# Finding a Hunt home for event horse



## loupearce (17 January 2016)

Does anyone recommend any yards that produce horses for hunting.  On my yard we have a nice tbx (mostly tb) that has evented to novice level but is not ideally suited to the job - although his record would suggest otherwise, he was ridden by a very good rider - he is not happy on the flat and we suspect that back problems, but he is uninsured and so it is too expensive to go down the route of investigation.  He hacks out well and so we were trying to find a new job for him and felt hunting could be that but it is finding the right yard that could turn him into a hunt horse! Thanks


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## Luci07 (17 January 2016)

Where are you? I know whom I would avoid if you are in Surrey having been royally shafted by someone supposedly producing my horse to hunt with potential buyers. No advertising and a £2k bill later (he would not take calls for updates..) horse came home and I sold him myself.


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## spacefaer (17 January 2016)

Wrong time of the year in the wettest season on record!  A lot of packs are hunting on foot at the moment. 

I would be concerned about sending a horse with potential back/soundness issues out hunting,  jumping out of deep going.  

There are plenty of people who would no doubt offer to take him hunting, but that is an entirely different matter to "making" a hunter.  Properly done, a "made" hunter is an absolute delight,  but takes at least a couple of seasons to do thoroughly, and should start with hound exercise in the summer, and then autumn hunting.  

I have hunted my eventers and it is a very different experience to riding a proper mannered hunter.


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## loupearce (17 January 2016)

We are trying to do the right thing by the horse, and would rather see him doing a job he can manage rather than forced to do a job he clearly resents- he jumps beautiful but struggles with lifting his back and working in an outline on the flat.  However I realise right now is a bad time!  But basically she would give him to a hunt yard or person if they felt they could produce him, so he would be a project. He is already well mannered, evented a full season so well used to travelling and is a smart stamp of a horse. He is 8 so lots to offer but obviously it is a risk for someone that he wouldnt be good enough as a hunt horse, hence why really he would be given away if someone was interested. We are based in Hampshire.


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## Rowreach (17 January 2016)

Luci07 said:



			Where are you? I know whom I would avoid if you are in Surrey having been royally shafted by someone supposedly producing my horse to hunt with potential buyers. No advertising and a £2k bill later (he would not take calls for updates..) horse came home and I sold him myself.
		
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I wonder if it's the same person that took one of mine to sell, told me he wanted to buy him for himself to hunt (at a reduced price to reflect the couple of weeks he'd had him at the yard) and then sold him on straight away for another £11k on top.

OP there are several hunts in Hampshire that you could ring and see would they be interested or know of anyone.


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## Charlie007 (18 January 2016)

I don't mean to sound horrible but a horse with back problems should not be expected to work, especially a days hunting, until the back problem has been resolved. How do you know he is up to hunting anyway?


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## Goldenstar (18 January 2016)

Hunting is not a suitable job for a horse with a weak back .
It's the hardest job you can imagine for the horses back hours of work getting hot and cold in a jumping saddle often in knee deep work we have to look after the backs carefully of our strong backed horses in seasons like this .
If the horse was an advanced horse finding work at that level hard and hunting can be seen as a step down in effort it might be worth a punt on a cheap or free horse but a struggling novice no way .


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## Clodagh (18 January 2016)

loupearce said:



			We are trying to do the right thing by the horse, and would rather see him doing a job he can manage rather than forced to do a job he clearly resents- he jumps beautiful but struggles with lifting his back and working in an outline on the flat.  However I realise right now is a bad time!  But basically she would give him to a hunt yard or person if they felt they could produce him, so he would be a project. He is already well mannered, evented a full season so well used to travelling and is a smart stamp of a horse. He is 8 so lots to offer but obviously it is a risk for someone that he wouldnt be good enough as a hunt horse, hence why really he would be given away if someone was interested. We are based in Hampshire.
		
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I imagine it would be easier in the summer, as the new owner could get him out cubbing and do it gradually. I agree with Rowreach about ringing a couple of hunt sectretaries and explaining the situation. It will always be a risk though, could he not be put out on loan? I would hate him to end up on a downward spiral. If he is a nice, well mannered horse, a hacking loan home sounds more suitable.


