[clara17]

the economy is down the toilet and so is the horse market. even if you do have a healthy horse that is ridable that you are giving away it could take ages before you find a home. you would still have to pay all the expenses while you were waiting for an offer. if she was in a really big financial crisis i think she made the right decision. i would rather have my horse die peacefully in a home where he was happy and loved.

my horse requires a special rider/handler b/c with new people he will test them and he can get aggressive. my one fear is that if i sold him his new owner couldn't handle him and would send him to "the trainer" that thought terrifies me so if i afford him i would consider putting him down if i couldn't find an amazing home for him

[nicz2cu]

Well, this has turned interesting from the time I left .

[bludejavu]

It sure has - I had not read since yesterday but...gollygeewhiz!

I've given away 3 horses in the past, 2 were older and 1 was middle aged with soundness problems. All 3 experiences were bad and I doubt I would ever simply give away a horse again. Everything was done in writing, with people I :thought I knew and trusted: (different person each time), and I tried to make sure all bases were covered. Bottom line - I don't think I would trust anyone anymore. Once our horses get into their late teens, they're keepers for life here. We've had plenty of geriatrics, the oldest one I lost last March at age 33 from Cushings that could no longer be controlled so I couldn't keep him sound and comfortable. If I reached a point financially where I couldn't support them, they would be put down. Nobody has the history with my old horses that I have and no one will ever appreciate them or love them for what they once were like I do. If I couldn't trust people I called my friends, I sure wouldn't trust strangers. As for family, no one in mine or my husband's families are at all horsey and would have no interest in keeping them at all, even if they have the means.

[Alliekk]

[quote=5515Shannon;4090593]no actually i do know the story and i DO KNOW that the owner never tried to sell the horse and that the horse WAS COMPLETELY HEALTHY....quote]

Well, it might have been nice to hear it from the beginning instead of getting all fired up about definding someone and getting p*ssy. Why withold the information? Were you trying to start a heated debate? If so, try to put that into the title. This thread went from morals to selfishness because of lack of information, which made you look childish. Good greif.

[WilsonF]

[quote=Alliekk;4091700]

Originally Posted by 5515Shannon

no actually i do know the story and i DO KNOW that the owner never tried to sell the horse and that the horse WAS COMPLETELY HEALTHY....quote]

Well, it might have been nice to hear it from the beginning instead of getting all fired up about definding someone and getting p*ssy. Why withold the information? Were you trying to start a heated debate? If so, try to put that into the title. This thread went from morals to selfishness because of lack of information, which made you look childish. Good greif.

I agree. Why start drama.

[Beeks]

I am on the fence on this one. Seems alot of people posting, would rather euthanize their horses, than take the chance of them not ending up in a healthy situation. To that I wonder what would have happened, had the person you got your beloved horses, had felt the same way.

I do not think 18 is old. That is to say, if that horse has had proper care. I think before I put down a perfectly healthy, happy, sound 18 year old horse, I would have exhausted every possibility for a happy home first. Maybe she did this, maybe she didn't. If she didn't, then shame on her.

I do however, have a 27 year old gelding, whom I will not go broke keeping healthy. If his health starts to decline, if he develops arthritis that makes winters miserable, if he has a severe colic or a serious injury, I will put him down. I have given him a great life and he has given me immeasurable rewards. It will be the kindest thing I can do for him.

So, having said all that, I still don't know where I stand.

[Jess!]

Originally Posted by KristinJ

I think its rediculous though when people do it for the WRONG reasons right? Hypothetically, say I had 5 horses. 2 older ones 3 wellbred young horses, doing well in showring. I come on hardtimes and can't afford all. So I euthanize the older ones .... NO I THINK THAT IS SO WRONG! I would sell my soul before euthanizing a COMFORTABLE older horse (with no problems besides some arthritis and may require some joint supps) that I BOUGHT YEARS AGO and has been a great horse for so long. That is not what they deserve, out with the old .. in with the new, it's disgusting. Horses are not disposable .. TO ME.

I would sell my 3 show horses and keep the 2 old hags and show them the life they earned and deserveed. Anyway .. that was just hypothetical, but I think in THOSE situations it is SO wrong. This may or may not be what happened in the OP situation. I would ASSUME not .. but who knows.

I think people need to be responsible for their decisions when they buy a horse. If you don't have a lot of money or people that can help you out when you may hit hard times, don't do it. We all know sh!t happens RIGHT when you are at rock bottom and you get hit with a $1000 vet bill. If I didn't have my parents at my side there is no way I'd own 2 horses and a pony. I really can't keep the pony. Too much time and I only have 2 stalls for 3 horses. However, I TOOK HIM IN, I KNEW WHAT I WAS GETTING MYSELF INTO! He foundered, I paid a ton in vet bills. I want to give him away but like you all I get nervous about people and where he would end up. He is older and such. Would I put him down? NO! Just because I was stupid and took him in and am now in over my head does not mean a life should die. I will struggle and work extra to make ends meet, which I do. So he will have a forever home with me.

Really? Because I have trouble believing that. Maybe you would, but not many others would. If it came down to not being able to afford that many horses, why would you keep the horses that are going to suck up more money in the long run? Pretty pasture pets?

When it comes down to it, horses are expensive hobbies that cost money. I don't think they should be "thrown away", but I also don't believe it putting my money into a sink hole. My horses are financial investments when you really look at it, because I can live without them if need be. I always aim to better my horses, so I can better their value in case I need to sell quickly.

