putting a pony down due to financial constraints

tabbycat_

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Hi all,

This is hard post to write, and I'm looking for some insight and suggestions towards it. Unfortunately, I lost my job this week and cannot pay bills or my pony's upkeep.
None of my family members are able to help out financially, apart from my Dad who has agreed to, on a short term basis, give me £25 a week.

The fact of the matter is, this money either goes towards my horse's rent or it goes to buying food. Losing my job has affected my parent, who I live with, as they're having to juggle my bills on top of their own which they can't really do anyway. I'm looking for jobs none stop.

This weekend I am due to get hay, straw and also pay for a wormer next week. I have no idea how I am going to pay for this, and the fact of the matter is I cannot.

My pony is almost 25 and has been with me for a good six years, and she has never gone without so it is not fair to do this to her. She is far too precious to be passed from pillar to post. She is generally in good health, getting a little more moody with age but she has never gone without (regular dentist, physio, vet treatment etc).

I have attempted to find a loaner for her and no one has got back to me, or has simply wasted my time by not turning up. (Editing to add that I have been searching for a loaner for about a month prior to losing my job...) My friend has agreed she could help out on weekends and give me £10 but isn't enough. (She can't afford more either.) But it is an option.

This is a rambling post, which I apologise for. I just don't know what to do. I want to keep my pony as she's my best friend. I don't want to get myself into further debt, either. I think that putting her to sleep is an option, hopefully one I won't have to do. I am scared that if it comes to that, that people from where I live will judge me on it and say horrible things over social media--I live in a tight knit, horsey community where everyone has something to say.

Do I hang on as long as I can and pray that a job comes up soon, or do I make the inevitable decision? Even when I was in work, I struggled to pay for her but managed.

I have had to give up my other horse this week and he is now on full loan to a lovely family so I hope that works out as I am not in a position to have him back.

Everything's just a mess and I feel like crying but I need to keep my head up and figure out how to get out of this mess.

Please no horrible comments. I'm trying to do the right thing. :(
 
Grass livery here is quite expensive, but I am messaging people to try find a good deal.
But then I'd have to come up with transport money which isn't cheap, but I may be able to get a discount from a friend... a lot of grass livery places here want a month in advance which I simply don't have.
while I want to hang onto her I can't bare thinking of her being forced to stay out in the cold, even if she's rugged up extra warm. I know it's only a few more months of Winter but I'm just scared that whatever decision I make may end up being the wrong one. At the moment I can't seem to do anything right :/
 
Call centre work, office work, bars, McDonalds, KFC, hotel receptionist, librarian, cleaner, customer service advisor in banks etc. With care work, do you need the necessary qualifications or is that offered alongside? My only drawback is I can't drive, and I don't know if that's a needsmust with care work.
 
I work for a homecare company, if you were to do homecare in a town I think you can walk or bike between clients, depends on the company but if it's a nursing home then that would be better probably as it's 8-10 hour shifts usually. You don't need experience usually, they train you as you go along, the money isn't too bad either x
 
First of all you need to forget about what other people will say, it is none of their business and if they are so concerned perhaps they would like to pay all the bills themselves - you need to keep other people out of the equation, this is simply your decision and it is unfair for anyone not in your shoes to judge you for it.

You could hang on to see if another job comes along in the near future, but I would give yourself a sensible limit time wise and if a job isn't forthcoming then I'd make the decision to pts.

In the meantime I'd look to cutting costs as much as possible, cheap grass livery or even renting a field somewhere may work out cheaper than livery.

25 isn't a bad age at all, and better to go out when well cared for and happy than wait until things deteriorate too much. My brother has working horses that are pts when they are starting to struggle, retirement isn't an option and he knows that they won't be passed about and end up suffering somewhere.

