Rehoming An Aging Stallion 🙁

[CatWoman12345]

7 years ago my friend was asked if she could rehome a pony gelding. She couldn’t but mentioned it to me (also couldn’t), but another friend with their own gazing could and did. However before she collected him, we discovered he was a stallion. She still accepted him, and he’s been a happy companion since.

Now her horse has died and she’s selling her grazing and wants me to help her rehome him as she did it as ‘a favour’.

The fact now is he’s a 22 year old stallion, with no breeding background, and no ridden background. He’s fit and well and very sweet, but I think she’ll struggle to rehome to the right home. I told her she may need to pts in his current home, rather than risk him falling into the wrong hands which didn’t go down well.

I don’t really want to advertise him so am just asking around, and getting the responses I expected- Any suggestions?

Get him gelded. I've got a late cut gelding here. He's no problem at all

There are not going to be people queuing up to take on a 21 year old with No ridden history. Let alone a stallion. I’d probably be a bit wary of anyone who was interested…

I think the options are geld and look for retirement livery or PTS

Yes I’ve messaged a couple of retirement places today for her and im assuming he would need gelding first.
She’s looking for a rehome though so isn’t prepared to pay for him going forward.

Yer I couldn't pass him on, if she can't keep him she needs to PTS. It's the responsible thing to do rather than risk him ending up at auction or worse.

That’s what I thought @fluffy2buffy

I know aged ponies are worth their weight in gold when they are bombproof child’s ponies. But his age, being unridden, and being a stallion/newly castrated gelding is against him I think.

He's clearly a chilled guy if he's been living as a companion horse despite being entire. I'd assume she could geld him and rehome as a companion bit she'd have to be super careful. It does seem a shame when he's for and healthy and by the sounds of it if a very sound temperament to have him pts. Difficult situation!

What type of pony is he? And where?

personally I think at that age an equine should be in its forever home, but sadly they do occasionally find themselves uprooted. But you might find someone wanting a companion.

Any luck finding somewhere for him OP? He's small, healthy, good tempered and hopefully sweet to look at which ticks a lot of the boxes for a companion pony. Is he a native type/does he live out through winter without needing rugs and extra feed and TLC because that's another positive. Being entire is obviously a negative but that could be fixed if needed (although I wouldn't put him through it unless you're reasonably confident of him finding somewhere). People do occasionally want companion types providing they're easy keepers but this probably isn't the best time of year - how much longer can your friend keep him? Spring would probably be a better time as people may have youngstock on the ground needing a companion or move their horses around etc.

Like others it's a bit dicey advertising him publically as you will get dodgy types looking to resell, you could loan him rather than transfer ownership so long as the person is vetted etc but you or your friend would have to be prepared take him back and/or pay for PTS if his health declines longer term? But that might make it more of an attractive option for someone to take on as a companion?

Otherwise it's not the worst thing to happen to an older pony to be PTS calmly in their own home, yes it's a shame if he's fit and well but better that than go downhill in a strange place and not looked after properly which is always a risk if rehomed?

Or, if you and your friend really want him to have a happy retirement, retirement livery is a thing? Lots of nice places with plenty of grazing, herd turnout, checked regularly, all field maintenance etc. done for you. Of course it costs of course but not as much as 'proper' livery and you can look at cheaper parts of the country. Again I'd expect they might be a bit dubious about taking a stallion but he could be gelded?