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## ester (18 January 2016)

It seems a shame that no one thinks enough of this horse to apparently pay for even the most rudimentary of investigations which would clearly be the right thing to me, compared to finding him a hunting home.


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## Clodagh (18 January 2016)

ester said:



			It seems a shame that no one thinks enough of this horse to apparently pay for even the most rudimentary of investigations which would clearly be the right thing to me, compared to finding him a hunting home.
		
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There is that, surely a couple of hundred would make a start on finding the problem?


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## Luci07 (18 January 2016)

Rowreach said:



			I wonder if it's the same person that took one of mine to sell, told me he wanted to buy him for himself to hunt (at a reduced price to reflect the couple of weeks he'd had him at the yard) and then sold him on straight away for another £11k on top.

OP there are several hunts in Hampshire that you could ring and see would they be interested or know of anyone.
		
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Well it sounds exactly the sort of thing this man would do. Why do people only tell me the various stories AFTER I had sent my horse there. He is an idiot though as word does finally spread and locally, no one will touch him with the proverbial bargepole. I am really sorry to hear how you were done though... £11K is a hell of a lot of money to lose and is a very sharp practise.


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## madlady (18 January 2016)

Sorry OP but poor horse.

Realistically nobody is going to take him on with potential un-diagnosed back issues - even for free he could end up being extremely expensive.

If no-one is prepared to stump some money up and find out what is wrong then I'd seriously PTS or he really could end up on a downward spiral - no horse deserves that.


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## Rowreach (18 January 2016)

I'm in two minds about this, if it were my horse I'd want to know what the problem was before making a decision about the horse's future, but on the other hand I have genuinely lost count (I was totting them up in my head this morning) of the number of cast off eventers, racehorses and one dressage horse that I've had through the years that have turned into the most amazing hunters, once their issues have been sorted out.  If I was still in Hampshire I'd be taking a look


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## loupearce (18 January 2016)

We are exploring all options with him but a couple hundred doesn't go very far with investigative work unfortunately having gone down this road with other competition horses it can become very costly once you start nerve blocking and xray/scanning,  quite often the most important factor in the end is that the horse is fit and has plenty of muscle strength to support the weaknesses, when this horse was eventing fit he still struggled with tight turns in an arena both for dressage and show jumping hence why his career as an eventer didnt continue he was much more comfortable cross country. You could investigate to prove exactly what is wrong but it wont change the outcome unless it is severe enough that the horse could not be worked, either way the horse would need to be fit and if he coped with that he would possibly be ok as a hunt horse - at this stage that is unknown, he could be a very low level hack but any one that wants a very low level hack would not feel safe on him as he is a tb with power. We think an awful lot of the horse as we do all the horses, alot of people would just send it off to a dealer, we are trying to find the best option for him and whoever rides him. And if the horse shouldnt be ridden at all then that is what would happen.  If investigating was only going to be a couple of hundred then there is no question we would take him to the vets - he has had physio all winter, I have not gone into the details of everything as I didnt want to bore people with the whole history!


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## Orca (18 January 2016)

If he's struggling with dressage and show jumping but apparently comfortable in cross country, I'd be wondering whether the only reason he is comfortable in cross country is the effect of adrenaline. If so, would it be fair to aim for a hunting life for him? He might appear comfortable doing that (and will do if adrenaline is influencing his apparent wellbeing) but is that fair, when hunting is most definitely strenuous and you know there to be an underlying issue?

I wouldn't pass him on without knowing exactly what is wrong, because finding the right, secure future for him (if he has one) will be nearly impossible without understanding his problem fully and any implications that might have.

I appreciate that you are trying to do the right thing by him and you clearly do value your horses but there seems to be no easy answer to this.


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## loupearce (18 January 2016)

There is no easy answer I know, again there is a mountain more I could write about all the things we have noticed, the videos that have been anaylsed about the way he moves etc etc etc, and yes he may not have a future at all but I am trying to not close that door just yet as he is still young and such a smart stamp of a horse and I agree the adrenaline makes a difference and I could not answer whether he would stand up to being a hunt horse if he did he would probably be super. Everything that everyone is saying we have thought of I am not disagreeing with, but the owner is in no position to finance anything unfortunately, so whilst I am trying to protect him as much as possible, when someone is financially with their back against the wall it makes it very difficult and I guess that I am just trying to see what else maybe out there for him.


