What do I do with a horse I can't ride?

Berkeley said:
I like this idea - what sort of games?!
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What I do, sounds quite silly, but I'm not allowed to lunge him either, so I just play around doing things which are low impact on his joints. He's only 9yrs old, and has recently been retired due to KS, navicular, PSD and arthritic changes. He's so young, I couldnt bear not doing anything to stimulate his mind. I'll probably think of more games as times goes on. I hope no one takes the Mickey!

I can get him to weave through cones using my arm signals (my greatest achievement). They are placed far enough apart, so he isn't having to twist too much. He gets treats at the end.

If you say 'say please' and point to his near fore, he'll lift it up for you, and the same with his off fore. he gets treats when he does it right.

I do a voice command work, asking him to make transitions between walk and halt in a straight line. With me standing as far away as possible.

I do long Reining in walk too.

The thing that he enjoys most with me though is the mutual grooming. He loves it when I scratch his withers, and he nuzzles my arm. He's also learnt that if he shows me where he has a scratchy area I'll scratch it for him, and when i get the right place his lip goes all quivery. :D
 
Misinterpreted said:
What I do, sounds quite silly, but I'm not allowed to lunge him either, so I just play around doing things which are low impact on his joints. He's only 9yrs old, and has recently been retired due to KS, navicular, PSD and arthritic changes. He's so young, I couldnt bear not doing anything to stimulate his mind. I'll probably think of more games as times goes on. I hope no one takes the Mickey!

I can get him to weave through cones using my arm signals (my greatest achievement). They are placed far enough apart, so he isn't having to twist too much. He gets treats at the end.

If you say 'say please' and point to his near fore, he'll lift it up for you, and the same with his off fore. he gets treats when he does it right.

I do a voice command work, asking him to make transitions between walk and halt in a straight line. With me standing as far away as possible.

I do long Reining in walk too.

The thing that he enjoys most with me though is the mutual grooming. He loves it when I scratch his withers, and he nuzzles my arm. He's also learnt that if he shows me where he has a scratchy area I'll scratch it for him, and when i get the right place his lip goes all quivery. :D
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Thats sounds super.

I am at a loss at the moment. I rescued her from a place where she was left 24/7. She wasn't in the best of health. I was suffering from depression, as I think she was, so I took her on. It was just something about her that I loved. I knew very little about the level of competency I needed for her but I took her anyway. She is too much for me. I think if I did retire her I would move her somewhere cheaper as I am on full livery at the moment. I am also thinking about loaning her to one of the girls at my yard who loves a bit of fun but she goes away next yr. PTS is the last resort but something to consider if it came to it. Just not sure yet. I will try those games, they seem great - certainly for bonding.
 
Berkeley said:
Thats sounds super.

I am at a loss at the moment. I rescued her from a place where she was left 24/7. She wasn't in the best of health. I was suffering from depression, as I think she was, so I took her on. It was just something about her that I loved. I knew very little about the level of competency I needed for her but I took her anyway. She is too much for me. I think if I did retire her I would move her somewhere cheaper as I am on full livery at the moment. I am also thinking about loaning her to one of the girls at my yard who loves a bit of fun but she goes away next yr. PTS is the last resort but something to consider if it came to it. Just not sure yet. I will try those games, they seem great - certainly for bonding.
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To start with, just try forming a bond with her and seeing if she likes the mutual grooming

Then Long reining might be a good place to start, and that will be teaching her to respect your aids and will be useful for your ridden work too.

If you can afford, get some lessons with a good instructor. I think that would help a great deal, and you might find the problems you are having can be corrected more easily than you thought.
 
Well, assuming this isn't a troll post the previous owner of the horse certainly knew a mug when they saw one. My 27year old has been retired for 4 years, costs me an absolute fortune to keep and has destroyed just about every other part of my life, but I still get as much pleasure from just watching and interacting with her as I did when I bought her 16 years ago. She brought me hours of fun and pleasure and now I am paying back that debt. She has her problems but her quality of life is pretty good, she potters about with her buddies, dozes in the sun like a lizard and seeing her gorgeous face waiting for me morning and evening cheers me up every time. However, if the OP isn't prepared to put the work in then I'm afraid I'm all in favour of a quick end to it all. There are two other elderlies with mine. Their owner has gone away leaving them on a bare, muddy field (we don't know when she is due back), they haven't had their rugs touched since last week and they are looking neglected and stressed. Even when she is home she spends all her time with the recently taken on part-loan and ignores the simple needs of her own animals. The only good thing that will come out of the demise of my old girl is that I won't have to watch these numpties who shouldn't have a plastic horse, let alone a living breathing one, for a moment longer.
 
lochpearl said:
Andy - he is a she lol! and she likes all things fluffy and new!!
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That is a very clever and helpful response. I'm sure when the OP asked for people's opinions on what is no doubt a very sensitive matter she actually meant 'can people with nothing better to do than visit message boards with the sole purpose of being a troll please insult me'.

