Whats she worth ?

[Glitter's fun]

Sorry but if shes sound and suitable for low level riding why is she not okay for low level polo ? It it particularly taxing I know nothing of the sport? Sorry if I missed this part of the thread

I don't think there's such a thing as "low level polo" from the horse's point of view. They need to move quickly and do a lot of sharp turns. They retire (from polo) by their mid teens at the latest because it's hard on the joints and they become not fast enough.

EDITED to add-

Polo Explained – Beaufort Polo Club

beaufortpoloclub.com

As I understand it. the horse that's the subject of this thread never played polo, she's a retired SJ/Eventer; it's the OP who plays polo.

 

[Ahrena]

I find this so sad.
I have an elderly horse. He’s out on loan and has been for many years now. He’s been with his loaner far longer than I had ‘use’ of him for. I considered selling him to her (for a nominal fee and purely because she adores him) a few years ago but I decided not to as I ultimately want to be able to guarantee his future.

He only gave me a few years before he needed to step down from a busy competitive lifestyle but in those few years he gave me everything.

We still have an agreement that when he does retire, he will come home to me. That might be this autumn and I’m not going to lie, it will be a struggle managing 4 on the land I have and financially, unless I sell my ridden horse and accept not riding for a couple more years whilst I wait for the babies to grow up, but so be it.

 

[Irish-Only]

For me, selling a 20yr old is awful. I just wouldn’t. Whatever happened to doing right for the horse?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

No home is a guaranteed permanent home and I wouldn't sell a 20 year old horse regardless.

I have 2 one is 19 and 20 they will be going no where until they die I couldn't sleep at night not knowing where they may end up out of my care.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

There is no price she would go somewhere i was worried about. What i meant is a sale to even the seemingly best home still has an element of worry as you cant be sure of the future.

That's why people are suggesting a loan, if you genuinely think it would be a good home and the mare would enjoy working again. Then you would be able to save the cost of her keep towards your next ridden horse and take her back home for her retirement.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Reading this thread is uncomfortable on a number of levels and boils down to you want to keep playing polo, haven’t enough cash for a new partner and have 7 animals who are retired? (If I understood correctly). Honestly ..PTS your oldest or most broken retirees to reduce cash flow and help build a nest egg to buy another. I am a straightforward no nonsense horse owner but I wouldn’t sell an animal who has been part of the family for years ..they ve given me their working life and my commitment is to them to end of life. You have your priorities wrong.

 

[DressageCob]

I can't get my head around the price thing. it's like you want compensating for the "emotional upset" for selling your horse. £2k isn't enough compensation for the worry but £6k may be. That's not looking at the interests of the horse whatsoever. it's all about you, making you feel better and buying you a new pony.

I'm afraid I can't get behind that approach. I agree that a 20 year old horse may still have good years left (I know many working horses well into their 20s/early 30s, who are fit and well) but your horse has been sat in a field for 2 years doing nothing. She will not be well muscled, she may be stiff and she's not set up to succeed in a new ridden career. Nobody would pay proper money for the chance to have a horse which may or may not stand up to ridden work. It's also not fair to the horse.

If playing polo is so important, I know a few people who have bought ex-racers and retrained them for polo. Maybe that's an affordable option for you, and then you can take the pressure off your elderly arthritic pony.

 

[Glitter's fun]

Correct me if I'm wrong I've never played, only spectated but don't riders change ponies several times during a match? So the average rider who isn't rich and only owns one or two fit working ponies would be riding other people's (the clubs'?) ponies some of the time anyway? My nearest club advertises that they have ponies for hire, for visitors to get a game.
To an outsider looking in, it would seem best to hire/borrow ponies to continue playing while saving up.

 

[Birker2020]

You know what? All my life I wanted an old horse, I was unfortunate to lose four in under 7 years through no fault of my own, wobblers, broken leg, heart attack, accident, the youngest was 6, then next was 10, no age at all. It was heart breaking and soul destroying. All I wanted was a horse that would live to a ripe old age and I would look after and cuddle and adore and I would do everything for and who would become my soul mate.

I finally got my wish when Bailey came into my life in 2004 aged 7 and I was lucky enough to keep her through her life until she was pts aged 24. What a privilege.

No way would I have ever got rid of her. Not for all the money in the world, even her last 6 months when she was unrideable I would have kept her going and gone without riding for the rest of her life but it wasn't to be. I get that you have six that you can't ride and I know how frustrating that is as I am longing to ride, my latest horse is at retirement aged 13 when he went there. But how can you do that to a much loved horse? I just can't understand it. If you are that desperate put her on loan, but its almost inevitable she would end up being sold from pillar to post. How dreadfully sad for her.

I'm not trying to be unkind to you at all but when all you have wanted was for a horse to 'live' its amazing how hard it is to say 'farewell'.

 

[equinerebel]

My mare just turned 18. She's been my constant for 14 years and we've had so much fun together. These days she's a little arthritic and a little stiff, but I do think she genuinely enjoys work (although how much discomfort she masks in order to do it, I don't really know and that thought scares me). I would never consider selling her. Hopefully, she has a few more low level hacking years left. I would consider letting someone loan her from my current yard if the situation arose. But she will not be leaving my protection.

There is no money in the world enough to tempt me to sell her, and boy could I do with some extra money. But she is not it. She is not the source. She is not an investment sat there waiting for me to cash in on. She is a living, feeling animal who has given me her entire life. She is reaching her elderly years, I owe her the guaranteed safety of my ownership.

OP, you have said different things in this thread and that is why people are going hard on you. You say you only considered selling her because you thought the horse would benefit from it, but equally so you wouldn't do it for a mere £2k. Which is it?