Would you sell him?

[anewjourney]

I bought a horse a few months ago and have just found out I’m pregnant.

I’ve been bringing him on but he can be incredibly difficult to handle. He has a habit of tanking off both on the ground and under saddle. He is a born fatty and has been on a crash course diet since we’ve had him.

If he was the type who would do OK being turned away to pasture for a year or so I wouldn’t think twice, but chances are, he’s going to end up obese and/or get laminitis.

My concern is that he’s not the type of horse I’m realistically going to want to be around or ride once I’m further along or have had the baby. He hasn’t even been out on the roads yet so it’s not as if I would be able to plonk myself on and go for a nice hack.

He’s going to need a lot more schooling and life experience - something I thought I would be doing myself! (We were TTC but had no idea it would happen so quickly)

Can I ask WWYD here?

My head says find him a home where he’ll be used and enjoyed, put the money towards baby fund and see how I feel about horses once the baby is a bit older. But my heart says I don’t want to say goodbye to my gorgeous boy!

If he was a mare he sounds totally up my street. Have a welsh x hackney mare when I first got her she was an utter cow as an unbacked 8year old she almost went in the sales with no reserve!!

However the one thing they need is consistency. I am so lucky that 7years down the line I have a mare I will never part with- I am 20 weeks now and we went for a lovely hack today. Shes getting turned away in Dec and I know she will be easy to get back on in the summer.

Hes a good age to sell. If you can afford to send him to schooling livery or pay an instructor to school him even in a month you should see a difference. Big built sec Ds are very popular. I am sure most of his vices is just a mix of the breed and maybe inconsistency on your part. I find with welshes if they are bored they turn into dragons lol

D's are a very marmite breed. I LOVE them!

You will find someone who will just get him and enjoy his attitude.

I would sell - although having said that I probably would persevere but the sensible thing to do would be to sell now and reassess after the baby is born/you have more time and can buy something that suits your needs at that time.

I've had a Welsh D x ID x TB for 9 years and there are days I wonder if I'm a complete novice despite 30+ years experience! I'd already had my DD when I got him, as a broken 4yo. He looks like an ISH but with a D nose and mane, and attitude! I found that until about 7.5 he was quirky but manageable as I cracked on with his education, but once he knew what he was about the battles started, he obviously didn't feel like I was needed to give direction any more, it was his way or the highway! He did grow out of it at around 11 and is now a school master - but certainly not a novice ride or to be handled, as he's still tricky. He's off until after Christmas due to injury so I've been riding a dales and boy what a difference to ride something cooperative and sensible that doesn't out think you at every turn! You forget when you deal with a tricky one all the time! I'm considering retiring him because tbh I don't know how long I can keep up with him! He's funny, opinionated, sweet and very athletic, but hard work, and always will be.
If I were in your position I'd sell, a horse like this is so tying, you can't trust them enough to ask someone else to deal with them, but it's not safe to do it while you're pregnant either. Sales livery with full disclosure as a project is a great idea. You'll miss him but think it'd be best for all of you.

@beerwench why would you retire him at only 13? Would you not sell him to someone to use?

I had a Welsh D x Arab. Built like a D, brain of a D and the Arab. Never ever again
Did I mention she was a chestnut mare to top it off?
You could try posting in local hunt group on Facebook, might find someone that way

He sounds like prime steak material to me tbh. Hope he ends somewhere that he won't injure someone.

@Kate -

He was gifted to me first and foremost, after the death of his owner. Her husband didn't want the horses and the lady had I think, privately ear marked homes for her horses when she became ill. I had known the horse since he was foaled, and seen him a few times a year until I got him. I learned to ride on his dam, and had her on an unofficial work for rides loan for years. So there's the sentimental attachment, I don't want to part with him, if he's ridden or not. He's safe and loved and well looked after and I doubt very much if he stands thinking he wishes he was being ridden

He's had 2 loaners, both of which have move on to something more consistent after a year or so because they wanted to compete and he just isn't consistent enough to do much. If someone wanted to loan or part loan him where he is then I'd be happy to again, but he'll never be sold.
He's happy (apart from the injury) and as I enjoy ground work and spending time with him it's not costing me anything. I've kind of reached the point where we're not really enjoying ridden work, either of us. The injury break may change that, but if not then a field ornament is fine by me

If you can afford it I would send him off to be schooled before selling. You won't get much money for a horse that bolts at any random opportunity unfortunately, that needs sorted. But once it is, they do sell well and you'd make more. Right now you'd be lucky to get anything, not many want a horse that could kill them. Bit of money spent on schooling and you'd get a couple of grand. No schooling and couple of hundred.

I'd sell, but I'd find a really good, reputable schooling/sales livery yard and be prepared for him to be there a while. And make sure they're honest in their sales description , or he'll be mis-sold and end up being passed from pillar to post.

With some work and schooling he would probably be a cracking pony club/riding club pony for a confident competent teenager.

I would sell him. I also had horses wheni got pregnant, and i found i didn't have time to do much after ds was born and when i did, i felt very insecure fire to fear of making my ds an orphan and the lost of strength in my core! That on took a while top figure out, but i felt very unstable and weak. And i was a fit pg lady! Walked 8 to10 miles a week, swam regularly and went to work until 3 days before i was due!

I had an emergency c section because ds was stuck.

My core strength was just shot after that, and as others have said, i was skeert to get hurt.