Rock and a hard place.

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duvet-thief

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First of all, can I ask for NO abuse please, I'm a real person with real feeling.

My lovely lovely boy and I have to part ways due to a few factors that all add up. I have looked at EVERY possibility from grass livery (there is none near me) to riding schools.
The main reason I am struggling to find a solution is he is 23. But he's still completely happy and healthy.

In one of my many moments of despair I have even thought of pts. But only as a complete last resort! And I feel so guilty for doing so.

Am I wrong/selfish? Is there anything else I can do? Or is pts kinder in the long run?
 
Can you share any more details . Difficult to suggest otherwise. I do have a nearly 23 year old who is fit and well but would not move her on any where if for any reason she couldn't stay with me, heard too many horror stories.
 
Sorry, forgive me, it's been a long day and my head has gone from 200mph to 0 :( what sort of details?

I've also heard far too many horror stories about rehoming or loaning out
 
How many places do retirement livery though? I'm not sure there's many in Hampshire/West Sussex

Wahhhh :( I feel like I'm trying to spin so many plates!
 
It is not wrong or selfish to PTS if you cannot keep him. If you want to consider retirement livery it is usually like full livery so you could look outside your local area because it would not matter if you could not visit all the time.
 
Hi OP , i'm so sorry for you and considering pts is not wrong or awful, it's something that many on here face at some point earlier than they thought they would have to.
my sister in law put her horse who has arthritis in his knees in an amazing retirement home in Devon, he's with a herd and they have 30 acre fields on over 900 acres, shelters etc and she says he has never looked happier , he is 24. i know this is not near you but perhaps you have something a bit nearer like this?xx
 
If for any reason I could no longer keep my elderly mare then I would have her pts. She is already retired so retirement livery isn't a consideration anyway in her case but if I couldn't afford that I would pts. I do not believe in rehoming a horse at that sort if age because they deserve the best end of life care you can give them. You can't guarantee where they will end up. They serve us well and the least we can do is the same. Why the guilt?
 
OP its difficult to suggest options without more details (Im not suggesting you go into any more detail) however if there is a way you would have money to pay for retirement livery I can recommend an amazing place (will PM you).

I really feel for you as I had the exact same dilemma in my head a year ago, it tears you in two when they are healthy and happy x
 
I'm always the last person to advise passing on old horses but as it happens I'm looking for an elderly pony. Lovely home, lovely people but novice child getting first pony so need a saint who's been there and done that.
I would never sell a horse of that age and I'm the first to criticise those adverts but ask around and you might be surprised to find that a friend of a friend wants just the type of horse you have on loan.
 
I personally wouldn't sell a horse of that age, can you advertise for someone to maybe loan your horse but they stay on the yard where the horse is, you can then keep an eye on things. Hope you can find a good solution. x
 
There is a retirement livery in Surrey near Esher if that is any help - I don't know if it is good or bad but perhaps a thread in the regional board section might throw something up about it.

There are homes out there for older horses but I would probably only trust a word of mouth one.
 
OP how absolutely terrible I feel for you and I'm sure no-one will judge you. I can feel the dispair in your words. You poor thing really hoping you manage to sort things out one way or the other and don't ever feel guilty in doing right by your boy x
 
duvet-thief said:
I think I feel guilty because he's still happy, healthy and rideable
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When you say rideable what do you mean? If he can only do light work or needs bute to be ridden then as I said before I would choose retirement livery or PTS. If he is still in full work and unmedicated then I cannot see any difference between selling an older horse or a younger one. Either way you can never be sure what happens to them once sold or what their end of life will be like. So if he is in full work and you are not against selling in general then I would consider it.
 
Nice loan homes are possible! I had a 21 year old pony on full loan. He was my first pony, and still had PLENTY of get up and go. Someone capable/with support who is looking for a first horse I'm sure would love an older, sensible horse!

(I appreciate that it isn't always possible to find someone however)
 
ChiffChaff said:
Nice loan homes are possible! I had a 21 year old pony on full loan. He was my first pony, and still had PLENTY of get up and go. Someone capable/with support who is looking for a first horse I'm sure would love an older, sensible horse!

(I appreciate that it isn't always possible to find someone however)
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I would be one of those people! Having lost my confidence I started riding a young cob and whilst he was as sensible as he could be for a 5yo he still had his baby moments and tantrums and really needed someone to bring him on so I've stopped riding him sadly :( I now think if I go back into it I have no qualms about it would have to be an older horse that has been there and done it.
I would love to just spend time caring for them and the odd potter about but nothing to strenuous. There are homes out there that are genuine. You just have to be extra careful. Good luck Op.
 
I would be perfectly happy to take on a safe sound 23 year old any day, I do prefer my oldies I trust them better lol!! I hope you can find retirement livery or a nice new home, but do not feel guilty if you decide to Pts, my favourite quote is 'my horse owes me nothing, but I owe my horse a safe and peaceful end to her life' that quote got me through the heartbreaking descision of having my crippled 8yo Pts, I could bear to pass her on as I knew someone would try to ride her one day, and she would never be up for that, not only that and she was on bute to be field sound!
 
I would never ever consider rehoming my old mare! shes 30 now, I would have been sooo worried about what might happen to her if she was rehomed! in my experience the only people that would be willing to take on a horse of that age, are in experienced people that don't know what they are doing, that cant afford a horse that is suitable!

if I had no other option, I would rather PTS so that I know the horse isn't going to go somewhere and not be looked after properly! esp when you factor in the additional costs of looking after an older horse, mine cost me £150 a month just in medication! I can't see anyone who could afford that, would be willing to take on a horse that costs that!
 
Could you look for a sharer? My 23 year old pony is still happily in work, and since he has been back from his last loan home, (last april) he has given several people confidence, and got them hacking out and cantering again after either accidents or breaks from riding.
 
Look for a new home. I wouldn't PTS solely based on age.

I re-homed a 23 year old around three/four years ago and she's still going strong and is as fit as a fiddle!

She's on a farm scoffing grass mainly, but is also used as a light hack for the lady's little girls. I get pictures and updates all the time and she doesn't look a day older than 15 (and I really think this is due to the fact she's been kept in work and active).
 
I feel for you OP. I have had a horse who was in her mid-teens PTS . It wasnt an easy thing to do. She'd be 20 now and I would still have her if things had been different back then. I felt it was better than her ending up in the wrong home or being passed from pillar to post.
 
If your horse is happy and healthy, you owe it a chance to find a new caring home or someone who will loan it. It's always worth a shot and simply assuming things will go wrong is not an excuse if you ask me. If that option is genuinely out - as in, you've really tried and failed to find people who are appropriate - then trying to find a retirement option would be my next choice. Only if that then fails would I put the horse down.
 
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