WWYD with this horse?

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Holding

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I'm hoping somebody will come up with a really brilliant idea that I haven't thought of yet.

I have a rising four year old ex-racer filly. She belonged to a friend, and I took her on along with her sister in order to rehome her. I'm not interested in keeping her - she's no use to me and she is far too small.

Her good points are that she is generally very sweet, and I am very fond of her. She is very sane for a young thoroughbred, and I started doing some light lunge work with her recently which she took to like a pro.

Bad points are that she has been pin fired, she has typical TB feet with very thin soles so will have to be shod if she is to continue working. She also has a huge scar on her hindquarters so showing is out. Unfortunately the build up of scar tissue also restricts her movement, so even though it doesn't cause her pain, she is not completely sound behind and would not be suitable for dressage. I tried her over poles/a little fence on the lunge and she was not impressed with jumping either. And since starting a little gentle work she has gone properly lame on the same hind, so I have just turned her out again for now. She isn't the easiest horse to handle - nothing nasty but she has a tendency to rear when startled, she has also struck out at me and bitten staff. She came with a reputation for kicking, but hasn't ever tried to kick me. Generally she's lovely, but I think she has been badly treated, and will retaliate if she thinks you are having a go.

So. What are my options? I haven't had the vet out yet for her lameness, but even when sound she isn't ever entirely sound. Not the type people want as a companion, although she could live out all summer as long as she was in at night during winter. Definitely not nice enough to breed from, but she could possibly be a surrogate, if that sort of thing exists? She's not the type that has to work, and is quite happy just being out in the field. Any suggestions that I haven't thought of yet? If she was yours, what would do with her?

Sorry, just realised how long that was!
 
There don't realistically seem to be any other options... Not a companion, not rideable, not sound and def not a broodmare... I would probably have her PTS as you don't want her or have use for her. I certainly wouldn't rehome her!
 
I would PTS, myself, in your shoes. But I can tend to being a bit cold hearted and other people may not see it that way.
She is no good for breeding, is lame...what more is there!? Unless someone wants a companion, but a young tb filly is not my idea of a good companion, needy and expensive usually.
 
I can usually see a future for most horses but this mare has so little going for her she is more than likely to end up on a slippery slope downwards, there are few enough homes for nice sound horses, she sounds too small for blood bank or surrogacy so I would pts.
 
Seems like the majority of folk will suggest PTS. If you have no use for her or can't see any uses for her, PTS is much kinder than her being passed around.
 
Hmm, these were my thoughts. Objectively I think PTS may be the best option, and what I would advise somebody with a horse I didn't know and love! I just wondered if there was anything else - does anyone take mares as surrogates? I suppose I could breed to her and hope to produce something decent, but she is a bog standard ex-racer, and I think it would be a bit silly.

ETA: She is 15hh, not sure if that is too small for surrogacy?
 
If she were mine and I could afford it she'd be a field ornament. However I'm guessing thats not an option. So I'd be phoning the kennels.
 
There are far worse fates for a horse than being PTS, the market is flooded with broken or unrideable horses, so I'm another that would PTS.
 
I'd imagine she is unlikely to get a good home particularly as she is not managing to stay sound. IF I had space, she'd be turned out for the next few years to give everything a chance to mature, but pts could well be the only option.
 
SusieT said:
I'd imagine she is unlikely to get a good home particularly as she is not managing to stay sound. IF I had space, she'd be turned out for the next few years to give everything a chance to mature, but pts could well be the only option.
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This for me too. Just out of interest, what is her breeding?
 
I'd probably turn her away for the summer then pts if you aren't wanting to keep her. Unless they are a particularly nice stamp of horse it's difficult to find homes for ex-racehorses at the moment even if sound and rideable and fine to do a job.
 
For Pete's sake please don't breed from her! Tbs are a dime a dozen ATM and not selling plus she is lame! Imagine being lame and carrying that extra weight.
 
A very talented horseman near us re- trains ex racers into polocrosse amongst other things.

Interestingly one of his talented projects has a huge scar on its hind- quarter which I believe was a starting- stall injury. 15 hh is a good size for polocrosse or polo.
 
Owner was adamant she didn't go to be a polo pony and besides which I don't think she will be sound enough.

As I said, I wouldn't breed from her. Just seems so desperately sad that she's not even four and already has no future. If I had my own land I would just keep her, but right now I don't even have my own place to live.

