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 Own It and Move On
 
Location: The edge of no where | I get selling them if they are still useful to someone.
Anything over 20 I'd have a really tough time letting leave the place. My old man is still very sound, but he hates kids....and he gave us 21 years of being a really tough horse. He's earned his retirement. I don't care if he could still work, his job in life is to babysit my 3 yo filly. |
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | Whiskey_Girl - 2014-01-30 11:20 AM speedjunkie - 2014-01-30 8:15 AM What drives me nuts is that a lot of people have been lead to believe that horses in their mid teens are old when in fact they are just coming into their prime. just is mind boggling to me. I was just given a 17 year old mare back - literally given, did not have to pay a dime for her - because the lady thought she was too old to run barrels now. This mare loves barrels. A year ago she was running 2D/3D times with me before I sold her to them. I could easily have resold her or ran her myself but I found a great home for her to be used as an occasional trail horse. It kills me to know she's going to waste, but I have a moral compass that prevents me from making money off of a horse that was given to me....
Came back to add that I would have loved to keep her forever, I ran my first 17 on a standard on this mare and ran my first rodeos on her, she taught me a lot! But we have limited space and I can't justify feeding and caring for a horse that I'm not using.
This is an honest question. Why wouldn't you run her anymore? She's only 17, honestly I can't wait for my horses to get some age and brains on them. Is she healthy, sound, not as good as the horse you have? I'm just asking because it doesn't make much sense to me if she is a 2/3d horse. |
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 Dr. Ruth
Posts: 9891
  
Location: Blissfully happy Giants fan!!! | I agree with a lot of people on here. If a horse is still useful and can have a job I don't see why you wouldn't want them to be able to do that. Especially if you can have a bit of control where they go. Now, if they are not able to do much and you are letting them go there may be some heartburn. IMO, I would put them down if I couldn't afford senior care.
I will tell you, while Grasshopper isn't technically a senior, he is a permanent cripple. Now, he is trotting off perfectly sound now and we exercise him daily but he can't run barrels at a competitive level anymore. My struggle with him is he cannot just retire and be a pasture horse and just hop in the trailer with us and sit and look pretty. I tried that last year and I mentally started losing him. We started ponying him and whala-back to his old self and he is moving the best he has ever moved since the accident.
I have been asking around if there is anyone who is 100 pounds or less that wants to ride a horse. They don't have to commit to riding everyday but if they want to meet us at the arena, he is free to ride. I can't let him go to a home. He has too many quirks and I flat refuse to run the risk of someone not understanding him and something happening. I know him and anyone that knows us knows Hops is 100% spoiled rotten and I let him get away with probably too much. BUT, he can give a child some joy riding. I know he can.
Grasshopper will die with me. If something horrific happened and I had to sell out, every other horse and what not would leave except for him. He is with me till the end.
I cannot say that for the rest of my horses. If they reached retirement age and they couldn't help a beginner and just needed to live a life on pasture, I would find a way to give them that life. But if they could be a step up horse, I would let them go to do that. It always all depends on the situation. |
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I Wanna Go Fast!!
Posts: 12556
| LMS - 2014-01-30 9:27 AM Whiskey_Girl - 2014-01-30 11:20 AM speedjunkie - 2014-01-30 8:15 AM What drives me nuts is that a lot of people have been lead to believe that horses in their mid teens are old when in fact they are just coming into their prime. just is mind boggling to me. I was just given a 17 year old mare back - literally given, did not have to pay a dime for her - because the lady thought she was too old to run barrels now. This mare loves barrels. A year ago she was running 2D/3D times with me before I sold her to them. I could easily have resold her or ran her myself but I found a great home for her to be used as an occasional trail horse. It kills me to know she's going to waste, but I have a moral compass that prevents me from making money off of a horse that was given to me....
Came back to add that I would have loved to keep her forever, I ran my first 17 on a standard on this mare and ran my first rodeos on her, she taught me a lot! But we have limited space and I can't justify feeding and caring for a horse that I'm not using.
It doesn't make sense to me either, but the gal who bought her from me a year ago for her daughter found a younger horse for her so that's just the way it is. Hard to understand, huh? I know she has a lot more years yet but I'm honoring the wish of the gal who's now become a friend by just finding her a good home. Trust me, it boggles my mind, too and I've asked numerous times if somethings wrong with her now, but there's not.
She actually probably won the horsey lottery if you think about it. What horse wouldn't want to just eat and get ridden a couple times a year? The lady just lost her horse who was 26, so I know it's a home for life for her. I guess you can't beat that!
