What are your plans for when your horse slows down (ages/retired)

I wouldn't consider anything other than keep them. Currently have 3 (expensive) pets :/ 2 knocking on in years.
Magic is rising 19, mostly retired, occasionally hacked. Harry is 15 (ish) and mostly blind, neither are going anywhere, Harry will determine how long he can cope.
(Harmony is rising 4 and may be backed this year but she is such a short ass.....).
All on grass livery (with stables if needed). As I said, expensive pets but I couldn't be without them, they are part of the family.
 
Sidney said:
My two are mainly used for hunting and as and when they get too old/injured to hunt, I will give them a summer retired in the field, enjoying the sun on their backs and with a bellyfull of grass.

Come autumn they would go to the kennels to be put down, with their last memories being that of hound song, and know that way they will go with a smile on their faces.

I adore my horses, but equally do not see them as pets, and have a job to do.

I prepare to be shot down..!!!
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Im in tears at this....Really???
 
My boy is 21 and I have just spent a fair amount on getting his headshaking sorted. I'm hoping he will go on for another 10 years. I am only hacking at the moment but I don't discount the occasional pleasure ride or indeed low level dressage competition.

In 10 years I will be on the wrong side of 70, GULP so will not want another horse, more to do with the work that goes with the daily care than the riding. Might find something to ride though.

My boy is with me for as long as he has quality of life, albeit as a field ornament, and then PTS at home. I got him when he was 10yrs old.

If I run out of funds he will be PTS before strictly necessary.
 
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Millie82 said:
Im in tears at this....Really???
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I too think its sad, and wouldnt be what I would do, but I will applaud Sidney for honesty and secondly IMO this is much better than an old horse being pushed from pillar to post. I would never pass mine on as he has given me 16 fab years and I owe him a nice retirement, but it is much better to PTS if you arent prepared to do that. I think its awful when I see people selling horses in their late teens becasue they arent likely to end up having a nice end and we owe them better than that.
 
Sidney, how honest! Better than passing them on to who knows what sort of life. If only more people took responsibility for their horses in their older years.
 
Mine's 32 this year. Retired but i've had my 2nd horse for nearly 10 years now. I backed her myself as I couldn't afford a really good broken horse while I was keeping 2. She's awesome. Old lady will probably go to rainbow bridge next winter.
 
My mare is 19 year old tb and fitter than ever. Not showing any signs of aging and am still teaching her new movements and working on improving her (just do dressage).
But, even though i suspect she has a few more years in full ridden work in her, this summer I am teaching my mum to ride her (sounds stupid but Dancer is the trickest horse ever to ride so even though my mum does know how to ride, I will have to show her all Dancer's little tweaks lol) so that in a few years she will be my mums horse to hack and do a bit of schooling on etc. Dancer def could not be a field ornament as I think she would go right downhill straight away. Shes one of those horses who needs work.
We do have our own land and 3 stables though. I have a rising 5 year old I have had since 2 1/2 who will take Dancer's place as my main competing horse and planning on getting a youngster at some point in the next few years so I have 2 to ride and compete.
 
I also can't imagine not riding or competing its a massive part for me, I've currently got my riding horse and my mare whose now 27 and can't be ridden anymore. At the moment I am running myself into the red affording them both on livery every month but she is going to have the summer out in the field and then be PTS before next winter as really can't afford two lots of livery and she was so miserable in the snow I can't bear the thought of seeing her like that again!

I also applaud Sidney and totally agree!
 
My boy is 22 in April and still enjoying life. I will keep him hacking and doing little dressage/showing competitions until he doesn't want to do it anymore. I will then move him closer to home (at the moment he's at livery about half an hour away) and DIY him rather than part-livery. He's staying with me until the day he sheds the mortal coil. I will probably get another horse when he's gone.
 
For those that I have upset....apologies but I am only giving an honest answer to the question asked.

My horses are a very important part of my life, they want for nothing, are fed the best feed I can afford, and have every need catered for. They have a lovely life doing a job they enjoy, and feel that when they can no longer do this, it is time to make a decision.

I have limited space, time and finances, and just can't afford to support aged horses with the inevitable problems that ensue - if I did I would have a yard full of un-rideable horses and not be abe to pay the mortgage or clothe my child!

I also would never 'shunt' this problem onto somone else, as could not guarantee the horses future - I owe them that.

To those that want to keep their horses for life, whether rideable or not, I applaud you and would not dream of criticising you - that is your view and your right. Therefore please respect my views too, whether you agree with them or not.
 
