Hi! I haven’t posted in several years but now I’m so confused on something that I absolutely need help. My heart horse has not been sound for nearly 3 years. He’s only 13. I’ve owned him for 11 years, he’s lived all over the country with me, throughout teenage years he’s been my rock. 

I could go into long details on his lameness but essentially it’s a chronic hind end, right side issue. I’ve done everything except a bone scan. I can’t chunk out that money all at once, as trying to afford a horse in SoCal is expensive enough. But I may still do this. Anyways. I’ve been looking for a cheaper option for him and one of them is feed leasing him to a gal for trail riding who wants to do mounted patrol etc. I think he could do this. But I’m also extremely attached to this gelding. Like he’s pulled me out of the worst times of my life and if this home isn’t what I want for him, I’m going to feel awful because I feel like I betrayed my kid. 

I want to further my riding career. I haven’t run barrels in years, I haven’t been able to take a project horse in a while because I’m so maxed out with this horse. I have dreams of riding reiners and reined cow horse one day. I know now this isn’t going to be the horse to make it happen. But I do invision him being the horse to carry my future kids one day (not going to have kids anytime soon..)

So I guess what I’m basically asking is that..do I keep trying to fix him, do I give him to this lease situation, do I retire him and let him live with other horses? I know a lot of this is my emotions, so I just need a very realistic opinion at this point.. 

I'm ruled by my heart, so I would keep him with me and either pleasure ride if he's able or retire him to my pasture.  I'd be afraid too much could go wrong if I leased him out.   

Can you afford to turn him out to pasture for a few years? Cheaper board but still keep him? Then when you have kids, or want to go see him, you have him. If he means that much to you then that is what I would try. 

I'm in the same situation... I have decided to just put my guy out in the pasture... He is just to good of a horse and I don't trust ppl now a days.  I rather him life his life out with me.

I'm a horrible person to state my opinion because the only horses not currently in my pasture  that I've ever owned are buried on my property except one and that put a hole in my dad's and my relationship.  Obviously I don't ride at a top level or compete at it either so my horses are "family". When I moved back home to help caretake for my mom who had dementia, thru the toughest times I got out of bed for my mom but the reason I could was my horses, they were my "someday" , my hope, my future self. as the saying goes , in riding we steal freedom. 

If at all possible, could you keep him at your place or where you keep your horses, then feed lease him to this friend where she is in charge of feeding, vet, and maintenance but he is where you can literally make sure that all of that is happening?