Why? Why? Why?

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dunkley

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.................... do people advertise for sale old horses?
I am "free" this morning, so have spent a bit of time looking at horsemart adverts. I am shocked by how many adverts there are for old horses, at cheap prices. One is actually advertising a mare of 20 yrs old, says she has been part of family for 14 years, but now past comnpetition - needs home as companion. There are others, it is so sad. If truly a horse is that old, has been with you that long, how can you bear to sell it on,to god knows what/where? My personal view is that, if horse is "past it" ( I HATE that phrase ), or no longer rideable, IF you cannot afford to retire it at home,look after it, and cope with the inevitable old-age vets bills, it should be Pts. Selling it is just a cop out, and I think, irresponsible. I don't see pts in these circumstances as "chucking away a horse", as I've been told, more like protecting it from uncertainty and possible abuse/neglect. I certainly woulodn't advertise. If I couldn't keep it, I would try to place it on loan, as companion, but only to someone known/recommended/local to me, with a contract, and checks. If that wasn't possible, I would pts. Does that make me a bad person? Just interested to know others thoughts.
 
I'm fortunate that we keep our horses at home so when they can no longer be ridden we retire them and keep them in the same routine they had (ie. turned out, bought in, groomed, etc) as when they were competing. It costs just as much money but I do feel that they deserve it. I also agree that being pts is not the worst thing that can happen to a horse.

I know that it is very expensive to keep a horse in livery, especially if it can no longer be ridden but I am saddened by the adverts selling old horses.

I imagine that the credit crunch is not helping but my guess is that a fair few of these people are replacing their old horses with younger horses.
 
Most people dont have the luxury of their own land, so paying livery when times are hard as they are now is difficult. I will probably end up keeping my second horse which I am trying to sell, he is 15, but has a lot of mileage in him. I already have one retired.
If I find that I cant afford the livery for both of them, what do I do? Put them both to sleep, keep the younger one ? Its very difficult if you want the best for your animals
 
I also totally agree! Far kinder to pts, although a horrible decision to make. AM, I really hope you aren't put in that position, but why would you have BOTH pts?
 
I think older horses are your responsibility and i couldnt sell an old horse id feel awful about it. My two are staying until their last days even if my one ridable one had to be retired she isnt going anywere!
 
I would pts if me as its not fair on the horse or find somewhere cheaper to keep it. There does seem to be a lot more older horses out there for sale now guess its where people dont have the money anymore so are limited in what to do with them.
 
I completely agree older horses are our responsibility, if i had two horses and one was very old and unrideable the other a younger promising horse and then was thrown into situation where i could only afford one, well its simple really i'd sell the younger one. But hey thats just my opinion.
 
I'm kind of a foot in three camps - if the owners of the pony we had for eight wonderful years had hung onto her, or pts, then most of the happiest days of my life would likely never have happened.

Also, someone I know was very dog in the manger about their 'retired' pony and wouldn't share him or consider letting him continue working although he was extremely fit and a fab sort. What happened to him? They let him get laminitis and now he is dead. I am possibly even more furious about that scenario!

Essentially though, I'm a stand by them for ever type of person, so find these adverts heartbreaking. You have to hope that they all find homes like mine.
 
What about horse rescues? There are those which keep horses that aren't rehomed and I can think of worse endings really.

Ideally, I would own my own land and use retired horses as companions and training aids for younger ones if they had the personality for it.

It is a very sad scenario to have to sell an old friend but 'old' can mean so many things. 20 isn't a spring chicken but some horses esp. some ex-racers are completely knackered at just 5 yrs. I'm not sure if I could pts a horse just because it was old, if it was in good health... not sure what I would do tbh.
 
MosMum said:
What about horse rescues? There are those which keep horses that aren't rehomed and I can think of worse endings really.
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Horse resue, hmmmm. I have read an awful lot recently about less than genuine "rescue sites" and I think the whole issue is a minefield. I would only ever consider dealings with long established registered Charities, and I firmly believe that those charities are fully stretched dealing with true neglect/abuse cases, and having old horses "given" to them by owners who are not brave enough to pts is unfair, indeed, morally wrong. Just MHO.
 
Hmmm dudley good point. I was thinking of well-established but you are of course right it wouldn't be good to take spaces up from horses that are abused/neglected.

