Rant about selling older horses

ok tia, say you'd had the horse since it was young, its 18, fit healthy and full of the joys of spring, a close friend cant take the horse and your circumstances mean that you can no longer afford a horse or afford to take the risk when putting it out on loan that it might come back.

what do you do then? put a perfectly fit and happy horse to sleep, or sell it to a good home where he can enjoy the next 5 to 10 years of his life hacking out!

and yes the situation above has happened to one of my friends, she offered me the horse, but i was in no position to take it on. She sold the pony and he is still happily hacking out, doing PC and teaching kids to ride, hes 23 now i think.
 
In my actual position I would have absolutely no trouble finding a home with one of my close friends. They all have hundreds of acres, as do I, so that situation would never arise.
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Tia it may never arise for you but for thousands of horse owners who arent in such a stable position it is a very real problem and situations like that can arise out of nowhere!

so say it did actualy happen what would you do? Some horse owners actualy have to face descisions like that and i know i'd rather sell the horse to a good home then put a healthy happy horse to sleep
 
Well as I've previously said, I would loan the horse out to the best possible home; that way I can still remain in control of how and when it is put to sleep. I would not sell it.
 
ah but with a loan home you have the possibility of the horse beign returned to you, some people are in no position to have the horse back.
 
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Tia it may never arise for you but for thousands of horse owners who arent in such a stable position it is a very real problem and situations like that can arise out of nowhere!

so say it did actualy happen what would you do? Some horse owners actualy have to face descisions like that and i know i'd rather sell the horse to a good home then put a healthy happy horse to sleep

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We had a horse once who belonged to someone in our family; we had looked after him for her since her marriage broke down, and he had stayed with us on our yard for 10 years. he was not 'ours'; we always knew he belonged to her, but we looked after him day to day. Then my parents split up, and we had to sell the house; along with it went our stables. Ellie was put at livery, but reponsibility for the old boy had to go back to his real owner. She looked into livery for him, (had to be full liv due to her work) and decided she couldnt afford it, nor did she think splitting him from Ellie would be fair on him. so, at the (healthy) age of 26, he was put down.

Would it have been fair to him to sell him to someone else, at 26? Knowing the horse as I did, I would say not. We - our family - were all he had known from the age of 6 months, and I dont think it would have been fair to him to pass him on. We stil have major heartaches over him, but I think, ultimately, the right decision was made.
 
.....and if that situation arose then I would look for a new loan home and I have no doubt I would find one. And if the horse was returned after this loan home then I would find another one and so the saga would continue until the horse was unsound or unable to keep going. I would hope however, that my decades of involvement in horses would not fail me in choosing the best and most long-term home. I have a lot of contacts in the equine world so as I say this situation would not arise.
 
Mizelz at 26? probably the right decision was made, but could you say that had he been 16 you'd have done the same and that it would have been best then?
 
Now you are changing the parameters. Firstly you were saying it was wrong to put down a healthy horse, and now you are saying that it is okay to put down a healthy horse so long as it is old.
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Totally agree with Katie_southwest.

My mare is 35 & I'd never sell or loan her (assuming anyone wanted her) to 'get rid' cos she's my responsibility. She's been in the family since she was 3 & I owe her that much.

But the plan with Catembi was always to keep him until he was 18/20 & not so mad for jumping & then sell him to a hacking home & buy another youngster. There were actually 2 people who actively wanted him once he'd 'calmed down a bit' & were looking forward to having him. He'd have had a fab home with either of them, being loved to death & competing at a lower level.

On the other hand, if he'd retired due to something that made him no longer a viable proposition for someone else to have some fun with, I'd have kept him forever.
 
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Mizelz at 26? probably the right decision was made, but could you say that had he been 16 you'd have done the same and that it would have been best then?

