What to Do?

[Honeybee111]

This is going to be a fairly long winded post, so please bear with me.

I have a rising 20- year old Cob type pony who was born on the current yard and who has always been a member of the riding school.

I loaned him a few years before I bought him five years ago. Soon after I purchased him, I stopped riding him as he’d be too unpredictable and I’d get ditched a lot (not something I’d want to do when I have family and a mortgage to pay).

I loaned him out to the riding school and got a very reasonable livery deal in return. The children there love riding him and don’t mind his quirks.

Fast forward a few years and I own a second horse who I trust with my life. He gave me my confidence back.

I am now in a very difficult position as my Cob has been removed from the riding school permanently due to him bucking off beginners. This happened last week.
He‘s become stiff and arthritic and can’t do advanced lessons anymore (where riders would be capable of sitting his bucks and shoulder drops).

He can’t be turned away with the other retirees as he does not cope in the field. After an hour of being turned out, he canters up and down, screaming and wanting to come in. He also has Sweet Itch which makes turn out more challenging in the summer. Apart from that, he’s had his eye removed two years ago due to constant Uveitis flare ups and ongoing pain and infection.

Some of the capable teens are happy to ride him occasionally but other than that, he has no job.

He is retired but stabled with daily turn out in a paddock by his stable.

The livery will change to standard full livery as he makes no more money for the riding school.

I can’t afford to pay two lots of livery (my other horse is on working livery) but then I owe my Cob a good life too.

I’m interested to hear what other horse parents would do in my situation?

Thank you for reading!

Nothing wrong with PTS. Usually, people would suggest going as a companion, but it sounds like he wouldn't be happy in a retirement home and isn't physically able to continue working anymore.

Sorry to hear about your boy, these things are so stressful aren't they. My question really would be what vet input has he had and what is their prognosis on him (completely understand there are limits to how much diagnostics and treatment is feasible and realistic to offer to a 20 year old horse). If he was mine I would want to understand the possibilities and pathways to get him to (1) a place where he is comfortable and safe in light work, not at the riding school but light hacking with familiar riders (2) if that is not possible, to be comfortable and happy retired to the field. If 1 is realistically possible (and that to me would include no more bucking or napping, that goes beyond 'quirky' and is a clear indication of pain) I would get him the treatments and either have him as my own hack and/or look for a sharer who wants a light hack to contribute to costs. If that's not possible and sounds a bit as though you've ruled that out already, but if 2 is possible I'd look for a suitable retirement home for him, sounds like current environment and set-up is not working for you or him, but it may be he settles nicely in either a quieter set-up where maybe he's companion to one horse, or conversely maybe a big retirement herd. I don't think it's realistic to imagine this will come for free given his needs but retirement livery is usually significantly cheaper than full at a riding school. Then, as a last resort, if neither of these are possible, being PTS in a calm way in their own home and before they go significantly downhill is not the worst fate for a horse - they do say better a week too early than a day too late and if he can't be made comfortable in retirement then you have little other option...

Can you find retirement livery?

Have you had the bucking investigated?

Awful that not only the stables but you as his horse mum allowed him to be carried on being ridden at such an old age and with arthritis too!! He has paid his way and deserves a rest and to be treated properly - with a VET to start with to sort out the pain!!

Is he on regular pain relief? Should he be?

But a one eyed horse, doesn’t like living out and is uncomfortable isn’t going to adapt well to a change, by the sound of it.
money aside, any change would cause him distress, after a long time in one busy environment.
PTS isn’t the worst thing you can do to ensure his comfort. Moving around trying one thing after another wouldn’t be kind, in my opinion

If he genuinely can be ridden (I’m not sure if the extent of his arthritis and other conditions) then you could advertise to see if anyone who is experienced enough to ride is looking for a loan, but with the full understanding of his limitations.

Otherwise, realistically, you either find a way to accept the livery costs or if he can’t be ridden with his conditions managed, then he’s PTS.

I don’t think you’d be wrong to PTS, he sounds like he’s been in pain a long time and it’s getting worse.

I echo what others have already said - PTS is sometimes the kindest thing to do for our old horses.

But, just back tracking slightly - has the reason for his bucking etc been investigated by a vet? This behaviour does sound pain related to me.

Some horses cope with retirement very well, but your horse does not sound like one of those. Seek advice from your vet and take it from there.

He‘s been investigated thoroughly, but he generally bucks and squeals when he’s feeling happy!
He has supplements for his arthritis and sees the Chiropractor every 12 weeks.

I did advertise him as a loan but most (young) people strive to progress with their riding and want to jump etc.

I very much appreciate everyone‘s options, especially as my husband is non- horsey and doesn’t quite understand the ins and outs of horses!

He doesn't sound like a happy boy. Something underlying isn't right - it's not normal for a horse not to settle to turnout once they know the routine, it sounds like he's in pain.

