake. A few years before I bought him I looked at a competition pony for my daughter. The pony was 35 years old, had just won $5k the week before, and a total of $20k the previous year. The sellers wanted $3.5k for her. I didn't buy her but someone else did and I see her around still winning shed loads of money for her new owner. Some old horses aren't ready to give up the ghost and although I do fear for some of them, many around here are not seen in the same light as old horses are seen in the UK. Actually I hardly ever saw ancient 30 - 40 year old horses when I lived in the UK; here I see literally loads of them still out there doing things.
 
We have bought several older horses and ponies over the years. One I bought at 25, she was a real cracker, super pony, gave me 4 amazing years. Certainly wouldn't discount an older animal provided I wasn't after a youngster!

I think a lot of novice or riders lacking in confidence often refuse to look at older horses when they could be ideal. I've had someone ask me about a first horse fairly recently and she wanted it aged between 5 and 8. I said I thought she could miss out on a real gem if she stuck to that age range.
 
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