Re-homing an oldie.

[TheresaW]

I saw a post on FB yesterday advertising a youngish big horse that has arthritis and must never be ridden again. They were looking for a companion home for him where he could live out his days. I, like many others, thought they should take responsibility and put to sleep.

I was thinking about it on the way home from doing my 2 tonight. I have a 26 year old cob mare. She is never sick or sorry, still loves to hack out, is sound, and would probably do a bit more if I was that way inclined. She lives out 24/7, came out of winter 17/18 a bit light, but we had the beast from the east. Winter just gone, she was fine. If my circumstances changed and I could no longer keep her, what would you do? I don’t think I would find it easy to put a happy healthy horse to sleep, but I also don’t think I could sell her and not know her ending. I would do absolutely everything in my power to keep her, but I know sometimes it’s not possible.

 

[whiteflower]

I've had the same thought processes with mine and with my older one in a similar situation to yours I would pts. I would rather she went never knowing suffering or pain then risk her falling into the wrong hands when older. She owes me nothing.
It's a very emotive subject and one which will have people with differing strong opinions and you can only do what's right for you and your horse and your personal situation. My girl has been with me since very young and knows nothing but me and home. Even though healthy I wouldn't want her to have the stress of being moved from all she's ever known in her twilight years

 

[TheresaW]

Thank you. Doll isn’t going anywhere, I’ve had her for 17 years, shared her for 2 years before that. I think it’s just made me think that sometimes situations aren’t as cut and dried as they appear, and it’s very easy to say PTS. I lost my other oldie last November. He’d been retired for about 3 years, and without question I would have put him to sleep sooner if I’d been unable to keep him.

 

[teddypops]

I have a 28yo who is in full work, fast and forward going. We go on fast hacks to the woods most days, however if I could no longer keep her, she would be pts. I would find it very difficult to do this but I could never pass her on to face an uncertain future.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

My sister and I have three between us, 30, 24 and 19 and I really don't think I'd pass any of them on. I'm glad we have each other to fall back on if something happened.
Before we had ours settled and together I always said I wanted mine pts if anything happened to me. My best friend was gobsmacked but I would rather they didn't get passed on.

 

[sky1000]

I have never forgotten a post about old horses at a market who perked up when they saw a blonde girl in a gilet thinking it was their girl come to save them. Pts must be the way to go for the sake of the horse. Is it the case that carcasses are no longer worth anything so people are less likely to do the right thing?

 

[TheresaW]

I would definitely do the right thing, just musing about what ifs is what is making me question it I think. As I said, I couldn’t live with myself not knowing her ending.

Ollie isn’t a problem. She’s probably hoping I’ve forgotten by now, but I bought him from Clodagh on here, with the proviso if I couldn’t keep him any more, he would go back to her 🤣

 

[Courbette]

I’d hate to put a healthy animal down but an older horse (mid to late 20’s) or a horse with severe health issues i’d be reluctant to rehome. Once you sell the horse you have no control over how it is treated, whether it gets the correct vetinary care or even if it sold on again. For a healthy horse a loan with regular checks would be my preferred option and for an extremely old horse or a horse with issues PTS. The horse won’t know anything about it and is kinder than it spending the last little bit of it’s life in possible fear and uncertainty.

Easy to say when I’ve not been in this situation but I hate adverts where the horse has been in one home for the best years of it’s life and then gets uprooted in it’s 20’s or when it has a severe health issue rather than the owner taking responsibility.

 

[Fransurrey]

I saw a post on FB yesterday advertising a youngish big horse that has arthritis and must never be ridden again. They were looking for a companion home for him where he could live out his days. I, like many others, thought they should take responsibility and put to sleep.

I was thinking about it on the way home from doing my 2 tonight. I have a 26 year old cob mare. She is never sick or sorry, still loves to hack out, is sound, and would probably do a bit more if I was that way inclined. She lives out 24/7, came out of winter 17/18 a bit light, but we had the beast from the east. Winter just gone, she was fine. If my circumstances changed and I could no longer keep her, what would you do? I don’t think I would find it easy to put a happy healthy horse to sleep, but I also don’t think I could sell her and not know her ending. I would do absolutely everything in my power to keep her, but I know sometimes it’s not possible.

My gelding was 27 when pts this year. He was last ridden on Christmas Eve, when I knew something was wrong, as he wasn't in front of the pack when hacking. He was pts in June, but if you'd told me this time last year he would go downhill and be gone in a year I'd have laughed my head off, so no way would I consider rehoming anything over 20. He wad legendary at my yard because he left everything standing. We often joked that he should act his bloody age. ;-)

 

[Fransurrey]

My best friend was gobsmacked but I would rather they didn't get passed on.

