We did that with a blind horse who was unreliable. I was lucky to find someone who could put the horse down without drugs, just outside the facility.
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We did that too with a mare that had a blown suspensory with a very poor prognosis. The dear girl was so lame and unhappy; watching her hobble around the paddock tore me up. Pain meds didn’t even touch it. I sure miss her, she was a jumping/eventing machine and as sweet as the day was long.
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What has worked for me, in the past, is to go horse camping with the little know-it-all. A few days out in the wilderness, completely reliant on his/her person (me) for the necessities of life and protection from the wild things out there, makes for an attitude adjustment.
Not to mention getting the good kind of tired from traversing more rugged terrain than at home (within reason, of course). They quickly learn to listen and dial it back today, because tomorrow is coming, and the day after.
And if Mr./Ms. “I don’t have to listen because I already know it all” thinks that it’s a good idea to go too quickly down that steep hill, why, we’re going to turn right around, walk back up it, and try a nice, controlled descent again. Works every time, never have to do that particular maneuver more than once with a smart, basically cooperative horse, IME.
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LOL- this would be a great solution is I camped! My idea of camping is a hotel with polyester or a B and B with a shared bathroom.
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In regards to my update about local boarding being full. Some barns have increased prices as demand has gone up so much. Another facility has started evicting boarders that don’t line up with the barn’s main lesson/show program. As I mentioned in the update in my OP, a large facility recently closed its doors. Everywhere halfway decent is full with a wait list it seems. Good news for the BOs. I think this is putting extra pressure on the low end horse market though.
Why is this happening? Development?
I am not 100% sure. Lots of people like to live here, Pensacola, and certainly there isn’t a ton of horse property close to town. Been investigating with my peeps and so far we are counting 3 barns that have closed their doors in the past year or so.
This thread got me on CL and looking at horses for sale and I am shocked at our inflated prices too.
A shetland pony for $2200??? Most trail type horses were $3500–$6500 and even the usually lower priced types were $2000+. Don’t know if they are actually selling but the people are asking!
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Come here. I’m beating folks back with sticks that are trying to give me horses.
I picked one out yesterday. Naturally, I got the one that needs the most “love”. At least now I have a legit reason why I can’t take the next horse that gets offered to me.
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I guess people’s RRP fantasies are being dashed. Just in the last couple of days I have seen five 3-5 year old TB’s come up for sale for under $3500. Everyone jumped on that band wagon around here. I guess they found out retraining a racehorse takes a more time and energy than they thought. My coach and I were talking about it last night, she is thinking of a youngster for herself but is kind of waiting for her old (33) horse to pass away. With demand so strong for boarding she just can’t take away a boarding stall for a personal horse. The good news is the market looks like it is starting to soften in the area on the bottom end…
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The market for rideable horses (especially “easy” horses) seems to be quite high near me.
Unfortunately there are always ads for the lame, crazy, and old horses. I havent seen more, but I havent looked either.
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I’m interested in hearing about the market for OTTB in other areas of the country. I’m on the West Coast, and horses seem to be moving like hotcakes, despite pricing being at an all-time high.
For example, a listing for a lovely, correct gelding caught my eye. Plain bay, so no gray tax, priced at $6,500. Still on the track, so will still need let down time.
Have these horses been undervalued all this time? Or is this an inflated market because people are COVID bored and looking for a project? Or is this just a California thing?
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OTTB have been crazy undervalued. A trainer once told me it takes $30,000 (I think) to get the young horse to the point you decide whether it’s worth racing, and decide to give it away to a h/j rider.
You couldn’t get any green broke well handled athletic 4 year old sport horse prospect for $1500 or even $6500.
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I think boarding barns are closing because the cost of help, insurance and property taxes are increasing. It’s always been hard to make a profit boarding, it’s a lot of work and you have to deal with difficult boarders (the people not the horses) 
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That’s pretty steep for plain bay still on the track. But not super crazy.
I saw a drop dead gorgeous 16.2 4 yo chestnut filly with 4 whites and a blaze sell for 4500 recently (still on the track) but she was in OH
Like the ones that expect primo care for $350 a month
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Having met a gazillion horse people over my 24 years in horses, and living next door to a ‘fancy’ facility for the last 9 years, I have less than zero interest in ever running my own boarding barn. Not even one where people pay good $$$, there’s always still something to complain about.
Local auction was last night, I didn’t watch the live feed because I was at the vet with my dog but I did see the pre-bids up until it started. Prices are still astronomical across the board.
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Exactly, and as Heinz_57 says
Oh the stories we could tell.
I hope everything is OK.
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Oh yes, he should be fine - just needed some antibiotics. It’s been a banner week for me and small animal vet bills!
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Jingles for the pup. I think I need to take my cat in. She’s started snoring recently and it’s weird.
Ponies for kids still seem to be following the national trend of crazy pricing here. Though I have serious doubts about actual suitability for kids on many I’m seeing.
I imagine they’ll be cutting hay here pretty soon so hopefully I’ll see fewer starving horses being given away.
