What would make you sell your horse?

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dieseldog

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I was just wondering what would make you sell your horse? If someone offered you a lot of money, your circumstances changed and you didn't have enough money to keep it? If your job changed or if the horse just didn't do what you wanted. Injury? Or if its behaviour with you made it no longer fun to keep it.

How long do you keep going with a horse which you know isn't the right one for you?
 
I'd never sell. I'd permanent loan if i couldnt afford to keep them any more, but i couldn't sell.
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To be honest nothing would make me sell them.If my gelding were injured was and could not be ridden anymore then he would become a pet.My mare who already has a spavin and not ridable will fingers crossed will become a mummy.Yes i am a soppy twat and live in a fluffy world by my horses are my family.If i was ill then they would possibly be loaned out by they will never leave my ownership.
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I would never sell my mare. If I was in dire straights I know a few people who would take her on temp/perm loan, but I am rather pathetically attached to her! Plus, she isn't in the first flush of youth so it's not as though we have a "career" to worry about any more.
 
I have only ever sold one horse and it was a youngster we should never have bought really but was an impulse buy. She was professionally backed then I had some pins taken out of my leg so couldn't ride.

She was put out on loan to keep her ticking over and they asked to buy her. Was an easy decision to make at the time as although she was sweet and nothing to do with her whatsoever, I never really did that much with her to bond properly.

Fortunately I have never been forced into a corner where I have had to consider selling anything else.
 
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I was just wondering what would make you sell your horse? If someone offered you a lot of money, your circumstances changed and you didn't have enough money to keep it? If your job changed or if the horse just didn't do what you wanted. Injury? Or if its behaviour with you made it no longer fun to keep it.

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All of the above would make me sell my horse, except perhaps injury (unless it was me that was injured!), and the offer of lots of money (but that would be very tempting).

For me, the main bit is the fun aspect - I have a horse as a hobby and to relax. I sold my previous horse, talented, but crazy, as it was no longer fun to ride him, and I was extremely limited in what I was doing. I had time off work due to accidents with him, and got to the point where I was in tears at the prospect of riding him
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How long do you keep going with a horse which you know isn't the right one for you?

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I reckon it takes up to a year of owning a horse to find out all the quirks etc, so would give it the benefit of the doubt during that time. With the horse above I gave him 18 months before getting rid.
 
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Honestly? If someone with the right home, attitude and ability offered me enough I would sell.

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Completely agree with this but mine are some of a crowd so it's not like they're my one and onlys as it is for a lot of you on here. In fact I have three to sell just now simply because I won't be able to do them justice when they're ready for breaking.
 
if i was totally unable to care for them due to physical incapacity, or i lost all my money and my home and facilities, i would sell them. otherwise, nothing would make me sell.
there's one i'll let go to a really good hacking home, but i've been saying it for years and he's still here...
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^^^^same as MFH_09 including having three to sell - one because she'll just be too good (and a bit small) for me, one because he's taught my daughter all he can and she's too big for him so he neds to go and teach another young teen about SJ, ODE, hunting and generally having fun and a section A if I can persuade my OH to part with her.
 
I struggle with this as I know in a lot of ways my pony isn't the right one for me. I really could do with something a bit bigger and I want a youngster to bring on... but in other ways she is still teaching me loads especially on the XC front where I lack experience.

I think that if, by the end of next event season, I'm wanting to jump higher than she is or I can't get the dressage to settle, I will have to consider selling her, maybe to a young teenager who wants a very fast unaffiliated SJ horse...

On the other hand, I can't bear the thought of parting with her, I really want to see her in 10 years time when she is a grumpy old lady... I want us to keep growing together.

its a tough one.
 
I wouldn't ever sell my older horse, unless I had absolutely no money and he might suffer as a consequence. And even then, I probably prefer to loan him. We've been best mates for a long time, he's been so honest and genuine, I owe him everything really. But he's also quite neurotic and quirky, and I know he wouldn't be happy with anyone else but me!!

I might sell the youngster if someone really nice offered me a huge amount of money, but it would have to be a very good home, and serious money!

In the past, I've sold horses if I haven't enjoyed riding them. i.e. they've been very difficult and I've tried everything and still been unable to get to grips with them. If it's not fun for either of you, then they're better in a home doing a different job, or with a rider who gets on better with them, to be honest.

I've only had to do this twice, and one ended up having a great life in a hunting home, and the other ended up with a lovely lady who just wanted to do hunter trials, which is exactly what the horse enjoyed. Hopefully, neither owner will suddenly decide they want to take up dressage!!!
 
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if i was totally unable to care for them due to physical incapacity, or i lost all my money and my home and facilities, i would sell them.

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Same here, although even then I would rather loan to someone I knew.
 
OOps, I lied - Once sold OHs horse too
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He was a cracking heavyweight hunter type that we sold because he didn't seem to enjoy showing which was what OH wanted to do with him. I cried to pieces after the ad went in the paper but it was the right thing to do with the horse. He went to a 5* home and we couldn't have wished better for him.
 
