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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
  
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | Any one with experience of loosing one of a pair of horses that have been together for a long time?
My husband has two old horses (25 & 27) that have been on retirement pasture for the last 3 years. I get their teeth done every fall, and they get wormed regularly. Unfortunatly, the mare (27) is going down hill. She's looking awful, and has lost a lot of her zip and witchiness (she's always been THE boss hoss). They have access to 40 acres of mostly bermuda and crab grass--which I realize is dormant now, and 2 seperate hay rings--both sheltered from the north wind--full of nice grassy brome. She really is spending very little time eating at all. I know that it's probably just "time" and I'm ok with that (not sure about the hubby) but my concern is actually for the 25 year old gelding. They've been together for over 15 years, and she's always been the boss--told him where to go, when to eat, etc. There is another horse out with them, however, she is moving back to our house to be my son's horse. At his age, will he adapt? Or should I bring him home (where I will have to make a space for him on limited acres) or leave him where he is? I just hate the thought that he will loose his friend/boss and be alone. I'm not sure that even leaving the other horse down there would help any, as there is very little bond between my horse and my husband's two. |
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  Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
 
Location: ND | I would have to bring him home. I've seen a few times how hard horses that loose their best buddy grieve & it can be really hard on them. Some may flame me for this thought, but since he's not a youngster himself maybe it'd be best to let them go together so that he doesn't have to be without her?  |
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Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | SaraJean - 2014-01-24 3:49 PM
I would have to bring him home. I've seen a few times how hard horses that loose their best buddy grieve & it can be really hard on them. Some may flame me for this thought, but since he's not a youngster himself maybe it'd be best to let them go together so that he doesn't have to be without her?
No flaming from me--and I LOVE the gelding. However, I realize that he's old, has lost a lot of his teeth, and is about to loose his friend. His time is coming even without the other things. He is one of those "worth his weight in gold" horses that was supposed to be my son's first horse. But he began loosing teeth a year or so ago and has not aged well since then. My mare is in fabulous shape at 19, and she's the bottom of the pecking order. So I know there is plenty of feed out there--they are just...old :( |
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 Expert
Posts: 1218
Location: Great NW | horses are herd animals. Bring him home so he is not alone, feed him a mash and put your son on - he will thrive on the attention. I have done that with three older horses and a poa. |
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 Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | Rooster and Teehaha had been together almost 20 years when we had to put Rooster down. It took Teehaha a long, long time to adjust and she was very depressed for quite awhile. No appetite and just stood in the corner. I finally put her in with the weanlings and yearlings. It seemed to give her a new purpose bossing them and teaching manners to their elder (her) and she came back around and is fine now and the official mentor to the babies after weaning. She used to be the alpha mare when she was turned out and lost that status so this has been a good 'job' for her.
Edited by teehaha 2014-01-24 4:29 PM
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | If you have the room I would put another horse out with them, another pasture pal, at first they may not get along but when it's time for the other to go, he will find comfort in the other horse. One of my mares made a buddy with a gelding my friends brought over when he left she was lost for a few days now she hangs out with my boss mare. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | I would bring him home and let your son love on him. I'm sure he will be heartbroken by losing his friend but don't leave him alone because then he really will be lonely and go down hill even faster. If you don't think he will do well or have the room to take him home then maybe it is best to let him go too. |
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Expert
Posts: 1586
Location: west of East Texas | I had the same situation. My two had been together for about 15 years. The mare was the boss. The gelding would pace the fence when we took the mare anywhere. We never used the gelding, I just had to take him in order to get the mare. I seriously considered putting him down when I had to make the call on her. I just knew I'd be calling the vet out within 6 months anyway. Well, it's been a year and the gelding isn't showing any signs of being ready to go yet. There has always been other horses in the pasture but he didn't care about them. He was pretty ugly to them actually. He hasn't bonded as closely with any of the others but he still doesn't like being left alone. If we are riding around the pastures we will just let him go along like a dog. We crossed over to the neighboring 130 acres Sunday and didn't let him come with us. He squealed for an hour. I'd find another buddy for him and let them be. There are plenty of pasture ornaments needing a home if you could give them one. |
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 Rebel Without a Cause
Posts: 2758
Location: Adopt a homeless pet - www.petfinder.com! | One of my retirees died last year at 27. He had been with my other geldling for 25 years, they were best buds and the surviving gelding realy grieved for him. I had a younger geldiing with him but he never liked him that much so it didn't help much. I bought a broodmare to be his new buddy and they were bff's in a few days. She loves him and mothers him, it's really adorable! |
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My Heelers are Heroes
Posts: 4685
| I had 2 full sisters that were together over 20 years. when the younger one died I thought the older one would go fast but she lived another 2 years. I think it probably helped that she was with her when she got sick and probably knew her sister wasn't going to make it and they had said their goodbyes. she was also very attached to me so she still had me to rely on. and, they were here at the house. |
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Veteran
Posts: 194
Location: OKLAHOMA | I competely understand. I had 2 pasture ornaments a few years ago that has been together about 5 years. The old Mare was about 32 and the gelding 27. She depended on him for sight as she was going blind and he was 3 legged from an old injury. One morning I found her on the wrong side of the fence she had crashed thru a panel. I decided it was time and I put them both down at the same time and burried them together. I hurt like crazy but I know it was the best for them. Best of luck with your situation. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 168
Location: Wyoming | We had two horses that were hauled together rodeoing for years. Both in their 20's we lost one of them. Let me tell you the other one went into severe depression. It was horrible to watch. Finally we put her in with some other horses she lived to 36. Another couple of horse we had that had been together their entire lives and both turned out to pasture when they ended up stove up. When one was ready to go we just had the vet out and let them go together. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | I would bring him in. You have a lot of great advice on this thread. Praying for you as you make your decision and after.  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| A friend of mine put her old boy down this fall and he was actually hauled over to another friend's place who also had an old gimpy mare that needed to be put down. They spent a week or so out in a field munching on grass and were put down and buried together. It brings tears to my eyes to think about it. A very sweet notion to let them go together. |
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Two Old Horses...