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Doggy Diaper Designer
Posts: 2322
 
Location: WI | I have a unique situation I'd like opinions on to see how off base I may be.
I know of a 22 year old horse that is sound and healthy and has a ton of life left to him. He is currently not being ridden or really given any attention at all. Owner has other priorities in life right now and doesn't have much time to devote. Horse is well cared for in the fact that it has food, water and company from other horses.
Owner struggles with thought of rehoming to someone who could use him and pay attention to him. There are multiple reasons, but most are a personal internal struggle.
My thought is it's best for him to go to a home with a young girl or someone who has time to brush and mess with him and trail ride some and keep him going. This horse can out walk most barrel horses, so he's full of life. My thinking is he has a lot of good years left more then likely and 10+ years left is a long time to stand around and not do anything at all.
I feel it's in his best interest to be used within reason. No one wants to be alone and not have any attention.
I'd like other perspectives on this topic please.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
 
Location: Kansas | Maybe find a local 4 H kid who is "horse crazy" and could learn, from the owner / horse. I would be very careful letting the horse go to another home or selling. Once you sell it is out of their hands and they won't have a say. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | I find my horses are pretty happy if they have food and another horse as a companion. I rarely catch mine out practicing the barrel pattern or working on collection or any of those things. Once in awhile if they are really frisky they might work on their roll backs. :) In the off season they eat sleep and play halter or blanket tag. I think he is probably happy where he is. Of course a good safe sound kids horse is hard to come by and it would be nice if she found someone who could use that. But as long as he is being taken care of it sounds like he is fine where he is. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | I think its really up to the owner as to what is best for her horse.
I have a retired 26 yr old gelding, no health issues and 100% sound. I prob haven't gotten on him in 6 months only because I just don't have the time to ride 2 horses. He is perfectly happy being retired. Would it be good for him to get ridden regularly, of course it would but sometimes it just is what it is and I will never rehome him. He's with me til his last breath. |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
Location: South Georgia | Up to her, in my opinion. I think horses can be happy in both scenarios described. |
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| We gave our older guy to a kid. Thought it was a great idea. Why let him just sit right?... 2 years later he came back to us skin and bone. We tried to bring him back but he was too far gone. Biggest regret of my life. We should have let him live out his years fat and happy in our pasture. He didn't deserve that at all. If he's happy and his owner is happy, leave them be. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| I gave my 24 year old to a kid learning to ride. Long story short, got him back and he was thin and looked terrible. They had not taken care of him as promised. I let a close friend take him for her granddaughter. The kid absolutely loved him but again the idea was free horse cheap to take care of. He died over there but was 33 so I just let it go. I have one now that is 20 and he will stay at my house. He is happy and loves me. |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | I personally think you should ask the owner what they think is best for their horse and respect their decision whatever that may be. You can get all the opinions you want to back up what you think is best, but it's not your horse and you don't get to decide. The horse doesn't sound abused, so in this situation you really should mind your own business. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | stef73433 - 2018-09-24 9:02 PM I have a unique situation I'd like opinions on to see how off base I may be. I know of a 22 year old horse that is sound and healthy and has a ton of life left to him. He is currently not being ridden or really given any attention at all. Owner has other priorities in life right now and doesn't have much time to devote. Horse is well cared for in the fact that it has food, water and company from other horses. Owner struggles with thought of rehoming to someone who could use him and pay attention to him. There are multiple reasons, but most are a personal internal struggle. My thought is it's best for him to go to a home with a young girl or someone who has time to brush and mess with him and trail ride some and keep him going. This horse can out walk most barrel horses, so he's full of life. My thinking is he has a lot of good years left more then likely and 10+ years left is a long time to stand around and not do anything at all. I feel it's in his best interest to be used within reason. No one wants to be alone and not have any attention. I'd like other perspectives on this topic please.
Sounds like to me this horse is well taken care of.. I have retired horses 4 of them and they have a good pasture with great grazing and they dont stand around all day doing nothing they stay busy running around with their buddys, no way would I get rid of them, they get attention from one another. They will live with me till the end. If I were you I would let this person take care of their own horse, its nobody's bussiness if they want this horse retired or not, I retired my barrel horse at 21 and yep he will stay retired I want him happy and feeling good.
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Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | stef73433 - 2018-09-24 9:02 PM
I have a unique situation I'd like opinions on to see how off base I may be.
I know of a 22 year old horse that is sound and healthy and has a ton of life left to him. He is currently not being ridden or really given any attention at all. Owner has other priorities in life right now and doesn't have much time to devote. Horse is well cared for in the fact that it has food, water and company from other horses.
Owner struggles with thought of rehoming to someone who could use him and pay attention to him. There are multiple reasons, but most are a personal internal struggle.
My thought is it's best for him to go to a home with a young girl or someone who has time to brush and mess with him and trail ride some and keep him going. This horse can out walk most barrel horses, so he's full of life. My thinking is he has a lot of good years left more then likely and 10+ years left is a long time to stand around and not do anything at all.
I feel it's in his best interest to be used within reason. No one wants to be alone and not have any attention.
I'd like other perspectives on this topic please.
