Wwyd with pony :(

[Trickywooo]

Sorry no. It is never a welfare issue to have a horse PTS. Sentient being or not, horses cost a large amount of money and time to keep, and no one is obligated to keep one in any shape or form.

And while I'm sure there are trustworthy companion homes, there are many more that are not remotely trustworthy. Mine is rideable and is only on loan and he's been stolen and sold twice, having to be fetched back. All for the sake of a few hundred quid. Hes lucky, I owned him and could get him back. Many are not so lucky at all. Both of these loan homes were supposed friends I had known for significant periods of time.

If people stopped guilting others then maybe more people would PTS knackered horses and there would be none for dodgy dealers to buy and sell on to the unsuspecting.

My apologies if it came across as guilting anyone. I was just trying to offer an alternative as this sounds like a much loved pony and the OP not entirely content to have her pts.

Of course there is no shame in having a horse pts in this situation or any situation where someone cannot justify retirement on financial grounds. They are a very expensive "pet". I was just trying to offer an alternative option if the mare could not be ridden but could be retired without it being detrimental to her welfare.

I also agree I would not be willing to let this mare go to a companion home. Yes there are some genuinely lovely homes out there but equally there are also many dodgy ones.

 

[Petalpoos]

If god forbid she has to be PTS then I fear we will lose our livery space before we are able to find a new pony.

I was once in this situation and I paid the yo the cost of the box less the cost of hay and feed until I found a new horse so you could ask about that.

I feel very bad for you but personally I would rather have a horse PTS than have it go as a companion or similar when you don’t know whether the horse is in pain or what might happen to it. It often is the kindest thing to do.

 

[Fjord]

Firstly, I am so sorry you are facing this decision. You realistically have 3 options, keep as is, pass on as a companion or PTS. There is no shame in saying that keeping an unrideable pony on full livery is not an option. If (and it's a big if) the vet said that the pony would be fine in the field and you knew of a good friend who needed a companion, then I would consider that as an option, if the pony was regularly reviewed by a vet. Otherwise, I really think that PTS is the kindest option.

Sending hugs.

Edited, auto correct wanted to say the pony was unlikeable, not unrideable.

 

[Boulty]

Nobody should feel judged for deciding to end the possibility for future suffering (theirs & the horse’s) by choosing to PTS.

Equally nobody should feel judged for keeping an unrideable horse in retirement, as long as the horse is comfortable, happy & living a “good life” when others may have made a different choice.

It is relatively straightforward (although upsetting) to decide to PTS a horse who is obviously unhappy or who has suffered a catastrophic injury or illness or one who is already dying.

It is a lot more complex (& possibly even more upsetting as there can sometimes be equal arguments made for & against) when the horse appears happy, is mobilising well (possibly with the assistance of pain relief), is able to engage in play with other horses and basically live a pretty normal life as long as ridden work isn’t involved. In that situation knowing what the future in a few months or few years time might look like for that horse with whatever condition they have can help sway you one way or the other if you’re struggling with the ethical / moral side of it.

Everyone has their lines drawn in a slightly different place and it’s the individual that has to live with whatever decision they make at the end of day.

I’m walking this line atm with mine as the issues stack up and the fact that he’s outwardly VERY happy in himself (physio has commented that unless you physically put your hands on his body and know what to feel for it’s sometimes very difficult to know how compromised his body is) and very tolerant of veterinary stuff makes it harder to call time as he really really does not look like a horse who wants to give up on life (but I’m afraid if I continue down the neck/ ECVM route and I DO find something bad down the rabbit hole then PTS is the likely eventual outcome)

 

[I'm Dun]

My apologies if it came across as guilting anyone. I was just trying to offer an alternative as this sounds like a much loved pony and the OP not entirely content to have her pts.

Of course there is no shame in having a horse pts in this situation or any situation where someone cannot justify retirement on financial grounds. They are a very expensive "pet". I was just trying to offer an alternative option if the mare could not be ridden but could be retired without it being detrimental to her welfare.

I also agree I would not be willing to let this mare go to a companion home. Yes there are some genuinely lovely homes out there but equally there are also many dodgy ones.

That wasnt aimed at you at all. I was repling to another poster who made some very silly comments

 

[Time for Tea]

This over and over. Adding to what's in the best interests of the horse why are people no longer, it seems, allowed to consider what's best for themselves?

Retired horses are a constant stress to anyone who loves the animal. Are they cold/ hot/ happy/ being picked on/ hungry/ overfed/ in pain/ in the mud/ on too hard ground ......... It just goes on and on and on.....

And nobody can ever be 100% sure that a horse is not in pain.

People have a right to end that stress in their lives.
.

This is correct

 

[Kirstd33]

I'm so sorry you are facing this decision, its truly heart breaking isn't it, and I too don't believe an animals worth is solely based upon their use to us.
For different reasons, my coblet had surgery last year and approx 6 months of rehab but hasn't come sound enough for regular ridden work, and I too had some opinions off fellow liveries to PTS but I cannot do it either - well not at this point anyhow. So once I was assured by the vet he is field sound on 1 bute/day I've turned him away, although he's currently stabled at night/out in the day on our current livery yard I have quietly found a lovely 4 acre field locally where he's going for the summer to be a pony with others. If he stays comfortable then so be it, if at all the situation changes then we'll look at the other option then.