where to advertise free to good home?

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OP....if you don't want to PTS and are willing to pay towards his keep for anyone that takes him...have you considered retirement livery?
 
I think you need to be very honest here: this is an older horse, with some severe limitations in the work he can do and medication requirements; he needs a good home but you who already love him are not willing to provide that good home and cannot deal with the hassle of a loan - under those circumstances what are the chances that a total stranger will turn up who will take on this horse and give him the perfect home? Small. You may find such a person but more likely you may find someone who is not very serious about riding and sells him on, someone who outgrows him, or someone who intends to take advantage and sell him dishonestly to make money.

If you really feel he has a useful life in front of him then get a sharer or loan him out very carefully and with close supervision and be prepared to retire him in a few years. Otherwise PTS.
 
Why not have a full and frank discussion with your vet. Then if you gert the ok advertise on horses4homes. FWIW if I did not have a horse already I would have been interested as I only amble about and would have offered a kind, caring home.
 
OP, I have a horse (younger than yours) but limited in physical capability, that I need to rehome as a hack.
I am not prepared to sell him to a stranger, and therefore I'm advertising him for long term loan.

There certainly aren't masses of suitable homes out there but with a bit (ok a lot) of effort I'm close to agreeing a lovely home for him. Hopefully it will work out, but if it doesn't at least I have tried my best and still hold ownership so can step in to help or take him back if needed.

Surely if you love this horse a bit of time and effort finding the right loan home for him and then keeping an eye on him on e rehomed is not too much to ask? And if you are not prepared to do that maybe PTS is the best option for the horse.
 
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I don't normally post anything in the least controversial but FWIW a loan agreement is worth absolutely nothing, not even the paper it's written on.
There have been dozens of threads over the years where horses have been taken on loan and either sold as suitable riding horses or sold as meat and the passport system is as much use as a chocolate teapot so even if you hold onto it there is no guarantee your horse will be safe.
I expect there will be a lot of people stating their loan is fine etc but if it was my much loved elderly pony there is probably only a couple of very good friends that I would even consider.
 
Polos Mum said:
If it was my horse and I really thought a lot of him then I would certainly PTS before I gifted to a stranger who replied to an advert. If you really don't want the responsibilty of him (and when you loan you are right you remain ultimately responsible) then PTS

It will make you feel sad but not as sad as seeing him advertised for £3k buted up to the eyeballs or going though a market for meat.
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Absolutely this.
My previous horse was a loon...twenty going on two..issues a plenty. If I couldn't have kept him I would have PTS in a heartbeat. He was passed around before he came to me, he would never have gone off to an uncertain future.
Do the right thing.
 
If you don't have the time for him and cannot have him back then do the right thing by Him and PTS. My old boy is 23 on no meds he gets a joint supplement only and he's sound in walk trot and canter. He's on loan to a
Friend for her daughter and he can come back to me at any point and that's fine. If he was lame without the meds and even lame with the meds in certain gaits I wouldn't have loaned him nor have given him away.

Unfortunately you have come to the saddest part of owning horses, saying a permanent goodbye please do the right thing by your horse and not have him passed from pillar to post because you don't have time for him.
 
buddy's mummy said:
I am saying if he went somewhere and it didnt work out then it would be a pain in the bum if he came back but he could then I would reassess.
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I totally understand this.

ihatework said:
There certainly aren't masses of suitable homes out there but with a bit (ok a lot) of effort I'm close to agreeing a lovely home for him. Hopefully it will work out, but if it doesn't at least I have tried my best and still hold ownership so can step in to help or take him back if needed.

Surely if you love this horse a bit of time and effort finding the right loan home for him and then keeping an eye on him on e rehomed is not too much to ask?.
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Very true.

OP, there ARE good homes out there but you will need to put in a lot of effort to find one, and do a lot of research.

For instance, an elderly lady who lives near me has just taken on a free to good home older horse, also with tendon issues so is just a light hack. It will amble round the lanes ever Sunday and spend the rest of its life being looked after.

There ARE homes out there like this, but like I say - DO YOUR RESEARCH and don't just advertise him as 'free,' as you'll get dealers replying.