I don't think anyone has disagreed with you and I have read all of this thread?

Better to send them on their way while they are happy and well, than to keep them going way to long and in great discomfort from arthritis etc. Now that happens far to often nowadays. It is cruel and I would disagree with that kind of outcome for any horse, no matter how much it would be missed.
 
Good on for sharing your honesty Sidney.

Mr Cob is coming up 21, he has no intentions of slowing down just yet. I use him for hacking, very small local shows on occaision and as a nanny (when he is feeling sensible). His owner has said as long as he's happy and healthy he will be ridden as long as possible. When the time comes for him not to be ridden anymore he will be put to grass and be a companion, but, he's not the type just to stand in a field (he may calm down in a few years). However, we would both hate to see him miserable or distressed, and having him PTS might be the best thing to do if he is not happy anymore, or has any serious health issues... This would be after a considerable amount of effort on both of us to resolve whatever issue he has in the future.

Judging by the comment from the vet the other day "Jack Russel of the horse world and tough as old boots". This maybe quite some time yet.
 
mine is almost 21, has cushings and some lameness problems but is still hacking daily and behaving like a looney, she is now costing me more than i can afford as im on a pension, but she gets whatever she needs and will do until she doesnt have a good quality of life. i love riding her but if she cannot be ridden but is comfortable in the field, then i will have to stop riding as i cant afford to have 2 and would never get rid of her just for my convenience. i just hope i might win the lottery:D:D:D:D also absolutely agree with pts if unable to keep yourself. i get cross when people give their horses away as companions because they want to get another, if they dont want to keep them, then pts is not the worst that can happen to them!!
 
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I am hoping it won't be for a long time and I am concerned as he is such a good doer that he might become obese if he did not have a decent amount of exercise.

However my plan is that he will be a pet and as he has a nice friendly nature it is quite rewarding just grooming and cuddling him. I would struggle to afford two ponies but could afford to ride at a riding school once a week so would do that.
 
I am debating this exact issue/question ATM. My horse is 17 and has various forms of arthritis. I've done lots of things with him but he really only enjoys hunting and exciting hacking (ie, gets bored just ambling around the block). He will suffer flatwork provided he's also hunting and rarely jumps now, just the odd thing out hunting if the ground is OK. Although he is still enjoying his work (and jumping out of his skin when he is jumped out hunting), it's getting increasingly more difficult to keep him in work. He hates not working, hates just being out 24/7 (even with other horses who are out 24/7 and not in work) because he seems to like the routine of coming in etc. I'm sure there will be people on here who'll tell me he doesn't "like" work or "like" routine, he's just accustomed to it, but I know my horse.

Going into this current hunting season I did say it would probably be his last and I expected to retire him this spring. He's actually come out of it better than I expected so will give him 3 or 4 weeks off then some quiet work, couple of fun rides, see how he is in/ after the summer. ATM I have so much happening in my personal life that it suits me to have a horse in less work for now. My eventual aim would be to find a sharer for my boy who would just want to hack then I'll get another, younger horse to hunt and maybe compete.

It's difficult to know exactly what to do though as the post that struck a chord with my was Sidney's - having done all sorts of things with my boy I know that his one love is hunting. He'll do other stuff but he isn't the same horse as when he's hunting. Hopefully he will settle into just hacking quietly but if not then I'm afraid I'd be inclined to do consider the same thing... horses don't think about or have any concept of tomorrow, they just know whether they are happy today. If my horse can't do the job he enjoys and is miserable doing something else or retired, I'd prefer he was PTS.
 
Mine boy is 14 and the sort that will carry on going forever. My aim as long as I can is to keep him ridden in everything till his body says he can't anymore and I will know the time. Then I'll just have him as a hack. I will make any changes he needs and maybe have a share if I cant give thin the tlc.

My other boy is my sisters youngster and she is in ponies now but wants to move onto horses when shea older so I will ride her boy as I do loads with him now she's a better rider and doesn't get as attached as me.

Anything can happen but I plan to have the two we own for life.
 
