would you take on a 30 year old companion?

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donkeychops

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Hi, I am new to this forum. I have a 30yr old 14hh mare who, due to medical & financial problems, I need to find a permanent loan home for. She's easy to do & keeps weight on well for her age. She is on daily medication but I am willing to continue to pay for this. She does need to be stabled overnight although, she could manage 3 or 4 nights out in a row in the summer. I have advertised her locally as a companion but have had no takers as yet. Do you think because of her age & size I'm onto a lost cause? (I'm in North Essex btw if any of you can help)
 
30 is pretty old. I think I'd worry about the financial committment, sorry. Also, I wouldn't risk sending an old horse of mine to anyone else, you hear so many horror stories. To be blunt, if you think she's too costly to keep, why would anyone else want her? She's not got long left, can't you keep her safe for the rest of her days?
 
Well to be fair I dont think thats very fair, she's 30, probably doesn't have long left, sending her to someone else, you do hear a lot of nasty stories and surely she should be happy and comfortable for her last stretch?
 
thanks, I'm getting that from a lot of people tbh. I have kept her unrideable for 8 years and I don't want to have to get rid of her. Honesty is, I've just found out I'm pregnant & can't keep mucking out for mcuh longer, & there's no-one else to do her
 
Echo Woeisme totally. Horses don't live forever and you have to accept that at 30 your mare won't have that long to go. Yes, she could live into her 40s but often health problems accompany a horse at that age. I wouldn't dream of re-homing a 30 yr old. It may sound harsh but if you absolutely can't keep her any longer the safest thing to do to ensure she doesn't end up a sack of bones abandoned at the side of a road is to have her quietly pts with dignity and compassion and love. 99% certainty, the reason you haven't had many people responding to your advert is because the mare is 30. Even if she's reasonably well now, that could change at any minute with a 30yr old.
 
I did take on a pony who has believed to be between 28-30 when he came to us as a loan companion. He lived with my other retired for 4-5 years and then they were PTS together following a number of health problems.

I would do it again, but for me the problem is the stabling. Mine lived out 24/7 which made life a lot easier (and cheaper).

Have you tried the Veteran Horse Society? They specialise in older horses/ponies and may be able to help.
 
I would be concerned about how she would settle in a the new yard, whether the other horse(s) would be nice to her etc. If it were my mare I were not able to keep her think I would consider whether it may be possible to give her one last summer at home in the surroundings she is used to, and then pts. At least that way you can ensure that her last stretch is a happy one. Sorry if this isn't the sort of answer you were hoping for, I understand that this must be a quite difficult situation and a hard decision to make.
 
This might sound harsh coming from a fellow horse lover but personally I'd have her PTS rather than sending her to a new home. This must be so difficult for you but I think it is a kinder thing to do for her in the long run than risk an uncertain future elsewhere.
 
Another person who doesn't think its fair to move a 30 year old - the transport, stress, getting used to new surroundings... you'd never forgive yourself if anything happened.

Is she at home or a livery yard? If you don't have an other half who can muck out for the few months of pregnancy you can't manage, will others on the yard help? If not on livery can you get a livery in who would be willing to help, or use their financial contribution to help pay for a groom when you need it?

I'm not one to say it lightly, but if you can't find a solution which works for your 30 year old, perhaps pts would be the kindest option for her.
 
Thanks everyone. Booboos, thnks for your suggestion of the veteran horse society, I will give then a ring. I do think that, unfortunately, I will have to resort to having her pts. It will break my heart as I've had her for 15 years now and she was a fab pony in her day but, like many of you have said, it is probably the kindest thing. Having had a few people say the same thing, it will help me to feel like i've done the right thing if it comes to that.
 
i think i saw your ad today in local tack shop ? (priory)
and to be honest i did mutter to myself ......
i too am another for pts rather than move :{
also being stabled overnight even in summer is going to be
a real no no for most.
 
i took on a 31yo as a campanion & would again as quite often they are much better with a youngster than younger horses are (proper grandma was the old girl we had) she lived for several years after we got her & we all loved her (despite her being a baggage).
there are homes out there but they are few & far between, if she is happy & not in pain then give rehoming a try set a timeline & if at the end of it you have had no luck let her quietly go with you there.
i know the problems with being pregnant & having no help, 8 months down & 2 monsters to care for alone (scaraly the only help ive had to ask for was carrying of the hay down to yard so far)
 
Thank you all for your honesty and not just telling me what I want to hear. Will mull it over for a few more weeks while I'm still able to sort her out by myself, see if anything comes about & if not I'll have a big decision to make. x
 
In all honesty I couldn't pass on one of mine at that age. I would worry myself sick that she wasn't getting the love, care and attention that she deserves. Also if she became ill would they still be prepared to care for her, keep her etc.,
30 is old for a lot of changes in a horses life. Would she settle, be happy ?
It's a very, very hard, painful decision to make but if she were mine I would want to do the right thing for her.
As much as it would break my heart, I think for her sake I would have her quietly sedated and PTS.
I would at least know she was safe and couldn't be neglected or harmed in anyway.
 
I took on a friend's mare 18 months ago, the mare is now 31. My friend has moved abroad for a couple of years and I wanted to make sure her mares (I have her 21 year old too
smile.gif
) were safe. The first mare has lived with me before and both know me well, even so, the journey (2 hours ish) really took it out of the older mare and both still took quite some time to settle, I am not sure they would have been happy had they not already known me/my place. My friend is currently talking about coming home, I have told her that she can't have the older one back, she is happy and settled but getting more frail, I think another long journey and disruption would probably be the end of her. Luckily my friend agrees!

Sorry, long post, but no, I wouldn't, I took these two as I care very much for them having known them for 15 years, and my friend could go knowing they would be safe but it was a big upheaval for them. In your shoes, if I couldn't find anyone to help look after her where she is now, I would PTS. I know it is a hard decision but I don't think you will regret it.

Very best wishes to you and your mare.
 
I took on a 32 year old little grey mare. She gave my lad his first experience of owning a pony and they went on to win veteran classes, and they loved charging around the fields together!

Sadly she also gave him his first experience of losing a pony as she died 3 years later after the most wonderful summer together. He's 11 now and on to riding a 16.3hh, but still still wells up whenever her name is mentioned.

I would have no hesitation about taking on another oldie, but maybe make sure the kids are better prepared if I did.
 
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