An awful decison to have to be forced to make for you, but a sensible and practical one. Have a hug from me xx.
 
tabbycat, I'm sorry to read of your current predicament. I think that you're very brave to post on here, but every now and then in life, we need to turn our lives, and our responsibilities around, to allow for us to proceed. If you can't afford to keep your horse, if there is no acceptable alternative, and if you can't face simply dumping the responsibility on others, then, though perhaps a little clinical, the option of putting the horse down, will allow you to move on.

As a last option, PTS is most certainly the most responsible route.

Alec.
 
I work for a homecare company, if you were to do homecare in a town I think you can walk or bike between clients, depends on the company but if it's a nursing home then that would be better probably as it's 8-10 hour shifts usually. You don't need experience usually, they train you as you go along, the money isn't too bad either x

That's made me feel a little bit better, thank you. I'll have a look right away. x

First of all you need to forget about what other people will say, it is none of their business and if they are so concerned perhaps they would like to pay all the bills themselves - you need to keep other people out of the equation, this is simply your decision and it is unfair for anyone not in your shoes to judge you for it.

You could hang on to see if another job comes along in the near future, but I would give yourself a sensible limit time wise and if a job isn't forthcoming then I'd make the decision to pts.

In the meantime I'd look to cutting costs as much as possible, cheap grass livery or even renting a field somewhere may work out cheaper than livery.

25 isn't a bad age at all, and better to go out when well cared for and happy than wait until things deteriorate too much. My brother has working horses that are pts when they are starting to struggle, retirement isn't an option and he knows that they won't be passed about and end up suffering somewhere.

An awful decison to have to be forced to make for you, but a sensible and practical one. Have a hug from me xx.

Thank you for your kind reply. One of my problem's is I care a lot about what people think, and I just want the best for my old pony. But she has had a good life and always been spoilt. I'm going to try my hardest to find grass livery or maybe even just somewhere she could go on loan as a companion, but she does prefer her own company so perhaps it wouldn't be fair. I don't know.. thank you again xx

tabbycat, I'm sorry to read of your current predicament. I think that you're very brave to post on here, but every now and then in life, we need to turn our lives, and our responsibilities around, to allow for us to proceed. If you can't afford to keep your horse, if there is no acceptable alternative, and if you can't face simply dumping the responsibility on others, then, though perhaps a little clinical, the option of putting the horse down, will allow you to move on.

As a last option, PTS is most certainly the most responsible route.

Alec.

Thank you Alec x
 
Helloooooo .. So sorry for u .. Could u speak to the yard owner ? Maybe help out at the stables for a free stable or grazing ? Just till u get back on your feet ? Where abouts ate you based ?
 
Oh I do feel for you, what a horrible situation :( But already you are demonstrating a very sensible attitude and being practical. As above, I thkn you need to set a time frame and write down a plan of action, even a checklist could help you decide what the priorities are.

Regarding PTS, this is a perfectly feasible option and probably preferable to giving away free to a good home. Obviously it would be a last resort but not an unreasonable one and I don't think many here would object to your putting the welfare of the pony first. She will inevitably be much happier to spend her last days with you than she would in a strange new home, especially as her age. Good luck with the job hunt, got everything crossed for you.
 
Can you explain the situation to you YO perhaps offer to help out to help cover your rent cost/help other liveries with mucking out/turnout for money?Just thinking of things to do to help you whilst you find work.
My friend recently had to have her old mare pts it costs nearly £600 just to give an idea of costs so not always a cheap option although I'm sure that varies depending on area/vet. Perhaps if your YO could give you a months breather whilst you find work to help you out.
hope your able to find work soon xx
 
At the end of the day tabbycat_ you need to do what is right for you and your horse. I quite understand that you don't want her to fall into the wrong hands. I am often in this situation as I am a temp so every time my contract ends I am left with no work until I can find something else and it worries me stupid. So I sign on. Within a month I've found another temp contract and I'm away again. But at least I have had some money to tide me over, even though its not much. If you did that it would buy you a few bales of hay and straw.

