One of the hardest decisions i think i'll make...

[shadowboy]

Something has suddenly happened in my family circumstances that means i will have a lot less income than expected. This means i may have to sell my beloved horse. He has been with me since he was two and we have gone through many problems. I have never sold any of my horses before so this is the most difficult thing i could do. I was wondering if you guys would know how much he would be worth as i have honestly no idea whatsoever! He is 5, 16hh (but 16.1/2 over his butt so still has growing to do), he is a Hannovarian x Irish Draft and is registered SHB(GB). He is working Novice level dressage and has been schooled professionally by George Dewez who was trained by the great Nuno Oliviera. He was showjump trained by a prominant showjumper and regular of HOYS etc. He has never bolted with me, and is the sanest hack imaginable. He is quiet in the stable and has no vices and is ridden in a myler comfort snaffle for everything including x-country!. He is a good doer and has excellent feet! Now as many of you will remember, i put him on loan some time ago and he deteriorated, we are working on repairing his balance etc and its all coming back! This horse is a saint for his age, and although he can be grumpy and pull faces is gentle both with humans and other horses. He has never come out of a showing ring without being placed- even at county level and is scoring between 54-61% on novice tests. His down sides- he fractured his hock as a baby so is never to jump over 3foot (although happy to do 2'9 to 3 foot courses locally) and is unlikely to get past Advanced level dressage as his hock may not hold out. But he was scanned twice and has been given the all clear by the vets, and should maintain a normal problem free life. How much would he be worth?
I would prefer to loan him but after what happened last time i dont know if i could do it. I have never loved a horse as much as him and this is heart breaking. To see a piccie go to http://www.newrider.com/cgi-bin/eclassif...query=retrieval to see him. Any other ideas of what to do with him would be welcomed.

 

[skye123]

aww poor u he looks stunning. it says he is on full livery can u not put him on DIY or something as this would probably be a lot cheaper??

 

[horsegirl]

Can't help you with value I'm afraid but I hope you manage to work things so you can keep him. Could you consider a sharer, they could take a chunk of the costs?

 

[shadowboy]

I would not have time to do him im afraid on DIY- i work form 8am until 5.30 and it takes me an hour to get to work and to get home- it would mean no riding all winter as the yard closes at 10 pm. Unfortunately they dont do Part livery- if they did, it may just help.

 

[rach1984horse]

Could you possibly find a sharer that could help you with with yard work & costs. Or possibly try loaning him again, maybe to someone who can keep him on the same yard. Might be easier to find someone by word of mouth rather than advertising.

 

[horsegirl]

Perhaps you could move him to a different yard?

 

[Gwenneh]

He's gorgeous, I'd go for it in a heartbeat if I were still over there!

 

[shadowboy]

I only heard the news today so as yet have not been able to adviertise etc. Initially i just needed someone to ride him once or twice a week to keep him fit. But i may have to remove that old add and put a new for sale one. Yards are scarce in the city so i will be looking out for a cheaper one, but it took a while to find the one he is at now. Do you think the fact he fractured his hock will affect his value considerably?

 

[brightmount]

Reading your post, I think you should do everything possible to avoid selling your horse. It's obvious how deep your bond is. I would consider your past loan as a learning experience, and use it to go down that route again with greater awareness - don't expect disaster a second time.

Your circumstances could change again for the better, you could take him back if he was on loan, but not if you had sold him.

I think you may never get over selling this horse and losing contact, and could always regret it. Just my gut feeling.

 

[brighteyes]

Don't give up - there are some super loan homes out there or maybe a sharer. Too cheap and you may not get the home for life he deserves. I do wish you luck. If you were up here, I'd offer you one of our stables in a flash - foc til you got sorted. There must be someone who can help.