You clearly have a personal vendetta against the OP so why not just say what you mean rather than trying to place yourself on a higher plain that the rest of us.
 
"I also note you thought her colour was 'green' rather than it meaning she was very inexperienced - surely no-one is that thick? "

AmyMay - the comment from the OP about colour is sarcasm!
 
DAA83 said:
That is a very clever and helpful response. I'm sure when the OP asked for people's opinions on what is no doubt a very sensitive matter she actually meant 'can people with nothing better to do than visit message boards with the sole purpose of being a troll please insult me'.

You clearly have a personal vendetta against the OP so why not just say what you mean rather than trying to place yourself on a higher plain that the rest of us.
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Fab username by the way! and no I have no idea who this person is. This post however has completely shocked me that it is real and that someone could be so flippant. On looking back through her posts and looking at her signature, the horse seems to be fantastic and well loved, then to read this post where there is nothing nice, or helpful to say it was a shock.

If however she had said that she as having problems with the horse, it was doing what it was doing and she didn't know what to do, should she loan her out, get a friend to ride, sell her, pts etc and give more ideas rather than making out her only option was to pts as she wasn't going to spend £350 on her keep if she couldn't ride her, then perhaps people would be a little more helpful and understanding. And as for my comments I have not said anything untrue.

It seems that you have been drafted in to stick up for her, she has made a post that has backfired and people have given honest comments - this is a forum! Then she runs off hiding. Truth hurts eh?

And no, I have never been a troll, always the same username and always the same opinions!
 
some of the comments from individuals have really upset me, i cant seem to understand how some people can be so cold and hard.

some people are really compassionate some are downright hardhearted.

to OP:

You have options:
get her reschooled (can be done), retire her or give her away as a companion, but for gods sake dont 'shoot her' giver her a 'lead poultice' all because you cant be arsed to be a responsible owner.

Animals have a right to see out their days, they should not be viewed as disposable items, once you have had enough shoot it, that is damn wrong. That animal has done nothing wrong just that you cant ride it so becuase of your inexperience she could be killed. how is that right?

i will not be visiting this thread again as im quite saddened by the comments and opinions of supposed horselovers.
 
Mollylolly. Take my mare.

If she doesnt come back to ridden work after ks surgery, we will probably have her put to sleep.

She is a horrid mare to be around, bites and kicks. She is a fairly good doer but needs hay in the winter. She costs us a fortune in rugs. She ruins our fields because if we take her friends out she churns them up like something else. She costs us a small fortune, all in all. So, our options would be:

Sell her. We couldnt really afford to keep her, particularly not with another horse. She's a pretty face and a nice age and height. Could we guarantee that someone would NEVER ride her? Well, no. So, she could go to a home thats downright horrid, they make her work and god forbid she rears up and over again and, this time, kills someone. So, in my view, selling her isnt an option.

Loan her. Same problem as above with riding. And, even if someone wouldnt try to ride her - shes not a companion. She has such bad separation anxiety that you would need a companion for her! So nobody would take her as a companion. She's not a project because she wouldnt be able to be ridden again.

We COULD leave her in our field, but we cannot afford her. So, what would we cut back on? Her feed? So she starves. Her shoeing? So she can't walk.

Cant you see that actually, being PTS is the BEST option for her?

This is hypothetical because hopefully she'll come back fine, but we'll see. For what its worth, YOUR comments upset ME because they're extremely naive.
 
lochpearl said:
Fab username by the way! and no I have no idea who this person is. This post however has completely shocked me that it is real and that someone could be so flippant. On looking back through her posts and looking at her signature, the horse seems to be fantastic and well loved, then to read this post where there is nothing nice, or helpful to say it was a shock.

If however she had said that she as having problems with the horse, it was doing what it was doing and she didn't know what to do, should she loan her out, get a friend to ride, sell her, pts etc and give more ideas rather than making out her only option was to pts as she wasn't going to spend £350 on her keep if she couldn't ride her, then perhaps people would be a little more helpful and understanding. And as for my comments I have not said anything untrue.

It seems that you have been drafted in to stick up for her, she has made a post that has backfired and people have given honest comments - this is a forum! Then she runs off hiding. Truth hurts eh?