I suppose if there is no one (trusted and known) to loan it to, and no need for companion for the youngsters, pts might be the only 'kind' option left.

The therapy centre my son uses can always use light work older horses, too, though, they don't have to jump just plod in circles on a lead rein :)
 
Disagree to some extent - we sold a mare that was 'in her late 20's' - was impossible to tell, but she was OLD!
Now, other than the fact that she ate like a horse (for a 13.2 pony!), peed for england (you didn't want to keep her stabled!) and looked like some strange, foamy monster after 5 mins of work - she was fit as a fiddle! It might sound horrendous, but she did have cushings. Vet told us there was no point treating it, she was happy & otherwise healthy, and loved her work. Yes, she obviously showed the affects of having cushings, but was happy to school, jump & hack still, was never lame or ill in any way, but she did cost a small fortune to keep, what with the hay/bedding/rugs (as a result of being clipped all year) etc. We made the decision to sell her as we couldn't afford both ponies, and out of the two, she was the one most likely to go out and get a good home! She was sound, happy, jumped, was well mannered & well schooled, and you could do ANYTHING with her. 11.1 pony however, was insane, bucked, bolted, was head shy, didn't tie up, etc and had already had several homes.

Were we in the wrong? Well, maybe. But the mare went on to have a good end to her life we believe, and the pony is at least still safe & alive (as is everyone else who handles him...!)
 
I find such ads very sad :(

I suppose it boils down to whether people have horses as riding machines or as pets. I can't imagine getting rid of an animal because it can't do things it used to - I won't be chucking my dog out when he gets too old and stiff to go shooting - even though he will cost me a lot more then as old dogs do tend to have vets bills.

Livery is expensive but even so - what is more important, the horse or the riding? For me it is the horse, but obviously for others is it is the riding. In this case, I think it is often preferable to PTS rather than pass on an old horse to an uncertain future.
 
I have just brought a 19 year old to plod around on and be a companion to other two,who are whimps. Looked for an older horse for that very reason,she will stay until the end,costing a bit as on sar-tex for her scarcoids, but worth every penny. Bless her
Have ridden her once and she was very good. Have lost my confidence and she will help me to get it back. Settled on her as the 20 year old was too sharp lol.
Love her to bits, :)

I do agree that people should take responsibity for there aged mounts,the owner of this mare did,she sold her to me.
I will not pass her on as new when I had her the riding time would be limited.
But you never no,daughters old pony,who did go out on loan was very late 20's and bonkers .We loaned her as she went down hill when not doing some thing loved children and having fun!! at 11.2 we would have squashed her :D
 
I brought my schoolmaster at 18 - and I thank the lord everyday for him - he has taught me more than i could dream of - still teaching me - i adore him and he will be with me for the rest of his life and i hope that is for another 20 years from now !
 
I don't see a problem with GIVING AWAY older horses, or them being companions as this is very similar to retirement livery. I have a 20 year old who I almost sent to retirement livery earlier this year. However I think he guessed at what I was thinking of and got a new lease of life and is still doing dressage and seems to be getting fitter! However I must stress, that this was "retirement" livery for which I would have paid, but would have been far cheaper than full livery at an ordinary yard.
I do have an issue with people selling them though. Why should something which has given so many years of pleasure have to give something financially back to the owner? If the owner wants to give them away as a companion or brood mare then I don't see the problem with that.
 
From what I've heard, rescues would rather not provide free retirement services and would prefer it if owners either kept the horse, re-homed it sensibly or pts. They need their resources for neglect cases.

Twenty isn't incredibly old for all horses, and I do like the suggestion that some could have a second (third? fourth?) career as therapy horses.

The pony I rode as a teenager spent his last years as much loved Dobbin to two very small boys, giving pony rides at the village fetes and being groomed by mobs of children at a time. He'd had a first career as a riding school pony, then seven or eight years being shared by several of us as a happy hacker.
 