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## ester (18 January 2016)

You don't necessarily need to prove exactly what is wrong and no one is suggesting you go down the route of bone scans etc but I think you do at least need to have more of an idea of 'we think it is his back'. Sorry but I just think that is quite irresponsible for his future. TBH if they are that financially against the wall they should probably PTS.


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## loupearce (19 January 2016)

That is the most likely outcome


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## Goldenstar (19 January 2016)

loupearce said:



			That is the most likely outcome
		
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Well it's better than passing on what is even a horse that has not even achieved the level of novice eventing without even trying to diagnose it's issue a horse struggling at 90 is really struggling .
I would have thought a horse that people ' thought a lot of ' deserved the dignity of a work up .


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## ycbm (19 January 2016)

I'm sorry, but in past lives I hunted and evented to BE novice, and there is no way that a horse which struggles with corners on a dressage arena and turns in a show jumping ring at that level should be going hunting without a diagnosis of his problems.  Hunting does not have the manicured courses and prepared take offs and landings that eventing has. You're in the saddle for hours at a time, not  in short bursts with breaks in between. You can be running fast for  twenty minutes, not five. 

If you really can't afford to have this horse diagnosed, the fairest thing to him and prospective future owners, who might be sold him without knowing he has issues,  might be to put him down.

I'm trying desperately not to be judgmental, but heck, I'm failing. You can afford over a  hundred pounds per day on entry fees and diesel and stuff that it costs to event your horse. And you can't afford even the basics of a performance workup?  I feel very sorry for your horse.


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## Alec Swan (19 January 2016)

To your credit loupearce,  you haven't placed your opening post,  and then in the face of the usual mounting criticism,  run away!

PTS may well be the end answer,  but first I'd be totally open with those who may end up with him and simply have someone 'try' him,  with the acceptance that if he isn't suited,  then he can be sent on his way.

Where abouts in the Country are you?  By PM if you'd prefer,  but I have an equine vet in mind and who's just lost his horse through an accident,  who 'could well' be interested.  

Alec.


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## Clodagh (19 January 2016)

OP is in Hampshire, Alec.


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## loupearce (19 January 2016)

ycbm said:



			I'm sorry, but in past lives I hunted and evented to BE novice, and there is no way that a horse which struggles with corners on a dressage arena and turns in a show jumping ring at that level should be going hunting without a diagnosis of his problems.  Hunting does not have the manicured courses and prepared take offs and landings that eventing has. You're in the saddle for hours at a time, not  in short bursts with breaks in between. You can be running fast for  twenty minutes, not five. 

If you really can't afford to have this horse diagnosed, the fairest thing to him and prospective future owners, who might be sold him without knowing he has issues,  might be to put him down.

I'm trying desperately not to be judgmental, but heck, I'm failing. You can afford over a  hundred pounds per day on entry fees and diesel and stuff that it costs to event your horse. And you can't afford even the basics of a performance workup?  I feel very sorry for your horse.
		
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First of all this isn't my horse, I am trying to help out a livery.  Secondly never would we have passed him to any home without fully going through everything we suspect etc etc even if that was a retirement home, thirdly the owner of this horse is not the person who evented him and had no aspirations to event him, so whilst you are trying not to be judgemental you are assuming things without asking whether this is the case!  We have spoken to the vet this week, they advise that the only way to know what exactly maybe wrong would be to bring it in for a full investigation as the trot up, flexions tests and lunging showed bilateral lameness but to know the extent and where it is coming from would involve taking into the vets and fully investigating.

I did not post on this site anticipating quite such an attack, I posted because I thought that genuinely we were working towards what options maybe out there for the horse, knowing in my heart that it is likely to be the end for the horse naturally you still want to check the options.  I cant make the poor girl stump up a shed load of money to support the horse nor am I going to judge her on this and none of us knows her exact financial circumstances.  So maybe I was very naive in posting and maybe I should have put every small details and maybe I should have perhaps looked at other posts to realise that there is a lot of assumptions made and a lot of unnecessary judgements and criticism made and that in my haste to see what options where there I have found myself completely stressed out about what people assume and think we are trying to do with the horse.  This will be the last time I post as this kind of way of dealing with things is not pleasant and not helpful. I have avoided social media and forums for a long time and I think I will be back to that.  Thanks for the advice.


