Selling a horse who would be happier doing something else

[Jango]

I nearly sold my horse at the end of last summer as she's just too quiet. I know this is weird and a lot of people would kill for a quiet horse, but she's a proper steady girl. We currently event and dressage, we're heading to the 80 champs tomorrow and had scores of up to 74% BD/28 Dr BE. I enjoy her in the winter/spring as she's more forward going (still quiet and a bit lazy but not awful). But again this summer I'm really not enjoying riding her. So I think again of putting her up for sale, so she can go and do a job she will love (hacking/farm rides) for someone who appreciates she's safe and slow. But then I think what if she gets sold again, to an awful home or something. She also has hock arthritis (which is managed fine with steroids), so I worry if I sold her people might not keep this up. Also at the moment I have a sound horse I can do stuff on, I could end up with one with a tonne of lameness issues and not riding anyways.

She's ridden 5x a week, fit (happy to hack for 12 miles/do a set of 3x4 min canters), she's on turbo flakes, in during the day and out at night, saddle, teeth, physio all fine. I genuinely don't think there is a physical issue, as this has now happened for a third summer (first one was Covid and she was 5 so just hacked mostly, last one she was like this) I think it's just her nature. The other option is keep her stabled more to see if that helps, but I don't think that's particularly fair on her either, especially as our fields have no shade. I can't loan her as I would need the money from selling her to buy another.

I'm basically feeling like whatever I do will be wrong and feeling very down about it all. Would be good to hear some different perspectives.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

A lot of horses do change in summer I know mine get much quieter compared to the winter I think its one of those things.

Mine are out at night and come in for the middle of the day depending on the weather, I find the best time to ride is in the morning when they first come in, they are chilled but not tired out as such I find once they have been in and had a sleep they are a bit like they can't be bothered ?

I think in your situation you could have a chat with your vet see if maybe something else could be going on and take it from there.

Or you sell but you then literally have no control over where she ends up and how they manage her thats just how it is.

If its any consolation she sounds a great little horse that I think most people would give there right arm for.

 

[Red-1]

It sounds like she would sell well, and by that I don't just mean for a lot of £££s but also that you would have a pick of people looking to buy her.

I do think the hock issue would lower the value substantially, but prices are still inflated.

 

[splashgirl45]

i always found that turning out at night made my very sparky mare much more rideable which was great for me. could you try stabling at night to see if she changes, we dont get many days where the temperature is too hot for horses in this country and if flies are the problem a fly rug could help and some of them reflect the sun so keep them cooler

 

[Ample Prosecco]

There is a couple on my yard looking for a safe horse just to hack. No interest in anything else and the steadier the better. They would offer a home for life and 24/7 turnout. So I guess that’s what Red means by selling well. I sold Toby ‘well’ as he just didn’t suit me. I priced him low (but not dealer -low) and had my pick of homes. He’s now with someone who thinks he’s perfect which is far better than me ‘settling’ for him but never quite giving him my heart.

 

[ihatework]

She’d probably be happier doing a job at her pace of life to be honest.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I very much doubt that you will get a substantial amount for a horse that needs regular steroids to remain sound, so I think it would be worth you considering loaning her out and looking for a loan horse for yourself.

 

[RachelFerd]

Hello... obviously I do know you and the horse (!!)

She is an absolute cracker - for about 90% of riders she would do more than they could dream of doing with their own horses. You know that and I know you don't take it for granted. Equally I understand how you feel - you can see the ceiling of what she wants to do and you know that you're going to want to go through it at some point.

I am not good at selling - I don't sell anything, ever - so take this with a pinch of salt that I will generally never fall on the side of selling...

The only way you can protect her future and ensure she is kept appropriately maintenance wise, is not to sell. And, right now, as a pair you probably haven't totally maxed out - there's more cool stuff that you can do together. She will be able to move up a level - but possibly autumn or spring will be better for her general energy vibe. But I totally get that you are likely going to want to do more than she does, at some point in the near future.

If you sell, I think you'll get OK money, but obviously hocks will be a significant dent in her value and you might have niggling doubts about her ongoing management. And her value probably doesn't get you to that chunk of money that it takes to buy something unspoilt that will pass a vetting and has really clear potential - because prices for those horses are still inflated. As you know, there are lots of horses with as yet unknown soundness issues and temperament issues that mean they won't reach the level of success that she has - it is a total gamble.

I would consider your options around loaning her, to someone nearby where you can genuinely keep an eye on maintenance. I loaned out my first event horse and honestly it was the BEST choice. He made someone elses dreams come true and it was a total joy to watch that happen. I'm still good friends with the person that loaned him - she's even named her homebred foal after him! She's the type of horse that could do that for someone too. Or maybe do it several times over.

In the meantime, in the budget range, you could go down the recycling a thoroughbred route. If you play the patient game and wait for something genuinely decent to turn up, you could get a lot more horse without having to spend much at all. If you wait out until the event season ends you might pick up something from the tail end of the flat season. It's obviously not the right time now, but my older ginger will probably get loaned or leased when we no longer have matching competitive goals. I'm looking forwards to seeing him make someone's dreams come true again, whilst being able to keep a close eye on his management.

But, as I said, I never sell anything if I can help it!

 

[teapot]

Just a thought and please ignore if you want as I know many people would run a mile - if you want her to have a more secure future, maybe consider selling to one of the bigger, better training centres (not colleges).

They are really struggling given the market currently but would be more likely to consider a horse with a managed condition than others. She sounds lovely and if you pick the right place, would stay tuned up and have some fun.