And no, I have never been a troll, always the same username and always the same opinions!
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Drafted? I don't need any help I litigate for a living. I am most vexed with being called a numptie - this is vexatious and unpleasant.
 
lochpearl said:
If however she had said that she as having problems with the horse, it was doing what it was doing and she didn't know what to do, should she loan her out, get a friend to ride, sell her, pts etc and give more ideas rather than making out her only option was to pts as she wasn't going to spend £350 on her keep if she couldn't ride her, then perhaps people would be a little more helpful and understanding. And as for my comments I have not said anything untrue.
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Yes, perhaps the OP could have phrased her query better but, to be fair, it seems from later posts that she's up for considering options other than pts.

Until last year I had three retirees (now have two, one had to be put down at the ripe old age of 37) but I do have my own land so no livery costs to pay. I believe in letting horses see out their days in peace if at all possible; how would it sound if I said I was considering shooting my old dog 'cos he couldn't go on long walks any more?
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mollylolly said:
some of the comments from individuals have really upset me, i cant seem to understand how some people can be so cold and hard.

some people are really compassionate some are downright hardhearted.

to OP:

You have options:
get her reschooled (can be done), retire her or give her away as a companion, but for gods sake dont 'shoot her' giver her a 'lead poultice' all because you cant be arsed to be a responsible owner.

Animals have a right to see out their days, they should not be viewed as disposable items, once you have had enough shoot it, that is damn wrong. That animal has done nothing wrong just that you cant ride it so becuase of your inexperience she could be killed. how is that right?

i will not be visiting this thread again as im quite saddened by the comments and opinions of supposed horselovers.
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Sadly I think people are a little shocked at the lack of thought that went into the buy in the first place, I know I was! If my riding was not up to riding a fizzy ex racehorse that had not been re schooled I 100% would not have bought it, no matter how cheap or free. If I felt it was in need I would have called one of the horse welfare charities. You buy an ageing horse you expect to have to take the cost of retiring it. I think the comments made were asking for angry replies.
 
I hate it when people put horses to sleep just because they can't be bothered to help the horse or they can't ride it for one reason or another.

It is people who ruin horses then its the horse that suffers for it..

I have a 22 yr old and when it comes to where he can't be ridden then he will live as a happy lawn mower for the rest of his life. I would never dream of PTS just because he couldn't be ridden anymore.

Best thing you can do is give him up as a companion for FREE to a good home that you can have vetted.
 
p.s if you cant afford them even when they need you the most and they cant give you anything back then dont have them. I have had horses for well over 24 years now and i will only take them on if i can afford it and thank god i can.

im getting quite fed up with people saying im quite naive - no i am not. I thought that by joining this forum i would be able to have proper converstaions with like minded people - obviously this is not the case. I am only naive because you dont agree with my comments and my feelings for the animals.

I think joining this place was the wrong thing to do as my afternoon has been spent shocked at the approaches and opinions some of you have.

so not im not naive just a kind hearted caring person who has and will look after the horses for as long as i can, because i love them for them and the love they give me not what i cna get out of them.

thank you and good night.
 
KS1 said:
Best thing you can do is give him up as a companion for FREE to a good home that you can have vetted.
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oh good grief....

**bangs head on wall**

havent you read the thread started by thatsmygirl?

have a quick read..and reconsider your ill-thought out advice
 
Berkeley said:
Any pay £350 p/m for something I can't use? Pah!
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Jeez what a heartless person you are, you should not have bought this horse in the first place, you say selling is not an option as she may be mistreated, well, your the last person I'd sell to.

You are not experienced for an ex-racehorse and becuaes of that the horse gets it..

You disgust me..:mad:
 
I think it's sad retirement seems not to be an option, but if it isn't then PTS is not the worst thing you could do.

Giving to a charity is not going to be a goer, as I suspect most will be trying to save space for welfare cases over the winter months. And giving away as a companion is fraught with risks for the horse.

In hand work, little tricks, maybe clicker training, could be fun things for you and her to do and I think would be worth a try.
 
lochpearl said:
Fab username by the way! and no I have no idea who this person is. This post however has completely shocked me that it is real and that someone could be so flippant. On looking back through her posts and looking at her signature, the horse seems to be fantastic and well loved, then to read this post where there is nothing nice, or helpful to say it was a shock.

If however she had said that she as having problems with the horse, it was doing what it was doing and she didn't know what to do, should she loan her out, get a friend to ride, sell her, pts etc and give more ideas rather than making out her only option was to pts as she wasn't going to spend £350 on her keep if she couldn't ride her, then perhaps people would be a little more helpful and understanding. And as for my comments I have not said anything untrue.

