Owner wants to return the horse i gifted to her

Just a thought - is the new owner using the same farrier/trimmer? If not, that could possibly be where the lameness is coming from. If it's a different farrier could you get your farrier to visit, show and then she is she is still lame? If she comes sound problem solved?
 
So, let me get this right - this person was happy to take on a sound horse paying a measly £1 so as to make it a 'sale'. However, the minute said horse goes lame she's not interested and thinks you should take it back? Sorry, tough is what I say! The horse is hers now and, in case she didn't already know, ANY horse can go lame. The plus with this one is she knows the likely cause and could, if she could be bothered, look to remedy it. For all you know the pre-existing problem may not even be the issue this time. Christ, my sister's horse has been on/off lame for 2 years, with one leg after another. ***** happens with horses and that's the reality! Not your horse anymore OP, not your problem no matter how much she may try guilt you into taking her back!
 
How awful for you,

I must say, As much as I hate it, that PTS is a major consideration that you may have to take,
You care for the horse, but cannot offer her a long term home, you fear for where she may end up, and in this current situation, PTS is probably the kinder option for her, she wont know, but she will know if she is passed from pillar to post.
 
ladyt25 said:
So, let me get this right - this person was happy to take on a sound horse paying a measly £1 so as to make it a 'sale'. However, the minute said horse goes lame she's not interested and thinks you should take it back? Sorry, tough is what I say! The horse is hers now and, in case she didn't already know, ANY horse can go lame. The plus with this one is she knows the likely cause and could, if she could be bothered, look to remedy it. For all you know the pre-existing problem may not even be the issue this time. Christ, my sister's horse has been on/off lame for 2 years, with one leg after another. ***** happens with horses and that's the reality! Not your horse anymore OP, not your problem no matter how much she may try guilt you into taking her back!
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Or that... :)
 
ladyt25 said:
So, let me get this right - this person was happy to take on a sound horse paying a measly £1 so as to make it a 'sale'. However, the minute said horse goes lame she's not interested and thinks you should take it back? Sorry, tough is what I say! The horse is hers now and, in case she didn't already know, ANY horse can go lame. The plus with this one is she knows the likely cause and could, if she could be bothered, look to remedy it. For all you know the pre-existing problem may not even be the issue this time. Christ, my sister's horse has been on/off lame for 2 years, with one leg after another. ***** happens with horses and that's the reality! Not your horse anymore OP, not your problem no matter how much she may try guilt you into taking her back!
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I think that OP is concerned that the horse will end up in a bad situation, the very situation she wanted to avoid, the New Owner texted OP, this is a bad sign imho, yes OP has been supported on here re PTS , but New Owner can't bottle it............
 
There's no reason why the horse would end up in any worse a situation/home than it's in now but she may well struggle to find somewhere at this time of year. Sorry, still not the OP's problem as harsh as that may sound. If it was a loan then yes the OP would be obliged to take her back but she did the right and correct thing IMO and effectively sold the horse to avoid that situation. Still screams of the new owner simply not wanting the horse because it's now 'broken'.
 
It looks as though there are two types of owners, one type considers the horse is a responsibility when in ownership and the other does not.

That seems clear, but I have worked with horses, and looked after hundreds, only two were a "worry'"......... Forest Ivory [NZ 1991] and now My Boy [UK 2004]............
As far as I know the "rest" could look after themselves. I set them on the right path while I had them.
 
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ladyt25 said:
There's no reason why the horse would end up in any worse a situation/home than it's in now but she may well struggle to find somewhere at this time of year. Sorry, still not the OP's problem as harsh as that may sound. If it was a loan then yes the OP would be obliged to take her back but she did the right and correct thing IMO and effectively sold the horse to avoid that situation. Still screams of the new owner simply not wanting the horse because it's now 'broken'.
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Of course the situation for the horse could get worse, what planet are you living on?
Sorry to be impatient, but that is exactly what is causing concern for OP
 
OP I would arrange to buy back the horse for the same as you sold her for and then arrange for the horse and passport to be collected by someone and without telling the curent owner have the horse taken directly to the kennels and pts. if you have been through the rehab and vets before and do not have the finances or time for the horse then you at least have given her the final home that she can never be neglected or passed around from
 
MrsD123 said:
Of course the situation for the horse could get worse, what planet are you living on?
Sorry to be impatient, but that is exactly what is causing concern for OP
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Why? It seems a general consensus on here that a horse is going to be abused/ neglected if someone else is willing to take on a horse that isn't 100% so, according to HHO it is much better to have the horse destroyed. It may shock you that not all people outside of this forum are horse/animal abusers. I still stand by what I say, it is not the OP's problem unless they want it to be. The new owner won't have it PTS, they'll struggle to find someone else to buy/loan it so, from what I see they will be stuck with a field ornament for a while. The horse will probably come sound within a couple of months and the OP will hear no more about it. The new owner is the one who needs to make decisions about the horse's future, not the OP.
 
ladyt25 said:
Why? It seems a general consensus on here that a horse is going to be abused/ neglected if someone else is willing to take on a horse that isn't 100% so, according to HHO it is much better to have the horse destroyed. It may shock you that not all people outside of this forum are horse/animal abusers. I still stand by what I say, it is not the OP's problem unless they want it to be. The new owner won't have it PTS, they'll struggle to find someone else to buy/loan it so, from what I see they will be stuck with a field ornament for a while. The horse will probably come sound within a couple of months and the OP will hear no more about it. The new owner is the one who needs to make decisions about the horse's future, not the OP.
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Must say I do kind of agree with this....
 
