Old Horses

[TicTac]

If you had an old horse living out comfortably with no problems at all, would you have it PTS before it developed any illness or disability?

My YO had his daughters old pony PTS last week quote " before she got something wrong with her"

I am long enough in the tooth to respect what people decided to do with their horses, rightly or wrongly but in this case with money and accomodation not an issue I just think it is a bit sad, that's all.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

We have a 35+ year old, a 27 year old and 2 25 year olds all pottering around their fields. They are being allowed to enjoy their retirements and are constantly monitored for any problems. If any of them were struggling or something went wrong with them then they would be dealt with kindly. They are all much loved pets now having a well deserved rest.

 

[sea_view]

WHAT!!!???!!! I have a 25year old and would not dream of doing something like that. The mind boggles at some people, I just cannot get away with that!

 

[f_s_]

I don't quite understand why someone would have a healthy animal PTS just incase something happened to them???

Surely, a vet, would have some say over that??

 

[Vizslak]

nope couldnt do that myself, not with no problems at all, odd school of thought.

 

[Ellies_mum2]

Good grief

I couldn't do something like that

To have it pts 'in case' is, to me anyway, a cop out I'm afraid

 

[kendra2705]

DEFINITELY NOT my horse has worked really hard for me without even trying if that makes sense, she will only be pts if she is suffering and I couldn't afford to replace her while she is in retirement , would have to borrow one or something. although i did know someone who did endurance and when he got to 17 she had him pts just because she wanted a younger one. and her and her husband was loaded. Also heard of a story of a woman who put a 17 h h grey on the meat lorry cause she didnt want to sell him just in case he ended up in the wrong hands dddddeeeeeeerrrrrr, some people honestly x

 

[stencilface]

No! We have had a few oldies and have always waited until they day they told us. Yes, they had arthritis and their own little issues but I would consider them to have always been happy until the end.

Thats so sad that they did that

 

[Rollin]

My old boy is 30. For the last five years I have prepared myself for his 'last winter', but he is in good health and still does a gentle hack so he will carry on.

I had his old companion pts aged 27. He has arthritis which was treated but slowly got worse. Then one day he had great difficulty coming in from the field. I left his stable door open all weekend but he didn't attempt to move out so we did the deed. He had a lovely life with us and a peaceful end to avoid suffering.

 

[Cliqmo]

Curiously I have just posted a thread asking whether people think 26 is too old to bring horses back into work- whether we can or not there is NO WAY we would PTS without damned good reason!!

 

[RhiannonColeman]

We've got two of my daughters jumping ponies retired with us, one retired 18months ago the other we retired from jumping this week though she will continue hacking and have the occasional trip on the box as she gets very down doing nothing. They will both have a home with us while they remain happy and pain free.

I am not a soppy or over sensitive person, however, I do feel that when an animal has worked hard all its life for our enjoyment it has the earnt the right to a retirment.

Before purchasing people should give more thought to what will become of their equine when it is no longer able to work.

 

[teresagarsden]

I still have my first pony i bought her at 2yrs ( well mum did) and she is still in full work and the local pony club begs her every year for prince phillip cup practice as she is a star nutter!!
We tried to retire her 2 yrs ago and she starved herself!!
so now we just do each day as it comes and she is still the mad one (even with 2 4 yr olds)
I would NEVER even consider letting her go until she says so ( i wouldnt dare!!)
Teresa

 

[amycov]

Never.

 

[Chestersmum]

It depends.

My horse is eleven and was a complete charity buy - he's sound enough for work at the moment, but I'm not expecting him to last forever. With all his problems (which are only going to worsen with age) and his background, I would have him PTS before he became too uncomfortable.

I am hoping that this won't be for many years and he will outlast all our expectations with a cushy and spoilt retirement - but, horse's have no sense of 'I could have lived enough X months/years comfortably'. I would rather PTS perhaps too early, then not make the decision quick enough and see the horse suffer.

ETA: I read the OP to mean that this horse had been retired before it was PTS - I'm not sure I was right in that presumption?

