Retired 9 year old

F

figgy

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 October 2009
Messages
524
Visit site
Hi guys,
Last week I was told that my horse was never to be ridden again.....the thing is with only being 9 years old Im worried he's life will now be boring.
He has had the last year off work with trying to find out what's wrong and has be ok, he was out with my youngster but sadly he was pts 4 months ago so is now out by himself, he has horses nxt to him.
I've been thinking about a retirement home for him so he can live life with a herd, but im so unsure about it all really.
I'm getting another youngster end of the year so he could live with him.
What has others done retiring younger horses?
I would love to keep him at home but don't know if I'm just being selfish.
Thanks for reading.
 
I think he will be fine, especially if you are getting another horse in a few months and has horses next to him. You are not being selfish. Horses don't need to work and be ridden. In fact, the happiest horses I see are the retired ones.
 
Thank you wagtail....reading that made me smile as I love him so much & it would upset me not seeing he's lovley face everyday.
 
I had one who retired at 8yo. He had an old racing injury and to be perfectly honest he was so sour from racing he just hated being ridden if it actually involved work and not just messing about. He spent 8 years as a companion to various different equines from TB's to shetlands and everything in between. So long as he had food, company and a little pony toy to play with he loved life. And oranges! He loved his oranges! He was put down due to a stupid field injury. But he loved every day of retirement, he was much, much happier never having to do work and he turned into a truly, thoroughly nice, happy go lucky, cheeky so and so!

So long as your lad has food and company I am sure he wouldn't care less if he never see's a saddle again in his life!
 
I retired my 9 year old this year. He's an ex racer and had to be in work to be safe. He had time off last year for injury and was a nightmare, I couldn't handle him and he was dangerous. So I was worried about what next. However, he lovely now retired. He does want to go out and looks a little sad when his mate gets the saddle put on him, but he's happy and doing well and rather chilled (except from doing his moves round the field that make me wonder why he is retired 😂) x
 
I recently retired my 11yo. She lives out as a part feral pony. She gets a groom now and again, and obviously has the farrier. She has field mates and still gets scratches and cuddles but couldn't be a happier pony!
 
Thank you all so much....its made me feel better about keeping him at home, he will definitely be getting a friend he does like to play.
He is a big 17hh Irish draft and my one in a million! !!
 
Can I just add how sorry I am that you lost your youngster and now retiring one at 9. Very disappointing for you I bet and big sympathies from me.
I'm sure he'll be fine, at 9 he's 27 in human years.. I wish I could have retired at 27, lucky devil! ☺️
 
I had to retire my then 7 year old in March this year, and I can honestly say that he's thriving. T developed grade 5 head shaking, but now that he's out in a field 24/7, he's essentially asymptomatic, and has reverted back to being the calm, lovely boy that he was when I got him. There really is life after retirement, provided that you're willing to give it a go.
 
Peggs said:
Can I just add how sorry I am that you lost your youngster and now retiring one at 9. Very disappointing for you I bet and big sympathies from me.
I'm sure he'll be fine, at 9 he's 27 in human years.. I wish I could have retired at 27, lucky devil! ☺️
Click to expand...

Aww thank you !!...its sure been a really hard year.
 
So sorry you have had a tough year.
I had to retire my mare at 7 years old due to an injury to her DDFT, she is still with me and was 20 this year, she has been no problem, took her a little while to adjust but has then been no bother, unless she is left on her own! she does prefer living in a herd but currently just out with one other, which does happen to be her 9 year old son who has never been ridden as had an injury before we even got to that stage :( but they will both be with me until the ends of there days.
I no longer ride though as can't afford another, hoping to move soon and be able to have them at home which will be lovely.
 
In 2005 I had to retire my 6 year old after a serious ligament injury. I toyed with the idea of sending him to a retirement livery and then decided that I couldn't bare not seeing his beautiful face everyday so he stayed with me and lived his normal life, alongside my other horses, the only difference being that he wasn't ridden. So when they were out working, he was in the stable stuffing his face looking as smug as anything!

He went out in the field with my others and came in when they did. He had his daily groom and cuddle and lived a fabulous life. In 2013 he had a partial phallectomy after being diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of his sheath and willy. We knew that, by choosing the partial over the full en bloc resection we were biding him time rather than curing him, but it was a decision based on causing the least interference to his daily routine and happiness as possible.

In June this year, when he was 18, I made the decision to call it a day for a few reasons. He had the most fantastic life, regardless of the fact that he wasn't a ridden horse. I miss him hugely.
 
i personally think there are very few horses out there who would not happily retire- even some competition horses who appear to thrive on exercise and routine can quickly settle to life mooching in a field. We may think it looks boring- but eating with naps is basically what they are designed to do!
If you have the funds and time- which is sounds like you do- then I'm sure they are more than happy to continue as they are, plus with the entertainment of a youngster companion soon :)
 
Thank you all so much !!! I'm the same if I sent him away I would be so upset by not seeing him everyday.
I will happily keep him as he is my world !!!!
Oh he will be so happy when the youngster comes along as he loves to play.....Thanks again guys !!! Xx
 
figgy said:
Thank you all so much....its made me feel better about keeping him at home, he will definitely be getting a friend he does like to play.
He is a big 17hh Irish draft and my one in a million! !!
Click to expand...

I had to retire my one in a million RID at the age of 4, the alternative was to pts. It was devastating for me but he enjoyed 6 years of retirement which he wouldn't have had otherwise. He used to look wistful on occasion when I was catching up another horse (and that can break your heart) but he enjoyed the attention he got, and like some of the others mentioned, would perform moves in the field that made you wonder why he was retired at all. I wouldn't have missed those years for anything
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top