WWYD with this horse?

Haha this sounds like my mare! A Tb not good enough to race, Rising 4 constantly lame due to bad feet and having a confidence crisis. However when she is sound she has lovely paces and a huge enthusiasm to work.

She has phyio every 4 months which has shown a massive improvement and we have just started barefoot rehab and she is being turned away until after Xmas. She has a year and hopefully we can do it or she will be PTS I hope you can find a job for this mare. I love an underdog. However if you can't it's much kinder to PTS
 
I'm afraid I'd be asking the hunt to come get her. It's so sad, but the amount of OTTB is crazy and the amount of horses in need of homes in the UK is mad. :(
 
ladyt25 said:
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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But they have to be so tough to last in it, it's not an easy game is it :/ even in the lower grades its intense in terms if what they have to cope with physically within a game, and in the higher grades they need to be tough and sound to cope with even getting fit enough :/
 
Holding said:
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.
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If her bloodlines are good, is breeding so bad?

Just thinking at her size, she might produce a lovely foal with a pony cross. Under 14.2, nice type of sports pony? Bit of blood coupled with some bone?
 
I'd get the vet out and see what they say about the lameness. If it is fixable for what you would consider a reasonable outlay, then I would get her fixed, put some work in, then try and find her a new home. If she has a good temperament and is amenable to work then there is no reason why she shouldn't make a perfectly adequate RC horse. Personally I wouldn't be giving up on her because she has a scar and is an ex-racer until I had investigated the lameness first. I'm not saying you are but the scar and her breeding/history would not me off buying her for example and I am sure it wouldn't for many others.

I also second the polocrosse idea - have met lots of horses that would have been PTS for a variety of reasons but thrive on polocrosse!

However, if the lameness does have a significant cause or is not fixable within your financial/time perameters, then yes, PTS would be the kindest option.
 
Aarrghimpossiblepony said:
If her bloodlines are good, is breeding so bad?

Just thinking at her size, she might produce a lovely foal with a pony cross. Under 14.2, nice type of sports pony? Bit of blood coupled with some bone?
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I'm going to sound harsh, but yes, it really is. There are not enough homes for the horses out there, I honestly think anyone adding to them, especially from an unproven mare, can't be aware of the s ale if the problem :/
http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232730977252&mode=prd
 
It does beg the question - how did she get in this mess, pin fired, scared and lame in just over 3 years :( Personally I would get the immediate lameness checked out, set aside a year and X amount of £ and see what being turned away with a bit of tlc brings.
 
I do agree to not breed from this horse. There are definitely too many unwanted horses about as it is without breeding another!

Pin firing isn't a massive issue - although I wasn't sure they actually still did this. I know they do it to strengthen tendons or fix them but, if both are done I assume this was a preventative measure?

I do agree with rebelrebel - find out exactly what you're dealing with first. You obviously took this horse on with a view to trying to bring her on and presumably you knew the issues she had at that time. How long have you had her so far?
 
You could sell her to a dealer? Kelly's Cobs?

In honesty I would give her the summer to do some sunbathing, slug down some pitchers of pimms and practice her frolicking....then give her a dignified end.

Edited to add. Even if you did get her sound. She's still a pin fired tb with poor feet with a reputation for kicking/biting that shouldn't be bred from. Think even sound you would be stuck with her.
 
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Honestly? If I didn't have the time/money/space to keep her as a pasture ornament or investigate vet treatments, then I'd PTS. Even if she became sound enough for a light hack, I wouldn't pass her on if for some reason I couldn't keep her. Pedilia is right, there are worse fates for a horse than PTS.
 
I agree with ladyt25. I would at least get an initial opinion on the lameness, and even if she is turned away for a year for a complete break she is still so young so could be re-started after.

I also think it's important not to breed from her, so many problems and sad ends caused right now by overbreeding.
 
OP, I've been in a similar position more than I care to admit. Unless the lameness is clearly identified and can be resolved, PTS is the kinder option. I've had a few ex-racers with lameness issues and, very generally, it often gets a lot worse as they're older. In my view they're raced too young, and while riders can get some gorgeous TBs because of the racing industry, we also take on long-term expensive and heart-breaking problems. I have space and facilities for "field ornaments"; even then the time comes, in a few short years, when they're still relatively young but you worry constantly about their pain.

If I were faced with a similar choice again, I'd PTS before becoming totally emotionally invested. It's a difficult decision and I don't envy you.
 
meandmyself said:
Could she be trained for driving?
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lets say a leisure carriage weighs in at 100lbs (I checked, that seems to be pretty light, some are double of even triple that!) plus driver and groom at 150lb each - you think a tb that has never really been sound should be pulling 400lbs around?! :confused:
 
If she kicks then even if she came sound polo type homes wouldn't be interested anyway sadly. Hopefully you can find her a light hack or companion home if she is sweet natured when settled with one person. I wouldn't breed.
 
AmiRobertson said:
Haha this sounds like my mare! A Tb not good enough to race, Rising 4 constantly lame due to bad feet and having a confidence crisis. However when she is sound she has lovely paces and a huge enthusiasm to work.

