What to do with Mare

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sjdress

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I had to semi retire my mare eighteen months ago. She was very happy living out with a shelter and being lightly hacked 3 times a week. Unfortunately she has somehow done her check ligament and requires a long time off. It’s also unclear if she will be able to return to being ridden. Therefore I am not sure what to do with her. I think she is too old to be used as an embryo transfer mare (18) and I am worried she is going to get bored out in the field with no purpose. She is not in a herd type environment and this was fine whilst she was being ridden as she had a routine of coming in and going out for a ride but to see her just sat in the field seems a bit miserable! Any ideas? I have thought about retirement livery but I am not sure how much this works out cost wise.
 
yup definitely see what's available but remember horses quietly bimbling around in the field are often not bored, they are content ;)
I have 2 retired mares out in a huge field, they entertain themselves happily browsing in hedges and spying on the neighbours, snorting at the sheep that escape into their field from time to time and snoozing. Does she have company and plenty of space where she is now?
 
milliepops said:
yup definitely see what's available but remember horses quietly bimbling around in the field are often not bored, they are content ;)
I have 2 retired mares out in a huge field, they entertain themselves happily browsing in hedges and spying on the neighbours, snorting at the sheep that escape into their field from time to time and snoozing. Does she have company and plenty of space where she is now?
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She has horses next door to her but not actually in the same field, where we are is individual turnout
 
The main issue with moving is I have another horse so don’t want two in different places as I also work full time so the logistics would be a nightmare. I compete my other horse and the current set up is perfect so can’t move him (he also doesn’t like a lot of turnout, another story!).
 
tabithakat64 said:
You have three options

1. do what I myself did and others have suggested and move to a yard where your horse can live out with other retired horses
2. stay at current yard because you're happy their
3. pts because you want a horse to ride
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sums it up, rather!

I have mine at different places now, 2 at a yard and the oldies are very close to home in the field so I pop in on them whenever is convenient as they live out 24/7 and need less input. You might find some assisted grass livery could be the ideal compromise for your mare? then it's not such a hassle having them in different places.
Giving up full DIY for the ones on the yard has made it all a lot easier, they get turned out for me in the morning so there's less to fit in around the working day. Not my ideal choice but allows me to keep all the plates spinning.
 
tabithakat64 said:
You have three options

1. do what I myself did and others have suggested and move to a yard where your horse can live out with other retired horses
2. stay at current yard because you're happy their
3. pts because you want a horse to ride
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Don’t really agree with point 3 as I have a horse to ride so wouldn’t put her down because ‘I want a horse to ride’! This mare owes me nothing and I am more than happy to find a suitable solution for her but it also has to fit in around my other horse and time. I have health issues and am not prepared to run myself ragged with having two horses in different places and working a full time job!!!
I think retirement livery or assisted grass livery looks to be the best option for her.
 
milliepops said:
sums it up, rather!

I have mine at different places now, 2 at a yard and the oldies are very close to home in the field so I pop in on them whenever is convenient as they live out 24/7 and need less input. You might find some assisted grass livery could be the ideal compromise for your mare? then it's not such a hassle having them in different places.
Giving up full DIY for the ones on the yard has made it all a lot easier, they get turned out for me in the morning so there's less to fit in around the working day. Not my ideal choice but allows me to keep all the plates spinning.
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Do you not check the oldies twice a day everyday? I currently am doing that with her but know that once a day would probably suffice but I can’t quite seem to be able to do it without feeling I might miss something if I do t check her morning and evening?!
 
What makes you feel she's unhappy or bored eating grass in a field? There are very few horses that would be unhappy with that scenario. I doubt that hacking three times a week was enough to keep her occupied.
 
sjdress said:
Do you not check the oldies twice a day everyday? I currently am doing that with her but know that once a day would probably suffice but I can’t quite seem to be able to do it without feeling I might miss something if I do t check her morning and evening?!
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nope, not weekdays. this set up lets me start work between 6 and 7am so I can finish early and do all the horses in the afternoon/eves. OH drives out past their field in the mornings and can see from the road. plus the neighbours are very good and look out for them in between times, they were so excited to have horses in the field again when we moved them in, I get reports of their activities from time to time and they are good nosy neighbours. The alternative for me was retirement livery, i'm lucky to have figured something else out which has also given another retired horse a good life :)
 
9tails said:
What makes you feel she's unhappy or bored eating grass in a field? There are very few horses that would be unhappy with that scenario. I doubt that hacking three times a week was enough to keep her occupied.
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She’s just got quite clingy when I go into the field , which isn’t really like her! She’s very independent! And she follows me round like a lost sheep! I could be reading too much into it! She is actually happier turned out 24/7 than she ever was in all the years I had her where she was stabled for half the time!
 
9tails said:
What makes you feel she's unhappy or bored eating grass in a field? There are very few horses that would be unhappy with that scenario. I doubt that hacking three times a week was enough to keep her occupied.
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I disagree, I think plenty of horses would be unhappy and bored on individual turnout if they aren't getting out and about. Especially if they are in a "standard size" (i.e. tiny) individual turnout paddock like you see on many livery yards, which I obviously don't know is the case with OP's mare.
 
tabithakat64 said:
You have three options

1. do what I myself did and others have suggested and move to a yard where your horse can live out with other retired horses
2. stay at current yard because you're happy their
3. pts because you want a horse to ride
Click to expand...



TK64, can I ask why you wrote 'because you want a horse to ride' after the PTS option?

PTS is indeed an option for an older horse with an uncertain ability to return to work. But the OP has given no indication that she wants to be able to ride a second horse, and there are other reasons why a horse like this would be PTS.

It read as a bit judgmental, did you mean to suggest that PTS would be a bad/wrong option?
 
Could you find another retired pony to keep her company, either a rescue or somebody looking for somewhere to keep one. Then they cam bimble about together.
 
ycbm said:
Sjdress, what was the reason for the semi retirement?



.
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She was diagnosed as having knee bone sclerosis along with other things, which unfortunately is now the leg she has done the ligament on... could be related. So had to retire to just hacking and no circles or school work whatsoever.
 
sjdress said:
Do you not check the oldies twice a day everyday? I currently am doing that with her but know that once a day would probably suffice but I can’t quite seem to be able to do it without feeling I might miss something if I do t check her morning and evening?!
Click to expand...

Every horse needs to be checked twice a day as a minimum.
 
sjdress said:
She was diagnosed as having knee bone sclerosis along with other things, which unfortunately is now the leg she has done the ligament on... could be related. So had to retire to just hacking and no circles or school work whatsoever.
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In which case, and I'm sorry if this is not what you want to hear, I would take this as a big sign that all is not well with that leg, and have her put down rather than subject her to a potentially painful old age.



.
 
Ok yeah explore retirement livery but don't be ashamed/worried at looking at the PTS option. Yes it's a hard option but in cases where the future is let's say difficult t is often best option for horse. Why do I know? Been there. Young 14 year old. Still hurts but the best option for my babymare x
 
my friend is caring for her terminally ill husband and couldnt commit to twice a day visit to her horse so she has found a retirement livery for her and they are checked daily, rugs on or off if required, they organise feet trimming and hay in field if needed, it has taken a huge weight off her mind and she goes to see her when she has someone to stay with her husband for a coupleof hours. my friend knows her horse is happy and it is costing her less than diy livery...
 
My semi-retired mare was at a lovely retirement yard and the horses loved it. They were out in a big herd living out 24/7. The YO checked / fed / rugged at least twice a day - she’d also sort vet, farrier etc. There was a big barn so you could bring your horse in to groom etc and stables for emergencies. I think it was about £160 per month.
 
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