Those who retired young horses

[! Hackinghappy!]

What do you do with them now?

Are they living as field ornaments? Or do you still do some work with them to keep them switched on - was thinking along the lines of gentle in hand work/stretches, clicker training, in hand walks etc

There is a risk that my horse may be in that position shortly as the time, effort and cost to keep her sound far exceeds the work she'll be capable of doing.

I'm lucky to be at a great yard where she can happily enjoy retirement but I also worry that without any thing to do with her (yard is full livery winter and grass livery summer so limited chores) I'll lose the motivation to even go to the yard - especially as with young kids I've got a lot of other things to juggle! I don't have funds to buy or keep another horse.

Keen to know what others do to still allow them to enjoy their ponies!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Max was retired aged 8. He went from competition pony to a companion pony, on permanent loan to a HHOer and I am so grateful he found a new job and life. He is happy as Larry and much loved.

Amber was retired and is now in foal. She will never leave me as I adore her. I do enjoy things like liberty and general fussing. She is on full livery though and I do not see her every day and have zero guilt about that.

 

[Peglo]

My old haffie was retired at 15 as she was lame with navicular. Had the vet out a few years later and she wasn’t lame and didn’t have navicular. I assume retiring her gave what ever was making her lame time to heal.

she loved hacking and seeing things so I took her walks in hand and even showed her a couple of times in hand. She was brilliant to work with and very easy to keep.

I look after mine at home so fortunate that I had to see them at least twice a day or I might’ve easily gotten in the way of not doing much with them.

ETA I know that’s not young young but she is 30 now so it has been 15 years of happy retirement

 

[Nudibranch]

Mine was pts. At 7 he had a number of issues, some orthopaedic and we will never know if pssm2 and/or wobblers were also involved. I did not want him to go down one day and not be able to get back up so he had a dignified end, not knowing a thing. He was too big, too full of issues and also too smart to retire to a field.

And being brutally honest, I had the money to carry out yet more endless, possibly fruitless investigations and end up with the same crocked horse at the end of it - or buy another horse. I have a small child so my time isn't unlimited either. I know my vet very well and he helped make the decision.

An old YO had a mare who was well past her sell by date. She was found dead one morning and judging by the marks in the dirt she had struggled for hours. Not for my boy.

 

[SEL]

I've got one that I do the odd bit daily (poles, walks out) with because she gets bored easily and finds her own entertainment otherwise (fence removal etc). She'll be 12 next year and is looking soundish right now so I might pop on over Xmas and see how she feels about a rider on board for the odd potter.

Gelding who is now 17yo with arthritis has retired from everything apart from companion duties. I used to take him for walks in hand when we were at a yard with a quiet bridlepath but the roads are too busy now. He's on borrowed time. Couldn't have asked for a better companion for the past 7 years because he's chilled if you want to do stuff with him and chilled if you don't. Only not chilled if the vet wants to stick needles in him!

Would a retirement livery yard suit yours better than where you are now? A friend retired their 8yo wamblood after a tendon injury and lives out with a settled herd on many acres - checked daily by the YO. One day that tendon may completely give up because he is prone to a mad gallop, but he's happy enough for now.

 

[Bearsmum]

Yogi was retired at nine ; torn DDFT, tried field/ box rest but every time I tried ridden work he was lame, he's on full livery at a busy yard, so there's always something going on & more than once he tried to join the 'trot up' while the eventing was on, this did allow me to continue working, though I couldn't afford another horse to ride, so he's been an expensive field ornament for 18years - he'll be 27 in April, I still get a buzz going for a walk round cross country when he canters over to me even if I know it's just for herby treats- a lady schooling the other day thought it was so sweet that as soon as he saw me & my dog he headed over to the fence

 

[! Hackinghappy!]

Aw thanks everyone. Sounds like your retirees have lovely lives!

My girl has suspensory issues - very mild but due to her poor feet and conformation may prove difficult to keep sound for anything other than light hacking without needing remedial shoes (£110 a pop), regular x-rays, physio etc - I have limited time to ride these days so ideally need a get on and go horse which she is but would be a very expensive hack!

She does love doing things to keep her brain working so need to find something meaningful to do for both of us.

She's only 11 and as it's a very mild issue it's unlikely to cause any issues as long as she's not ridden so she would likely be enjoying retirement for a very long time!

Got a few options to try but this is looking to be the likely outcome at least for the short term ?

 

[! Hackinghappy!]

Retirement livery isn't widely offered here. Current yard is very well priced for full livery and yo knows her well so it means I can keep her close by at a reasonable cost.