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## ycbm (19 January 2016)

loupearce said:



			Does anyone recommend any yards that produce horses for hunting.  On my yard we have a nice tbx (mostly tb) that has evented to novice level but is not ideally suited to the job - although his record would suggest otherwise, he was ridden by a very good rider - he is not happy on the flat and we suspect that back problems, but he is uninsured and so it is too expensive to go down the route of investigation.  He hacks out well and so we were trying to find a new job for him and felt hunting could be that but it is finding the right yard that could turn him into a hunt horse! Thanks
		
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We can only go by the information we are given. This was your first post. I'm one of many who reacted the same way to it, but the only one who pointed out that someone (OK it wasn't you, sorry I didn't guess that) has been paying at least £100 a day to BE event this horse, and yet has no money to do a performance workup with. Unless the person who is now responsible for the vet bills is not the same person who paid to event it, or they have had a drastic change in circumstances, then I stand by my comments.  I'm sorry you didn't like it.

On the plus side, at least no-one has reported you for advertising the horse by using the forum.

I suspect you may have had several offers of homes for him by PM by now. You should be aware that a user called Buddys Mum, not Buddy's Mummy, has history of buying horses like him promising a home for life and selling them on immediately to unsuspecting new owners.


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## ycbm (19 January 2016)

Wrong way round!  Buddy's mum is the good guy, Buddy's mummy has history of selling horses she has promised a home for life as a companion or light hack.

Someone please correct me if I've still got this wrong, the user names are so similar.


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## Alec Swan (19 January 2016)

Loupearce,  your PM system has now shut down because new posters are restricted.  

Thanks for your message and I'll speak with the guy concerned tomorrow.  If there's even a flicker of interest,  I'll have to put my e/mail address on here for you and following on from that,  you'll be able to speak to him direct.  We'll see what happens!  Don't hold your breath,  but it would be a result if it worked,  wouldn't it? 

Alec.

ETS and ps,  How old is the horse? a.


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## Ditchjumper2 (19 January 2016)

A lot of hunters end up being so because they are no longer suitable for their day job. When my RC allroundert started hopping on sharp turns sidebone was diagnosed. My vet said stop competing and jumping him and hunt him instead. We did until his 20s. He was fine.


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## ycbm (19 January 2016)

Ditchjumper2 said:



			A lot of hunters end up being so because they are no longer suitable for their day job. When my RC allroundert started hopping on sharp turns sidebone was diagnosed. My vet said stop competing and jumping him and hunt him instead. We did until his 20s. He was fine.
		
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Not many because they have weak backs, though, surely?  Sidebone is a completely different matter (and you did have a diagnosis and vet advice based on the diagnosis), as is buting up for a bit of hock arthritis. I know a lot of those hunting but I can't say I've ever come across a horse with a weak back hunting week after week.


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## Goldenstar (19 January 2016)

Ditchjumper2 said:



			A lot of hunters end up being so because they are no longer suitable for their day job. When my RC allroundert started hopping on sharp turns sidebone was diagnosed. My vet said stop competing and jumping him and hunt him instead. We did until his 20s. He was fine.
		
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And I have several with issues that we managed and hunted but that's the difference they where our horses we did not try to palm them off to others without investigating what was wrong with the horse .
Incidentally I am well aware OP does not own the horse not having to deal with situations and owners like this so one of the things I don't miss .
It's a sad thing poor horse with no one to look out for it .
There's a world of difference between a horse not managing a 90 and a advanced horse or a grade A that's finding the day job a bit to much .


