Retiring a 6YO.............

cob&onion

cob&onion

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My horse is going through the process of being diagnosed and TBH it don't look good, kissing spines with other hock issues going on. Op is out the question as it may not be KS alone. However i am told not to dwell on it too much as we dont know anything for certain, could just be time off, more physio and back in work or could be a field ornament?
She is only 6 (just, late foal) a TB and thrives on routine/work. She was in full work 5 x per week, once in work very good to handle. She has been off for 10 weeks now and i have been long reining her for 10 mins daily. However she has started to become a pain whilst leading to and from the field - rearing up (big leg waving ones) and bucking and getting really stroppy and excitable- so much so that she has knocked my confidence with her on the ground..........
If she does need retiring she will be out 24/7 with a shelter and a stable in winter if she needs it (currently at livery in at night) thing is for a horse that thrives off work and becomes hard to handle when shes off work what will she be like retired??? will she miss her ridden work? or be satisfied living out 24/7 with friends and just being groomed etc and not ridden?
Has anyone else have a young horse thats has retired??
 
I took on an 8 yr old ID who was sold to me as a companion. Also, my tb (13yo) has had a year off due to my pregnancy. He also loves routine and work but has and still is having a whale of a time!! Bringing him back into work next month, although to be honest I think he'd rather be out in the field lulling about!! They both have their balls with some hi fibre nuts in out in field every am and I try to mentally stimulate them. I think thats the most important thing for tb's lots of stimulation and if they're getting lots of turnout, that's the physical sorted just need to get the brain going also, playing with them in field, etc!
 
She is lucky to have the option of retiring with you. :) Her behaviour to and from the field is probably due to her still being relatively fit (from her previous work) and possible too much energy in her feed? As her fitness declines, so long as she is not fed cereals, she should settle. However, as I have posted on another thread, field ornaments can become troublesome when bored, so you may have to think of something else to occupy her. Age wise though, it shouldn't be a problem. Lots of horses have to retire early, if they are lucky enough to have an owner prepared to do that.
 
lucky to have an owner with good facilities as im not sure i, for one, could honestly keep a 6 year old retired (bills i mean...)

How about snack balls/toys/ things like that to keep her occupied?

as for her waving - mabey a bridle until she settles down?
 
noodle_ said:
lucky to have an owner with good facilities as im not sure i, for one, could honestly keep a 6 year old retired (bills i mean...)

How about snack balls/toys/ things like that to keep her occupied?

as for her waving - mabey a bridle until she settles down?
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Obviously i am really hoping it won't come to that, but if needs be.
We don't really have facilities as such - well not yet. We have a 4 acre field which are in the process of planning for stables and a decent shelter, all being well it should be in by the winter. Also very lucky to have use of a 12 acre field in winter which i can move them to for a small weekly amount :)

A ball sounds like a fab idea :D
 
I retired my 6 year old mare due to kissing spine and other undiagnosed problems. She lives in a level field with friends and is perfectly happy. In her case, she struggled a bit on a hilly field, but I don't think that would apply to all KS horses. (I wouldn't breed from a KS horse by the way).
How much turnout is your horse getting now?
I very much doubt that it would be a problem to retire her. People tend to think that their horse needs work until it's been living out for a month with friends, then it's a different story.
Good luck, I really hope it isn't kissing spine with your mare. Even if it is, it can be treated in many cases, so she might not have to retire. If she needed the op then box rest would be involved, which sounds as if it could be interesting. One of the reasons my mare wasn't operated on was because she has pretty bad stable stress. She lives out year round now.
 
pastel said:
I have quite a few retired with us that are not veterans.......we have a beautiful 6 yr old 7/8th TB who has an injury and an 8 yr old warm blood dressage horse. I find as long as i match them with the right playmates they are very chilled and enjoy being in a herd of 4 to 6 horses. They take on a role in the herd and being the youngest tend to become top dog and care for the others. I see nothing wrong with retiring or resting a young horse.
Nicky
www.happyhorseretirementhome.co.uk
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that looks lovely... but can imagine it being the same cost as full livery?

Thats the only reason why im like :/ about retirement?



Op snack balls are brill - my horse is a freak though and dosent understand the concept so just gives up because shes too lazy to work it out :rolleyes:

mabey a likit thing somhow attached to a fence??

or a jolly?? ball?
 
Could you do something like horse agility with her to keep her mind busy? If she likes work and routine, it might help her.
 
We have had quite a few young horses retire here with us in Devon and I would say they take at least a month to settle, three months to chill out totally.
I can truthfully say I am absolutely positive none miss work,they just love their lives where they can daydream/play/eat with their friends with no worries other than the odd bully in the herd. (and given enough space even that disappears).
I really enjoy seeing them arrive with frankly worried eyes, after a few weeks they look completely different and after months they appear different horses !
You would still get the same problem leading etc as they don't like being removed from their mates, but do they miss their owners and former busy lives, not a bit I'm afraid !!!
 
Pastel, your facility looks wonderful, it has been bookmarked!

My 6 year old has just been diagnosed with Ringbone. I am sending him from the Netherlands to my friend in the UK, who will start him on a light daily work program for 6 months to see if he stays sound, all being well and he does then she will offer him to loan from her yard to someone who is aware of any limitations he may have.

If However he is not keeping sound then I will be looking at a Retirement situation for him, I am sure that if he finds himself out in a large paddock with a gang of friends for life he will not miss his working life or sadly me a jot.

Fingers crossed noodle that all turns out well for your horse too. Mine too is a bit "special" with the treat balls taking the bash seven bells out of it to get the treats approach!
 
Its a lifestyle change for the horse, which as with any other lifestyle change (moving home/new owner/changed routine/changed management, etc), it can take time for the horse to adjust
 
I am obviously in the minority here. If I had a 6 year old horse that could no longer be ridden, I would have them pts. I cannot afford to keep a pet plus one to ride. Although I could accept an old horse being retired for a few years, I would not accpet retiring a 6 year old, that could easily spend another 20 years in the field. I also believe strongly in taking responsibility for your horses, so for me, the option of loaning them out as companions or selling them as companions is a non starter.

I am sorry if I sound heartless. I love my horses very much.
 
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