What do you plan to do when your horse retires?

[VictoriaSpicer]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my earlier post about retirement livery. I'm still looking for case studies so please do take a look:

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=8511140

Also, I'd be really grateful if you could take a second to vote in this poll:

 

[stencilface]

I am lucky in that we have land so it is relatively cheap to keep oldies on - in fact I can't remember a time when we haven't had at least one over 20yo in the field as a spare hack/companion - we have 2 at the moment

But if I didn't have the facilities, I would probably opt for a retirement livery, or just plain old grass livery

 

[dibbin]

Don't have land atm, but Dylan's only 15, so I'm planning to have some by the time he retires I couldn't part with him, he's been a massive part of my life for 7 years, I'll keep him til the end.

 

[milliepops]

Mine is from a charity and I intend to keep her for the rest of her days. She owes me nothing I keep her on DIY and would hope to stay at the same place, but might go to grass livery if/when I got a new horse if the money was a bit tight.

 

[lizziebell]

My horse is 20 but still going strong. I keep her at home so when the time comes to retire she'll be a companion for a new horse. Am already thinking of getting a youngster now to step in to her shoes, but if she's going to be anything like her mother she could have another 10 years work in her left !

 

[millitiger]

um, it depends on the horse!

i currently have 3 horses and unless by the time they come to retirement age i have my own land and no money issues i can't afford to run 3 retired horses and still be riding.

Pilfer (16yro) is assured a home for life with me- if i have to sell the younger horses to keep him then so be it.

Millie (6yro) and Vinnie (4yro)- their retirements are hopefully (!!!!!) a long way off and i cannot foresee still having both of them in 5 years let alone 20.

 

[KatB]

Until I have my own land/cost effective way of keeping them as they get older, I have younger horses who get sold as young horses! If I am ever in the situation where I end up keeping a horse for any length of time until it retires, I would keep it on grass or retirement livery

 

[Gamebird]

I plan not to get to that stage! They're either sold before they get too old, or they break. Sorry! The oldest horse I've had in recent times was 9 .

 

[Santa_Claus]

My old boy is on retirement livery now (as of last year) it is basically 'full' grass livery. Checked once a day in winter twice in summer and hayledge is given in the worst weather (aka snow!). Pay set amount to YO every month via direct debit and pay any extras (farrier, wormers etc as required). Only see him every couple months as he 60 miles from me but he is at a yard I trust.

Previous oldies we have kept (namely my ponies) and they live with my mum back in Jersey where we have grazing/stables. due to lack of suitable field partners Dan couldn't go back there to join them as still have my 28yo 12h2 and two late teens early 20s 14h2s who are both still ridden regulary but with far quieter lives then previously.

as for current horse it will depend on situation at time. Currently she is only 10 so many more years to go hopefully before retirement is an issue!!

 

[milliepops]

This is really interesting Those who don't plan to keep into retirement - is this because you can't afford it, or because (hmm, not sure how to phrase this right) of the relationship you have with your horse, were they bought specifically to sell on, or something else?

Sorry Victoria, hope this isn't going OT but I'd like to know.. I'll try to explain - I sold on my previous horses cos they were no longer what I was looking for, and although I liked them, it wasn't too much of a wrench to part with them. Whereas I truly feel my current horse is my once-in-a-lifetime horse so will keep her into her dotage I've had her 6 yrs so far and can't imagine ever parting with her, it's like she is wired into my brain. Regardless of what the future holds, she will stay put as a result.

Not looking to make a judgement on this, just interested in opinions

 

[Vikki89]

My horses are on a DIY yard, they are 3, 10 & 17yrs old, and none retireing yet but if they were to i would still want to keep them where they are now.

 

[_Rach_]

If Twizzy was retired at a young age due to ingury ( i hope this will never happen) I would probs have a foal of her as she is very trainable and a nice sort( well i think so)

 

[gigs]

Gigs is now 17 and still going strong I am 47 and not wearing as well !! So when he retires I will prob hang up my boots (might ride daughters horse now and again) Gigs is the best horse that I have ever owned both in character and performance -I will keep him till the day he dies .

 

[katie_and_toto]

When Toto pony retires, we will probably get a horse to ride, but we will keep Toto on livery, he's not going anywhere!

 

[posie_honey]

if my mare was still young enough and had proved herself in a discipline (other than being a fabulous hunter lol) i'd breed from her as she's a lovely stamp, fabulous temprement and i think she'd throw a v nice foal when crossed with a TB - the foal would be for me - not for sale.

if she was not young enough - or putting her in foal would cause issues with whatever caused her to retire - i'd play it by ear tbh... if she was sound enough to happy hack occasionally i'd do that.. if not - i'm afraid i'd probably have her pts.

 

[millitiger]

This is really interesting Those who don't plan to keep into retirement - is this because you can't afford it, or because (hmm, not sure how to phrase this right) of the relationship you have with your horse, were they bought specifically to sell on, or something else?

