Getting rid of horses

[TheHotSensitiveType]

I do wonder if either finding the pony a new home or euthanizing would bring Seagram some relief… I know when I have had constant pet related stressors, it brings my overall level of positivity and patience way, way down. Perhaps her husband has noticed this and this is his way of trying to help her be happier? You being weighed down undoubtedly takes him down too… If things were the way they were before the pony, would you be happier? Would that be enough of a stress relief? The other horses sound safe for a barn sitter to handle so you could get away for a weekend.

Maybe the pony was mistreated or maybe the pony wants to be left alone and found a really great way to make that happen was to kick people! Who knows? I will say I wouldn’t keep a pony that has had that much time and still deliberately takes actions that will hurt me (whether that be the perfect rehome or euthing). I have been around my horse since she was born and she can be so weirdly skittish sometimes that people may think she has been beaten. She hasn’t; she is just a weirdo.

Hoping Seagram finds what she needs.

[2DogsFarm]

@TheHotSensitiveType

I will say I wouldn’t keep a pony that has had that much time and still deliberately takes actions that will hurt me

Pls see my post #39 upthread re: @Seagram 's pony
IF I thought I could pass my pony along to someone who’d let him be the Decorative Pet I have, I would.
It took me well over a year, more like 5, before he settled.
Hackney Ponies don’t think like other horse/pony breeds.
They Just.Don’t.
But he’s 24 now (Sunday) & that’s unlikely. So he’ll be euthed.
Pony described could just need more time.
Still, I’m not opposed to euth if a suitable situation can’t be found.

[TheHotSensitiveType]

Your pony is lucky to have you!

[findeight]

Think it is very hard to accept the reality of how hard it is to find places for average, usually older horses that have never been particularly useful for whatever reason. Even harder to see what happens to the vast majority of them once they leave their optimistic owners care.

Despite utopian promises, dreams or expectation, they end up at those lower end auctions going into numerous bad situations including ending up as auction regulars. Selling yet again into neglect or abusive situations by those trying to squeeze as much as they can out of them before dumping them.
The suggestion to giving them to Amish or any other kids to fix quick and sell? Where do you think they are going to sell them? They are going to a low end auction.

Anyplace that accepts donated horses also generally cannot keep them when they are no longer useful and they sell them…at the auction. They are not guaranteed forever homes unless it’s in writing. Be warned. There are far worse things than a dignified passing…but there is not insignificant cost with providing that and disposal. They can’t afford that and with no place to “warehouse” unusable horses? Off to the auction they go.

Not trying to be mean here but colleges, therapy centers, rescues, camps, big beginner lesson programs, some trainers et al. cannot keep every horse they take in for the rest of its life. They cannot guarantee a former student will adopt it, they will give it to their grandkid, only sell it to a perfect home and assorted other sweet stories they tell. They sell them, usually at auction. That’s reality.

For OP, maybe if you cut down by one here? Are you sure the KS mare is not in some pain? No idea what you can do with the other mare, who may have some use, or the not so nice Pony, sorry, nobody I know can afford to take them these days.

[OverandOnward]

@findeight

Despite utopian promises, dreams or expectation, they end up at those lower end auctions going into numerous bad situations including ending up as auction regulars. Selling yet again into neglect or abusive situations by those trying to squeeze as much as they can out of them before dumping them.
The suggestion to giving them to Amish or any other kids to fix quick and sell? Where do you think they are going to sell them? They are going to a low end auction.

THIS is why I would euth … before something irreversible happens to me, the pony’s only advocate and protector. That is just my opinon and outlook on the equine world.

@findeight

Not trying to be mean here but colleges, therapy centers, rescues, camps, big beginner lesson programs, some trainers et al. cannot keep every horse they take in for the rest of its life. They cannot guarantee a former student will adopt it, they will give it to their grandkid, only sell it to a perfect home and assorted other sweet stories they tell. They sell them, usually at auction. That’s reality.

Right. These programs are also not a dumping ground for people’s unwanted horses.

There was a bit of a shock heard round the local horse world when it was discovered that a local program routinely sent horses to auction that had become surplus to needs. They didn’t try selling them, etc., as too much work, time and uncertainty. The selected horses were loaded on the truck and away they went to the auction pens, never to return.

One of the long-time favorites among the herd was found in an auction pen by someone who knew the program, but not this aspect of it. She was in shock to find this horse there, a long-time favorite of many patrons, one that years before had been featured on program brochures. But aged and now past work.

The alarms and sirens went off on social media. The program was surprised at the reaction – it wasn’t new, they have been doing this for decades.

