What would you do....I think I know but just in case

grandmaweloveyou

grandmaweloveyou

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A friend has offered us her horse on loan. Connemara X TB. 16. Mare. The good points - Free Livery at the stable with my boy. Cheap Hay. Vets Bills Paid. All Tack / Rugs. Trail Period - however long we decide. Bad Points. Arthritic but apparently needs riding more often than not to keep her going. Winter coming. More costs. The other thing I am requesting if we do this is our own field!! So, what would you do? The livery is at our stables owned by her dad so I know we could change our minds whenever we like and she is desperate for us to have her because we look after various horses and have a an excellent reputation, and we are incredibly reliable so she knows she probably wont get anyone a) as good b) coming into winter. Any thoughts? Ask away....going to see her this afternoon (yes we are suckers!).
 
if she's really nice to ride, and does the job you need, why not? i'd maybe ask the owner to go halves on Cortaflex or something if she needs it through the winter to make her more comfortable... just a thought.
if she's free livery, cheap hay, vets bills paid, and you don't need to buy tack or rugs, then the "more costs" part is limited to feed, isn't it? sounds pretty good to me, then, tbh.
 
thanks, front shoes only at the min but i suspect we will shoe her whole as we like to do decent rides. feed yes. straw (she is on sawdust at the moment cos she might eat the straw but we will try). um, let me think...there are ALWAYS unaccounted costs arent there, worming etc. im trying to rack my brains for others things, i should know as i own my own but too early haha!
 
From reading your previous posts, I would guess that you go for pretty decent rides, enjoying the odd gallop or two? As the owner of two arthritic horses, neither of mine would be up to that sort of riding. They need steady riding, mainly at walk - certainly no trotting on the roads or uneven ground. I would find out how bad the arthritis is before you make a decision.
 
The only other cost I can think of that you haven't mentioned is insurance.

From what you've said, I think you should go for it! Obviously you need to know how bad the arthritis is. I bought my previous horse when he was 21, and he's been out of work for 18 months and was quite stiff and I was told he had arthritis when I bought him. He had cod liver oil everyday, and lots of walking and trotting hacks and got a lot less stiff, but he did stiffen up over winter.

Make sure you do go for a trial period, maybe a couple of months? One horse seems a lot more work over winter when the evenings are cold and dark, so make sure you're going to have the time and inclination to do two.

But if you like her, and will enjoy her and she'd right for you and vice versa - then definitely don't pass up this opportunity!
 
Ok update - we went to see her = very pretty (more so than I suspected), very keen to perform, cracking jump, responds to your seat before the leg which is awesome but OH (and me) need to learn how to use seat in that case i.e. slow the rise down rather than reign in. I dont think she is perfect for OH but OH seems keen to trial for a month so here we go. I do worry about anyone else flattering us into taking on their horses and us not being able to say no, we have been looking after another for nearly a month, we need our own farm. I shall keep you posted.....as the song says "there may be trouble ahead!"
 
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