Also, long term loan would probably be the best option and then if he does come back, then like you say, you can reassess.

If he was mine I'm afraid I would have to at least try to find him a good home before PTS.

:)
 
I know several people who have taken on older arthritic or lame horses because they were local and heard about the horse by word of mouth , or knew the horse already.
There are excellent homes out there, finding them takes a bit of time and networking. Surely I can't be the only person who comes across lovely people who like having a horse to care for and only want to potter around the lanes.

I really hope you manage to find the right home for your boy, he sounds like he still has a lot to give.
 
he is a beautiful horse...and is soo happy and trot around the field with the cattle etc...I am happy to contribute to costs and pay for his pain meds. he would be perfect for that little old lady who is nervous and wants to amble around the lanes of a weekend...he isn't ready to die!!
 
What 'time' does he need, if you have your own place can't he retire there - he won't care at all if he's never ridden again, a pat on the nose over the fence a couple of times a day and hay in the field if it needs it - sorted.

While I was pregnant this year I probably spent 10 mins a day with the boys, mostly when I was walking the dogs - they didn't mind at all.

Or if you want him hacked a couple of times a day - sharer is the way to go.
 
I just feel that for a much loved horse the owner just wants shot - with none of the responsibilities. Far too difficult to find a loan, doesn't want the responsibility of PTS, but happy to give the horse an unknown future.
 
OP - I may be the only one saying it, but I don't think you should PTS yet. Advertise on your local riding club message boards - there may be parents wanting a light hack to accompany their child on hacks. Speak to your vet - they may well know of someone wanting something like him. Put ads in your local tack shop and feed store. Maybe if you try to find someone local you can then loan him and keep an eye on him at the same time - and if after time you are happy with how he is being looked after, you could gift him to the loaners. Good luck - I hope you manage to find someone suitable.
 
buddy's mummy said:
I am in south wales - but can deliver and will pay for his danilon monthly and send them.
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So you care so much for this horse that you are willing to deliver him free of charge to a random person on the internet?

Do the right thing, if you no longer want to keep him, give him a dignigied end.
 
Polos Mum said:
If it was my horse and I really thought a lot of him then I would certainly PTS before I gifted to a stranger who replied to an advert. If you really don't want the responsibilty of him (and when you loan you are right you remain ultimately responsible) then PTS

It will make you feel sad but not as sad as seeing him advertised for £3k buted up to the eyeballs or going though a market for meat.
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This.

P
 
Polos Mum said:
Please don't sell/ gift him. Loan only then you can keep an eye on him and retain control of his future.
He's not that old so a dodgy dealer will easily bute him up to cover the injurys and sell him on.

There will be loan homes esp. if you contribute to costs. Preloved, facebook, word ofmouth etc.
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Agree with this please dont give him away either sell him or loan him or pts, I cannot stand those free to a good home adverts they attract all the wrong people.
 
As far as I'm concerned 'free to good home' is a phrase which should be banned regarding these poor elderly horses. It makes me utterly sick when I see these sort of ads.
It's funny how they always start running out of time/money when the horse stops being useful.... I bet they found the time/money when they could take the horse to shows or long, fun hacks!

The OP has basically advertised her old faithful here on this forum & has already demonstrated she will deliver the horse to the first random who shows interest....those of you saying she *obviously* loves her horse must be mad!
 
It certainly is a emotive subject and i feel that the OP is trying her best for her horse.

My first owned horse after coming back into riding was a 21 year old NFx with Navicular, gifted to me for a £1 (i purchased her tack for £500 so that was my financial commitment).

She taught me and my daughter to ride, was the best horse i have ever owned and lived a very comfortable life with me for 10 years, she went over Rainbow Bridge in my arms.

There are people like me out there, but you are going to have to look really, really hard and word of mouth is the way to go. If you have exhausted all your options this way then unless you absolutely cannot keep the horse then pts.
 
amymay said:
Do the right thing. Have him put down at home.
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You are a disgrace of a women how you can live with yourself is beyond belief.They say in life what goes around comes around well lets hope it comes back to haunt you.Dont bother replying you are on user ignore. Worped brain .
 
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