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At 16, I would like to say things would have happened differently....but there again, even at that age he was only in light work due to a tendon injury, and would not have had any kind of competitive future.... so would loaning/selling him as a companion have been fair, when you never quite know who you are passing on to? If you know the person well, and you are confident they will lov and look after the horse as you would have done, then fair play...but as others have said, they have passed on their horses in confidence to companion-only homes, only to find their horse being sold at a sale....so I would possibly still argue that in this horse's case, even though he had plenty of happy-hacking years left in him, it would have been a very tricky decision to decide to pass him on or PTS.
 
I'm sorry but I couldn't put an healthy "aged" horse to sleep if he was sound and happy.I think that there is a market out there for older horses for people who are happy to hack around the lanes or indeed want a confidence booster.

I have seen plenty of posts on here about people who have bought younger horses and cannot cope with them and therefore simply are not enjoying what should be a lovely relaxing past time, perhaps had they purchased something older they would be ready for something next time.

When my boy gets older and there is someone out there that would love him and look after him as he deserves why shouldn't I sell him to them so in return they get a gentle , 100% in every way confidence giver.

As somebody else has mentioned technology has moved on and we should look past the age barrier and treat them as individuals as they in the main live to a greater age and enjoy a longer and healthier life.

I totally disagree with the original concept of thid post- sorry!
 
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ah but with a loan home you have the possibility of the horse beign returned to you, some people are in no position to have the horse back.

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I think when people buy horses in the first place and then have years of enjoyment from them they owe the horse a good life and a dignifide end. If you make choices that take your life in a direction that doesn't cater for having the horse back in its retirement is it better to sell the horse and abandon the responsibility or accept that if the horse returns you will have to make the decision to PTS? I would consider it my responsibity to a horse I had used, at least to know it was being well looked after or peacefully destroyed and to keep that control I would only loan.
 
there is a big difference though between 16 and 26.

what i was trying to say and it probably didnt come out right was that 16 is not old anylonger and selling a 16 yearold isnt a bad thing in my book, however at 26 yes a horse is old and doesnt have much chance if sold.
Its all a matter of cut off points, and 16 just isnt old anylonger a pony very often has anouther 10 to 15 years more of fun they could give other children.
 
God that would mean most our yard PTS! we have 23 year olds that can still jump and love to (they jump anything that is in their field) also pickle is 16 and has plenty of life in him!
 
Things have changed dramatically. 35 years ago it was rare to find a horse over 12-16. Horse and Veterinary care has improved so much in recent years that horses are living so much longer. Also horses now are mainly only used for recreational purposes and are treated with far more kindness and consideration.

There are people out there who will just wash their hands of an elderly horse when it grows older and can not be ridden anymore or is costing them more in veterinary fees. Many of these horses end up at sales or passing through dealers hands and this is why if you ever buy a horse from a dealer you must do it with your eyes open as the dealers will not know the true long term history of the horse.
 
wow...after reading some of these replies, the dealers will be kept in old horses to sell on for years......


quite quite sad really.......



i agree with you lec........IF a suitable long term home cannot be found for a sound, healthy oldie, it is the responsibility of its current owner..if that means not getting a new, younger one because you lack finances, then so be it.
IF it can, great.
if the animal in question is constantly lame, has a degenerative ailment, or is unridable due to any other reason, its these animals that SHOULDNT be loaned as companions.....either keep them at home or PTS...
 
A sound healthy older horse being moved on is no different to a younger horse (or is it different when younger horse reachs 16 with new owners??)
As a point of interest our 18yr old pony will be going nowhere as he owes us nothing, in fact out of 4 current horses, one is on permanent loan, two will stay with us either loaned or at home and one will be sold.
 
the only thing i would disagree with lec on here is the age....i wouldn't sell on an animal over 20.....

the difference is, to me would be the health/workrate factor..

i personally wouldnt buy and sell anything over the age of 15.....infact i sold a 13 yr old 2 yrs ago that is the oldest pony i've bought and sold in 20 yrs....
 