It seems that you have been drafted in to stick up for her, she has made a post that has backfired and people have given honest comments - this is a forum! Then she runs off hiding. Truth hurts eh?

And no, I have never been a troll, always the same username and always the same opinions!
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What a load of b*****ks - you are defending your pointless response on the basis that the OP didn't put her question forward in exactly the way you wanted! Would it have helped if she used a different font? I think if you read the post you will see another option with the word possibly.

I disagree with your assessment that the post has backfired because there have been a lot of useful responses, it just so happens that non of them have come from you. Yes I am sticking up for the OP and no I haven't added an opinion to her predicament, so in essence my purpose here is to counter balance yours. If you stop giving a halfwit assessment then my job will be done.
 
KS1 said:
Jeez what a heartless person you are, you should not have bought this horse in the first place, you say selling is not an option as she may be mistreated, well, your the last person I'd sell to.

You are not experienced for an ex-racehorse and becuaes of that the horse gets it..

You disgust me..:mad:
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You're right. She's not right for me. I have just given the ok for the hunt to shoot her. Luckily the bullet was free so at least she hasn't cost me anything else.
 
DAA83 said:
What a load of b*****ks - you are defending your pointless response on the basis that the OP didn't put her question forward in exactly the way you wanted! Would it have helped if she used a different font? I think if you read the post you will see another option with the word possibly.

I disagree with your assessment that the post has backfired because there have been a lot of useful responses, it just so happens that non of them have come from you. Yes I am sticking up for the OP and no I haven't added an opinion to her predicament, so in essence my purpose here is to counter balance yours. If you stop giving a halfwit assessment then my job will be done.
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Bang on! no pun intended for the sound of the gun.
 
So OP to summarise - you took on a horse because you felt sorry for it, but you didn't have any experience in looking after / owning such an animal. You have acheived very little in terms of progress with the mare for the last 4 years and now you are looking for either a wonder cure for her problems or to palm her off for someone else to care for in her twighlight years.

By anyones gauge you have been foolish, having said that I think we all have at some point in our associations with animals.

The right and proper thing to do is to retire her and allow her to live the rest of her natural life with her needs attended to. You took her on and this is your responsibilty. The inference in a previous post is that you are a solicitor or similar so I'm am making the assumption that cash flow should not be a problem - even if you do begrudge spending money keeping a horse you cannot ride. Ultimately that situation is not her fault.

If you cannot / won't / don't wish to provide for her any longer I would suggest you find her a loving owner who is willing to do so. She has no monetary value so you would have to offer her free to a good home. The onus is on you to ensure she goes to a good home.

If neither of these solutions appeal then you must have her pts in my opinion.
 
I have a retired horse because I can afford to at the moment, however if money ran out I would very reluctantly have him PTS.

For an old horse that's not an easy keeper and not an easy ride the world in general doesn't have a good track record of providing them a good life.

There are a lot worse things that could happen than a good and caring end to life. The thread in latest news shows what can happen to even the best of horses.

All horses are 1 sale away from disaster in essence. I know that sounds like scaremongering but people seem to believe they can advertise their older horse free to good home and that's exactly what will happen. Where as reality is usually completely different.

I'm not saying it's impossible to rehome and older horse to a good home, but it takes time, hard work and effort and regular checks and isn't always possible.

Hence why the charities generally recommend the PTS option in these circumstances.
 
enfys said:
Ok then.
Out of curiosity, to those that say retire her, or pay the 350 pcm, could you, would you, give her a home then?
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There are stupid people who take on a horse that they are not experienced enough for, other people are not there to take on people's mistakes. I have two horses one is 22 and the other is 7.

They have both not been riddden for over a year due to my injuries, I may never be pain free and therefore may never ride again, but would I sell or put my old boy to sleep. Not bloody likely.

If it cost me £500 a month I would still keep them. Horses are cheap to buy but not cheap to maintain.. People should think about that first before jumping in blind.

So to answer your question.. no I wouldn't buy this horse, if I were to buy another to help it, it would be from a horse sanctuary.

Anyway the horse could always be moved to another yard that is cheaper.

Also 21 is not old these days and the real issue is not the age but the persons stupidity of taking on a horse that she has no experience for, did probably nothing to help it in 4 years then gets nupity when it starts being too difficult for her to handle coz she can't be bothered to school it. (Probably has no idea how to school correctly either)

I am not sorry for my posting this, I am disgusted and angry that the suggestion to put a healthy horse to sleep is even considered by ANYONE... If someone is not prepared to keep a horse knowing one day it won't be able to be ridden then they should stick to the fair ground horse rides.
 
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