Sorry Victoria, hope this isn't going OT but I'd like to know.. I'll try to explain - I sold on my previous horses cos they were no longer what I was looking for, and although I liked them, it wasn't too much of a wrench to part with them. Whereas I truly feel my current horse is my once-in-a-lifetime horse so will keep her into her dotage I've had her 6 yrs so far and can't imagine ever parting with her, it's like she is wired into my brain. Regardless of what the future holds, she will stay put as a result.

Not looking to make a judgement on this, just interested in opinions

um, well i am keeping Pilfer as i bought him as a 9yro, he is now 16 and i wouldn't feel happy selling him at this stage of his life unless to a friend i trusted 100%.
he has done wonders for my riding and introduced me to eventing so i feel i owe him something in return.
he is out on loan to a girl who wanted him so much she tracked me down on Facebook and absolutely and totally dotes on him
I am happy for him to stay with her for as long as she likes but he won't be for sale.

apart from Pilfer, i have owned about 10 horses in the last 4 years.
some bought specifically to sell on for profit (got the deposit on my house through them!) and some just didn't turn out as i had hoped.

i like both of my current young horses a lot but i also want to get up the BE ladder and am aware that i need the right horsepower (and a lot of luck) to help me- if these 2 aren't going to do it they will be sold and i will start the search again!

 

[not_with_it]

Gin has a home for life with me, I will keep her til the end. She will stay on DIY unless by some miracle I can afford my own yard. Ive not ridden her for coming up to 2 years due to a back injury, she has just had a foal and will be brought back into work at weaning to see how her back holds up. Even if I cant ride her again she will stay with me on livery and live the same lifestyle she always has.

 

[Halfstep]

I think it depends on what you mean by retirement. If my horse can no longer compete at the level he's been trained to, but can work happily or hack, I would consider putting him out on loan. However, if/when he can no longer be ridden at all, I will keep him at livery (don't have my own land) for the rest of his life.

 

[NR99]

My girl was 17 this year and I have had her since she was 4, no way she owes me anything but I owe her heaps and she deserves to be treated fairly until the end.

That said when her quality of life is suffering then I will have her PTS I don't agree with keeping them hanging on when they are clearly in pain because of your own feelings.

 

[humblepie]

My old boy was put to sleep last December at 24. He had stopped being ridden when was about 20 I think, so then I showed him in hand and used to take him for walks round the village. He remained at the same DIY livery yard as when he was in full work, even though he did not need the flash facilities, I liked the yard and there were competent people to help if I was away. I did from time to time think about moving him somewhere cheaper but liked having people I knew to look after him when I could not.

 

[Stormy123456]

Well, Ballet is 15 now, and she will be here 'til the day she dies, a once in a lifetime horse for me. She'll never leave here.

Spanner is 4 and she will hopefully be sold before the end of this year, however if she had a permanent injury, then we'd probably breed her, (to keep the foal), and then see what happens.

We still own sisters 13.1hh 28 year old pony, who is as fit as a fiddle and is loaned out to a PC home, but will come back once she starts to feel her age for a long retirement!

 

[Alibear]

I'm luck as my very kind YO has agreed to keep my retired chap with her retirees. So he's on retirment livery but with the same lady who's looked after him for me all the time I've had him so I know his care is 100% and he's still local so I can see him when ever I want.
Hopfully current in work lad has many more years in work left yet but I also hope he can get the same treatment when retirment time comes.

 

[MegaBeast]

I don't intend keeping any horse until retirement age. Current mare is 8. Reason being you could have a horse in retirement for some years and I wouldn't be able to afford to run two so would rather have them young and not have to deal with the issue.

Saying that, if my circumstances change and I had my own land it would be a different story

 

[hellspells]

I had to retire one at 12, and she stayed with me until I had to have her PTS due to reoccurring colic. I kept her on livery, I was able to get another at the same time. The same will happen with her I will keep her until the end, the dartmoor however (who is currently on loan) will be sold should I not have a job for her to do when I get her back but she is 8 now so I have time if I were to do this

 

[VictoriaSpicer]

Thanks to everyone who has responded. Re earlier question about retiring, I mean can't be ridden - either through old age or injury.

So what would be your thoughts on retirement livery - would any of you consider this?

Thanks

Victoria

 

[251libby]

I'm keeping my girl till the end of her days so when she does retire, if I own only her I will probably move her to a cheaper DIY livery (the place I'm at now is a competition yard but DIY) but if I have another rideable horse aswell then I will just keep her where she is

 

[3BayGeldings]

Mine's on retirement livery. Im a student so it's a struggle at times, but i feel i owe him a happy life for as long as possible.

 

[milliepops]

So what would be your thoughts on retirement livery - would any of you consider this?

Eek, sorry - when you say retirement livery presumably you mean full livery somewhere else that caters mainly for retired horses?

We have one like this on our normal DIY yard as the owners have moved away and thought she was too old to travel. I personally wouldn't do it - if I had decided to keep the horse in my ownership I'd rather see it every day than once in a blue moon as the people at our place do
But then I'm a sentimental fool!

 

[SpruceRI]

Keep them all til the day they die.

Je t'adore my ponies!!!!

 

[VictoriaSpicer]

Full livery in as much as the yard covers all care of the horse, although the horse is often out at grass for some or all of the year round.