|
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 724
 
| Wheb do you retire your barrel horses? Mines 15 and has been my main horse for 11 years, in the past couple of years he's been getting really uncomfortable and he's getting harder and harder to keep sound. Been to the vet so many times. Seems like its just one thing after another. He loves his job, but I can't keep him sound any longer. It makes me sad since he is only 15, but he's given me SO much, and even though hr still wants to go, I'm considering retiring him completely. It's only fair to him. What do you think? |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1440
 
Location: Texas | I would run him if he was sound, but it sounds like that is not the case. It sounds like he has been good to you and unfortunately it is time to retire him. Maybe if he had a year or so off he might come back sound later on. |
|
| |
|
 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | Maybe your horse needs a year or two of semi-retirement to come back refreshed and feeling good. That's what happened with my Joker. He is 20 now and was so sore when he was 14 & 15 that I barely ran him for a few years. He was misreable at the gate and getting downright dangerous. In the beginning of his 16 year old year, he couldn't even lope on the right lead. Finally a vet found his hock problems we since then we have been able to keep him sound with Adequan shots and a feed-thru joint supplement. He has run in the 1D at 100+ horse shows this year, the 2D at Bonus Race Finals and even won some amatuer rodeo money. Even better, he's RUNNING to the gate and working the best he has in 8 or 9 years. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 724
| Ya I think I'll give him a couple years off and see where we are at. Hes become oppisite, he usedto be so excited at races, super hot and on the muscle, now when we go he is super calm and he just doesn't seem happy. He's running 2 whole seconds slower then normal too. He gets off on his left front from time to time, seems like its in the hoof. |
|
| |
|
Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| Retiring would depend on what is wrong with him. What did the vet say is wrong with him. There are a lot of things that can be done to help one, not just patching one. |
|
| |
Retiring