Would you move THIS old horse?

poiuytrewq

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I replied to a thread recently where someone was asking about moving a 30 yr old and I said yes I would and I would and have in certain circumstances.
My pony is in his 30’s but healthy. He has cushings but it’s controlled. He also has some weird and bad allergy which starts mid/late summer and lasts til later autumn.
He’s a funny soul. It took a long time to settle here (no known allergies prior to being here)
Each year it’s worsened.
I’ve tried so much and end up just treating the sores which get pretty nasty rather than preventing them.
I have two horses retired in a field a few miles away. I’ve wondered about moving him there, now before the itching starts and before the grass grows. I’d strip graze and give hay. He knows my other horses and got on fine with them.
He gets very feral (he’s a nervous rescue) without a proper routine. I can catch him now at the correct time of day or if I catch everything first and he is currently in at night. This is good because it means he definitely gets his prascend.
So I thought from day one I could catch and tie up somewhere to feed them and hopefully that will become routine 🤷‍♀️ just really to see if a change of place helps.
But, he is as I say nervy and needs routine to keep his cool (think mad TB in a pony body)
Last time I kept him out out we failed to get near him all summer and his feet got crappy, he gets flared feet and needs regular maintenance so I can’t risk that again but he is better now and less wild!
I’ve spoken to my vet about him and we have started a spot on and supplement already In the hope that may help.
My worry is the stress of moving at his age and with his personality, the fact it’s a field and that’s it so he has to have a complete change of routine but it may or I guess may not help. It’s something I’d always wondered about trying but finding a suitable place wasn’t really possible.
The last time he grazed with these horses was early December one and longer the other- will that be like taking him somewhere totally new and chucking him out into the wilderness with unknown horses or will he remember his old friends and of course I’m still the same human he is growing to trust (VERY slowly!)
The skin thing literally drives him bad shit when it’s bad but maybe it would be worse out 24/7

He’s my favourite and I hate seeing him in such a state, I actually dread summer because of it all. I just fear it will be too much for him.
 
I'd try moving him, but on the understanding that if it doesn't work then I wouldn't move again. I'd get his feet done just before he moved and I'd start giving him a good calmer now - it may not help but it shouldn't do any harm.
 
I sold my pony, she came back 5 later and went went straight into a herd with some of her old field buddies. No arguing or establishing pecking orders, just some little whinnies of recognition.
My other horse has Cushings, although it is under control he has become more sensitive to flies and dust- that could be happening to your pony
 
I took Frank away for 3 years, he returned aged 26, Mum's mare was a bit put out not being the centre of attention with a bit of a why wasn't I consulted look on her face and that was that.

He did however have some weird liver thing come up (had sunburn in october, handily I had my old vet booked to give him the once over anyway), we never identified the reason and he was fine (and when on long term bute) after.
 
He will remember his friends and he will probably love living out in a herd in summer.

Yesterday I agonised whether trailering my 31 year old retired horse to the vet was a good idea or not. (He's not been in the trailer for 6 years). He's lost weight suddenly recently and the vet attempted a dental on site on Monday (he wasn't cooperative) so said to bring him into clinic.

He travelled quietly to the surgery, got the veterinary attention he needed, and travelled home quietly.
 
I would move.
I think generally ponies are pretty resilient and you know him and have a good relationship with him and his quirks.
 
He will remember his friends and be happy to see them again. I do understand your concerns over him turning feral again - I have 3 nervous rescue ponies and it is essential I keep them in a regular handling routine. If you don't have a field shelter, then making some sort of handling pen for daily feeding should work.
 
I'm the one with the 30yo and still mulling over the moving.
My lad has COPD, hay and pollen are massive triggers, but last summer I tried Loratadine hay fever tablets 10mg per 100kg. Good response, and no coughing all summer. Wonder if it would help your itchy one?
We have tried all sorts of antihistamines yes they do nothing at all even in a high dose sadly.


Well thank you all for the replies. I think I’m going to give it a try. I just need time and plastic posts to fence part of the field off. I’m going to fence the far end away from the gate so I can catch the other/s and he will hopefully come too 🤞
He’s due a foot trim now so think I’ll bring the others home to trim so he can spend a day or even few days here with one of them and then take them them both back together.
 
I don’t really know where it’s coming from. The roof doesn’t leak but does condense in cold weather and drips as the frost thaws but we haven’t really had that much cold enough weather.
I think it’s just rising water from below. The grain store is slightly up hill, there is a machinery shed between that’s also flooded a few times and takes forever to drain away/dry out.
The main drain is just to the left of my stables on the farm yard and it is piped into a well which has also has a pump in it as it was over filing during really wet spells then in turn backing up onto the yard.

I think it’s just been so so wet, the flooring algae disintegrated and turned to slush in a few places.
My main middle stable is fine and the one the other end is ok by starting to sound a bit squelchy in one place.
 
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