Emotions over horse retiring

[SharonA1]

It may helpful to try to train yourself to think that her retirement is normal and was always to be expected. Just as it is normal for you to have to change your lifestyle for grad school, it is normal for our horses to have good years and then need to retire and change their lifestyle. This is normal life. It has its sad expects that we grieve for, of course! But maybe you could think of both your current chapter and your horse’s current chapter as “the current adventure” (however wryly said). Find some silver lining, however small, and lean on that. Work that silver lining!

Life changes all the time. We surf the wave, not control it.

Many hugs!!

[eightpondfarm]

I am happy for your mare! And how GOOD! of you to have thought of her and her horsey-needs. Retiring to pasture is a tremendous gift you have given your girl. Would-that every horse could be so well taken care of. She will thrive i’m sure… as do most horses in 24/7 freedom. Thank you for keeping her safe and loved. Thank you for not sending her down that sad spiral of sales that often ends in slaughter. You are proving your love.

[PaddockWood]

@pretzelpony I won’t sell my horses either. Had a horrible experience in my youth of selling my horse and her falling into horrible hands. I couldn’t talk about it years ago without crying I felt so bad. She was an amazing horse and after the horrible treatment could no longer be ridden.

So, like you, I keep mine until the end (or did one to my dental vet with his promise she would be with him til the end). Yes, @eightpondfarm we do prove our love.

[Tayden]

I am so sorry you are grieving about the retiring of your horse. I am in the same position. He is my 1st horse. I fell in love with him when I was looking and I looked at so many but this green broke horse stole my heart. As a new horse owner at 40 years old, he was the horse I somehow picked. I had taken lessons for 3 years and felt it was time for my own. I hired great trainers and he was amazing, for 6 years showing hunter. And then he got injured. We did everything we could and he rehabbed ok to be somewhat sound, but he is not sound enough for the rigorous show life. He is 14 years old. He sometimes stumbles a little when he walks due to the DDTF tear he has in his R leg. So this has made it dangerous to ride if he was to lose his balance. He can go for weeks and not stumble but we never know when he might trip which could be so dangerous for me and him. After this year I have accepted he must go to a retirement barn. I have cried for so many days. He is my heart. I feel like my heart won’t stop crying. I know he will be happy in a grassy pasture with buddies. I just am so sad that my dream to casually ride him are over. Now that my health has been stable, his is not. I will be able to hand walk him around the property. But the sadness is so hard. Yesterday I signed the documents for the retirement barn. I cried the whole way home. But I know it’s the best thing for him. If I was a horse, I would rather be out in a grassy pasture instead of a box stall. It’s not fair to him.
I’m not in position to be able to afford another horse. I have chosen to pay for the best retirement place I can find for him for my peace of mind. But the tears keep flowing.

Please know I completely understand the sadness. Sending you softness and peace at this difficult time.

[SoCoPony]

I am a retired old man, that is Just a Horse of Course.

I am 35+ years old.

My humans had many dreams with me.

Some accomplished, Some not.

I know my human was sad to “retire” me to pasture life, but they still come out and we play games in the ring. Some days I just run around with my tail in the air, other days I just eat the yummy grass. My life is good, my Human is good.

I get groomed and loved and the best care affordable.

It is sad that my Human will outlive me, statistically speaking.

But being a Horse Parent is a job not for the weak but for the strong.

Be strong OP, there will be good days and days where you question yourself.

Your best friend feels your love and understands. You will find your self again and ride on, be it in the saddle or not.

[IndysMom]

I’m another person facing the fact that my well loved horse partner is declining. I have a yearling (as most of you know) and he’s fun but I’m really feeling sad about my old guy. He’s 19 and still going but the years are starting to show and that’s sad. We’re doing the additional maintenance needed and we will keep him comfortable. I also think that he’s tired of going around doing the same stuff but too good of a guy to protest. Unfortunately, he hates to trail ride. I know, I’ve tried. I don’t like it either😂 so we’ve been a good pair.

So, the plan for now is to keep on, but dial back as needed. But I am sad about it.

[eightpondfarm]

@Tayden

Yesterday I signed the documents for the retirement barn. I cried the whole way home. But I know it’s the best thing for him. If I was a horse, I would rather be out in a grassy pasture instead of a box stall. It’s not fair to him.
I’m not in position to be able to afford another horse. I have chosen to pay for the best retirement place I can find for him for my peace of mind. But the tears keep flowing.

i think you are wonderful. Your fellow is so very lucky to have you for his person.

[redandwhite]

I just bought back my heart horse, to retire with me. She’ll die with me. Seeing her elderly is so weird, and remembering all we used to do does bring tears to my eyes. I am lucky enough to afford a half lease as well. I hope you find a riding situation. It wont feel the same but keeping up with it will help you mentally and physically. You have every right to mourn and be sad, I know I did.

[eightpondfarm]

omgosh…ANOTHER beautiful person!! Yay YOU redandwhite!!

[LawsofMurph]

I made the decision to retire my old man from showing the end of last year. He was still being the best boy and packing me around my Dressage lessons until 3 months ago when there was an accident in his pasture.

He was kicked in the leg while defending the love of his life (my best friend’s mare ) and broke his leg.

We’d been together nearly 18 years and he was 26. The vet told me that the silver lining is that I didn’t have to watch him decline and try to decide whether or not it was time for him to go. There wasn’t an expensive treatment that could save him I couldn’t afford. It was a simple choice.

But that did not make it easy.

[SBrentnall]

I was just told by the vet on Monday that my 14-yr old heart horse has irreversible neuro issues and has to be retired, a good 10 years before I was expecting. He is the best horse I’ve ever had: talented and sensitive, but totally bombproof. Every ride with him was fun. He also is a total worker bee who loves to have a job.

I know he’ll adjust just fine to retirement, but it’s tough to know that the 5 years I had with him are the only riding and showing we’ll do together. And to add insult to injury, I only just finished paying off the loan I took out to buy him.