Her breeding is Tumbleweed Ridge x Raffelina (Carson City). Pretty sure it's nothing notable. Ironically her full sister seems to have inherited all the desirable traits - she's lovely to look at, sound and everyone adores her.
 
Hmm, see I am one who doesn't like to give up so quickly and I think at this age it is very young to write her off. Firstly I would want to find out a bit more about the lameness. It doesn't sound mechanical as you suggest as she has gone lamer so that would suggest some pain. However, this could be treatable/fixable so I would want to know what I was dealing with. Some decent physio session and exercise could be what's needed if this is a muscular/tissue injury. If something degenerative though then yes, I probably would PTS as not fair if she is in discomfort - this could be one of the reason for her behaviour.

The behaviour alone wouldn't concern me, that can be worled on - she won't be the first horse to rear, strike out and bite at her age. She sounds a confused little horse to be honest. She's had a hard start to life and I would want to give her a bit more time to come right if she were mine. 15hh is a good size for many things - polo as someone mentioned but also just a nice sized horse for someone to have as a hack/RC horse. A lot of TBs make fab general riding horses but do require work to restart and retrain their brain from the world of racing.

I guess what you do depends on what's actually wrong with her, how much time you have and how much patience you have.
 
No, I wouldn't choose polo either I have to say! ( I have an ex polo pony)- the polocrosse world is a lot easier on a horse and they tend to be kept in private homes.

If the soundness issues are definitely long term, I'm afraid you don't have many options.
 
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A friend of mine bought/took on a few ex-racers, worked on them and sold them as riding horses. One I sourced for her as the owner was going to PTS as couldn't find anyone to take him. She owned a horse called Young Kenny who sadly was fatally injured racing NH. This was a full brother to him (Little Kenny) and he broke a leg racing. This was fixed and he had a metal plate in his leg - this was what put people off buying. My friend took him on (she got him for free), put him in training to hurdle but he wasn't good enough so she brought him back home, schooled him, hacked him out etc etc. She sold him onto a RC horse and last she heard he was doing really well. He was 6yo when my friend took him.

There are so many out there who have come so close to being PTS but end up being fab horses.

I don't see why the owner wouldn't want the horse to pay polo either to be honest.
 
ladyt25 - have you ever watched a polo match? I would never wish it on any horse. It is a hard life, and they are treated like dodgem cars in the main.
 
ladyt25 said:
Hmm, see I am one who doesn't like to give up so quickly and I think at this age it is very young to write her off. Firstly I would want to find out a bit more about the lameness. It doesn't sound mechanical as you suggest as she has gone lamer so that would suggest some pain. However, this could be treatable/fixable so I would want to know what I was dealing with. Some decent physio session and exercise could be what's needed if this is a muscular/tissue injury. If something degenerative though then yes, I probably would PTS as not fair if she is in discomfort - this could be one of the reason for her behaviour.

The behaviour alone wouldn't concern me, that can be worled on - she won't be the first horse to rear, strike out and bite at her age. She sounds a confused little horse to be honest. She's had a hard start to life and I would want to give her a bit more time to come right if she were mine. 15hh is a good size for many things - polo as someone mentioned but also just a nice sized horse for someone to have as a hack/RC horse. A lot of TBs make fab general riding horses but do require work to restart and retrain their brain from the world of racing.

I guess what you do depends on what's actually wrong with her, how much time you have and how much patience you have.
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Whilst I totally agree with this, and would be going down this road if she were mine and I wanted to keep her long term, I am another who thinks maybe PTS is kindest. It's not just about getting her right, it's about finding some where for afterwards. There are hundreds of ex racehorses out there. Why will someone choose her over the others? Being a mare also worries me that potentially people will say lets breed from her, que more horses the uk doesn't need.

Desperately sad, but unfortunately this is the situation being created by unthinking people, I feel anyone who chooses PTS is probably doing another horse (and potentially the horse in question) a favour :/
 
Clodagh said:
ladyt25 - have you ever watched a polo match? I would never wish it on any horse. It is a hard life, and they are treated like dodgem cars in the main.
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Nope! But I have good friends who were heavily in to polo and did play and their horses were perfectly nice and well cared for.

Ok, so if not polo - maybe polocrosse?? I tried that with my pony as decided he may need a career move seeing as he was too neurotic to do much else. He quite enjoyed it! Plus, he seemed to pick up very quickly we needed to be where the ball was. :)
 
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