Snickers
Well-Known Member
Ahh that is so sad 
This is similar with what has happened with my boy! After a year of trying and failing to bring him soundly into work, I decided to retire him (he was only 9 too) and have actually found the decision quite a relief, as riding him and constantly worrying if he was in pain was so stressful, as well as being limited to gentle hacking, as he's like your boy again, he can be a handful(!) if not worked fairly heavily and regularily.
During the first few months of his retirement he was quite bored and full of energy, and I was worried that it didn't suit him, but he's really settled down now and seems happy and chirpy. He has a 10 acre field (including some woodland) to run around in, he has come off bute (and is stiff but not lame), has no shoes, lives out 24/7 and seems mentally to have coped with it very well. I think that after my experience, I would advise you to retire your horse.
This is similar with what has happened with my boy! After a year of trying and failing to bring him soundly into work, I decided to retire him (he was only 9 too) and have actually found the decision quite a relief, as riding him and constantly worrying if he was in pain was so stressful, as well as being limited to gentle hacking, as he's like your boy again, he can be a handful(!) if not worked fairly heavily and regularily.
During the first few months of his retirement he was quite bored and full of energy, and I was worried that it didn't suit him, but he's really settled down now and seems happy and chirpy. He has a 10 acre field (including some woodland) to run around in, he has come off bute (and is stiff but not lame), has no shoes, lives out 24/7 and seems mentally to have coped with it very well. I think that after my experience, I would advise you to retire your horse.