My best friend was upset when I had H pts, as I'd reported that he'd really perked up after being ataxic the night before. I didn't tell her that I'd booked him in until after he was gone. She cried more than I did!

 

[Brownmare]

I would pts without question. I had a pony as a child who we sold when he was late teens to what was supposed to be a permanent home. I found him again in a local field aged 34 and looking awful, really sad and tired and thin! I tracked down the owners and they produced a new passport showing his age as 19 but said his real age explained why he struggled to hold condition! They had bought him through the sales for meat money and had actually just sold him but cancelled the sale and gave him to us to retire so we were able to give him a final couple of years of luxury. I swore then I would never sell on an older horse.

 

[Bs_mum]

I have 2 golden oldies (well 1 is mine, the other is my father in laws) 1 at 31 then other at 25. Much like yours my 25 year old is still full of life, still enjoys her ridden career which is albeit at a slower pace these days. If something happened where I couldn’t have her at home, then I would have her PTS.
I’ve already made a decision on the older one, that once those first signs of winter come through- unfortunately that will be it. He didn’t come through the last winter well, my FIL bought him to me mid winter as he couldn’t give him the care he needed. He’s just been diagnosed with Cushings, and while he’s fine right now & finally up to weight, with all the love in the world, he won’t make the first frost & I won’t allow him to suffer

 

[meleeka]

I have four oldies. I’d sacrifice a lot to keep them happy but If I really couldn’t keep them I’d pts. It would break my heart so it would have to be dire circumstances. The two twenty year olds who are still useful could possibly be loaned to a trusted friend, but the older two will end their days with me. Selling them/gifting them to an uncertain future would break my heart more.

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

My horse is a youngster but I'm hoping to have her for the rest of her life. If there came a point when she was 30 years old and I couldn't keep her for whatever reason I would put her to sleep. Even if she was healthy I would rather her go happy knowing she had the best of everything, than to sell her to be passed around to idiots

 

[SEL]

Mine aren't old but they have health problems - I've made a promise to both of them that I'm their last home.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

It always saddens and disturbs me when I see poor old Oldies advertised as "companions" on social media or anywhere.

Last autumn I PTS my two oldies, they were 20 and 22 respectively, and had mobility difficulties. Because they were pairbonded they were PTS on the same day, together, side by side.

They were my horses who'd given the best years of their life for me, and it was the right decision to make, which had been planned for a while as I knew that was what would be the right thing for them.

If there was ever a situation where I had an oldie and could no longer keep it, I would, without hesitation, make the PTS decision.

I've got two horses at the moment, they're only 5 & 7; but looking forward a good few years, which I'm sadly aware will pass only too quickly, when the time comes - if I'm still around to make the decision (if not, I have instructions in my will that a friend who I know and trust will make the decision and I know that she will execute it) - they will also be PTS together.

There are a lot worse fates that can befall a horse than being PTS humanely....... we all know that unfortunately.

 

[meleeka]

I rehomed a pony last year which the vet thinks could easily be 30. I only took her on because I couldn’t stand the thought of where she’d end up and she wasn’t even mine! Presumably she’d given the best years of her life to someone (and apparently taught their kids to ride) and was just given away to a novice owner who lost interest quickly.

 

[blitznbobs]

I am not very good at selling horses, I feel blessed that both I and my parents have land with our houses, so if I lost my house then the oldies would go to mum and vice versa. If the world ended and neither of us could stay in our homes then they’d be pts unless I could find a close horsey friend to have them. I do feel that this is a very unlikely scenario though.

 

[blitznbobs]

I am not very good at selling horses, I feel blessed that both I and my parents have land with our houses, so if I lost my house then the oldies would go to mum and vice versa. If the world ended and neither of us could stay in our homes then they’d be pts unless I could find a close horsey friend to have them. I do feel that this is a very unlikely scenario though.

On the other side of the coin we took on a 37 year old Shetland 6 years ago and she has a very happy retirement with us... 6 years on she’s looking a bit creaky round the edges but still seems very happy. So not all older rehomes are disasters

 

[ycbm]

I've had to rescue a starved eleven year old who I was told by the vet to rehome to get him off the hills. He was about to be used in a bad riding school. I would never again rehome an unsound horse, I would PTS to avoid the risk of abuse.

.

 

[ester]

My gelding was 27 when pts this year. He was last ridden on Christmas Eve, when I knew something was wrong, as he wasn't in front of the pack when hacking. He was pts in June, but if you'd told me this time last year he would go downhill and be gone in a year I'd have laughed my head off, so no way would I consider rehoming anything over 20. He wad legendary at my yard because he left everything standing. We often joked that he should act his bloody age. ;-)

Very much the same experience with Frank albeit he is still ticking along again now but he had to slow down pretty quickly. Our best years were 20-24 but there is no way I would have rehomed him in that time.