I do agree that the New Owner will probably never find a good home for the horse as it is, AND that she is likely to be stuck with it............... but the OP wanted a home for life for her horse, and in one way she is trying to do best for it.
 
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The horse in question would be the worst companion you could imagine! She's a super stressy, Thoroughbred ,who costs a bomb to feed and panics if she's left alone.
I don't think people are saying that she WILL be mistreated but is it fair to run that risk with a 16 year old broken down horse?
The reason I'm so wary is because a few years ago me and my friend rehomed our project horse, who had gone permanently lame, horse as a companion. The man seemed lovely and he said he just needed a companion for his injured horse and that he had his own land so she'd have a home for life...Some time later we found out that he was a dealer who was picking up any cheap or free horse he could find and sellig them on. It's even worse in this current climate. I can't possibly see why anyone would want to take her when you can pick up a young riding horse for peanuts.
 
I do agree though Patterdale that maybe if she just doesn't work her for a couple of months then there's a possibility that she could come right again...She was using the same blacksmith when she first went lame so i'll try and encourage her to speak to him for advice.
 
Not good of this person to try and give her back now she can't be ridden, she knew what she was taking on.

To be honest I probably have her pts.
I know you said tgis person wont consider it, but take her back then decide from there.
 
jrp204 said:
She was happy enough to take on the horse though! She won't talk about PTS, so basically wants to pass the buck back to you. If you are happy that treatments have been exhausted would you be prepared to have her PTS? (Horse not owner).
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Agreed, the new owner sounds unrealistic, and it's unfair for the horse to be passed from pillar to post as a companion. I think the only option is take her back and put her to sleep, to be honest :(
 
The cynic in me wonders whether the new owner also got the luxury of tack etc in with the purchase price and thought it was worth a punt. Now the gamble has turned sour she doesn't want to either pay or confront the responsibility of doing the decent thing, be that paying the vet bills for lameness treatments or paying for pts. A tragic accident or incidence of terminal lameness could have happened to any horse the new owner had bought, and I doubt she would have been buying another horse with full vetting, so she would have been in the same situation, just without the opportunity to apply emotional blackmail to the OP.

IMO I think OP should be offering to hold the horse for the new owner (who still pays the darn fee) whilst the new owner's vet pts at current yard. The new owner has then been absolved of the emotional part, but still has to take financial responsibility, and the OP has the peace of mind of knowing that her loved horse is in a forever home.
 
Sunshine said:
IMO I think OP should be offering to hold the horse for the new owner (who still pays the darn fee) whilst the new owner's vet pts at current yard. The new owner has then been absolved of the emotional part, but still has to take financial responsibility, and the OP has the peace of mind of knowing that her loved horse is in a forever home.
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The New Owner opened the communication with a text saying "horse is lame, I am not going to PTS..........." so when is she suddenly going to come over all co-operative?
 
I think all you can do is let her rehome her. You said that she does love the horse etc. so you would expect her to try damn hard to find a really nice home. You can't unfortunately demand she keeps her and you can't financially have her back so don't see any other option. Don't assume that the horse will end up in a bad home (like so many people seem to think on this forum!). If I were you, I'd probably try to help find the new home then it'd put your mind at ease. Personally I would never put to sleep a horse who was still comfortable even if lame (really depends how bad the horse is and if he's bothered by it, obviously if he is then that's a different matter). I currently have 4 field ornaments... and nothing to ride properly but that's life.
 
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If you can afford it I would put her on retirement livery and take her shoes off, it may be that a barefoot rehab may work for her and then if she comes sound you can put her on loan in the spring/summer. If you don't have the money then take her back and pts.
 
Pay the quid get her and all her stuff back then get the hunt or knackerman to come and collect her. To me that's the fairest thing you can go in this situation for both of you. It's a shame but sometimes we attach to many human emotions to our horses and it makes it so much harder for us to do the right thing.
 
Hi everyone, not much to update you on atm.
The new owner has asked the blacksmith to remove her shoes. He did suggest heartbars but she's decided against it. I'm not sure whether it's just that she doesn't want to spend any more money on her or because she's hoping the barefoot will bring her sound again...
I've asked her owner to keep me in the loop and I've reiterated that if she doesn't come sound then pts is the best thing for her. I'll probably offer to pay half as it would have to be a vet, sedation and lethal injection job. (not brave enough to go down the hunt route even though I know it's quick and painless) Makes me feel sick just thinking about it. She's such a stunning horse and it's such a shame :(
 
OK, well maybe things are still ok, has the diet been fortified to improve the hooves, not sure if this was covered before?
Have you been to see the horse or is this not a good idea?
 
Poor you, I don't envy your decision. Glad to hear she is going to try turning her away. Unfortunately I don't think she sounds like the easiest companion to keep weight on etc, and what if she is not field sound, no one takes on a companion to have to bute them up.

I just think this friend of yours is being a*coward and also perhaps naive. The suggestion of sending the horse to a shelter is something most of us would write off quickly as we are aware how unlikely it would be to get a place. She needs to face up to the reality with your guidance, to be fair she has only owned the horse for 3 months so it may all be a bit daunting.

I think paying half is fair as you want it done by the vet. Don't feel bad, you're doing the best you can for your horse xxxx
 
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