Edited by Whiskey_Girl 2014-01-30 12:07 PM
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | I gave my 20yo away to a 1horse family that wanted a companion animal. Call me irresponsible, but I added up the boarding costs (I don't live on a farm) and I wasn't in the financial position to spend $12k (just on board) to fulfill my 'responsibility' provided she would live to the age of 25. What is the difference if you sell them at age 12 vs. 20? |
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 "Drank the Kool Aid"
Posts: 5496
Location: Iowa, LA | In a perfect world with unlimited funds and acreage, sure. But in the real world people have goals they want to achieve and limited funds and may have to sell in order to improve and reach those goals. There is nothing wrong with a horse moving on to teach another generation. I had a mare that taught two young girls about riding and racing and she LOVED kids and put up with them doing things she never would have tolerated from me! Each time the girls learned all they could, she came back to me until the day she could no longer move comfortably and I had to put her down. I love that those little girls loved her and still have fond memories of her. As much as I love Jug, I would love it if one day he could be some kids dream horse. It would have to be a special situation, but he could bring such joy to someone starting out. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | I suck at selling a horse, LOL!!! Everything I've ever owned is buried in my pasture. 2 ponies and 2 horses are the only things I've thrown a leg over that aren't with me still, the 2 ponies got sold when I was 5 and 10 and had outgrown them, the one gelding my dad "gave" to me for my 16th birthday, he sold him out from under me and the mare wasn't actually mine, belonged to my fiancé I bawled like a baby for all of them. Course I bawl like a baby when it comes to crossing the Rainbow bridge too but I'd rather make that walk with them than the one to someone else's trailer. Having said that I did loan out my HS rodeo mare to a young girl for Jr Rodeo for a bit when I was extremely busy with work and wasn't getting to ride like I needed to, she was an older mare by then and needed the extra riding to keep her in shape and feeling good, she just did better that way. I also leased out my bay mare to a HS girl for HS rodeo years later, she was a tough mare and I felt could help the girl out in that situation. My problem is I fall in love with my animals and for years with caring for my mom they were the reason I got out of bed in the morning, didn't matter stress was eating my health away, the horses needed to be fed, watered, groomed, ridden. They were my sanity, they were my "tomorrow" and more importantly they had a big strong neck to hold on to and cry into if need be with no expectations other than loving them back. Good trade in my opinion. I will sell mine before I can't feed them, they won't suffer for that ever regardless, but I do own a gelding that is 13 this year with some wear and tear on him, a mare that fractured her patella 3 years ago that is sound and running again but I know too those kind of injuries mount up and take years off in the long run but I also aknowledge that injury was my mistake. When push comes to shove I will not pass that injury on to someone else to deal with, I own that. I own that she and I spent some really bad nights together and some really great days together also coming back from that, its what finally forged us into a team. sucks it happened THAT way, but it did and I'm better for it, I owe it to her to be responsible for her to the end. Both of them ran me across the grass at Pendleton safely , strongly and fearlessly, they brought a little girls dream to life 40 some years later,and I dont' take that lightly. I also have another mare that has health issues, not exactly sure yet, HeadShakers syndrome, EPM, but God put us in each others path and I'm bound to find out why.
I have friends who have that ability to be a business person about their horses and I respect that, they run tougher than I do most of the time because of it. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 915
Location: SE KS | kuhlmann - 2014-01-30 10:09 AM
I have several older mares (23, 23, 22, 20, 18) and of those, the 22yo is my most recent addition and I am honored to have her standing in my stall. She was bred and raced by one owner, sold to her 2nd owner who had her for 20 years, and then I bought her. She has some issues, but she was well worth the money I paid for her, even at 22!
I have no problem with people selling their property.
(This is meant as a thoughtful question, with no malice) Will theses older horses die on your place when they are no longer "useful"?
I believe this is the "meaning" behind her thread, but I may have
misinteruptted it also!!!! |
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I'm a Cry Baby
Posts: 3780
Location: n.c. | Some will stay here until they take their last breath, some will go on to help someone else learn the ropes.
The biggest problem I am having with some horse people, are the ones who dump the horses off on someone
else to deal with. It has become common place at our farm to wake up with more horses than we went to bed with.
Have, however had a few absolute phenomenal horses come from this. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 614
| If mine can't be useful to somebody else I will figure out a way to keep them until it is their time to go. |
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  Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | I interpreted the meaning of the thread as being about horses that were faithful to us and were with us a long time and earned the right to reitrement in the home where they had a bond with the place, us, other horses etc....
I think if they are still competitive and sound, why not let them go to a child or beginner to learn on...even if it's a lease where you retain control....
I have 3 retired horses now that were faithful and meant a lot to me....when they were unable to compete anymore, I decided to keep them forever....one had been sold and came back to me to give him a forever home after he was retired, and I was more than glad to take care of him forever.....they are 24-28-35 yrs. old.....