I have to say that I dont entirely agree with you.

The age of any horse is irrelevant, if you sell a horse on at all you dont normally have any guarantees of how it will end up, you could say that breeding youngsters and selling them on is just as irresponsible!! There are no guarantees once you part with your animals.

Every owner, breeder, etc has responsibility to their horses END OF!!!

If my horse hadnt been sold to me at 16 years old retiring from affiliated jumping, then both he and I would have missed out on a lot of fun. His owners were responsible and kind and could have made a mint from him selling him on for a young rider, BUT they didnt.

They advertised him as a general allrounder, didnt even mention his very successful jumping career in the advert. They wanted a nice home for him for good. I was told in no uncertain terms that he must NOT be sold on or reaffiliated EVER. Luckily I have kept to my word and the agreement was not in writing, it was out of trust.

He hasnt been sold on but is currently on loan to a local hunt master having given me many fab years of showing and unaffiliated events. It was time to hang up his SJ boots, and he is now galloping around hunting and jumping doing what he loves best....at 27!!!!

I dont agree with selling past say 19/20 but then any horse could end up in the wrong hands as a 5 year old too.......
 
It comes entirely down to personal circumstances and the job an older horse or pony is happy/able to do. Our broodmare was retired from stud duties at 20yo and then loaned to a lovely local home to hack, passing away at 32yo recently. She had no real ability to teach anyone anything and therefore I felt she would be vulnerable in later life.

However, last year we bought a 20yo section A for our youngest. The pony has done pony club with at least 6 homes that I know of. He cost more than £1,000 and, having not put a whisker out of place in the year he has been with us, was money well spent. However, when his ability is outgrown I would consider selling him to another, carefully vetted home, as he has years ahead of him on and just off the lead rein, and is as fit as a flee.

So, two older animals of similar ages, but I have different approaches. Which one was wrong?
 
I agree with that, if said horse is not saleable and sound then yes PTS....we had to do that with our beloved Rolo who was merely 6 years old, daughters first pony, total nutter, but continually escaped, got dangerous, other than hobble him or keep him in forever (and believe me we tried EVERYTHING including fort knox!!!) it was not fair on him to sell him on. He also had lung problems so ultimately when she outgrew him we had to make a decision not to pass "on the problem" and he was never going to settle anywhere else with strangers.

I dont care what people think, I know we made the right decision for him.
 
I sold my 17year old pony just over 12 months ago and he i going round having a great time, winning Hunter trials and PC stuff, and has took the girl from having no confidence to jumping 1m+

I don't see a problem if there fit and healthy and can still do a job
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Sorry but I can not agree with you completely on this subject. I happily bought a ex competition horse at age of 16, she is still with me and being ridden at 22 and I would not hesitate to buy a quality horse of that age again.

There was no way I could afford the quality type horse if they were younger and I got my perfect horse. Yes she has had a quieter life and all we have done is wonderful hacks and a little cross country schooling, but for me to have the opporunity of such a horse I feel very lucky and would search again for the same.

I appreciate where you are coming from - scrap heap type attititude which I think is deplorable.
 
I personally would not buy any horse older than probably a 10yo but thats mainly because I love bringing on youngsters! However, 16 is NOT old. I think plenty of horses can go for much longer, look at top SJers, there's some 18yo's still jumping the top level. I still have my very first pony who is now 20. I have had 3 people approach me and ask if they could have him on loan (I havent though as I want to regulate what work he does etc.), however there is clearly still a demand for the older ones. I sold my shetland as a 17yo (although have since bought her back!) as a companion.

I dont understand WHAT the problem is, as long as the buyer knows its age and the responsibility which comes with it?! Especially if one of your options is to PTS! That is something I totally disagree with, kill the horse simply because its not useful to its owner anymore and its not "right" for someone else to potentially have years of fun with it?!
 
I agree with you Lec.