People will always judge you and its very hard not to find their words hurtful, God knows I have had enough of that to last me a lifetime. So doing what you feel is right and not be swayed by others hurtful words is difficult but you must put yourself and your horse first in front of their opinions. If they are that stupid and ignorant then they are not worth worrying about anyway and to put stuff over social media is really nasty and spiteful.

Care work isn't something I would chose to do as I think it would be very emotionally and physically draining. If you wanted to do this I tbelieve you would need a DBS to prove you are honest and have no criminal record which you may have to pay for yourself, luckily I've always had mine paid for by my agencies. You would receive training on the job and don't need previous experience however. But its not easy work.

In the short term speak to the yard owner and explain the situation. If they are kind/reasonable he/she should be prepared to give you time to sort your finances out until you can find work. The hay and straw you will need to buy, the wormer can wait, its not an essential. Is there anyway you can work for the yard owner in return for your horse being rent free? Maybe muck out a few boxes or turn some horses out for her? Maybe even extend that and offer your services to other yards in the area or other horse owners and start your own little business.
 
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Horrible situation. If there is no way of finding another job then I'm not sure what choice you have - horses are not cheap and the best of horses is difficult to sell at this time of year - at her age I personally wouldn't pass on/ loan etc.

None of us can magic money out of thin air, have a really good go a alternative job hunting and if that doesn't work out - you've no real options.
 
Poor you. Lots of old ponies live out in winter well rugged with plenty of food so as long as you can find the right place she will be OK. I wouldn't go for the bigger yards I would try smaller places where perhaps a bit of help with odd jobs would be of more value than money. FB can be a very scary place, so unless you know someone really well and they can give you support do not tell anyone, them will always know better. Having a horse PTS costs money , if the hunt comes out it will be about £150. So I would start with all the places that you can get to, knock on doors, backs of bigger houses or farms, get a reference from your currant YO or even be up front and ask if you can defer some of the payment or making up by doing yard jobs. I would still try to get a loan, it can work, I ended up loaning out two in winter by chance when I was not really looking to loan them.
You will get another job. I would go to an agency and try and get catering work, some who do functions will provide some transport. You do not need any qualifications just look presentable, white blouse, black skirt and be polite. There is a lot of carework but you need to be CRB checked and do basic training, whether its in a home or the clients home.
Try not to get bogged down in the whole of it, look at one bit at a time.
 
Don't PTS straight away, give yourself time to think.

Are you eligible for any benefits? If so are you claiming them? Are there any horse charities close to you that may be able to help by keeping horse until you get yourself sorted - although this is probably doubtful.

If your short on cash the hunt/knackerman is by far the cheaper option than a vet.
 
Ah, poor you, what a horrid situation. What are your house cleaning skills like? Do you have transport? If so, you could try putting up an advert in a local shop for cleaning jobs/spring clean/de-clutter.

Can you do some extra jobs at the livery yard to help towards your pony's keep?
 
If you do not have money for hay and straw and a wormer, then you don't have money to PTS. Even if you get the hunt to do it, it will cost you in excess of £100. For once, I think this may be a situation where a charity is needed to step in. I would never normally suggest this as they are stretched to breaking point, but this is the type of situation they are there for. Not for when someone just decides they don't want an old pony. What a horrible situation for you. I am so sorry.
 
tabbycat, I'm sorry to read of your current predicament. I think that you're very brave to post on here, but every now and then in life, we need to turn our lives, and our responsibilities around, to allow for us to proceed. If you can't afford to keep your horse, if there is no acceptable alternative, and if you can't face simply dumping the responsibility on others, then, though perhaps a little clinical, the option of putting the horse down, will allow you to move on.

As a last option, PTS is most certainly the most responsible route.

Alec.

Wise words and I am in full agreement
 
thanks everyone for your replies - i've tried to quote everybody's post but i'm not forum savvy!