 

[henryhorn]

Reading your post I think I would keep him, even if you turn him away for a year or two. There are various placesdoing all year turn out and with a good couple of rugs so they can change a damp one he will cope fine.
PM me for somewhere not far from here who my vet has said is starting such a service.
he sounds such an exceptional horse I would hang on to him until your life changes for the better again. If not perhaps loan again but this time on your yard perhaps?
Can you struggle through the winter then think again , at least you can find him grazing next summer..

 

[seza]

Would he pass a vetting? If the answer is no then it would affect his value as he could then only realistically be sold for hacking even though you are doing a lot more with him. If he would pass a vet then you shouldn't have any problems selling him. In your postion I would look for a good home rather than price - maybe someone in a local riding club. Good luck - I know this must be a very difficult time for you.

 

[Sparklet]

It is do-able, you just need a good routine.

I work 8.30 to 5pm and have an hour drive home and keep my horse DIY. I go in the morning to feed, muck out and turn out (rubber mats save time). I go again on my way home from work to ride, fill nets (night and morning) and feed again.

I ride and compete all winter.

Oh and our yard closes at 9.15pm

I cant afford to do it any other way.

 

[Kelly1982]

You can do it on DIY, i work from 8.30am to 5pm its takes me an hour each way to and from work and then another half each way to the yard.

I get to the yard at 6.30pm and i am gone again by 8-8.30pm. My horse is on DIY and i manage to ride everynight as well.

I usually get in about 8.30-9pm and then still have a couple of hours to chill so it can be done!!

It may be slightly harder if you have kids though.

 

[freya_5]

If he's only 5 you could potentially, turn him away over the winter and wait for the evenings to stay light? You're cirumstances may change again by next winter. If you had a flood lit school then you could just lunge him twice during the week. I work really long hours too and don't have a sand school so can really only excersie at weekends untill the evenings get lighter it sucks

if you do decide to sell, you could put him on loan with view to buy - you would then know you'd get a good loan home as they want to test him to buy, they'd do loads with him, if he's not right you;ve had him excersied for a while and if it does then he goes to a great home who definately will love him. Look on loads of wesites that sell horses to find a price, at this time of year you're looking at quite alot off his potential value though. I know how tough it is i had to give up my beloved appaloosa who was 5 as he was so hyper he needed riding everyday and I couldn't do it

keep smiling things will turn out ok

 

[Leah3horses]

How about this...find a diy yard or field share for him...give up competing for now, just try to hang on to him the cheapest way possible....things will pick up...I don't think he will have a better home than with you....he doesn't care about money, he lives for the moment....he is only 5, if you and him have to have a much quieter life for a couple of years he will still be young ...just be together, hacking out is free, maybe you can even find a sharer to hack him and help with (reduced) costs....I have only ever had to sell once...I spent the next 2 years looking for her and will always regret it....never found her....you are lucky to have each other, you have a special bond...don't give up, there will be a way to keep your boy.Stay strong.

 

[TGM]

You say you wouldn't loan him because of your last bad experience - but at least when he was out on loan you could get him back. If you sell him you have to be able to cope with the idea that he may not be kept and ridden as you would like and you would have no way of changing that situation.

 

[siennamum]

If he were mineand you clearly feel the same way about him as I do about Sienna - then I would find Grass livery and turn him out for less than £20 per week. If it means you can afford him till you get back on your feet, then great. You can still hack him at the weekend, the turnout will be much better for him and being half ID he'll thrive in a decent rug.
If you can find somewhere you trust, you can leave them to check him daily and just go up at the weekends and play.

 

[annaellie]

If he has a fracted hock in the past and a vet fails him I think you would not get a lot for him but thats only my opinion I could be wrong. Also as people have said if a loan does not go well you can take the horse back if you sell you can not. O ne of my mares had a leg injury that ment she was sutiable for broodmare only, I did not want to advertiseb as my fear was they might try and do this that and the other with her I contacted a lady who I knew bred and sold her to her as I knew this wouldnt happen she is still there and I can go and see her anytime I like. I would loan or diy. Good luck I hope it works out for you in the end