Personally I would get the vet out, lay on a big bucket of carrots and have him PTS. He's not happy, and you could spend thousands trying to find out why he's not happy. Unlike humans, he has no concept of lifespan or whether he might feel better in the future, he only knows how he feels each day, and from what you've said, he's not feeling good at the moment and might not feel good for a long time (if ever).

What makes you think he's bucking because he's happy?

Being PTS is by no means the worst thing that can happen to an animal. It sounds the best outcome here.

Because he’s always done it: Squealing and bucking, especially when out in his paddock.

But you've also said he doesn't settle well in his paddock and shouts to come in. Suggesting it's a stress response of some kind, rather than exuberance. There's also quite a big difference between a horse playing bucking games with his mates in a paddock, a horse who bunny hops if he's a bit excited, a youngster with his legs in a muddle and an older horse who bucks with a shoulder drop to intentionally get rid of his rider. For me, that's behaviour that's shouting that there's something wrong - horses generally don't take pleasure in depositing their riders.

He’s had enough. Call it a day if you can’t afford to retire him and PTS

If you think he’s happy and you want to keep him into retirement you could look for a full loan for your other horse, with a view to getting him back either when finances change or when the con passes on. If the other horse is in work he’d have much more chance of finding a suitable loaner.

Leaving the OP with nothing to ride.

Well yes but that is arguably to be expected if you own two horses, one in their 20s and can only afford livery for one, one or the other is always going to have to earn their keep somehow. The 20 year old cob seems to have done more than his fair share if he's done 7 years + in a riding school whilst being at the very least stiff and 'quirky', he's surely earned at least some happy retirement years if possible?

Obviously ideally OP will be able to find a solution that allows her to keep her ridden horse too (perhaps a sharer rather than full loan, or retirement livery for the old boy as I suggested?) and obviously if the older boy is unhappy or in pain that can't be managed then as I and others have said PTS, but I don't think she really should PTS on purely financial grounds, that to me would be selfish/wrong if there's an alternative...

Why? The horse doesn't have any concept of the length of life, only if he is living a good or bad one. Regardless of anything else, this is obviously a quirky, "difficult" and undesireable horse - at 20, with his medical problems, he's unlikely to find a good home if he's sold. So what's selfish about the owner ensuring he ends his life in a happy, comfortable environment rather than risking him going through unsuitable owner after unsuitable owner or bounced around loan homes?

I really hate this attitute that PTS for any reason is "selfish".

If you'll read my post, I absolutely did not say PTS for any reason was selfish, nor did I advocate selling the old horse or passing him around from home to home. My very first post on the thread said exactly what you've said, that PTS at home is far from the worst that can happen if his health problems aren't fixable. My point was that if he would be comfortable and happy in retirement, even a short one, it would be pretty selfish for OP to not explore every option to make that happen purely for financial reasons. Are you really advocating PTS all older horses that are no longer convenient for their owners to keep?

Yes, if their owner is not able to keep them retired and they don't have the health or temperament to have a job suitable to their years/health - kids pony, lead rein, "potterer", etc. I've seen elderly horses being passed around when an owner can't retire them and is pressured to see them on instead of PTS, I've seen what eventually happens to them and when, rather than a planned loving act, PTS becomes an emergency welfare issue.

I don't think owners should be pressured into keeping horses into retirement if they aren't able to financially. I don't think there's anything wrong with a person choosing to keep their riding horse rather than a horse who can no longer be ridden, but still costs a lot of money to keep. But I do think all owners in this position should do the right thing to secure their horses' wellbeing, whether that's keeping them in retirement or calling the vet.....

I think that many horses when given the option of retirement in well maintained fields with a friend or herd to spend their days with are content. That’s the sort of retirement we owe our horses.

If a horse can’t be ridden and isn’t happy in the field then retirement takes on an expense that I think many owners won’t or can’t pay, at least not for the long term.

Personally I don’t think it’s kind to sell an aged horse that can’t be retired in a field, is in physical decline and already at the stage of not being rideable. There is no happy future for that kind of horse.

I appreciate that the OP hasn’t mentioned selling so it sounds like asking for permission to PTS. I don’t know enough about the medical situation of the horse to advice, but I do believe that sometimes PTS is the kindest and most responsible thing an owner can do, despite how difficult it is.

OP, can your other horse be used a few days by the riding school so you have some money to spend on giving this horse some retirement time to see if he adjusts to the field?

Thank you very much for everyone‘s thoughts.

My boy owes me absolutely nothing and I want him to be happy.
He will never be sold/ passed on/ leave his only home he’s known from birth.

I will let him guide me in what retirement is right for him.

How awful! Poor bloody horses.

Horses are not sports equipment. They deserve a good retirement, even if that means their owners 'have nothing to ride'. I have more retired than in work, including a very happily retired 5yo homebred who has been retired since hewas a foal. They cost me more than I have ever spent on a mortgage.