Ironically I have just come back from viewing a twenty year old pony for my children which I put a deposit on. He is sound with no lumps and bumps on his legs, walks trots canters and jumps 2ft. They are four and two so not after anything more than a safe plod to learn and get confident on. I had been about to post asking if you all thought I was crazy for buying something so old, but I guess not. He'll be with us till the end now bless him.
 
one of mine is 31, he was retired as a companion when he was a young 25ish old on loan, then brought back into happy hacking work he does like a good nose, i took him back when he was 27ish the home who had him wanted to keep him and get another and use him as a companion but they only had about an acre i made the descion that their land couldn't cope brought him back for a couple of months so he could have happy herd life for a couple of months and then make that big desicion and 4 yrs later he is still here. he seems happy, keeps his weight well but is tad arthritic and we wont be seeing him at burghley this year. it might be his last year it might not be every day at a time. so after rambling even after the end of their riding they can still have a job to do (if they are well) everyone is different and although you have seen the advert you personally like me don't know the whole story. so yes maybe turning into a baby machine is not a good option, but maybe the mare would suit a foal. i would not sell personally but loan even that can be problem these days
 
Theres a big difference between selling an older fit as fiddle still got years left to give type horse or pony then selling on because they can't keep up with the competion anymore so needs replacing.
My first pony was aged 25+yrs quite possibly when we bought him. He had been there, done that and was a PC dream-always on the teams.
He passed away at home aged 32 after spending only 1 year in retirement.
Selling on a older horse who quite possibly is only capable of sitting in a field, eating copious amounts and costing a small fortune is a different kettle of fish IMHO.
....and why do owners of mares always say that their 20+yr old would make a great (maiden) brood mare?????
 
I have several old animals.
A TB who is now 23, we bought him a 17 as a schoolmaster, he's had a very up and down life,has once been neglected and is a very high maintaince horse. He would have to be PTS as very few people could afford him and his grumps but does a lovely dressage test when he can be bothered.
Then I have a selection of ponies from 15-23yrs. These I loan out to selected families. I worry more about ponies as they seem to be outgrown for what ever reason every 2 years and then they have to find another commited home.
All of these could be sold on and do a job but alot of people including insurance companies think these animals are old at 12 and want to pay peanuts. I always think its not who you sell them to, as you have a little control, but who they sell to. Some people just want to get rid quick to get the next size up. I friend did this to me, sold a pony to a dealer without even telling me , I only knew when the new owner rang me. She 'traded' 2 in to get the next size up just like a car.
So I think I would find it hard to sell an old pony but I would be happy to buy one. Thats nuts!
 
dunkley said:
.................... do people advertise for sale old horses?
I am "free" this morning, so have spent a bit of time looking at horsemart adverts. I am shocked by how many adverts there are for old horses, at cheap prices. One is actually advertising a mare of 20 yrs old, says she has been part of family for 14 years, but now past comnpetition - needs home as companion. There are others, it is so sad. If truly a horse is that old, has been with you that long, how can you bear to sell it on,to god knows what/where? My personal view is that, if horse is "past it" ( I HATE that phrase ), or no longer rideable, IF you cannot afford to retire it at home,look after it, and cope with the inevitable old-age vets bills, it should be Pts. Selling it is just a cop out, and I think, irresponsible. I don't see pts in these circumstances as "chucking away a horse", as I've been told, more like protecting it from uncertainty and possible abuse/neglect. I certainly woulodn't advertise. If I couldn't keep it, I would try to place it on loan, as companion, but only to someone known/recommended/local to me, with a contract, and checks. If that wasn't possible, I would pts. Does that make me a bad person? Just interested to know others thoughts.
Click to expand...

I agree totally, it makes me so angry to see adverts like that. It is a cop out big time!!
 
Unfortunately there are far too many horses out there for homes available, and people still keep breeding them. My 22 year old could not work, and is too big to be a companion and too expensive/quirky to keep as one. I would have to have him pts. My worry at the moment is that possibly in a couple of years I will not physically be able to look after my horses and could not afford to put on livery. If I cant sell my 15 year old, he could still have 10 or more years in him. Its difficult trying to plan for the future as as someone once said, you might not have one !
 
100% agree with ilovecobs.

I completly changed everything so that my old man got to have a decent retirement. Left livery, rented land and stables and got him a companion.

I owe him that much as he has been such a big part of my life for so long and always tried his heart out for me.

I would of course love to be competing on a younger model but not at the expense of my current horse.
 
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