what to do with my horse.

[Jadey]

I have a 17 year old ex racehorse that is becoming dangerous when ridden and bought in from the field. I dont know how she would be living out 27/7 and unfortunately I dont have my own field/unlimited funds and am sceptical about leaving her with someone else. Does anyone have experience of retirement livery? Or another idea?

 

[AmyMay]

How long have you had the horse?

 

[Greylegs]

In what way is she dangerous? Is there any way you can overcome this and is it a sudden change in behaviour or has she always been the same? There may well be a medical reason for the change so your vet may be able to advise?

 

[Tiffany]

How long have you had the horse?

^^^this^^^

 

[Jadey]

I have had her for 8 years. She has always been slightly mad. Its become worse lately. Shes been in low levek work due to undiagnosed lameness. Shes on very little feed, a calmer and turned out between 6.30 and 5 everyday at the moment.

 

[AmyMay]

Perhaps review your management before deciding on your options. What is the problem exactly when you bring her in?

Obviously you can't give the horse away, and you need to consider carefully asking someone to look after for you if she has genuinly become dangerous.

 

[springtime1331]

You have my sympathies, my 4 year old is becoming unmanageable to bring in. Close to getting a turnout ban I think

 

[Jadey]

She barges through electric fences, rears, bucks and generally flies around. I dont ask anyone else to handle her at the moment as I dont trust her at all

 

[Adopter]

Have you had her checked by the vet and ruled out pain as a problem? The lameness could be the source of pain, and as flight animals some horses will try and run from pain, thus becoming very difficult to handle.

 

[soulfull]

Just a thought Is she hungry? Ive known a couple of horses that were starting to get dngerous to bring in. Turns out they were just hungry

 

[liz4949]

Agree with previous posters re pain investigation, but also wonder re the bringing in is she just keen to get in for her feed. If my old tb is left out longer than he wants to be he can get silly bringing in . That's quite a long time from 6.30 to 5 if the weather is horrible.

 

[springgrass]

Just a thought Is she hungry? Ive known a couple of horses that were starting to get dngerous to bring in. Turns out they were just hungry

This!
Not sure how your fields are doing but it's the time of year they are all a bit eager to come in. It's pretty miserable out there! This time last year my OH was dragged in from the gate by a usually gentle 17.3 shirextb because he was hungry and keen to get in. They all start getting a bit fed up.
Can you feed hay in the field if winter turn out is bad?

 

[_GG_]

Just a thought Is she hungry? Ive known a couple of horses that were starting to get dngerous to bring in. Turns out they were just hungry

This. Does she have access to ad lib hay in the field. Even if there is grass, there is little value in it at the moment, she may be needing the roughage of hay or haylage.

 

[Jadey]

She had a full veterinary work up 2 years ago with the same lameness. Undiagnosed and turned away for 12 months. Bought back into light work and the lameness continued. Checked teeth, saddle and back recently so still undiagnosed. She's fed half scoop of Alfa am and pm. Ab-lib hay at night. On grass and hay during the day. I don't think I could feed her anymore even if I wanted to as she doesn't eat it all!

 

[katastrophykat]

You have my sympathies, my 4 year old is becoming unmanageable to bring in. Close to getting a turnout ban I think

Really? How will a ban on turnout help a young horse?!!

OP, look at how hungry she is, then maybe try grass livery? My ex racer lived out much better than in, a decent rug and good shelter.

 

[Jadey]

Problem with grass livery is that she is the only horse I have and doesn't do well out on her own.

 

[TheMule]

I wouldn't let the lameness go undiagnosed any longer, the horse sounds in pain. I had a TB mare who was sweetie to handle but then just turned and became dangerous to handle. She turned out to have bad kissing spine and was out down as it was unmanageable

 

[Jadey]

The lameness is undiagnosed because they couldn't find anything. She's had full work up. Starting with flexion tests up to full xrays. I stopped at MRI as I don't have the money. No kissing spine first thing that was checked.

 

[Booboos]

Well people are going to say this is too harsh but if the horse is in pain and you cannot afford further investigations and at the same time she is too dangerous to handle you only have one option don't you? I appreciate it's tough on you to take this decision for a horse you've had for so long, but what other alternative is there?

 

[Jadey]

Having her PTS is one of the options. It is difficult for me but its not about me its about her. I just want to bounce some ideas about so that I can make a fully informed decision.

 

[springtime1331]

Kat- it won't but the yard staff won't bring her in now, relying on the YO to do it and I worry he won't put up with it for long

 

[AmyMay]

This is a management issue - plain and simple.

Look at your management of her to see what you can do to improve things. If there is hay in the field, can she access it? Would she like to be brought in earlier?

I bet my hat this is about winter, wet, hunger and preferences you're not recognising.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I think you have done quite a bit of investigation, the horse is well fed and your set up doesn't allow you to make major changes.

Given the horses lameness and behavioural issues I think it would be equally right either to continue and persist in trying to resolve it or equally right to call it a day and PTS.

Horse won't know it's to be PTS, it will be alive one minute and not the next.

 

[Megibo]

my ex-racer started to become difficult to turn out and in...if made to go out she just churned up the field..so I let her live in with lots of exercise and she returned to her normal happy self.

 

[Equi]

Have you ever tried feeding her before bringing her in? Just to rule out the eager for her feed thing.

 

[Kat]

What about giving her a small bucket feed before bringing her in so she isn't desperate to get to her stable?

What are you leading with? Have you tried a control halter or stallion chain?

What if you put her out just for a short time twice a day?

Have there been changes to the herd?

 

[Kat]

.......

 

[Adopter]

I think OP answered that there is hay in the field which is not all eaten, if that is the case it would probably rule out hunger.

Sometimes, we do not get an answer, but the mare is letting you know the only way she can that she is unhappy, probably because of pain. Do not risk your getting injured yourself, if you can not afford further vet investigation to resolve the pain, I think your options are running out.

 

[Kat]

But she isn't on solo turnout so is she actually getting any/enough hay? I had this with mine a few years ago, hay fed in the field was being monopolised by a few greedy cobs/natives and mine was not getting any she was just picking at the grass. This was despite the hay being well spread out, if it had been in a ring feeder it would have been even worse. I had to bring her in and feed her to make sure she was getting enough, she just wasn't food oriented enough to bother pushing her way in.

 

[AmyMay]

I think OP answered that there is hay in the field which is not all eaten, if that is the case it would probably rule out hunger.

Unless the mare can actually stand and eat the hay without being hassled by others, it's irrelevant whether there's any left or not.

I wonder how many hours she's out for, and what sort of time she's getting brought in.

As I say, tweak the management and certainly one of the issues may be resolved.