Selling my beloved horse

[ihateeverythingaboutthis]

This is just a grief post really. Tomorrow my beloved horse who is the light of my life is going to a wonderful woman to be brought back into shape and then sold. I've had him for years and never wanted to part with him, but he's too much horse for me (but wonderful on the ground) and I haven't ridden him for nearly two years. I worked with a trainer for a year straight trying to regain my confidence with him but while we made progress, I was still scared every time I had to ride. Eventually I bought a second horse who, bless him, is an awful personality but I love every minute that I ride him.

I tried for two years to hang on to my lovely boy, but after three failed loans I can't keep him anymore. DIYing two every day is out of the question and as much as I would love to keep him as a pet it isn't the right thing for either me or him. He deserves someone who loves the socks off him and he has so much talent, he'll be an amazing horse for someone.

Tucking him into bed tonight for the last time was so hard, and getting him ready to send off tomorrow is going to be even harder. I look at his sweet, innocent face and hope like hell that he'll have an amazing life with someone else.

Has anyone been in this situation? I've never had to sell a horse I wanted to keep and it hurts so badly. Any words of wisdom gratefully received 💔

I think @AlltheFs put it way more rationally than I could. It’s the passed around but especially at an older age that’s the worst. But it’s lovely to have two people quote me so dismissively here and reminds me of some of the stuff I don’t like about the horseworld.

Let’s agree to disagree and support the OP when she’s clearly feeling sad by such a difficult decision. I forget how weird I am sometimes in how I view my horses.

Thank you @RuperttheBearHug I do understand. Seeing your horse passed around is every owner's nightmare. I really thought a loan would be the answer but I think many people don't take loaning as seriously as owning a horse (or maybe I just had very bad luck).

He's arrived now after a long journey and is happily munching hay, so off to a good start. 🤞

Ah bless you. Yes I have been in this position too, I suspect in hindsight, that mine had been doped when I went to try him as he was VERY easy despite being a young sport horse.

Sadly the wheels came off pretty rapidly when I got him home. I had a few nasty falls and just completely lost my confidence despite being very experienced.

You're doing the right thing letting him go. He will have a more fulfilling life and you won't have the expense and time issues trying to keep two going.

That’s great news @ihateeverythingaboutthis and I hope his new owner is excited to have him ❤️

I agree 100% on loans - I loaned before I bought mine and it wasn’t the right thing for the horse, I didn’t get the right support from the owner’s family and very reluctantly had to give her back because she wasn’t thriving and I didn’t have the right knowledge at the time to do right by her. It was awful.

It really isn’t to many horse owners . To us our horses and ponies have been no different to any other family pet and we do not sell on , they have a home for life .