To sell or not to sell

[Palindrome]

I have put one of my horses for sale as I don't have enough time to ride him and it is a lot of work (and money) in winter having 3. The thing is that now that I have someone interested, I am having second thoughts. He is a lovely sweet horse and fantastic with my kids, I have had him since 3 and he is now 7 years old. I don't completely gel with him and he wasn't bought to keep, but I can't help feel worried that he might end up in a bad situation down the line. He was going to slaughter when I bought him (failed race horse). What should I do?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

How would you feel about putting him on loan instead of selling?

 

[Palindrome]

How would you feel about putting him on loan instead of selling?

To be honest, I would feel a bit resentful to have to pay for his retirement when someone else enjoyed his best years. I do hack him out from time to time as he is the best of my lot for hacking out (the 5 years old is very sharp and difficult and the 2 years old isn't ridden yet).

I have offered to friends or people I know to come and ride him but no one is really interested or suitable. They either want a menage, don't like that he is gaited... The last one who came isn't authorized to hack out (she's 17 years old but her mum won't let her) but will go for 15 laps of canter in the field without a break or changing lead.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

To be honest, I would feel a bit resentful to have to pay for his retirement when someone else enjoyed his best years. I do hack him out from time to time as he is the best of my lot for hacking out (the 5 years old is very sharp and difficult and the 2 years old isn't ridden yet).

Well there is your answer if you don't want to ride him yourself.

 

[Palindrome]

Well there is your answer if you don't want to ride him yourself.

it's not that I don't want to ride him, it's just that with a full time job, 2 young kids and not the best of health, I don't have the time or energy to ride 3 horses. He doesn't need to be ridden though, that's why I am hesitating selling him.

 

[mariew]

At the same time, what if you find the right owner who loves him and ends up having lots of fun? No-one would ever find a horse to buy if others don't sell.

 

[Goldie's mum]

You saved him from slaughter & turned him into a type of horse that is in high demand (safe hack). That's the most you could have done to ensure a good future for him - time to let him go to someone who will give him an interesting, busy life.

 

[Bellaboo18]

To be honest, I would feel a bit resentful to have to pay for his retirement when someone else enjoyed his best years. I do hack him out from time to time as he is the best of my lot for hacking out (the 5 years old is very sharp and difficult and the 2 years old isn't ridden yet).

I have offered to friends or people I know to come and ride him but no one is really interested or suitable. They either want a menage, don't like that he is gaited... The last one who came isn't authorized to hack out (she's 17 years old but her mum won't let her) but will go for 15 laps of canter in the field without a break or changing lead.

I don't understand why you'd feel resentful to pay for his retirement if you've loaned him out but would pay for his retirement if he's been a field ornament(?)

Anyway, I think you should sell.

 

[I'm Dun]

I sold one of mine a couple of months back. Not something I thought I would ever do, but I don't regret it in the slightest. I was VERY choosy where he went and took a huge reduction in price to get him into the sort of home I wanted for him. They adore him, he's incredibly happy living with a little herd on a big acreage and I am finding it really nice to just have my riding horse. I have more time for him. Ironically not more money as I moved him to a livery yard and gave up my little yard, but its all worked out for the best.

The night before they transferred the money I almost pulled out, I think its natural to have worries and doubts when it comes down to the line.

 

[Asha]

Its quite normal for nice people to feel guilty about selling horses. But it does sound the right thing for him. You may find a sense of relief when youve found the right home for him

 

[Annagain]

Selling isn't the reason horses end up in unsuitable homes, selling to unsuitable homes is the reason horses end up in unsuitable homes. Do your homework on buyers, insist they come to meet him at least twice, get references and then you can be sure you've done as much as possible to make sure he goes to the right home and that home will be a home for life. You saved him to give him a good life. Now's the time to let him go and live that life to the fullest.

 

[Winters100]

Personally I would sell in this situation, but if you really don't want to maybe you could look for someone who wants to share? With 3 it is sometimes a struggle to give them enough exercise. I have a problem with energy since having covid and have found a solution that a friend who is horseless takes one (or two if her husband is with her) a couple of times a week. I don't charge them anything, and they are on part livery (everything done except for exercise), but it does give me a couple of days where there is just one to move. Have a think about it, but also consider that if your situation regarding enough time is not going to change in the foreseeable future then there is nothing wrong with selling to a good home.