In the event of your death

[jcc813]

Not exactly a fun topic, but I think a necessary one: I’m curious what plans people have for your horses in the event of your death?

We’re in the process of setting up a trust for our son (he’s currently a toddler) and trying to figure out what instructions to leave for our 3 horses. We have two young OTTB eventers-in-training aged 6 and 7 and one 21-yo senior horse.

I’ve heard both ends of the spectrum from a couple people. One person had stipulated that her horses be euthanized on her death because she didn’t want the risk of them falling into a bad situation. Another person has funds set aside and a person designated to take care of her horses until they pass away.

Given that our son is so young right now and we don’t know if he’ll have any interest in riding down the road, my thought is that we’d have the two youngest sold. I was thinking we’d designate our trainer to help manage that process or give him first right of refusal to purchase (in which case I’d probably designate someone else as the executor).

Once our son is older, we could potentially revise this to keep one or both horses and carve out funds for their care.

The senior horse, I’m torn on. I wouldn’t want him sold on account of risking a bad situation. But it probably wouldn’t make sense to keep him boarded and saddle someone else with the responsibility for his care (no one else in our family has horse experience). Would euthanasia be such a bad thing in this scenario?

I’m curious if others have considered alternative stipulations?

[MorganMaresVT]

Old retiree (she’s pushing 30) would be euthanized as she is a full pasture puff with Cushings and not many teeth, and I wouldn’t expect anyone who hasn’t known and loved her almost half her life to care for her at the level of what she gets now. 19 year old companion mare, who came from a reputable rescue that offers a forever commitment to any horse they’ve adopted out, would go back to the rescue with a fully funded trust for her care and euthanasia costs if they determine that she is too old or medically compromised at that point in the future.

Youngest (currently 15) would go back to her breeder, per the Morgan “Full Circle” program that her breeder has her enrolled in. With a fully funded trust for her care. Same scenario for the dog.

ETA: This is all in writing in our end of life documents. All relevant parties are aware of the plans and our extended families have a copy in writing, as does our lawyer.

[wsmoak]

Last time we updated our wills, I had one ~15yo fairly valuable horse, so I discussed it with a friend and then named them as the person the horse would go to, with I think it was $10k to cover costs. She was welcome to keep him or sell him, totally her choice.

For any aged horse, I would decide between euthanasia or a local reputable rescue who you trust to manage things, hopefully also with a bequest. If it’s the former, make sure your vet’s office is on board. If your family/executor is not horsey, make sure that someone else is available to facilitate the decision whether that’s transporting or burial.

And then make sure as many people as are appropriate KNOW your wishes and where your paperwork is!

[2tempe]

I have a person appointed to be responsible for making the decisions on mine (both horses and dogs), and some money for their care or whatever decisions need to be made. If I have any lead time, as opposed to getting run over by the proverbial bus, my older, not so healthy mare will be put down, my 21 yr old stallion would be given to someone I trust and my young gelding will be sold or signed over to my trainer. The appointed person would very likely keep the dogs and the stallion, she is a softy, lol and she is aware of my thinking.

[WildGooseChase]

I don’t have legal documentation for it, but I’ve made it clear that my little sister, who is a legal adult now, is to get my horse upon my death. If she doesn’t want her, cannot keep her, she can live out her days on my parents small farm. If neither of those things are possible, I want her humanely euthanized. This horse is “that” horse you get once in a lifetime. She will not be sold or given to anyone outside of those listed above.

[RhythmNCruise]

I haven’t done anything formal/legal, but I would want my gelding euthanized. He’s only 14 right now, but he’s got a laundry list of physical issues…some of which manifest as temperament quirks if not managed correctly. I am able to stay on top of his needs with a lot of TLC and $$$, and he’s ridable and fun for me, but even if he weren’t, he’d have a home with me for life. I cannot expect that to be the case for someone who doesn’t love him as much as I do. The number of supplements and medications and special feeding instructions is significant, and it’s not like he’s a world champion or the next Olympic hopeful. He’s a trail horse…that occasionally spooks, spins, and bolts if a leaf looks at him wrong.

I don’t plan on departing this world before him, but since that’s out of my hands, I’ll say that I would like him to join me in the hereafter in the event of my death. I probably need to get that in writing somewhere.

[Angel_Undercover]

My will specifies that my horse is to go to my best friend, as well as sufficient funds to continue his care.

[4horses]

I think my oldest mare would be pts or given to a friend as a pasture pet (with some funding to maintain her). My other mare is a saint with children and would go to any therapeutic riding program that accepts mares (or a family with children or grandchildren). My 2 young horses would be sold or rehomed to friends. It would probably depend on which of my friends wanted a horse at that time, but I’m reasonably certain they would all end up in good hands.

I’d worry more about my cats. Cats can be difficult to rehome and don’t adapt well.

[meupatdoes]

My horse is going to two friends. I figure if two people have responsibility for seeing to his welfare then one can’t send him off to the meat packers without the other saying something about it. (I don’t think either friend would send the horse to the meat packers.)

Both friends are also getting an income property. Each property nets enough to pay the horse’s entire monthly bill at current rental/boarding rates on its own, so there would be more than enough income coming in to cover his expenses.