I'm not sure that I would have it in me to put down a horse purely because it could no longer work provided it would be happy in retirement, but like I said, I would put a horse down that had been retired before it got significantly worse.

I would also put a horse down if it was unable to be retired happily.

 

[MagicMelon]

Never. I still have my very first 2 ponies! One is 21yrs old, the other is 19. They both look quite old nowadays but are still happy enough. They spend their lives retired and seem quite content. Id only make the decision when I felt they wanted it and Id hope that as Ive owned them for many many years I'll know when that is.

Id never put any horse down for ANY other reason than it physically could not go on. Certainly never do it just because a horse was not fit for work etc.! Too many people prefer to wash their hands of old horses purely because there is no use for them which I personally find sick.

 

[Mbronze]

I have my 28yr old retired to the field, I was worried he would miss his work etc but he has taken to being just a horse with his field mates and loves it.
To be honest i wouldn't just get him put to sleep like that. If there was something wrong with him that affected his quality of life then yes i would consider it, but at the minute, he has a touch of artiritis so nothing that cannot be controlled or maintained. Most old people get it anyway. He's still happy and eating!!

 

[LankyLucy]

I couldnt do it myself but I suppose its better than just sending it to the sales like some people do when they cant be bothered with them any more.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Now without knowing the animal it is impossible to say. Did it have no problems at all? Was it happy being retired?

My friends 30+ pony will probably be PTS this summer, so she doesn't have to winter again as although she wintered well this year, she is getting increasing unstead and stiff and they don't want to be in the position of having to PTS where she lays because she can't get up. I agree with this decision.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I don't see anything wrong with it personally. It is inevitable at some point, sooner or later an old horse like that will develop problems, surely to god its kinder to let it go before the inevitable happens - than keep it until it does?...

I had my old dog pts before anything was really wrong with her. She had slowed down, wasn't able to do the things she loved - some might say really, there was little wrong with her - but we didn't rue our decision one bit.

 

[silverbullet]

Its a tough one without knowing the horse.

My old boy is 24 still in full work, and although he has some minor health problems i've always said that he will be kept in work as long as he is happy enough to do it, and we'll do as much as he can.

I don't think though that when the time comes for him to retire he will enjoy it, he is so used to being the center of the yard being a field ornament wouldn't keep him happy.

So if they are happy enough and not suffering keep them, if they are unhappy or suffering in any way have them PTS.

 

[brighteyes]

<font color="blue"> If you had an old horse living out comfortably with no problems at all, would you have it PTS before it developed any illness or disability? </font>

If these were the exact conditions, then absolutely not

 

[Janah]

I think better too soon than too late. I have known people that have hung on and on when really the best thing, in my opinion is to let them go.

Difficult to comment on individual cases without knowing all the facts. As someone else said better than selling them on or neglecting them.

Jane

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="blue"> If you had an old horse living out comfortably with no problems at all, would you have it PTS before it developed any illness or disability? </font>

If these were the exact conditions, then absolutely not

[/ QUOTE ]

My sentiments exactly

 

[MagicMelon]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see anything wrong with it personally. It is inevitable at some point, sooner or later an old horse like that will develop problems, surely to god its kinder to let it go before the inevitable happens - than keep it until it does?...

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course its inevitable at some point but if you go down that way of thinking - EVERY horse will die eventually so should we put down horses at a young age?! I know of horses who have lived very happy lives up to a decent age (30's), my oldest is 21 so who am I to choose to end his life now (even though he's perfectly happy) purely because eventually he will go downhill?!

 

[smirnoff_ice07]

Thats ridiculous to have a healthy horse PTS with no good reason.
I still have my 25 year old retired and living out comfortably, he looks better than he has ever been and so happy. He gave me so much during his working years and owes me nothing, he will be with me for life and I would only ever consider having him PTS if I felt his quality of life was compromised, say cos of illness. Think the least we owe them is a decent retirement when they spend most of their lives working hard.

 

[kellyeaton]

no not at all if the horse is healthy and fit i would always keep them going!