What circumstances would make you give up your horse for it's own good

TGM

TGM

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When do you decide that the circumstances you keep your horse in are not good enough, and it would be fairer on the horse to find it a new home? Would it be if you could not afford enough feed to keep it in relatively good condition? Would it be if you could not give it companionship, turnout, adequate veterinary care? What if those circumstances were only short lived - say the horse had to survive on minimal feed rations for a week, a month, a couple of months before things returned to normal?

Where would you draw the line?
 
ooooh good question!!
I think that if I knew that there was a definate end to the circumstances I would hold out and make cut backs. If there was no end in site then I would possibly loan and then go on to sell if that didnt work.
 
Goodness me that question is very deep and meaningfull .... I personally would go without everything and hope my good friends could help me through it, as I would for my good friends
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Goodness me that question is very deep and meaningfull .... I personally would go without everything and hope my good friends could help me through it, as I would for my good friends
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Ditto that, but if I really had to sell I would sell Bertie and Bear but I've had Buddie for 7 years so he's NEVER going anywhere!!
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When do you decide that the circumstances you keep your horse in are not good enough, and it would be fairer on the horse to find it a new home? Would it be if you could not afford enough feed to keep it in relatively good condition? Would it be if you could not give it companionship, turnout, adequate veterinary care? What if those circumstances were only short lived - say the horse had to survive on minimal feed rations for a week, a month, a couple of months before things returned to normal?
Where would you draw the line?

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Nothing would make me give up my horse. I have made a lot of choices in my life that are structured purely to ensure that I can keep her! Call me selfish, call me cruel, but there are some things that a horse can go without, especially in the short term, even if it is less than ideal. I am lucky in a way that I have plenty of friends who could step in and help - short term - in dire financial need, and if anything happened to me that meant I could not ride any longer, then either my mum would take over or she would let my current instructor have the ride on her.
Ellie is a part of our family; I could not 'give her up' for anything.
 
As ours are kept as a group and two of them are very attached to each other we would never sell any of them, if it really came down to it we would probably have them pts rather than let them be seperated (let's face it who else would want a 17hh shire x clydesdale and a 15:3 appy together?)
 
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If I was having to feed my children substandard food because I couldn't afford decent food for them then the horses would go....or be eaten
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I would feed the child to the horses!!! that would keep them ticking over for a few days! she's got plenty of meat on her!!
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When do you decide that the circumstances you keep your horse in are not good enough, and it would be fairer on the horse to find it a new home? Would it be if you could not afford enough feed to keep it in relatively good condition? Would it be if you could not give it companionship, turnout, adequate veterinary care? What if those circumstances were only short lived - say the horse had to survive on minimal feed rations for a week, a month, a couple of months before things returned to normal?

Where would you draw the line?

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Great question!

I have always said that the only time I would consider letting my horse go is if his welfare was an issue.
i.e. that I could no longer provide for his basic needs:
> Adequate turn out (he loves his freedom)
> Shelter
> Full Nutrition
> Veterinary and farrier care
> Companionship

If I could no longer care for him in the manner that he needs/ deserves I would first look for a suitable sharer, failing that a loan home (although I am a fussy b*gger and I think I would be a nightmare to share/ loan from!!!) and ultimately I guess I would sell him but it would be an absolute last resort as I don't believe anybody out there could love and care for him as much as I do.
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If it was a short term issue (and more than likely in the long term too, thankfully) then my family would definitely step in- we're all very animal orientated (all our family's animals are as much part of the family as the people) and I don't think any one of them would stand by and watch me lose him if I couldn't care for him properly- they would step in and help out.
 