 

[fankino04]

Mines on full grass livery all year round so can visit as often or as little as I want which is helpful but sometimes means I lack the motivation to go there just to "pony pat", she has gone a bit feral over the years and becomes a stress head if I take her away from her mates so walks or training wouldn't really be much fun for either of us, she is definitely a field ornament. If I'd thought about it more when I first turned her away I would have probably looked at doing liberty work or something with her.

 

[Polos Mum]

Mine was retired at 7 with a bone cyst in his navicular bone. I keep a close eye on how he looks in himself and when the pain gets too bad (looses condition, not playing with the others etc.) I will PTS promptly.
He's out in an established herd 24 / 7 other than in worst of winter mud. He seems not bothered at all by lack of doing anything but he does have two youngsters in with him so they play a lot which I guess is keeping him entertained!
He rarely gets brushed and I need to go and cut all the wind knots out of his mane. He's wormed, trimmed as needed and gets a scratch when I poo pick but the lack of interaction with humans again doesn't seem to bother him. He is getting a little feral but I can't blame him.

If they have any in your area could you look at riding a share horse for limited £'s that would keep you riding.
If she will stand up to leading 'work' some of the in hand trec stuff looks really fun

 

[SEL]

Aw thanks everyone. Sounds like your retirees have lovely lives!

My girl has suspensory issues - very mild but due to her poor feet and conformation may prove difficult to keep sound for anything other than light hacking without needing remedial shoes (£110 a pop), regular x-rays, physio etc - I have limited time to ride these days so ideally need a get on and go horse which she is but would be a very expensive hack!

She does love doing things to keep her brain working so need to find something meaningful to do for both of us.

She's only 11 and as it's a very mild issue it's unlikely to cause any issues as long as she's not ridden so she would likely be enjoying retirement for a very long time!

Got a few options to try but this is looking to be the likely outcome at least for the short term ?

I've got a few friends who do connection training with their non ridden horses. Its not something I've looked at, but they've had some quite fun videos up https://connectiontraining.com/

 

[Birker2020]

What do you do with them now?

Are they living as field ornaments? Or do you still do some work with them to keep them switched on - was thinking along the lines of gentle in hand work/stretches, clicker training, in hand walks etc

There is a risk that my horse may be in that position shortly as the time, effort and cost to keep her sound far exceeds the work she'll be capable of doing.

I'm lucky to be at a great yard where she can happily enjoy retirement but I also worry that without any thing to do with her (yard is full livery winter and grass livery summer so limited chores) I'll lose the motivation to even go to the yard - especially as with young kids I've got a lot of other things to juggle! I don't have funds to buy or keep another horse.

Keen to know what others do to still allow them to enjoy their ponies!

My friends horse was retired to the Milton Keynes blood bank where he still lives, think he was only 6 or 7. Her other one was pts aged about 8 with arthritis.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

Our boy is 12 and has been turned away/retired for nearly a year now. He's out 24/7 in huge fields with a settled herd of geldings and he is very much the boss as the others are either quite a bit older (20+) or much younger or just generally a bit troubled ..

He was originally turned away for several months to see if a niggling soft tissue injury would come right, but he also has asthma, mild hock arthritis and has also developed sweet itch (joy..). We'd been planning to try to bring him back into work in late summer but the week we were going to start he stood on something sharp in the field and he couldn't wear his hoof boots while his foot was healing. By the time he was better from that, he'd had another asthma attack and then the clocks changed so he's having this winter off and we'll try again in spring. He won't be able to do anything more than light hacking and to be honest, we're not sure if he'll manage that but it's worth a try.

He gets checked twice a day by the yard owner and I get up to see him around 3 times a week. He likes being groomed and made a fuss over and he has a repertoire of tricks which he likes practising. At the moment he seems happy but the length of his retirement will definitely depend on how his various health issues progress.

 

[ihatework]

The 3 retired ones I’ve had,

One went back to her breeder when she retired at 14, I only half owned her and our agreement was the breeder had her back in retirement.

One retired from competition at about 11. I part loaned him for about 18 months as a light hack and then when he fully retired he went on loan as a companion to a young sports colt. I covered his vets/insurance. I took him back in his final years so I could keep a closer eye and make the call.

The other retired from competition at the grand age of 7. He has been out on loan as a companion/light hack since, approx 7/8 years now ? I pay his regular medications

 

[TheMule]

I have given 2 younger mares away to big studs as ET recipients which has given them a good use and a lovely life.