 

[pansymouse]

I have a 28yo who is in full work, fast and forward going. We go on fast hacks to the woods most days, however if I could no longer keep her, she would be pts. I would find it very difficult to do this but I could never pass her on to face an uncertain future.

I feel exactly the same about my fit active 26 year old.

 

[flying_high]

Very much the same experience with Frank albeit he is still ticking along again now but he had to slow down pretty quickly. Our best years were 20-24 but there is no way I would have rehomed him in that time.

I think it depends. No way I would have sold or loaned my high mileage lots of issues and still a character 20 year old 17hh warmblood.

But an uncomplicated, sound, no issues horse in early 20’s could still have lots of fun, if owners circumstances meant unable to look after them.

I think I would be prepared to loan, to people that I had a connection to, that were a good fit for the level of work horse could do, versus advertising on open market and keep a monthly check by visit / photo update.

But I'd be ready to put down if horse or loaners weren't having fun.

 

[Clodagh]

I would definitely do the right thing, just musing about what ifs is what is making me question it I think.

Ollie isn’t a problem. She’s probably hoping I’ve forgotten by now, but I bought him from Clodagh on here, with the proviso if I couldn’t keep him any more, he would go back to her 🤣

The statute of limitations has expired on that offer. 😄

 

[ester]

I think it depends. No way I would have sold or loaned my high mileage lots of issues and still a character 20 year old 17hh warmblood.

But an uncomplicated, sound, no issues horse in early 20’s could still have lots of fun, if owners circumstances meant unable to look after them.

I think I would be prepared to loan, to people that I had a connection to, that were a good fit for the level of work horse could do, versus advertising on open market and keep a monthly check by visit / photo update.

But I'd be ready to put down if horse or loaners weren't having fun.

I guess that's my point though, mine in his early twenties still had loads of fun, we were still hunting, competing dressage, just cracking our half passes, jumping, going on holiday round the New Forest in the June etc. No medical issues other than one successfully medicated spavin.
By the September it was advised he was moved to somewhere on the flat as his annular ligaments started to play up, in October after moving he had a bad case of photosensitisation and tested as liver damage and he immediately became much more high maintenance.

I would however like to hope I have good friends and he has a big enough fan base that someone I completely trusted would have helped me out if my circumstances meant I couldn't look after him. I mean arguably I've loaned him to my Mum now even though it is her name in the passport . She does what she is told though if I don't visit soon she is threatening to shorten his mane, this is not her strong point...

 

[Chinchilla]

If ever something happened whereby keeping horses wasn't possible for whatever reason, ours would all be pts together too. It sounds barbaric, but they have none/very little market value - due to various quirks and health issues and age - and infinite sentimental value, so it's in both ours and their best interests. That said, they're not going anywhere at the moment: the little ones are arguably not much more than a financial burden as both are long retired (although tbh the bigger two aren't much better than field ornaments at the moment too) but it is always nice to have tiny, eminently huggable thelwell lookalikes about the place to cuddle!

 

[Hollychops]

I have 2 oldies (one is 39 the other 27), ours will be their last home. I couldnt let them go out on loan even so when they tell me the time is here i will do whats right for them

 

[ester]

Although thinking more, he does hate change/moving so maybe not even to friends.

 

[Andrew657]

If my circumstances changed so I was either unable to keep or work my horse I would have a big dilemma.

At the moment he's fit and happy doing the job I want him to do and at 15 not particularly old. However I'm also aware he's got both behavioural quirks and a veterinary history that would make finding him an appropriate home difficult (impossible ?). These also mean I believe he would rapidly decline if retired.

 

[Caol Ila]

I wrote a story for the Chronicle of the Horse about a mare, advertised by her owners on Craigslist (A US equivalent to Gumtree) as a 30-year old companion. Posters on the COTH forum got wound up and incensed, saying the owners should do the responsible thing and put the mare down, passing a 30-year old mare on was a terrible thing, and so forth. Anyway, they organised a 'posse' of posters local to the mare to buy her (being sold for one hundred bucks) and transport her to the farm of a COTH member who was willing to take her on, or put her down if she was in terrible shape. When they arrived at the place to buy the mare, they found out that the owners had bred racehorses, and this mare was the last. She was living on her own. The elderly husband had been caring for her, but he'd recently died, and the elderly wife was too infirm to deal. The rest of the family, who weren't horsey, were trying in their way to do the right thing. You could argue that the owners should have had a plan in place for their animals, but they didn't.

The COTH posse got the mare, a vet determined she was closer to 28 than 30, and she lived about four more years at the farm with beautiful rolling pasture and equine friends, a far better situation than she had before.