This makes me so angry

[Kat]

I don't disagree with selling older horses that can still have a "use" I know a couple of people who bought older horses that gave them years of pleasure. One on my yard was bought aged 18 as he was too old to continue as a hunt horse. My friend was looking for a first horse, he has been an incredible schoolmaster and was still hunting enthusiastically (albeit not jumping huge hedges) at 26!

Horses who are only suitable as companions should either be kept, pts or carefully loaned for their own protection. It is far too risky to sell them.

 

[JoannaC]

It is hearbreaking seeing these older horses being offered for free as companions. I can't see many people wanting to take on a big horse just as a companion although I would consider an older pony. What makes me really angry is when they have another horse which is sellable and choose to get rid of the one that is of no use to them. I have a 24 year old who is fit and well and still happily hacks out and will do a dressage test if he has too as well as a 15 year old who due to a field accident at 8 can only do a bit of light work. If my circumstances changed it would be my 7 year old who would have to go as she would still be able to have a good life with someone else. I would buy a teenager again but not something in it's 20's so why would I expect someone else to. On the other side I would really struggle to justify putting my 24 year old to sleep when he is so fit and well so can understand why someone wouldn't want to do this if it was their only horse and circumstances meant they could no longer keep him so wouldn't want to judge without knowing the circumstances.

 

[milliepops]

It is hearbreaking seeing these older horses being offered for free as companions. I can't see many people wanting to take on a big horse just as a companion although I would consider an older pony. .

I think it can depend, if you have a big horse of your own that needs a buddy then another big horse can be easier than a pony, because they are more likely to have the same management needs. It's a pita managing one poor doer with a good doer for example.
I've already said it's not something I would choose to do with an oldie of mine but I have taken on an old companion and other people also do the same. The key is to be realistic and very very careful I think.

 

[JoannaC]

I think it can depend, if you have a big horse of your own that needs a buddy then another big horse can be easier than a pony, because they are more likely to have the same management needs. It's a pita managing one poor doer with a good doer for example.
I've already said it's not something I would choose to do with an oldie of mine but I have taken on an old companion and other people also do the same. The key is to be realistic and very very careful I think.

That's true, I don't do big horses but would certainly consider another arab if it was in need of a home and I had a spare stable but if I was specifically looking for a companion i'd look at Section A types in the first instance but they are just mini arabs really

 

[be positive]

I think it can depend, if you have a big horse of your own that needs a buddy then another big horse can be easier than a pony, because they are more likely to have the same management needs. It's a pita managing one poor doer with a good doer for example.
I've already said it's not something I would choose to do with an oldie of mine but I have taken on an old companion and other people also do the same. The key is to be realistic and very very careful I think.

Thats fair enough but it should be loaned, to keep some control, not sold, a friend of mine has recently taken on a horse in it's late 20's as a companion to her own older boy but it is a loan arrangement that involved a home check and could be returned if circumstances changed not passed on.

 

[Beausmate]

We paid over the odds for a badly put together, little cob mare with untreated PPID, recent laminitis, feather mites and sweet itch. She came from a budget dealer (nothing wrong with the dealer) in a bit of a state (probably stress related), having only been with them a few weeks.

She is in her early twenties and had been through four homes (that's if all the owners are recorded in the passport) in six months prior to ending up with a dealer at the other side of the country to where she lived her entire life before then.

She is now as healthy as she can be (on Prascend, controlled diet, mites cleared up and sweet itch successfully treated) and virtually retired.

She is a very happy old mare. It took over a year for her to properly settle down and she will stay with me for the rest of her days.

Some people must be very callous indeed to pass around any animal that much, but especially an oldie who may have spent a very long time in a previous home and would find the upheaval incredibly distressing.