Meadow
Member
I'm sorry for such a morbid topic but when have you said enough and looked to have a horse put to sleep?
I have had one since she was weaned and is now 13. She has a real nasty streak though, from a yearling she would bolt across the field at me and try to double barrel me. Then in ridden work she hasn't been straight forward and has reared, bucked and napped. She's been diagnosed with PSSM, I keep her on the proper diet but because of her ridden past and the fact I have other horses that to be honest are nicer to ride, I decided it was fairer to retire her as I wouldn't be able to keep a level of fitness up which would allow me to take her on hacks, she doesn't enjoy schooling.
In general daily life we get on ok. However I went to catch her today and because it didn't suit her she went to double barrel me, its not a warning type either it's a real I want to get you, kill you and eat your liver with fava beans and a nice chianti. Same happened a couple of weeks ago.
I don't think any level of training will help her, I've spoken with trainers and to be honest she's ten times worse with the pros than me so I think I have it as good as it gets. I also don't believe pain is involved as she hasn't changed and has seen vets and physios in the past.
As a field companion she gets a big fat fail as well as she has bad seperation anxiety.
All in all a complicated character that I have spent years trying to reform and I think that she is the character that she is and I have come to accept that this is what it is.
So back to the question... it has crossed my mind that perhaps, not now or nor really in the near future, but there will be a time I will have to PTS (this is assuming no medical conditions cause for us to part). I have 5 and I don't want 5 forever as I feel pretty exhausted by the physical, emotional and financial drain and have my own medical conditions and am starting out in a brand new career I really would like to do well in. I feel completely and utterly selfish, especially when I see her grazing happily with her chums in the sunshine. Am I totally wrong to think of PTS? I wouldn't sell or loan her, that would just be asking for trouble and a likely lawsuit. There is one other I would loan and I don't really want to part with the other 3 as 2 I can have fun on ie. The riding element of horse ownership and the other has had a rough life through no fault of his own as he's a one eyed lovable character.
Advanced apologies to those that have recently lost their horses under uncontrollable circumstances. I would honestly swap positions if I could. I love my mare deeply but she hasn't brought me bucket fulls of happiness, its been a lot of blood (literally - now on my 5th operation thanks to her antics!), sweat and tears and I am not excited about a future we have together, our future is as it is now.
I have had one since she was weaned and is now 13. She has a real nasty streak though, from a yearling she would bolt across the field at me and try to double barrel me. Then in ridden work she hasn't been straight forward and has reared, bucked and napped. She's been diagnosed with PSSM, I keep her on the proper diet but because of her ridden past and the fact I have other horses that to be honest are nicer to ride, I decided it was fairer to retire her as I wouldn't be able to keep a level of fitness up which would allow me to take her on hacks, she doesn't enjoy schooling.
In general daily life we get on ok. However I went to catch her today and because it didn't suit her she went to double barrel me, its not a warning type either it's a real I want to get you, kill you and eat your liver with fava beans and a nice chianti. Same happened a couple of weeks ago.
I don't think any level of training will help her, I've spoken with trainers and to be honest she's ten times worse with the pros than me so I think I have it as good as it gets. I also don't believe pain is involved as she hasn't changed and has seen vets and physios in the past.
As a field companion she gets a big fat fail as well as she has bad seperation anxiety.
All in all a complicated character that I have spent years trying to reform and I think that she is the character that she is and I have come to accept that this is what it is.
So back to the question... it has crossed my mind that perhaps, not now or nor really in the near future, but there will be a time I will have to PTS (this is assuming no medical conditions cause for us to part). I have 5 and I don't want 5 forever as I feel pretty exhausted by the physical, emotional and financial drain and have my own medical conditions and am starting out in a brand new career I really would like to do well in. I feel completely and utterly selfish, especially when I see her grazing happily with her chums in the sunshine. Am I totally wrong to think of PTS? I wouldn't sell or loan her, that would just be asking for trouble and a likely lawsuit. There is one other I would loan and I don't really want to part with the other 3 as 2 I can have fun on ie. The riding element of horse ownership and the other has had a rough life through no fault of his own as he's a one eyed lovable character.
Advanced apologies to those that have recently lost their horses under uncontrollable circumstances. I would honestly swap positions if I could. I love my mare deeply but she hasn't brought me bucket fulls of happiness, its been a lot of blood (literally - now on my 5th operation thanks to her antics!), sweat and tears and I am not excited about a future we have together, our future is as it is now.