Have my plan in action already. Both of mine are at a horse retirement livery. They receive excellent care. The Thoroughbred will be there for the rest of his life. The Highland Pony could come back to work but the combination of being a Houdini and a fatty with a constant need to eat (will eat dirt (which gave him colic), have seen him try to eat wood shavings), there is simply nowhere within two hours to keep him. (Am in Australia.) :(
 
We hear again and again how horses 'could not just be retired' 'he won't like just being in a field' etc etc. I have such a horse. I retired her over two years ago at age 16 due to a massive shoulder injury. She is now paddock sound and I have even started long reining her again and she loves it. She could never be ridden again, and needs stimulation and routine. Although I think that ANY horse could adapt to living out 24/7 and not being worked, I do think that many thrive on still being brought in at night in the winter and having things to do other than just being left in a field. I do clicker training sessions with her and as already mentioned, some long reining. I said yesterday in another thread that she had never tracked up (due to being quite long in the back) , well today she performed some impressive passage/extended trot and OVER tracked up by eighteen inches! But yes, she needs stimulation to keep happy. I love her dearly and so make time for her. Any horse can be very happily retired if they still receive that special one to one attention. And many horses ARE quite happy just being out 24/7 with company.
 
I also am a big believer that the horses tell u when they have had enough. Some don't like being out 24/7 with no work.

Mine is happy out/in, working and not working. So when he's Ill or unhappy I will make that call. I've seen so many horses that owners keep on for themselves I have promised my horse I will not do that, however hard that maybe.

If I had a horse which couldn't cope then PTS would be kindest option.
 
My horses are with me for life - my last one told me when he'd had enough and I'm sure the ones I have now and any in the future will tell me as well. I like to think I know my horses well enough to know when that decision to PTS has to be made. I have a 10 year old TB mare who is unlikely to come back into work as she has too many different lameness problems - but she is nowhere near ready to go yet, as she explained this morning as she ran up the field bucking and farting. Like Wagtail's horse, she enjoys a bit of stimulation and I will be starting to long-rein her in a couple of weeks to see how she gets on. If she comes completely sound enough to be a light hack, then great, if not, she's stunning, so looks great in the field! And when she deteriorates, when the light goes out of her eyes, when she stops kicking the door in the morning because she wants to go to the field, and when she passes her dominant mare crown to one of the others, then the decision will be made. Until then - Keep bucking and farting Girl!!
 
Sidney said:
For those that I have upset....apologies but I am only giving an honest answer to the question asked.

My horses are a very important part of my life, they want for nothing, are fed the best feed I can afford, and have every need catered for. They have a lovely life doing a job they enjoy, and feel that when they can no longer do this, it is time to make a decision.

I have limited space, time and finances, and just can't afford to support aged horses with the inevitable problems that ensue - if I did I would have a yard full of un-rideable horses and not be abe to pay the mortgage or clothe my child!

I also would never 'shunt' this problem onto somone else, as could not guarantee the horses future - I owe them that.

To those that want to keep their horses for life, whether rideable or not, I applaud you and would not dream of criticising you - that is your view and your right. Therefore please respect my views too, whether you agree with them or not.
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Sidney I admire and respect your views.
 
Holly Hocks said:
My horses are with me for life - my last one told me when he'd had enough and I'm sure the ones I have now and any in the future will tell me as well. I like to think I know my horses well enough to know when that decision to PTS has to be made. I have a 10 year old TB mare who is unlikely to come back into work as she has too many different lameness problems - but she is nowhere near ready to go yet, as she explained this morning as she ran up the field bucking and farting. Like Wagtail's horse, she enjoys a bit of stimulation and I will be starting to long-rein her in a couple of weeks to see how she gets on. If she comes completely sound enough to be a light hack, then great, if not, she's stunning, so looks great in the field! And when she deteriorates, when the light goes out of her eyes, when she stops kicking the door in the morning because she wants to go to the field, and when she passes her dominant mare crown to one of the others, then the decision will be made. Until then - Keep bucking and farting Girl!!
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Your girl sounds like a real character. I will keep my fingers crossed for you that she regains enough soundness to be hacked. She's a lucky girl to have such a dedicated owner that can see what she still has to offer. Horses are not cars, to be traded in when we want a new one. :)
 
I think after reading all the posts it's clear that until the time come and I know the circumstances it's hard to fully know what I will do. I agree that horses are better PTs than passed around as a companion, I think that option would not be one for mine as he's 17' 1 and costs an arm and a leg to feed! I'm sure someone would much prefer A low maintanance shettie! :) and I would rather PTs knowing he had a good life. Thank you for all your replies. Hopefully I will have a winning lotto ticket by then and will not have the problem!
 
I have an aging population, but rent some land so will get something else at some point! My now 12 year old was bought at rising 3 as a replacement for my now 16 year old who was written off but the vets. She promptly had issues, and the older one came back into work and is going strong. I'm hoping she may calm down a bit in a year or to, as she still behaves like she did at 6, only worse sometimes!
 
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