 

[GoldenWillow]

Something to think about and tick off the list is could she be reactive to pollen? My cob started like that as a 4yr, so mild it wasn't picked up on a scope, fine as a 5 yr old then at 6 through the summer months it reappeared. It was so mild that again a scope didn't pick anything up and it was diagnosed with a BAL, I think the vets had me as a bit of a paranoid owner as there were no massive symptoms just a feeling like you were riding with the handbrake on or that he was running out of petrol.

The fact that she's fine through the winter months make me wonder if it could be this? If I hadn't known a horse before presenting like my cob it's unlikely I would have picked up on it, especially when the scopes/trach wash came back clear.

 

[chaps89]

To add to the post above, could she be quieter in summer because the ground is harder and there’s a pain response? I’d be maybe tempted to try a bute trial personally.

If you aren’t feeling it there is no harm in finding her a new home, be it loan or sale. Ultimately if her hocks are being injected, there will come a time she needs to do less and the injections stop working anyway.
Yes buying a new one opens you up to the unknown, but horses go wrong, it’s sort of part of the parcel unfortunately, but it’s a darn site easier to get through that when you like and enjoy them more, and you may well have a good chunk of time before that happens anyway.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

There’s someone on another thread hesitating over buying an “ugly” coloured cob…maybe your horse would suit them??

 

[LEC]

I have sold loads of horses who need a bit of a boost or special care and they are sold very clearly knowing this. I sold one of my first eventers for the same reason that you want to, he had hit his ceiling with me and needed a nicer life. He was an insurance write off. He was valued accordingly and went to the best home possible where he still going aged 23 (I sold him as an 11yo) I could not be more pleased about how much he is loved and cared for.
I have never had a bad experience selling horses but I am super fussy about who comes to see them and I have nice horses who will always have a value.

 

[lozzles]

I would also lean towards an allergy. Mine was always a different horse in the summer so much more lethargic but I put it down to temperament as he's never been hot just much more energetic in winter. He then had a virus in his late teens which caused a big RAO flare up and had to have inhalers.

The vet thinks he probably managed fairly well till the lungs were extra inflammed with a virus. Made so much sense then why he was so much quieter in summer.

 

[MagicMelon]

I dont think people need to suddenly think there must be something wrong with her. You say you dont believe there is and its just her nature, which is lovely and many many people would appreciate that sort of nature! I would ask around and see if you know of anyone looking for something like her, be great if you could sell her to someone you know rather than advertising her on the open market. Personally I have sold 2 horses who just didnt suit me, they did nothing wrong at all but one didnt like competing, he'd nap all over the place and after battling for ages I sold him to a lovely hacking home where he was so much happier. The other horse I adored as she was so sweet and she'd do everything I asked of her (eventing, showjumping etc.) but I just had this feeling she didn't really thrive on it (even though she was fast and forward going). Ive had horses who seemed to really enjoy going out, she would do it but I really felt she'd rather just go for a hack. Again, sold her to a local hacking home and she seems really happy there with no pressure. I was like you, I really worried about selling as I really really loved these two horses as they were so sweet natured but I just realised I didnt really love riding / competing them so it made it pointless when someone else could have so much more fun with them. Just be really fussy, I turned people away if I didnt think they were right for my horses. Really vet the person.

 

[GreyDot]

If you do decide to sell her, be incredibly fussy with the buyer, as if she's on regular steroids now at 7 (you mentioned she was 5 when covid hit), that's really quite young and to keep her medicated properly for the rest of her life, will take some management. Personally, I would go down the loaner route, possibly with a view to buy.

 

[cauda equina]

I loaned out a super sensible, sound and reliable horse because he didn't share my ambitions and bought a posh eventer from a reputable yard with a 5 stage vetting
Within 6 months he'd been diagnosed with navicular syndrome and never came right
I wished I'd hung on to the first one and tried keeping him in more before comps (he lived out 24/7)

 

[pistolpete]

What a sensible mare conserving her already damaged joints at such a young age. I am a firm believer they do everything for a reason. Mine was a nut job turned out he had unresolvable stifle issue. She’s ‘too quiet’ because of her hocks in my honest opinion. She could be bronking because of them. What a genuine horse.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I was going through exact the same as you in 2017 with my Welsh D. If he was as forward as he was on a winters morning, I would of never considered selling him. I tried oats, turbo flakes, spurs, keeping him in more often (which did work but not fair) I ended up advertising him as he was extremely safe, just super laid back and sadly I didn’t enjoy riding him. I bought him at 3 backed, bought him on myself and he was 6 at this point. All my riding friends thought I was mad ‘your never get another’ ‘appreciate how safe he is’ so I removed him from sale.

Fast forward to 2021.. we did a few dressage comps, but I still wasn’t enjoying him. He was just so laid back he was horizontal, funrides and hunting he was my perfect horse but I really wanted to event or do some hunter trials. He had a few medical issues but they were sorted and he was sound. I advertised him declaring everything and stuck with it. I had SO much interest, purely because how safe he was. I must of had over 40 people interested, narrowed it down to 3 who viewed him (and all 3 wanted him) but I chose the lady I sold him too.

He went to a happy hacking home to a mature lady Wiltshire way. She’s owned him just under a year now and absolutely loves him. She went from several TBs to him. She even done camp with him this year, she loves how steady and safe he is. We keep in touch and I get regular updates.

I bought a unbroken 15.2 mare from Ireland in 2021 and am already feeling much more suited.

I think horses are so expensive and not all horses are suited to us. I wish I sold him sooner in all honesty.