Nothing would make me sell my boy. I would consider sharing him, but would never sell. I have sold one once before and it totally broke my heart, and swore I would never do it again. Nope, my boy is stuck with me :-)
 
Well, Ive only had 1 horse who really didnt work for me (we clashed), I battled with him for 3 years until eventually selling him. I think Id sell a lot sooner now though if I realised we didnt suit because I feel guilty I asked him to do things he hated (he didnt like competing).

I love my horses to pieces, would never sell my 2 old ponies. I think the only thing which'd make me sell my other 2 horses is if they started to loose interest in what I do with them. For example, I event and BSJA one of them - if he started to not enjoy XC or something then I think Id consider selling as its unfair on the horse.

Otherwise, Id be stupid not to take a really amazing offer on them. But it would need to be a very very decent price before Id even think about it! But I'll likely sell both my competition ones once they get a bit older, as they'll want to slow down a bit eventually (but I dont) so they'll be better off going to a quiet hacking home to spend the rest of their days. Probably the oldest Id keep them until is 12. Id love to keep them forever, but Ive only got 5 acres and already have 2 retired ponies and always have 2 horses to compete so I practically I cant keep collecting retired ones!
 
Hannah will never be sold due to her Sarcoid problems, Herbie I would sell for any of the above bar injury. As I would happily keep him as a hack if he couldn't do that I'd rather he was put down. On the behaviour one too I'd consider put down unless it was down to the fact he needed more of a challange than I could give him.
 
I have always said that if someone offered me a decent amount of money for Axel then he would be sold.
But I have now changed my mind and I will never sell him, he's my horse of a lifetime and everything I could wish for in a horse.
I'd never find another horse like him!
 
I would be very reluctant to sell my older horse. As for my OH's horse, will prob sell him this year as OH doesnt have time to ride now with his job.
Mind you, if someone offered me lots of money then I would sell both of them! Money talks as they say.
 
In terms of deciding whether or not you click with a horse, i was always told it takes a good year to really get to know each other. So id be giving it that at an absolute minimum and probably more.

In terms of what would make me sell... in Jack's case; nothing at all. Hes one in a million. Ive been offered a huge amount of money for him not long after we bought him and we declined and i would again.

I have sold horses in the past. Primarily because i was emigrating and doing so with 7 horses in tow would never have been practical. It was a good move for me in more ways than that though since he horses were all SJers and my interests had moved towards dressage.

As Jack gets older and slows down, we'll look for something else for me but he'll certainly never leave us
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Well if someone offered me any money at all for C I'd bite their hand off!!!!! But at 32 and an old sod it's hardly likely!!!!
That sound horrible! I love him really- he's got a very cute face and puppy dog eyes...fortunately for him!
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The two I have now - absolutely nothing!!
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Horse in the past, because I didn't enjoy them/they didn't enjoy me and we wanted different things in life - like the breakdown of any realtionship!
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depends really I don't think Dan will ever be sold now due to his injuries. Would put him on loan to a good home but if it came to a point where I could not afford him or was unable to look after him and I couldn't find a loan home I think he would be PTS as he needs careful management.

Fleur isn't mine (loan her off housemate) but i'm sure she would be the same as me in that if the right offer came along she would sell, as to what that amount would be I don't know but I think she would be stupid not to.

If i bought a horse who wasn't right for me I think I would know fairly quickly and then depending on the horse would loan/sell. Knew Goof wasn't right but I think in the end that was a lot to do with underlying issues rather than anything else. He was loaned to a friend until the underlying issues surfaced, tried to treat but was eventually PTS.

Under most circumstances would loan then if not option sell. But if anything physically wrong I would think very carefully before selling and if i did it would only ever be to suitable home. An unsuitable horse I would almost certainly sell so that I had the cash to get something suitable!!
 
I get on really well with my horse and he is ideal for me. I think alot about him. However if i couldn't afford to keep him or if it all became a chore or if i wasn't riding him enough then i wouldn't have any hesitation in selling him - to the right home of course.
 
nope couldn't do it if i really really had to i would loan her out but the home would be completely vetted and it would be near me so i could still see her (i would be one of those anoying loaners that don't leave the horse alone:o) i have had alot of people ask if i would ever sell her even people pulling over in cars asking if i would ever consider selling her (they lived in a really nice house with a big field and lots of horses as i had passed them while they were walking their dogs) they could have offered her a much better home than i ever could however i love her to bits and she has inspired me to do so much. Plus the fact one day i want her to have a baby izzy or two
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Nothing could make me sell my pony, he's my first one and I waited until I was 18 to get him! Ive had him a year and a half now and I love him to bits! If I really was struggling for money I'd either loan him out or share him. Id feel VERY sorry for the person who took him though because Id be a nightmare
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My husband!

If someone offered me the right money.

Change in circumstances......family will always come before the horses.

If we didn't get on.

Finances............ lack of.
 
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