 

[Mero]

Mine does a lot of liberty training, in hand work, goes out ride and lead with the others sometimes. He’s loving his retired life! And I love it too.

 

[Fanatical]

Event horse retired at 5. Now 7 (coming 8 in the new year). Out to grass 24/7 April - end Nov. In a barn Dec - March. Far too sharp to do anything other than the basic horse management with - too much of a competition brain. As long as he's happy with the arrangement we will continue, otherwise he will be PTS.

 

[Goldenstar]

All my younger horses that fell by the wayside had catastrophic problems and I PTS.

 

[windand rain]

The question I would ask why they retired as if for physical reasons how do you gauge pain and isn't PTS the better option if pain is involved at all. Behaviourally I can see as long as managed correctly it might be an option. I am facing this dilemma with an old horse I can never know if she is in pain or not is clearly not showing any signs that are clear she is however lame in her back end if ridden and even loose in the field but her eyes are bright, face relaxed is happy to come bucking and galloping up the field sometimes for her feed other days she walks briskly up and back from the foggage and some days just meanders up I would hate for me to miss any sign of pain. I am a pragmatist if she is sore then as much as I love her she will be PTS at 26 is it even fair to pull her around in a lameness work up and quite frankly is the expense worth it

 

[! Hackinghappy!]

The pain question is one that bothers me too. The vet explained to me it would be more uncomfortable than painful but no one knows!!!

 

[! Hackinghappy!]

All my younger horses that fell by the wayside had catastrophic problems and I PTS.

Sorry to hear that Golden star.

 

[milliepops]

my younger retiree is a lawnmower first and foremost. at the moment she's being a companion to another. She has had a foal and i will try for another as her injury will not affect future generations. I was given the option to medicate and bring her back into light work but i chose not to, i figure this way she will remain comfortable and happy for as long as possible. She's a lovely horse to have around as she has a fantastic temperament and she was a great broodmare. She lives out, this is key for her really, so gets very light-touch care compared to a stabled horse.

other than general handling i don't do anything training-wise with her.

 

[! Hackinghappy!]

I'd love to find a set up where she can live out all year but she gets very fat in summer and most yards that offer grass livery don't offer any types of restricted grazing which is a shame.

 

[windand rain]

No room here but we do if needed track system in summer and weight loss in winter by controlled acess to higher calorie feeds and just foggage and foraging around for trickle feeding
winter track bit wider than summer and runs around to the right this is the wettest bit

 

[Tarragon]

I have a pony who was retired with lameness aged 16. He is field sound and healthy and he is now with a friend as a companion pony. My friend has had companion ponies/horses before, but having my pony has proved to be a great solution as he hasn't got any of the "old pony problems" that tend to come with a retired companion. Sometimes, the elderly companion takes more looking after than the pony they are companion to do!

 

[[59668]]

Lucy retired age 8. She's a field ornament. I'd love to find a local place where she could do equine therapy on loan on the ground as she's a gentle soul but everywhere wants horses who can be ridden too. I'd love for her to have a job but sadly I can't really do anything with her.

 

[paddy555]

i've had them retire young, 5,6, 7 or so and they have been mental wrecks not physical ones. They are kept at home and live exactly the same lives as my ridden horses only they are just not ridden or worked. They are stabled at night in winter, often in the daytime out of the flies in summer. They have the same sort of rugs, same feed (within reason) and same everything else. They may get groomed a bit.
Some have spent a good 15 years or more retired. The last one had 19.5 years. No complaints from them. They seem very happy.

 

[lme]

One retired at 15. She is happily feral apart from winter when she is stabled at night. She doesn't have (or want) a 'job' as such. Youngest retiree is 18 months old. He will be a companion for any colts we breed and maybe do a bit more if he can / wants to.

 

[! Hackinghappy!]

My girl definitely doesn't want or need a job - she was horrified when I started riding again after having my second child - she thought she was retired.

This is more for me than anything else to make it feel less like I'm paying a small fortune for a field ornament!

I'd love to find her a home as a companion as she is a very gentle soul but would need to be through word of mouth as it would be very easy to look at her and say there's nothing wrong and put her in work again which wouldn't be fair!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

The question I would ask why they retired as if for physical reasons how do you gauge pain and isn't PTS the better option if pain is involved at all. it

I asked my vet that about Max and he described it as ‘sports injury pain’ not chronic pain. Ie only hurts if you work beyond a certain point. That certainly fits my experience of him.

Amber is sound in all ways other than tight turns on the right rein. I could hack her but she’s not remotely relaxing to hack! So I have retired her.