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## loupearce (19 January 2016)

As I have tried to point out with my post above, I am very new to posting, and have no intention of posting again.  Therefore I did not put enough detail down, but it is not as though questions where then asked, assumptions where just made. I would have answered any questions. The girl that owns the horse never paid for him to be evented he did that before she owned him. How far do you go with what you can afford to spend to investigate a problem, that is for every individual to decide. The girl bought the horse to do low level hacking and maybe a few hunter trials but he is too powerful for her - she was sold a horse unsuitable for her but that is a whole different story.  So no she doesnt have a lot of money, she bought what she hoped would be a horse of a lifetime and has unfortunately learnt an awful lesson in the process, I was not involved in the purchase and have only become involved as I feel sorry for her and the horse and am trying to help her.  I was not advertising the horse but again I was naive to quite how you should word things and the rules, but if I was wrong to put the post on then it would have been much nicer if someone had said that at the beginning, in a did you realise this post isnt strictly allowed manner, I would have removed the post and none of this would have been an issue.  She is in a terrible state with the worry about what to do and is most definately looking out for it or as I said early on she would have just sent him to a dealer which she would never do.  Perhaps before making more comments read all the comments I have subsequently added as you would see that we have no intention of palming him off and certainly would never not be truthful about everything to do with the horse.


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## Goldenstar (19 January 2016)

You need to straight with owner she does not have an event horse she has a failed hack that failed previously as a low level event horse .
The horse has a undiagnosed issue which may or may not be able to be treated it's not a great place to be.
General question not aimed at you OP 
Why do people go into horse ownership without planning for worse case scenarios ?
Needing a work up is not unusual thing to need to in the course of horse ownership .


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## ycbm (19 January 2016)

Well that changes things a bit!  This isn't an event horse looking for a easier life, this is a horse who already has an easier life who isn't suited to it, but is physically incapable of a more energetic occupation.

Your first post asked for places the horse could be sent to turn him into a hunter. This will cost more than a basic performance workup, so if it  is a choice between the two then imo the workup should be done.

If the horse genuinely cannot be turned into a quiet low level hack then the only sure way to protect him from being worked in pain in future, and to protect future owners from the pain of being sold a pup by an unscrupulous person is to have him put down. 

There is, imo, no way in the world that he should be sent hunting without a diagnosis even if he appears to enjoy it. A horse who struggled to do a BE Novice dressage test is really in trouble somewhere, surely?

I feel sorry for the new owner, if she was deceived by the seller, but if she just bought a cheap horse without a vetting, then I think she has a duty either to investigate by maxing her credit card if she hasn't already, or secure the horse's future by putting it down. To offer simply to give him away is fraught with danger for the horse and for future buyers.

This forum is littered with stories of people sold crocks by unscrupulous dealers who sold them on knowing that they had issues, having picked them up cheap or free from people in the situation this horse's owner is in.

I sorry I have upset you, but it's a hard world for horses whose owners don't have enough money to sort out veterinary problems


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## ycbm (19 January 2016)

Goldenstar said:



			You need to straight with owner she does not have an event horse she has a failed hack that failed previously as a low level event horse .
The horse has a undiagnosed issue which may or may not be able to be treated it's not a great place to be.
General question not aimed at you OP 
Why do people go into horse ownership without planning for worse case scenarios ?
Needing a work up is not unusual thing to need to in the course of horse ownership .
		
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This.


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## loupearce (19 January 2016)

ycbm said:



			This.
		
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And as I pointed out several times there is a lot more to the story than I had orginally put in my naivety,  and I worded the first post badly and the chances are he will be put down and there is still so much more I could put but seriously misunderstood how much information you have to write and again you are assuming the horse was not vetted when in fact he was, and yes there could have been come back on the vetting but she thinks too much time has passed. Basically this is a no win situation. Also I don't know that a quieter life is what the horse needed, I don't think constant schooling would do him any favours but he does need to be kept fit which is not what is happening .  I know it is a hard world and I know it happens all the time and we will do the right thing by this horse but unfortunately that is not going to be by maxing out her credit card as she cannot do this.  He could well be retired this is still an option she is exploring, but that actually hasn't been mentioned by anyone in the forum! I think I am just shocked by how quick everyone judges, I think I have lived in a protective bubble where we tend to discuss, ask questions and make decisions the best way we can, it has come as a bit of a shock to have quite so much attack, but as I have said before, clearly I have been very naive.


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## Alec Swan (19 January 2016)

Alec Swan said:



			Loupearce, &#8230;&#8230;..

ETS and ps,  How old is the horse? a.
		
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??

Alec.