I'm lucky to have the means and the space to do this, but I know not every one can....I only have 10 acres now, but in the future, I'd like to have more land so I could offer forever homes to other people's faithful horses that they would love to keep forever, but for some reason can't do it....it breaks my heart to see these good old horses end up at a sale or in a home where they aren't appreciated....
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10794
Location: Kansas | I have an old TB racehorse (21) and a retired barrel horse (26). In my wildest dreams I couldn't imagine throwing them out into a world that doesn't need them and where they would likely end up being slaughtered or abused. Giving them away doesn't mean a good home for life. When their usefulness ends with the "kids" then where do they end up.
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | mruggles - 2014-01-30 10:26 AM mine live out their days with me.......i have a couple 30 yr olds and i keep a close eye on them and if i see them starting to go down hill i will put them down and bury them........i also have a couple 14 yr old mares that had to be reitred due to soundness issues and they will both live out their days with me.........op i agree with you 100%
m
Your a good woman Mruggles. I do the same thing when it comes to my friends. Most of our horses have forever homes with us and will be given the best possible care until the good Lord takes them or I have to put them down when life gets too tough for them. |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | just4fun - 2014-01-30 10:34 AM Three 4 Luck - 2014-01-30 10:21 AM The few oldies I have had died or will die with me. I'm sentimental that way. If I had one that wasn't getting used but needed to be used, I think I would loan out or lease rather than sell so I could still have control over their treatment. I would feel like I owed that to them. My daughter's horse is 26 and will die here. I promised her, and I think he deserves it. That's me, but I only have control over my own actions and not going to worry about someone else. Mine stay with me, even though it means I can't have all the younger/faster ones I want. I feel obligated to care for them properly and couldn't live with myself wondering what happened to them if I sold them. If I had a youth suitable horse, I would consider leasing, but not selling.
This is a hobby, not my living. So, I can see both perspectives...
Now, my one dirty bucker..........she's gone and I'm glad! 
I have 3 older retiree's. 30, 24, and 22. I couldnt live with myself if we didnt keep them. I owe it to them and they are MY responsability. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1857
| Was the world's oldest horse really 51? It's hard for me to believe that... I look at my 31 year old and how much he has deteriorated in the last couple years and couldn't imagine a horse making it to 51. That's crazy! I want to know what they were doing for him to get him to that age. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | FlyingJT - 2014-01-30 1:28 PM Was the world's oldest horse really 51? It's hard for me to believe that... I look at my 31 year old and how much he has deteriorated in the last couple years and couldn't imagine a horse making it to 51. That's crazy! I want to know what they were doing for him to get him to that age.
My oldest one lived to be 38. |
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 Forever Young
Posts: 6768
Location: relocated to Texas | I like to train young horses and progress them to the point that I can sell them to a good home. I have one horse that will stay with me until she dies and that is Hollywood. She is 28 years old and looks great. But, I can only have so many and if I kept them all until they retired, then I would have to stop riding. I think it depends on your situation and how much expense you can endure. I don't believe that selling an older horse to a loving home is irresponsible. In fact, I think it is often a good thing. Most of these performance horses like to be used. If a child can use an older horse, often the horse gets more attention and is happier.
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | CYA Ranch - 2014-01-30 1:29 PM
FlyingJT - 2014-01-30 1:28 PM Was the world's oldest horse really 51? It's hard for me to believe that... I look at my 31 year old and how much he has deteriorated in the last couple years and couldn't imagine a horse making it to 51. That's crazy! I want to know what they were doing for him to get him to that age.
My oldest one lived to be 38.
Wow! That's great |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | barrelracr131 - 2014-01-30 1:34 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-01-30 1:29 PM FlyingJT - 2014-01-30 1:28 PM Was the world's oldest horse really 51? It's hard for me to believe that... I look at my 31 year old and how much he has deteriorated in the last couple years and couldn't imagine a horse making it to 51. That's crazy! I want to know what they were doing for him to get him to that age. My oldest one lived to be 38. Wow! That's great
She was full of P & V to the end. Which I'm sure had a lot to do with how long she lived. |
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 Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | I've not read all the responses as I'm always short on time....
But I'm going to throw this out there. I get what you are saying. But take a step back and realize then when you are looking at the ads for horses on here, that you may not know the sellers or the stories. You don't know if they have owned that horse 20 years or just a year. Maybe they purchased the horse for a child only a year ago and now the child is ready to move up. But parents can't afford a another horse without selling the first. Child comes first. So I get that.
Just a thought. I've got three. Two barrel horses and one useless TB ex racehorse that even if they don't stay at my house forever, I will maintain ownership of them until they die. |
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