Can you explain the situation to you YO perhaps offer to help out to help cover your rent cost/help other liveries with mucking out/turnout for money?Just thinking of things to do to help you whilst you find work.
My friend recently had to have her old mare pts it costs nearly £600 just to give an idea of costs so not always a cheap option although I'm sure that varies depending on area/vet. Perhaps if your YO could give you a months breather whilst you find work to help you out.
hope your able to find work soon xx

I was worried about the cost of PTS. She is only covered for external injury/disposal/death of horse but I don't understand the insurance policy. I have been paying into it for almost 6 years and never claimed once. My yard owner knows I have lost my job and, while sympathetic, she has said she has standards that need to be adhered to and it's not her fault that things have slipped through the net. Thank you xx

At the end of the day tabbycat_ you need to do what is right for you and your horse. I quite understand that you don't want her to fall into the wrong hands. I am often in this situation as I am a temp so every time my contract ends I am left with no work until I can find something else and it worries me stupid. So I sign on. Within a month I've found another temp contract and I'm away again. But at least I have had some money to tide me over, even though its not much. If you did that it would buy you a few bales of hay and straw.

People will always judge you and its very hard not to find their words hurtful, God knows I have had enough of that to last me a lifetime. So doing what you feel is right and not be swayed by others hurtful words is difficult but you must put yourself and your horse first in front of their opinions. If they are that stupid and ignorant then they are not worth worrying about anyway and to put stuff over social media is really nasty and spiteful.

Care work isn't something I would chose to do as I think it would be very emotionally and physically draining. If you wanted to do this I tbelieve you would need a DBS to prove you are honest and have no criminal record which you may have to pay for yourself, luckily I've always had mine paid for by my agencies. You would receive training on the job and don't need previous experience however. But its not easy work.

In the short term speak to the yard owner and explain the situation. If they are kind/reasonable he/she should be prepared to give you time to sort your finances out until you can find work. The hay and straw you will need to buy, the wormer can wait, its not an essential. Is there anyway you can work for the yard owner in return for your horse being rent free? Maybe muck out a few boxes or turn some horses out for her? Maybe even extend that and offer your services to other yards in the area or other horse owners and start your own little business.

Thank you so much for your reply, I do think that care work would be emotionally and physically draining but I am so desperate for a job I am willing to do anything. Unfortunately the wormer is a necessity and a yard rule to obide by. I don't think she would let me be rent free, and I have already reduced costs by no longer using the bring in and turning out service - I'll try other yards though. xx


Don't PTS straight away, give yourself time to think.

Are you eligible for any benefits? If so are you claiming them? Are there any horse charities close to you that may be able to help by keeping horse until you get yourself sorted - although this is probably doubtful.

If your short on cash the hunt/knackerman is by far the cheaper option than a vet.

I have applied for Universal Credit but it takes 5 weeks for it to come in, so I won't receive it till the end of February.. All the horse charities here are pretty full. x
 
I'm afraid I doubt very much your insurance will cover a PTS as they only pay out when you have no medical choice. They even argue if you chose PTS instead of colic surgery etc. so you would need to pay for it. How much is your insurance? At the minute you'd struggle to find the excess for any vets fees so maybe you could look at cancelling your insurance until you have a new job? The money you save can be put towards livery or PTS? Not ideal though
I do hope you find another job soon x
 
Hi, sorry to hear if your situation.

Firstly cancel any out going which isn't an essential ie mobile phone, gym membership, magazines etc etc
Speak to your bank or if you have loans, credit cards etc and see if you can take a payment holiday for a couple of months.
Update your CV and register online with as many job sites possible I.e Monster, fish for jobs, Reed etc
Take a couple if hours and phone all the agencies in your area and sign up with them...mist if them can get you in straight away in some rubbish factory job but remember it's only temp until you can find a job you enjoy
Apply for every job going, even if it's just a stepping stone until you get yourself sorted.
Go to the job centre and sign on, if you have paid tax on your last job you should be entitled to job seekers which is paid fortnightly and is approx £60 a week. They will also help you to find work and have various jobs listed on their computers which you can use free of charge.
Take your friend up on her offer of help at weekends and the £10. Even if it's just for a month.
Have you got anything you can sell in the short term horsey (rugs, tack) or anything at home (CDs, DVDs, clothes, jewellery) Ebay is good for selling online or shops like Cash Converters.