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## loupearce (19 January 2016)

People go into horse ownership because they love horses, and some of them are lucky enough to enjoy it for the good bits, sadly most end up learning the hard way about how buying a horse is worse than entering the second hand car market.  People learn by their mistakes, she will have learnt a mountain from this and of course she will learn to insure her horse, but do you kick someone while they are down and berate them for all their own costly mistakes or do you try to support them, I know which I choose, but many people seem to prefer to attack someone for their mistakes.


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## EquiEquestrian556 (19 January 2016)

Alec Swan said:



			??

Alec.
		
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The OP said earlier on that the gelding is 8, Alec.


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## ester (19 January 2016)

I am sorry that you feel attacked OP.
I think support in this instance might best take the form of advising the perils/uncertainty of passing this horse on as he stands. 
He risk either being buted up by someone and sold for something he is not capable of or many other fates. 
The person ycbm speaks off was originally called Ted's mum and had a reputation as a nice poster, until it became apparent that she had convinced several people to pass their horses on to her as she would offer the perfect companion home. She then sold most of them for slaughter so don't judge us too harshly about our concerns about passing such a horse on, once bitten and all that. (she also isn't the only person to be reported doing this). So if she does pass him on she needs to be very careful.


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## loupearce (19 January 2016)

Alec Swan said:



			??

Alec.
		
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Sorry I missed that, he is 8


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## Goldenstar (19 January 2016)

A forum like this is about judgements 
You asked a question you did not ask would you retire this horse .
You asked would a novice event horse who was struggling with that job make a hunter and how would you go about placing this horse .
You got answers no most think that not a good idea .
We then learn it's not a novice event horse it failed at 90 with a previous owner and has now failed as a hack .
I am desperately sad for horses in this situation and for the unprepared for the real world of horse ownership owner .
Yes I think it's a good idea to retire the horse as long as it's in no pain and has access to large enough fields to have a decent quality of life .
I am not sure what you judge as an attack people telling you what they think perhaps .
 I have not told you what I really think of people who don't call the vet to work up horses struggling with work and plan to pass them on , which was what you asked at first.


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## Alec Swan (19 January 2016)

loupearce said:



			&#8230;&#8230;.. ! I think I am just shocked by how quick everyone judges, &#8230;&#8230;.. , clearly I have been very naive.
		
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This forum will probably be as many,  in that the further your explanations,  so the greater the opportunities for others to misunderstand or misread or even misquote,  and occasionally wilfully,  and you'll end up wishing that you hadn't bothered!  I do understand.

The trick is to make your point,  or ask your question,  select those answers which are worth bothering with and ignore the irrelevances.  Easy peasy when we think about it! 

Alec.


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## Alec Swan (19 January 2016)

EquiEquestrian556 said:



			The OP said earlier on that the gelding is 8, Alec. 

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Sorry,  missed that! :redface3::drunk:



loupearce said:



			Sorry I missed that, he is 8
		
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. and thanks.  That's no age at all.

Alec.


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## loupearce (19 January 2016)

ester said:



			I am sorry that you feel attacked OP.
I think support in this instance might best take the form of advising the perils/uncertainty of passing this horse on as he stands. 
He risk either being buted up by someone and sold for something he is not capable of or many other fates. 
The person ycbm speaks off was originally called Ted's mum and had a reputation as a nice poster, until it became apparent that she had convinced several people to pass their horses on to her as she would offer the perfect companion home. She then sold most of them for slaughter so don't judge us too harshly about our concerns about passing such a horse on, once bitten and all that. (she also isn't the only person to be reported doing this). So if she does pass him on she needs to be very careful.
		
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Thanks, I do understand all of this, and really when I first put the post up it was a last minute thing just to explore other options, very aware of all the facts of passing a horse on but very occasionally this can happen, I ended up with my own horse this way and he is owners had put an advert in HandH, they had hundreds of replys to which they went through everyone with a fine tooth comb, he was an event horse but not destined for a professional life as he was inconsistant.  They would have pts rather than send him to the wrong home he was not a hack, 10 years later and having achieved 2* level with him, he now is retired with me and will never leave my side, they are so thrilled it worked out.  He had  problems that the vet could not get to the bottom of and I spent my whole time working to help him with all the weaknesses you could see he had, so sometimes out there is someone with not a lot of money but a lot of dedication and understanding of how to help a horse. I know this is very very rare but it shouldnt stop you from trying and if that person comes along then they will be very vetted before he would be allowed to go.