Thanks to the patron’s intervention, that particular horse ended up with a good landing. Otherwise, nothing changed.

Over the years, when some program patron looked around and asked “but where is Pooky?” the answer had been “Pooky was sold”. They didn’t clarify “through the auction”. That didn’t change, either.

[Seagram]

I’m pretty sure the ks mare (a lovely, super athletic warmblood) is only in pain when you sit on her. Which I have attempted once, and she very gently and politely bucked me off. When I see her galloping and bucking, and showing off in the field, I want to cry. She is such a lovely mover! When she does that silly piaffy trot, with her tail in the air in the large paddock, I can’t believe she has ks.

But I’ve got the ex-rays from the vet, and all her behavior under saddle points to that. I know some horses can be stoic about it, not this mare. She definitely has an opinion. I don’t really have a facility where I could try to rehab, and I’m not stupid/brave enough to try sitting on her after rehab. A crazy event rider friend of mine and I did try two years ago, (before I had the x-rays done) and she lawn darted my friend twice. That’s when we decided to look at what might really be going on, I had thought it was behavioral, and that she had learnt how easy it is to dislodge her rider (she would have made a spectacular bronc but how unfair would that have been).

I seriously had not considered ks, and it was never suggested to me. Until I spoke to one particular vet, and he suggested we x-ray her back, then the lightbulb finally came on! The saddle and weight of the rider is exactly were the spinous (?sp) process is, which explained the bronc behavior with a rider on board. No pain when you palpate, absolutely no reaction. She loves a good massage!

She is a lovely character, friendly, smart, interested in you and everything else. She is the perfect barbie doll horse. Good for vet, farrier, etc…But just can’t be ridden. Or even bred, I’ve been reading up on the genetic components, and that would be a risky crap shoot. Makes me kind of mad at her previous owner, who sent her to the cowboy, instead of looking into physical issues first. Apparently she was an absolute dream to start, and so smart about everything. Until it started to hurt. Then downhill from there.

I didn’t buy her, on the plus side. She was a trade for another horse, that I just didn’t mesh with. So at least I got a friendly girl that I like.

The tb mare with pins is completely sound and rideable. Just can’t do a lot! I bought her for hacking, just haven’t done it. Totally my bad. I need to get my butt in gear, and start riding! I know, absolutely, once I get in the saddle again, I love it! I ride another horse at a boarding barn for a friend, and every time I get in the saddle, I love it! I have to just force myself to ride this horse, and it is hard. The horse is great, it is me.

[Posting_Trot]

You might consider doing an on-farm lease or half-lease of the TB that is rideable/hackable. That would take some of the burden off you, and you’d still have control over the horse and (in a half-lease situation) still be able to ride when you want. The horse would be getting exercised routinely and potentially, if you do decide to get out of horses altogether, she might have a soft landing with someone she knows and you approve of.

A possible win-win.

[2DogsFarm]

@findeight

The suggestion to giving them to Amish or any other kids to fix quick and sell? Where do you think they are going to sell them? They are going to a low end auction.

Not necessarily.
Young Amishman (late 20s) has successfully resold ponies for a (idiot) woman I know who couldn’t handle 1 & a year later needed the other gone.
For a 10yo Hackney Pony gelding who’d run away with her repeatedly, bit & kicked her, he resold after a very short - 2 months - refresher course, for $5000
Following year 15yo Hackney Pony mare went for $3000.
Both sales were over 3yrs ago, pony prices have gone higher since.
Gelding is most likely now a School Pony - driven by older kids to school, standing tied until school is out.
Mare may have the same job, but is also probably being bred as she was registered & had a foal before idiot got her.
Those numbers may seem low-end to you, but they were middle to high at the time.

[findeight]

OP, have you had a vet look at the Pony? Most saddles never fit them, many are chronically sore backed, IME. They get the same sore joints, hidden skeletal injuries and even undiagnosed suspensory issues.

Might be worth a look. Animal in pain can be chronically nasty but nobody thinks about that in a Pony and they are usually not hothouse flowers.

[endlessclimb]

Sorry, I wouldn’t put one more dime into pony. Pony would be the first to go, 6 foot under or to a trainer trying to make a name for themselves.

[findeight]

@red_mares

I’m not sure where you are, but I’d give the pony to some Amish kids, let them break it & keep whatever they get selling it

For2DogsFarm…
I was referring to this which does not sound like a late 20s adult. Where I lived, there were lots of Amish and their teenaged kids often took on these free projects and sold them at the area auctions. The adults also took on short term projects to specifically sell at auctions. Some of these auctions were OK, others, not so much.