I sold my mare due to lack of finances that wouldn't improve, I had friends who would help me out but I was/still am in debt so couldn't really justify keeping her so I made the decision to sell her, it broke my heart and I think of her everyday it is the first horse I have ever had to sell and I hate myself for it,
my friend lets me have the use of her pony for driving and I use her OH horse for riding but it isn't the same, hopefully whn I finish Uni, (got another year cos am doing my masters) I can get a good job with loads of money and may be by another one
 
Twice I have been made redundent at no notice and had to sell my horse as I couldn't afford to pay for livery. Livery or default on mortgage - not a hard deccion when it came down to it. Personally I would never compromise on my horse's care just for my own needs. I would rather sell cheaply to a good home than have an unhappy horse. That's my decision though - it wouldn't be the right decision for everyone. Very cliched - but if you really love someone you will let them go if they would be happier that way.
 
Nothing! Our animals are very important to us and we have them instead of children. I rent a field fram a farmer and my horse lives of grass and hay so has very little in the way of costs, so there is n reason why I would give him up as I could always find the money to pay for a bit of hay and his annual rent...there is work for everyone out there!
There was a time when both my OH and me lost our jobs within a month of each other and with a house, bills and mortgage to pay for it was desparate. But we suvived by cutting everything back except the crucial bills and lived off potatoes and beans for the best part of 6 months, which is how long it took one of us to get a job. Our animals had food and care and they came first before our needs so long as the bills were paid.
 
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I have always said that the only time I would consider letting my horse go is if his welfare was an issue.
i.e. that I could no longer provide for his basic needs:
> Adequate turn out (he loves his freedom)
> Shelter
> Full Nutrition
> Veterinary and farrier care
> Companionship


[/ QUOTE ] Agree with you there, Tororo. I have made great sacrifices at times to keep my horses, but if I couldn't fulfill the above criteria for them long term, I think I would have to find them new homes.
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I've sold horses when I either don't get on with them anymore or I've reached their limit as to what they could do. I don't think it is fair to ask a horse to jump bigger than it can and they would enjoy themself much more in a home that asked less of them.

I also had a mare that I just didn't get on with, we argued all the time and I didn't enjoy riding her, so if I wasn't finding it fun, I can't imagine she was either.

So I probably haven't answered you question in the physical way of providing food, as I can't ever really see that happening, but I think mental well being is also important.
 
Interesting question - and I guess to an extent it depends on the horse. I know Murphy could live quite happily living out all year on no hard feed and unshod - so I could spend a lot less on him than I do if I had to. It would take an awful lot to make me sell him - I would loan him if my circumstances meant I couldn't keep him happy but that would be a last resort and I would make as many sacrifices as i could before it got to that point. Murphy is a one in a million to me.

I sold a horse I didn't get on with and that was as much for his sake as mine.
 
If I really couldn't afford to give them veterinary saddler and farrier care when ever they needed it or afford to keep them at a yard with enough turnout.
Fudge possibly I would put out on loan if I couldn't ride or take care of him at all as he enjoys doing something. Nothing would make me give up Lady as I've had her ten years, she was a rescue and I promised her and myself that I would never give her up.
 
I couldn't bear to part with either of my horses, although if I had any sense I probably should!!! Neither are particularly sellable now, so if I couldn't afford to keep them I would have them PTS.

I think solutions can be found to most problems. For example, you can rent grazing and turn the horses out 24/7 instead of stabling, you can have shoes removed so you only have a trim to pay for, you can get second hand tack and rugs. I think the only area you can never skimp on is healthcare ie vaccinations, teeth, wormers and vets attention when needed.
 
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If I was having to feed my children substandard food because I couldn't afford decent food for them then the horses would go....or be eaten
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Think I'd feed the kids to the horses
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This might offend people but I would sell my horse if I couldn't afford at least occassional lessons as well as all the essentials like vets fees, feed etc. If your horse is a non ridden pet then fair enough but I think pretty much everyone that rides benefits from occassionally having an instructor or at least an experienced friend watch them ride and give them some pointers. it really bothers me that people see lessons as an added luxury and not something that should be routine. The longest that I've gone without lessons was about a year when I had a horse on loan that could only be hacked as there was nowhere to school him. I picked up some bad habits in that time which weren't good for me or him and wouldn't ever want to go that long again
 
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