MrsMozart
Just passing through...
Firstly, thank you to all those who gave me the benefit of their thoughts/views/opinions - they were all very much appreicated and considered carefully.
Brief background: LL is 14 years old (poss older); 13hh at whither, 12hh at back; very pretty; absolute g!t; will handstand buck/bronc/rear/spin if he's in the mood - D1 sits them all and laughs, but way too tall for him now and he not keen on tall riders; he tries it on with every rider (we've had various people try and help); he's a star to hack out - leads all the big horses past the scary stuff; stops from a gallop on a touch of the Happy Mouth snaffle even when in company; can be a twit if he wants to go when being led, but not so bad in a pressure halter; bought for youngest daughter, but dumped her too many times and put her off, though she happily looks after him; good in the stable and to handle in general; good with vet, etc. etc. etc.; laminitic (will have to be either on poor grazing or alternating in-day-and-night and out-day-and-night as of March); mild sweet-itch; field hops.
Anyhow, due to the lack of rider (fine out, not good in school), and the laminitis (vet concerned that his stress levels might bring on a lami bout), we retired him towards the end of last year. Now he's just a big pet that people like to stroke and brush
.
Just before Christmas, when things were not looking their best, I decided to have him pts. I always said I would not pass him on, afraid that he would end up fat and unloved as he was when we found him. I took on board a lot of advice, the vast majority of which was that it was the right decision: my vet concurred, though she would have rather found another way. Then one friend said that just because we 'didn't get on with him, didn't mean that someone else wouldn't', which kept niggling at me, despite having thought and tried all sorts of resolutions last year. So he wasn't pts: he has remained at DIY livery and treated, other than ridden, exactly as the others have.
The resolution is: he is going to a friend's place on grass livery until we move house
. She has a good set up suited to natives and he can eat and chill and stroll about. He's happier living out than in. He will be one happy pony
. I think he will 'miss' us, but he's taking up too much time - daughters have exams coming up and at the moment it's another one to look after. I know he will be verry well looked after where he is going. When we have moved, he will come back to us
. He will then they stay with us until he dies, hopefully in many, many years time.
We didn't realilse until all the arrangements were made just how much we are going to miss the daft bat
, but we know that for the short term this is the right thing to do. The freezemark people will be out in two weeks time, he'll be marked (a personalized mark that will make you laugh when you see it), and he will go on his holiday a few days after that.
So, sorry for the incredibly long post, but that is, hopefully, the LL saga in a nutshell and with a resolution
. He's going, he'll be safe, the daughters will get their work done, and he'll be coming back, we might even find a small jockey when we've moved who will get to enjoy hacking out and maybe doing endurance type rides with him
One last thank you for eveyone who has put up with my to-ing and fro-ing and um-ing and ah-ing, it has been so much appreciated
.
And thank you to my friend. You are a star hun.
Brief background: LL is 14 years old (poss older); 13hh at whither, 12hh at back; very pretty; absolute g!t; will handstand buck/bronc/rear/spin if he's in the mood - D1 sits them all and laughs, but way too tall for him now and he not keen on tall riders; he tries it on with every rider (we've had various people try and help); he's a star to hack out - leads all the big horses past the scary stuff; stops from a gallop on a touch of the Happy Mouth snaffle even when in company; can be a twit if he wants to go when being led, but not so bad in a pressure halter; bought for youngest daughter, but dumped her too many times and put her off, though she happily looks after him; good in the stable and to handle in general; good with vet, etc. etc. etc.; laminitic (will have to be either on poor grazing or alternating in-day-and-night and out-day-and-night as of March); mild sweet-itch; field hops.
Anyhow, due to the lack of rider (fine out, not good in school), and the laminitis (vet concerned that his stress levels might bring on a lami bout), we retired him towards the end of last year. Now he's just a big pet that people like to stroke and brush
Just before Christmas, when things were not looking their best, I decided to have him pts. I always said I would not pass him on, afraid that he would end up fat and unloved as he was when we found him. I took on board a lot of advice, the vast majority of which was that it was the right decision: my vet concurred, though she would have rather found another way. Then one friend said that just because we 'didn't get on with him, didn't mean that someone else wouldn't', which kept niggling at me, despite having thought and tried all sorts of resolutions last year. So he wasn't pts: he has remained at DIY livery and treated, other than ridden, exactly as the others have.
The resolution is: he is going to a friend's place on grass livery until we move house
We didn't realilse until all the arrangements were made just how much we are going to miss the daft bat
So, sorry for the incredibly long post, but that is, hopefully, the LL saga in a nutshell and with a resolution
One last thank you for eveyone who has put up with my to-ing and fro-ing and um-ing and ah-ing, it has been so much appreciated
And thank you to my friend. You are a star hun.