[endlessclimb]

My mother is a legal-eagle, so it’s actually spelled out in my will.

The horse trailers, both, are MANDATED to be sold. That will net together somewhere around 40k. That money is to be used to care for my Old Man horse until his death. My long term horse friend is to be the one to make end-of-life decisions. The reason I did this is because I can see my family being inexplicably sentimentally attached to the trailers, and not selling nor using them. They’ve got to go - no one but me knows how to haul something that long. The truck they can do as they please with, as it does have a tie to my father in some ways, as well as to me. It’s also a useful and running vehicle.

The young mare is to go to a family horse friend who is VERY well connected in the upper echelons of the horse world. She can make a choice to keep or sell, or send into training and then keep or sell. There is money set aside for potential training, and horse friend will keep any and all proceeds from sale. She will also be compensated if young mare ends up a financial loss.

The dog and 10k to care for her go to my SO.

[Foxglove]

DD is an attorney (not ours) and has been named our executor. There is a Will for all assets BUT because DH and I frequently travel there is an ever updated email that goes to each of the 3 kiddos and grand kid about horses, dogs, cats. As if the last update, the oldest is PTS here on the farm. Two go to Mounted Archery buddy with stipends for care and request they be pts when no longer healthy. The cats go to my sis who asked for them, and the Frenchie goes to middle daughter.

[Texarkana]

This is something I’ve been horribly neglectful about in my own life.

However, I’ve been named as the inheritor(? Is that a word?) for several friends’ horses in their wills. One comes with a fund for his care.

[joiedevie99]

Dressage horses are to be sold by my trainer, with the funds going into my child’s trust, or donated to D4K if not sold within the prescribed period that the funds cover. Retirees stay where they are, with enough funds set aside to pay their bills until they turn 35.

[jcc813]

Besides @joiedevie99 for those who are stipulating that their horses (or other horse related assets be sold), who are you designating to attend to that?

Also, for those who are leaving stipends for their horses, are you calculating that based on current board and routine care plus guestimate for length of life + a little padding to account for inflation? Anything additional for emergencies?

[luvmyhackney]

My pony has funds to cover him until he is 40, and euth if goes over that age. My oldest daughter would take ownership.

My young horse has 2 years of board/training/care set aside and is to be sold by trainer. All funds leftover go to husband or kids trust account for when they turn 18.

My dog goes to oldest kid and has funds to care for him until he passes.

If oldest kid doesn’t want pony or dog for whatever reason they get euthanized and funds donated to charity. Both are already older and high maintenance.

[paintedpony]

Not in our wills, however well understood by our two children. The two oldest mares are to be pts and buried on our farm. Third is to be pts once she has foaled/weaned. All three are snowflakes and would not adapt to change. Our daughter has a good eye for talent. She knows it would be my heart’s desire to see my youngsters brought along by the professional I have trusted for many years. Daughter can then keep or sell as she chooses, but first is to determine potential/value.

Dang, now that I am old, it really stinks to know that I could actually have “that youngster” and not live to see them go!

[GoodTimes]

My dog would stay with SO, unless we both died, than she would go to my parents.

Between my mom and I we have three horses. She legally owns two of them and I own one of them. If I died than she would take ownership of my horse, and if she dies than I take ownership of her two. It gets more complicated if we were both to die close together. In that case they would all go to our trainer. The retired one would have a stipend and would be euthanized at the first sign of issues. My horse has a stipend and could be leased out until retirement. The young mare is only five. It would be up to trainer if they want to lease her out or sell her. She’s well bred and they have a small breeding operation so they could also try her as a broodmare.

SO would have to decide if he wants to keep my chickens and honey bees, or give them to my sister.

[anon40672407]

as you note, very dependent on the age/condition of the horse.

I don’t own anymore (so that’s my plan!!). Friend of mine has an aged pony, but a capable daughter, so she’s put aside quite a bit of money to see him out to a natural death, and the daughter would be in charge.

Another, VERY horsey, friend has no plans at all. Yikes!

My father had plans for his little dog, and a bequest to support the dog’s future.

I don’t name my dogs (or chickens) in my trust, but I suspect my two daughters would arrange sensible arrangements for them.

[walktrot]

The problem is that if you put your horses and house pets in the will they are left without arrangements until the will is probated. I talked to mom’s attorney about care contracts. She said she has seen far too many problems with horses. Gertrude might agree - absolutely I’ll take care of the horse. But when the day arrives she can back out because she can’t afford it, or doesn’t have time. If no one steps forward to take over no one has any obligations until probate, which can take time. The horse could wind up at the meat packer if no one has a legal obligation. Horses are big and expensive to care for. You can agree on what on what you want and put it in a written agreement. Then set up an account at the bank (in your name) with funds that will transfer to that person when you die. The attorney said $10,000 for horses is common. You can’t set up a trust for a horse or a dog or a cat or a goldfish. It has to be for a human.

For my cats she suggested $2,000-3,000. The vet is a cat specialist. When I asked her about finding someone, she said she takes care of them. We started in 1996 so i know I can trust her.

[SLW]

One daughter will take our pets & any equines we have. Money is set aside for their maintenance.