[PamnReba]

All horses bring their energy with them, and sometimes you don’t realize how bad the energy is from a particular one until it is gone. I have moved horses along that just didn’t feel right - the energy didn’t mesh well with me and once they were gone and the energy came back to normal (for me), it was a relief. Maybe that’s what you have with this pony - just bad energy and once it’s gone, things will feel better at home.

[2DogsFarm]

Young man I referred to is assisted by younger sibs - both boys & girls.
Generally ponies & minis are given to these younger kids, as ultimately they are destined to be School Ponies.
The fancier or well-bred ponies go to the older kids/young adults & bring some pretty good prices at sales, both to Amish & English buyers.

Aside:
When I went to pick up my just-turned 3 mini, my test drive was in a cart with the 12yo son of the guy who’d supervised his training.
Cart so small, the bench was a tight fit for us & I’m not that large
I’d told the kids I wanted to get back a Daudy (grandma) Pony.
That’s what I got

[red_mares]

@findeight

The suggestion to giving them to Amish or any other kids to fix quick and sell? Where do you think they are going to sell them? They are going to a low end auction.

How many Amish kids have you known who sold project ponies? They rarely go to “low end auctions”. While there are obviously some that don’t bring much, Amish ponies generally bring real dollars. They are also pretty up front about one needing an experienced driver or being quirky. If a pony or horse is road safe, they’ll tolerate quite a bit from it.

[tabula_rashah]

Nah, 5 horses. Sometimes at home, sometimes self-care (which really is harder than at home because I have all the same chores but have to drive 25 mins there 2xs a day), plus my own business (plant nursery). My DH and I travel a couple weekends a month although very rarely together. I usually trade with my friend who has 4 horses and travels weekly for work

Also yikes to giving them to the Amish- I think euthanizing is a far kinder fate.

[candyappy]

@OverandOnward

The alarms and sirens went off on social media. The program was surprised at the reaction – it wasn’t new, they have been doing this for decades.

Thanks to the patron’s intervention, that particular horse ended up with a good landing. Otherwise, nothing changed.

Over the years, when some program patron looked around and asked “but where is Pooky?” the answer had been “Pooky was sold”. They didn’t clarify “through the auction”. That didn’t change, either.

In the end they all have to go somewhere and when they leave your possession ( especially older or with any issues) this is most likely where the majority finally end up.

I may be too quick to suggest euthanasia on this BB but I want to know where my horses end up. You just never know even when they find what looks like a perfect home. Older and any health issues is a euthanasia for me if they can’t be kept.

[2DogsFarm]

@tabula_rashah

Also yikes to giving them to the Amish- I think euthanizing is a far kinder fate.

Please just STOP tarring an entire religious sect with that brush
Do you actually have any IRL experience with a large Amish community?
As I continue to point out on this BB, I Do.
And just like some people neglect their cars, some Amish mistreat horses.
But so do plenty of “English” < as non-Amish are called.
In my part of the Midwest, the Amish community is very involved in the Draft Horse circuit, both Show Hitches & Pulling.
Breeding & showing both.
And if you didn’t know, a 4yo Percheron gelding just sold at Gordyville for $180K.
Gordyville is an annual auction.
Bidders come from all over the US & there’s a lot worse place a horse could end up!

ETA:

$180k RECORD PRICE FOR DRAFT HORSE AT PUBLIC AUCTION. J.W. Blasting Boomer

[tabula_rashah]

I live just south of Lancaster Co, PA and have Amish neighbors so yep right in the heart of it. I get to see lame buggy horses pounding down the road daily. I stick by it my statement. Religion is a horrible, horrible thing and the Amish use it perpetuate all kinds of abuse to animals, people and the land.

[Callista17]

And here the thread takes a turn. There are a lot of bad English people and Amish people, and a lot of good of both as well.

We have many Amish friends that absolutely LOVE their horses and treat them very well!!!

[2DogsFarm]

Again “the Amish”
NWIH, Every.Single.Amish.Horseowner.
Are there lame buggy horses?
Yes.
Every horse?
No.

BTW, I live near Shipshewana, Middlebury, Topeka & make frequent visits for Driving equipment.

Friend who lives there & I have a running joke on some Amish Drivers we see on the roads:
Please hand me the Overcheck Shears
Horses are checked up more than we like.
BUT: Think of that as an Emergency Brake.
By & large, the majority of buggies I see are hitched to sound horses.
YMMV