Maybe 16 is a bit young, but certainly nothing older than 20. I know that ponies go on for years, but by 20 I think they will have served their families well and should be loaned not sold. There are exceptional circumstances of course, like the person going abroad, but the principle is fine.

I get particularly annoyed with people who have an old horse with several problems looking "for a loan home." Actually the poor thing needs a bullet, but they will not face up to the responsibility. They want to get rid of it because it can't be ridden and they can't afford to keep 2 at livery (understandable). So they get passed on to a "good home" and then where do they end up?

This sounds callous, and I know there are people who say "we haven't the right to end a healthy life" but there were several letters in Horse & Hound that were more or less saying the same.
 
My horse is about 25+ and I bought him just over a year ago. He was advertised as 30 and I thought I must be mad to even consider seeing a horse of that age. However I ended up taking him home and I'm so glad that I did. He is only a happy hacker and thats all I want. I took him on fully aware that he could pop off at any time due to his age but from past experience that can happen to any horse of any age so I just enjoy him while I can. When he can no longer be ridden then I'll happily retire him. When he's no longer enjoying his retirement I will do the right thing and have him PTS. I have to say that when I went to see him for the first time that he did not look anywhere near 30 and I could see that he could have fallen into the wrong hands and been sold on as much younger to a novice. My dentist has aged him at about 25ish and I'm trying to find out his true age as I have since found out that he was a military police horse and have been in contact with various people that remember him from the RMP and they are shocked to hear that he's still alive! I've found out quite alot about him and I find it a bit sad that a horse like this has been sold on maybe three times since his military service ended at 18/19. I'm not suggesting that he should have been PTS at that age as I know he still worked and was hunted regularly for a few years before going into private ownership. I'm just glad to own him now.
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A friend of mine has just bought a 19yr old much loved family friend where the woman who owned him had hip problems and was finding the chores too much, let alone the riding.

I don't agree that this horse should've been put down. Nor do I agree that the original owner should've loaned the horse out because as we all know, loaners are fickle people that are likely to decide mid-winter that they no longer want the horse and then he's going to suffer as he's then homeless.

So instead, he's been bought by my friend who is returning to horse ownership after many years and absolutely loves the old boy. He is only used for hacking and the odd lesson and I'm sure could go on for another 5-10yrs.

From reading all the posts/news, loaning seems a more dangerous option to me as the horses seem to go 'missing' quite often.
 
Totally agree, I deliberately bought young(5yo) ponies for my daughters. If they have lost interest by the time they're 18 then the ponies will be 13 years old and can be sold with a relatively clear conscience if you get what I mean, however the way they are i can see them having a home for life with me and me still caring for them when they are pushing 30. I just couldn't have bought them 13-15 year old ponies that have been there/done it like lots of people advised me to and then moved them on as old ponies when/if the kids lost interest. My conscience simply would not allow me to do that, so they got fairly green youngsters instead. Like I say though, I can't really see them going anywhere else.
 
Agree to an extent.
My mare is 16 now and will only ever be able to do light hacking and stay sound.. however if i wanted to, I could claim that she could be a fantastic all rounder and unless she was vetted no one would know until about 6 months down the line they realised her hocks had fallen to pieces, and her fore feet were so damaged she wouldn't be able to walk. Due to careful management atm she is fully sound.
We've bought 3 horses advertised as younger than they were... but never regretted one purchase as they were not treated as elderly ponies they never acted like them! I'd personally never sell a horse over the age of 20... but then again, i've never sold a horse yet.

With regards to putting out on loan.. we got a "20 yr old" on loan... we discovered a year later he was 35.
He was lucky in that we didn't just send him back to an owner who was irresponsible and didn't care for him as she should. Her lying about his age by such a margin was unbelievable - yes she did know, and she did know what he would be used for, but still she lied.
He passed away just before his 37th birthday, loved and adored, but kept despite having to be retired because we loved him dearly.
That is irresponsible on her part... and that was just a loan.
 
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