I think it would be great for him
To have a little kid to live on him and use him lightly. I know a lot of times deals like that work out fine. The down side is some of the stories you see on here about loaning The horse out, people starving him, not taking care of him but won’t give him back, etc. The only way I know of to have him happy and we’ll taken care of is to have him in my possession. |
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Veteran
Posts: 186
Location: Good ole SE Mo | I am one that is all for sending a SAFE older horse to a kid to learn and all that but like others have said you have to be super careful and still then can't be too sure. I got a free lease pony for my daughter a month or so ago. She isn't ready for him (she's still lead line and he isn't) but didn't want him to be with another family when she is ready in the spring. So I got him and the poor old guy is skin and bones, like call PETA skin and bones. He was will a family that you would think would take care of their stuff but I guess they didn't do the extra this old guy needed. I have been pouring the feed to him and he is slowly gaining. He has a vet apt next week to make sure i'm not fighting against a different problem. I won't take him in public til he's back to close to what he should be. I sure don't want his owners to see him like this. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | And just wanted to say also, I know some barrel horses that are retired and older but it does not mean they will make a great kids horse, my fella sure wont since he was always on the muscle and I would never put a young child on him, he was never a kids are a begginers horse then and he sure would not now, hes aged now but has not slowed him down much, hes always busy |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 489
| Personally, I say that its the owner's decision - not anyone else's. Horses are pretty happy out in the field with other horses. Sure, some REALLY enjoy the constant attention that a kid would give, but you have to weigh the situation. If the owner can't guarantee and monitor the care the animal receives, why should he go anywhere? And that's kinda invasive on the new caretaker. I did let my retired guy go be with a kid until she outgrew him. But I knew the person taking care of him was way more fanatical about taking care of her horses than I was, and I saw him all the time. In fact, I was told that if I didn't keep his fan going in the outside run - I couldn't have my own horse back! I would not let him go to anyone else. But it's up to the owner, not anyone else. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1210
Location: Kansas | I hate when people say that just because a horse isn't being ridden it's neglected. I'm pretty sure my horses are much happier on the days I let them be lazy and fat in the pasture than when I pull them up to exercise  |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 883
Location: Southern Indiana | That's totally up to the owner's discretion and she shouldn't be judged based on that. If she loves her horse and wants to give him a good retirement home, then that's the best thing a horse could ever ask for. Just because an older horse is sound, doesn't mean they need to be rode or messed with. They are perfectly content being horses.
Sure she could sell him so someone could use him and then what if they ride the tar out of him or don't feed him well? Don't keep his feet done? He will likely live a shorter life. Probably be depressed. If she knew, she'd have to deal with the fact that she sold him to some crappy people.
Horses are perfectly content being with their buddies and eating all day. In fact at the age of 20 most deserve it! If a horse can give me their all for 20 years of their life, I absolutely want to give them 10 years back!
Edited by TheDutchMan01 2018-09-25 12:44 PM
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Doggy Diaper Designer
Posts: 2322
Location: WI | I don't think anyone is judging the situation. I'm simply asking for thoughts on what's good for the older horses. There is no right or wrong, I'm simply interested in people's perspectives of it. |
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| IMO the best way to age one is to let them sit. We let a family lease a 19 year old gelding for their little girl who was moving up from a pony to a horse. She learned confidence on him and it gave him something to do without having his legs ran off. He just came back a few weeks ago and is 21 years old now and looks great/feels great and I would say you can't tell he has aged at all. Actually I wish they would've kept him longer, as my daughter is only 2 and it will be some time before she rides him, God willing. |
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  Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | I'd just respect the owners decision. Sh!t happens and I know you'd feel terrible if it happened on your watch.
Edited by teehaha 2018-09-25 4:59 PM
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 Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | Nope on a kid. You’re taking too many chances. Now you can find an ADULT who likes older horses that may let a kid ride him. See the difference? |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I definitely see the options here. I think the horse is fine either way. But in a perfect world, if you find the RIGHT kid/home then I prefer that. I do believe horses age faster without some exercise personally. Obv if they aren't sound then that's different.
My niece was given a OTTB who had raced, jumped and done barrels but was just sitting. I knew this mare from the time they got her (3 year old) and she was offered to us at 14. I was hesitant because shes pretty quirky. However, we couldn't afford a finished or even half finished horse for my niece to learn on. So I took her. She is a DIFFERENT animal. And believe me, she was well cared for as far as feed, water, shelter but she is so happy now. She was hard to catch, just super dull in personality and now she is an in your pocket type horse. She still has her quirks but she was the best thing I ever did. But she is SPOILED! Now 15 so not old by any means but she gets her flyware, blankets, treats and attention every day which none of us expected her to give two sh*** about. But she did!!
Another example is a pony my niece rode. He was diagnosed with cushings (he had various issues before and he never left his home as I still boarded). Once diagnosed they pulled him from being ridden (totally their right). Unfortunately, he has really struggled since. The exercise was good for him (it was walking/trotting) but it got the blood flow going. He also loved the attention.
My gelding is borderline retired and I wouldn't ever let him leave but I love that I have nieces and nephews who love on him, I still have time to ride him and spend time with him. He loves his mares but I do think it would break is heard to not get attention. I got pretty busy with my colt and friends horse and he definitely reminded me that he needed his TLC.
But with all that said, has to be the right fit and the owners decision. |
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 Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | Not my horse, not my decision is what I think.
As long as the owner has the option to keep the horse and take care of it (fed right, taken care of vet and farrier wise) than he will be happy enough to hang out in the pasture.
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Expert
Posts: 1586
Location: west of East Texas | I've had horses 50 years and in all that time I've had only one horse that would go load himself in the trailer (if we left the gate open) and just hang out. The others have all laughed as the working horses were caught and saddled. You said the horse is cared for and with other horses, it's not 'alone' and probably gets all the attention it wants to get. |
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What's the best interest of the horse?