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## ycbm (19 January 2016)

[



loupearce said:



			People go into horse ownership because they love horses, and some of them are lucky enough to enjoy it for the good bits, sadly most end up learning the hard way about how buying a horse is worse than entering the second hand car market.  People learn by their mistakes, she will have learnt a mountain from this and of course she will learn to insure her horse, but do you kick someone while they are down and berate them for all their own costly mistakes or do you try to support them, I know which I choose, but many people seem to prefoer to attack someone for their mistakes.
		
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I do not understand who you think has been attacked. I said 'if the horse had not been vetted'.  It has, so the owner has been let down by the vet if the horse is not right, and if the vet was  right then the owner is overhorsed or the horse has gone wrong since it was bought. You asked for advice. You got advice based on the information you chose to divulge at the time.  Nobody has been attacked.

My advice remains, if the owner was naive enough to buy a horse not realising that it could at any time present her with a bill of thousands of pounds in vet fees, and if she has not got the money to have it investigated (even though it appears she may have sufficient to send the horse to a hunt schooling livery) and if you have become convinced by looking at  video, which you now let us know is from the previous ownership, that this is a long standing problem, then the horse is better off being put down than passed on 'free to a good home'.


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## ycbm (19 January 2016)

loupearce said:



			Thanks, I do understand all of this, and really when I first put the post up it was a last minute thing just to explore other options, very aware of all the facts of passing a horse on but very occasionally this can happen, I ended up with my own horse this way and he is owners had put an advert in HandH, they had hundreds of replys to which they went through everyone with a fine tooth comb, he was an event horse but not destined for a professional life as he was inconsistant.  They would have pts rather than send him to the wrong home he was not a hack, 10 years later and having achieved 2* level with him, he now is retired with me and will never leave my side, they are so thrilled it worked out.  He had  problems that the vet could not get to the bottom of and I spent my whole time working to help him with all the weaknesses you could see he had, so sometimes out there is someone with not a lot of money but a lot of dedication and understanding of how to help a horse. I know this is very very rare but it shouldnt stop you from trying and if that person comes along then they will be very vetted before he would be allowed to go.
		
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I have the opposite experience. I sold a much loved  horse very cheaply to a thoroughly vetted home where I took references, only to have to organise an expensive rescue of a severely abused horse six months later. He never fully recovered either physically or mentally. He'd have been better off if I'd shot him myself


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## loupearce (19 January 2016)

ycbm said:



			I have the opposite experience. I sold a much loved  horse very cheaply to a thoroughly vetted home where I took references, only to have to organise an expensive rescue of a severely abused horse six months later. He never fully recovered either physically or mentally. He'd have been better off if I'd shot him myself 

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Thats very sad, I have no doubt for every one good story there are hundreds of bad ones.


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## Luci07 (20 January 2016)

Firstly, my apologies that you feel so got at when you were only trying to help another party. Those of us who are regular posters are aware that you will be leapt on from a great height so know how to word our posts accordingly!

So.. for my money, best advice to follow is from Alec. Read through, ignore any of the sniping and take out the helpful ideas. There is a wealth of good knowledge on this forum.

So, a summary would be TB (?) at 8. Bought for low level hacking, had previously evented at 90 (so no big deal in terms of stretching a horse).  Horse is uninsured, has proven too much for low level hacking and owner does not have the funds to do a proper vets search.

So going back a little. Firstly, how much work was he doing as a hack? could any of his behaviours come down to a marked decrease in work? how capable is his rider? 

What the owner could do is have a frank conversation with the vet with regards to not being insured, and what they would suggest would be the best option. That way she could perhaps get a budget set, costs don't spiral and the vet might say that while doing a b and c is preferable, under the circumstances, then doing x is the best option. Perhaps she could work out a payment plan with the vets.

No one will take on a horse that thought to have an undisclosed issue. The one exception could perhaps be the blood bank? 

Just trying to think outside the box. Tough lesson for your livery to learn and I will assume she didn't have the horse vetted either.


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