what would you do?

[serena2005]

the horse iv got on loan i dont pay a penny for unless i want something for him...
since april iv ridden him about a month and the rest of the time hes been lame.
owner now says she cant afford to keep him and will sell him unless she can either find a full loaner or a part loaner for him. my farrier was trying to sort his terrible feet out and now she has told me he cant wear the shoes he has on as his heels grow rotated, so before i thought there was some hope for him but now it seems theres not and hes always going to have leg problems.

i cant see myself finding a loaner, who would want to pay for a horse they wont be able to ride very often?
i asked how much she was thinking of selling for... to someone she knows £1500

to someone she dosent know £2500

hes no way worth that, she just phoned saying she going to try and keep him untill she cant pay anymore, so it just seems like im stuck with this forever going lame horse.... i dont know what to do, do i just say i cant look after him any more? or just carry on playing nurse?

i just feel so bad on the owner.

 

[madabout2]

why do you feel bad for the owner?
Are you just riding the horse or do you also look after him? If so she would either have to pay someone to ride him (current rate round here £15 hour) and isn't the minimum wage £5+.

I have a horse on loan and I pay everything - he isn't the soundest horse in the world but I know now after trial and error how to manage his soundness.

BUT I would not take on a horse with a known issue and I wouldn't pay £1500 for one either.


you need to be careful that you are not left with him and the bills too.

there are other owners who need help with horses (if you can't afford to pay towards him) and there are other horses for loan - particularly with students off to uni.

don't give yourself a problem - horses bring enough of their own without you taking on someone elses too!

 

[LauraBR]

Maybe not what you want to hear and maybe easier said than done if you are attached to the horse (which of course you will be) but, based on what you have said...

I'd walk away if I were you

 

[Baggybreeches]

I have to agree with the other posts, as much as you are attatched to the poor horse, it would be best to let him go rather than saddle yourself with problems that are on going and could be costly. If you feel uncomfortable with letting the owner down then offer to continue looking after him until he is sold.

 

[serena2005]

there is no way i could afford him, and now she has told me that he cant grow heels, theres just no hope for him, he will never be able to do anything at any sort of level.

i have detatched my self emotionally in regards to letting him go, i thought if i was going out to buy a horse and saw him, would i really consider buying and the answer was no... now she has told me, he will be staying with me untill he is sold, i feel like im getting a little bit used, as well as not being able to do much with him... but on the other hand i probably wont have anything else to ride,... well at least untill someone else donates a horse to me!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

TBH she would never sell him for that price. he would only be suitable really as a companion, as you'd be forever trying to get him 'right'.
Just walk away. I know it's hard, but it's her horse, and although she's paying, you shouldnt have to lok after something for free when you get nothing from it.