She has phyio every 4 months which has shown a massive improvement and we have just started barefoot rehab and she is being turned away until after Xmas. She has a year and hopefully we can do it or she will be PTS I hope you can find a job for this mare. I love an underdog. However if you can't it's much kinder to PTS
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This!! She is young and has been knocked around. She needs someone who will take the time to give her the start she didn't have before, together with barefoot rehab. So if you can find the right person give her to them on the understanding that if she doesn't work out by, say 6 years old, she will be put to sleep at home rather than sent off on the dog tucker truck.....not everyone wants a competitive showing home, she needs someone to find her talents and develop them!!
 
I have read most of this thread but to me, everyone has pretty much missed the BIG thing that is glaring out at me.

Maybe before everyone sends this mare off to the knackers yard, it might be an idea to find out what is ACTUALLY wrong with her???

OP you mentioned you haven't had the vet out to her. This would be my first port of call, she is young, a bit of treatment and being turned away for a while might well fix her. For goodness sake, why not actually give the girl a chance? :)
 
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions - very interesting reading.

Just to be clear, I will definitely be getting the vet out to investigate the lameness, just haven't done it yet because as she's not in pain I want to wait until I get paid (still have bills for her from last month - forgot to mention she also has ulcers). I am more than happy to put the time and effort into getting her sound and working - as I said, she's a pleasure to work with. My problem is that I can't see a scenario where anyone will want her, even in work. The best case scenario is that she comes sound-ish, and I can get her hacking out. I then have a young, sharp mare unsuitable for anything other than light hacking. Is that a horse anybody is interested in? I don't think I could give her away and risk her being passed on - she would have to be loaned out, and even then I have no idea if anyone would even want her.

I always loved horse racing, but the more horses like this I see the more disillusioned I become with the industry.
 
I was thinking about this little mare driving to work - it is such an shame isn't it? Looks like she is uphill all the way and then possibly just a light hack at the end of it.

The sensible thing to do would be to cut the losses and pts :( but I would give her a chance, and for this reason I will always be poor.

Is she Madame Feu? (GIYF :D).
 
I'm an optimist. You'd be surprised at the apparent no hopers that people take on and absolutely adore. Currently the most cherished horse on my yard is a TB that had stood in a field for a year, has broken withers and may never be ridden. Her owner took her on knowing this and gets enormous pleasure just caring for her.
I could reel off a list of owners like this who have taken on difficult, unworkable horses simply because they were in a position to.
There is a good home for every horse, the skill is in finding it.

I'd advocate euthanasia if in pain or dangerous, and if money was such an issue that it compromised care, but otherwise, I'd give the horse a chance.

That said, OP, you're the one with the responsibility and the cost, so I wouldn't be pointing a finger at you if you did PTS when you've done your best, but I do hate the culture that says, Useless = PTS.
 
I must say, my original comments were based on the fact that the OP was probably looking for a quick(ish) turnaround on this little mare - and there wasn't really the money there for veterinary investigations. So it was more about finances than anything else.
 
horserider said:
I'm an optimist. You'd be surprised at the apparent no hopers that people take on and absolutely adore. Currently the most cherished horse on my yard is a TB that had stood in a field for a year, has broken withers and may never be ridden. Her owner took her on knowing this and gets enormous pleasure just caring for her.
I could reel off a list of owners like this who have taken on difficult, unworkable horses simply because they were in a position to.
There is a good home for every horse, the skill is in finding it.

I'd advocate euthanasia if in pain or dangerous, and if money was such an issue that it compromised care, but otherwise, I'd give the horse a chance.

That said, OP, you're the one with the responsibility and the cost, so I wouldn't be pointing a finger at you if you did PTS when you've done your best, but I do hate the culture that says, Useless = PTS.
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Totally agree...I have a ex racer, if you have the chance to turn her away for a year do it, the difference in mine was amazing. Dont forget she is still young and needs time to develop and mature. Alot of people would love a light hack, not everyone wants to be hooning around and competing every weekend. I know a lady who has just found a forever home for a 20 year old TB who is not easy so please if you can give her a chance...pts is very final and seems a huge shame when she is so young.
I havent read all the replies so sorry if I am repeating advice already given.
 
I agree with the last few posters about giving her time, if you have it? You didn't say how long she'd been out of racing but often they need turning away for a while as restarting as a general riding horse requires them to use themselves totally differently. She also may well become less 'sharp' over time and through different treatment/riding. I am quite often amazed when I see what were racers being used as general riding horses - half of them don't even look like tbs purely because they lose that sinewy look and bulk out. If you could sort the lameness then I think the rest to be honest would come rights with proper care, feeding and training. Ulcers are also pretty common in stress racers so turning them out and allowing them to chill for a while will help resolve this issue in many cases. I do hope you can sort her and would love to see a post months down the line with a changed horse, obviously if the lameness is long-term though you know what is the right decision.
 
Is she Madame Feu? (GIYF ).
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A.k.a. Lena. And as all anonymity is lost, you may as well have a photo of her looking soppy and donkey-ish:

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I'm in no hurry at the moment, and she can have all summer out to just be a horse. She has been turned away for a good nine months already and the plan was always to reback her and find a new home; it's just that now she has started a bit of work I'm realizing that there are some soundness issues, and I'm thinking about her options long-term. It's reassuring to know that there might be somebody out there for her - it's always difficult with these horses because they are too much for your average happy hacker, but anyone with more experience and competitive goals wouldn't want her. I'll just have to sell her sister and use the money to keep her as a companion for my gelding, who hates her!
 
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