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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
  
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I just rehabbed him back from his second torn suspensory, he healed beautifully, was cleared 30 days ago to leg back up, moved sound. I felt he was off a little so took him back in and found vet found spurs on a knee. He was immediately lame when asked to trot on hard ground. Vet said he could inject and try his best to keep him going for me but I said no. He taught me how to run barrels, waited on be in the turns if he felt me get behind, so bonded to me he would follow me anywhere. He could be grazing and I could open the gate and call him and he would load himself in the trailer. He is definitely one cool horse. He is 19 so I am pulling his shoes and hoping he can tote my grandson around in a few years. He is the one in my avatar and has been such a blessing to me.
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Bless your heart, that is a decision you hate to make, but really is not that hard when your horse has done so much for you. I've been there and kudos to you for putting him first. I hope you can post pictures of the grandbabies riding him in the future.  |
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  Independent Cuss
Posts: 3977
 
Location: Dearing, GA | This is so hard. I'm sending up prayers for you.
I just made a decision to sell my best friend so that I could pursue something else. Its hard to let go. |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13502
Location: OH. IO | well...you make my heart HAPPY to know you will keep him and give him what he has given you.LOVE THE WAY YOU LOVE HIM!!! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 352
Location: Texas | I am sorry to hear that. But I'm glad you are taking care of him. |
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 Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | I'm so sorry you're having to retire him. What a cool guy and what a blessing to get to own and enjoy such a great horse! He's a special one no doubt. Hugs to you....and a high five for taking such great care of him! |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | My retied barrel horse has the run of the place out here, he turns 23 this year and I really think hes a happy camper, I had to retire him at 17 when he torn his knee to peices and servered his fextor tendon 2 days befor the ANHA and that took a full year of healing and then 2 years later he had colic surgery to fix a displaced colon so it was time to retire I think, lol
He has a home for life with me as do all my others out here.
Glad to hear that you love this boy and he will be with you for the rest of his life too.  |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| I had one very similar and when i retired him he really didn't like the idea of seeing the trailer leave. So what I did is pick 2-3 big races per year to run him at, but I hauled him to every race. He loved just going. And he was great about teaching patience to the colts in the trailer and while tied to it. |
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 Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | Hugs to you. Always tough to make those decisions, especially when their hearts are still in it. I've 'retired' my Cowboy a time or two previously, only to bring him back for a few months of a season. He really didnt like when the trailer use to leave without him. Mid way thru last season, although he would still get very excited about his turn to run I could almost feel like him telling me it was ok now. I'm so glad you get to keep him around to teach the grandkids!!
Edited by Three*C*Champs 2016-01-29 12:15 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| It's such a hard choice, we just made a similar one a few months back with the mare in my profile picture (She is only 11 though). She had a bad fall that was pretty scary, and had already been losing her eyesight on the right from uveitis and it just wasn't fair to keep getting after her bad first barrels when she was having trouble seeing it. So we made the decision that was best for her and booked to have her bred this spring, and fingers crossed she carries to term. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 357
Location: Colorful Colorado | My mare Kline I want to retire this year. She has won me so much i feel she is due........ however she doesn't have the same mindset I do. If I leave her at home she is a mess. She runs the fence lines until she come home. She has won so much for me and now at 21 has dropped to the 2D. I guess i will haul her as a buddy horse.I want to respect her and not keep entering her past her prime... I just need her to agree,\. |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | rodeomom3 - 2016-01-29 9:50 AM
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D4cr25NTT28&feature=em-upload_owner
I just rehabbed him back from his second torn suspensory, he healed beautifully, was cleared 30 days ago to leg back up, moved sound. I felt he was off a little so took him back in and found vet found spurs on a knee. He was immediately lame when asked to trot on hard ground. Vet said he could inject and try his best to keep him going for me but I said no. He taught me how to run barrels, waited on be in the turns if he felt me get behind, so bonded to me he would follow me anywhere. He could be grazing and I could open the gate and call him and he would load himself in the trailer. He is definitely one cool horse. He is 19 so I am pulling his shoes and hoping he can tote my grandson around in a few years. He is the one in my avatar and has been such a blessing to me.
I'm so sorry you have to make this decision. But I love that you're the kind of person you are and choose to respect him and put him first. There are certain folks on here that have the biggest hearts and give horse people a good name. . . . And you can go straight to the front of the line! Can't wait to see pictures of your little one riding that gorgeous once in a lifetime boy of yours.
Edited by Chandler's Mom 2016-01-30 1:33 AM
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| my mare mess her stifle up at 16 i retired her but now there are a lot of things that would have fixed her still sound on other three. she has produced two copies of her and i will breed her one mor time,
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 To the Left
Posts: 1865
Location: Florida | I was planning to retire my great rodeo horse after the circuit finals at the end of the year, he was only16 but that was 12 years solid on the road, 50+ rodeos a year. In August of that year he slipped in the mud on the 3rd and bowed a tendon very badly. He spent 6 months in various casts, but he came out of it sound and happy. I never ran him again, he earned his retirement. He lived to be 31 years, 1 month, 1 week and 1 day old in the barn his winnings built, on the land his winnings bought. RIP Double Diamond Two. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1261
| That is so disappointing! I know how you feel to some extent and applaud you for putting the horses best interest ahead of your goals. My mare that was the first I ever really ran on as well suffered a hairline fracture in the hock and I tried what I could to bring her back vet said I could probably bute her all the time and run her may or may not be fast but I didn't feel it was fair and she's a broody/ pasture pet now for the rest of her days. She's happy and comfortable. The horse I had to run in her place and put three years worth of blood sweat and tears into I just decided after last weekend isn't going to make a barrel horse after all and I just feel absolutely heartbroken about it. I can hardly bring myself to go to the barn because I feel like everything I have worked for over the last several years was all for nothing and I just don't have the motivation right now. So hugs to you and I just keep hoping for myself that everything happens for a reason and hope there is good things ahead for both of us! |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | wishes4kissez - 2016-01-30 4:35 PM
That is so disappointing! I know how you feel to some extent and applaud you for putting the horses best interest ahead of your goals. My mare that was the first I ever really ran on as well suffered a hairline fracture in the hock and I tried what I could to bring her back vet said I could probably bute her all the time and run her may or may not be fast but I didn't feel it was fair and she's a broody/ pasture pet now for the rest of her days. She's happy and comfortable. The horse I had to run in her place and put three years worth of blood sweat and tears into I just decided after last weekend isn't going to make a barrel horse after all and I just feel absolutely heartbroken about it. I can hardly bring myself to go to the barn because I feel like everything I have worked for over the last several years was all for nothing and I just don't have the motivation right now. So hugs to you and I just keep hoping for myself that everything happens for a reason and hope there is good things ahead for both of us!
Hang in there and keep believing God has a purpose. Don't get discouraged  |
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Expert
Posts: 1586
Location: west of East Texas | I feel for you! My daughter and I shed a few tears two weeks ago at a barrel race over this same thing. And I'm still a little teary every day in the barn. My 26yo warhorse stumbled a little bit at 1st for the second time in 3 weeks so that was it for her. She's been 'retired' a few times before but it never lasted long and she just kept clocking and paying her way. I'm not sure she has accepted her new status, she was running up and down the fence last week while we were saddling the others... :( |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | I'm so sorry, it's tough to have to retire your favorite. He sounds like he's been a wonderful horse for you. It's so nice to see someone that will keep one that's paid it's dues and giving them a great retirement home.
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Well darn, choosing to retire that once in a lifetime horse