You have only just lost your job (this week) you may have another next week?!

I was made redundant on a Wednesday and after jointing a couple of agencies had work on the Monday...it's scary but it's doable.

However I don't think putting a 25 year old pony down if you feel there is no other option is a terrible thing and is a brave and responsible one.
 
Where are you? I would be happy to help out with costs in exchange for a ride, even if it's just once or twice a week - I could also afford to pay you more than £10 a week! I can't bear the thought of a healthy horse being PTS, especially seeing as you've had her a long time. Definitely don't consider PTS atm, get yourself down the job centre, sign on for some benefits if you can and keep applying for jobs - something will come up. You are clearly a very responsible owner who is aware of the situation that you are in but please don't give up yet. As others have mentioned, PTS is NOT a cheap option, the cheapest will still cost you over £100 and that's £100 that may buy you another 2-3 weeks livery, or wormer and shoes/trim. If you are local to the Surrey area, please, please let me know as I am more than happy to help you.
 
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Bless your heart what an awful position to be in ... For now you have £25 coming in from your Dad, your friend could help out with £10 too so that will help. Even if it means buying cheap bread, tins of beans, and 18p packs of noodles and living on that short term, it`s a start and will give you breathing space. Your insurance won`t cover you for PTS costs unless the vet has said it`s inhumane to keep them alive, which isn`t the case here, as you say she is ok health wise.

You know you have universal credit coming, which is good and there`s nothing to say you won`t find a job before then anyway. Ho much is your YO wanting for the wormer? They usually get them cheaper as they buy in bulk.

Whilst PTS is definitely an option, and a very responsible one too, I think it will leave you feeling totally heartbroken judging by how fondly you speak about her, and want the best for her.

I wish I could wave a magic wand for you :( ... If you have been told you can have Universal Credit, I believe you can also apply for an immediate Crisis loan (through the job centre, I seem to remember a friend doing similar) that may help you short term too.
 
Bless your heart what an awful position to be in ... For now you have £25 coming in from your Dad, your friend could help out with £10 too so that will help. Even if it means buying cheap bread, tins of beans, and 18p packs of noodles and living on that short term, it`s a start and will give you breathing space. Your insurance won`t cover you for PTS costs unless the vet has said it`s inhumane to keep them alive, which isn`t the case here, as you say she is ok health wise.

You know you have universal credit coming, which is good and there`s nothing to say you won`t find a job before then anyway. Ho much is your YO wanting for the wormer? They usually get them cheaper as they buy in bulk.

Whilst PTS is definitely an option, and a very responsible one too, I think it will leave you feeling totally heartbroken judging by how fondly you speak about her, and want the best for her.

I wish I could wave a magic wand for you :( ... If you have been told you can have Universal Credit, I believe you can also apply for an immediate Crisis loan (through the job centre, I seem to remember a friend doing similar) that may help you short term too.

This is excellent advise. I have never heard of a crisis loan until now but it sounds like that might be an option until you're working and back on your feet again.
 
In the short term speak to the yard owner and explain the situation. If they are kind/reasonable he/she should be prepared to give you time to sort your finances out until you can find work.

Sorry for your situation but I think the above suggestion is completely unreasonable. The yard owner is running a business and probably has their own financial problems. Why not ask Tesco to supply you with free food while you are at it?
 
Get an immediate apt at your local job centre. Not only will they tell you what you are entitled to, they really can help with finding another job and can sometimes help with expenses to get to interviews.

I would approach local equine charities as well. You are trying to find a short term solution so maybe they could help, particularly if you are offering help as well.

Horrible and stressful but hopefully you will see you have some options ...
 
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