But that is me. But, that is also many, many others. If it came down to only being able to own one horse, I bet a lot of people would keep their younger, sound ones and not ones that are older, cannot be shown, and have lesser value.

[KristinJ]

Originally Posted by Jess!

Really? Because I have trouble believing that. Maybe you would, but not many others would. If it came down to not being able to afford that many horses, why would you keep the horses that are going to suck up more money in the long run? Pretty pasture pets?

When it comes down to it, horses are expensive hobbies that cost money. I don't think they should be "thrown away", but I also don't believe it putting my money into a sink hole. My horses are financial investments when you really look at it, because I can live without them if need be. I always aim to better my horses, so I can better their value in case I need to sell quickly.

But that is me. But, that is also many, many others. If it came down to only being able to own one horse, I bet a lot of people would keep their younger, sound ones and not ones that are older, cannot be shown, and have lesser value.

I guess I am one in a million then. I had actually thought about lightening my load and the pony and yearling were the first to go. My unrideable 25 yr old one would stay. He is healthy, besides some arthritis and a mind of a sour lesson horse that wants nothing to do with riding. But no one in their right mind would take him. This is a hobby, horses are not my business, sure eventually I want to make them my business (boarding though not training/selling etc). To me they are like any other pets just quadrouple the price ;-) It's hard to make money in horses and at this point in my life that is not my goal. To me I cann't put a value on a life, and just destroy it because they AGED like any normal horse would. When I buy a horse, I buy them for life, I KNOW how much it costs. I hit some rough times so I cut back on all spending. I work overtime and do what I can for them. I don't think it's putting my money into a sinkhole. It's putting my money into an animal that I decided to buy and now I will not betray them by saying yea your old good bye.

TO ME, I can relate horses to people ... lol! I know they don't have people feelings and such, i'm not stupid ... but I am also NOT social - I don't like people I avoid them asmuch as I can, so horses to me are everything and that's how I view them.

On the other hand I work with racehorses, their owners view them as an investment. Most of the owners have never even SEE their horses up close! I think it's pretty sad and it's not a happy life for those horses. If their horse breaks down, about 60% of the owners will try to do what they can to make that horse sound to race again (it is their investment afterall). If they still don't racewell or not up to their expectations they will sell them. The difference is they don't LOOK FOR NICE OWNERS, they look for anyone who will pay - which is usually amish and althought their are some amish who take very good care of their horses, they are WORK horses and buggy horses made to work all day long. So some of their lives may suck some may not. The difference could be if the owner cared enough to look into it.

I would heartbroken if the previous owner decided to put down my older horse before i took him in. He was 22 at the time. Old, arthritic, and sour. I was a 15 yr old girl. Wouldn't YOU think if you just read these sentences that I would sell him in a few years ... being 'young and stupid' and wanting 'better horses'. Probably, but although being 15 I still knew what I was getting myself into. In fact, I have 3 unrideable horses, and I am busting my *** at my job so I can pay to HALF LEASE SOMEONE ELSES lol! because I won't get rid of mine ... to each their own.

Afterall we can't control what people do with their horses. Just hope they are live as happy and long as they can.

[nicz2cu]

I do understand what you are saying, believe it or not .

At one time I would have mirrored your thoughts completely, but after working with rescues and seeing first-hand the terrible things that people can and will do , I know that I would never want to take the chance of it happening to one of mine.

Perhaps, one day you might even begin to think the same way. Didn't you say that you have one or two that you re-homed and now do not have a clue what their life is like because of promises broken by the new owner ?

It's a hard thing to have on your mind, not knowing

Originally Posted by KristinJ

I guess I am one in a million then. I had actually thought about lightening my load and the pony and yearling were the first to go. My unrideable 25 yr old one would stay. He is healthy, besides some arthritis and a mind of a sour lesson horse that wants nothing to do with riding. But no one in their right mind would take him. This is a hobby, horses are not my business, sure eventually I want to make them my business (boarding though not training/selling etc). To me they are like any other pets just quadrouple the price ;-) It's hard to make money in horses and at this point in my life that is not my goal. To me I cann't put a value on a life, and just destroy it because they AGED like any normal horse would. When I buy a horse, I buy them for life, I KNOW how much it costs. I hit some rough times so I cut back on all spending. I work overtime and do what I can for them. I don't think it's putting my money into a sinkhole. It's putting my money into an animal that I decided to buy and now I will not betray them by saying yea your old good bye.

TO ME, I can relate horses to people ... lol! I know they don't have people feelings and such, i'm not stupid ... but I am also NOT social - I don't like people I avoid them asmuch as I can, so horses to me are everything and that's how I view them.

On the other hand I work with racehorses, their owners view them as an investment. Most of the owners have never even SEE their horses up close! I think it's pretty sad and it's not a happy life for those horses. If their horse breaks down, about 60% of the owners will try to do what they can to make that horse sound to race again (it is their investment afterall). If they still don't racewell or not up to their expectations they will sell them. The difference is they don't LOOK FOR NICE OWNERS, they look for anyone who will pay - which is usually amish and althought their are some amish who take very good care of their horses, they are WORK horses and buggy horses made to work all day long. So some of their lives may suck some may not. The difference could be if the owner cared enough to look into it.

I would heartbroken if the previous owner decided to put down my older horse before i took him in. He was 22 at the time. Old, arthritic, and sour. I was a 15 yr old girl. Wouldn't YOU think if you just read these sentences that I would sell him in a few years ... being 'young and stupid' and wanting 'better horses'. Probably, but although being 15 I still knew what I was getting myself into. In fact, I have 3 unrideable horses, and I am busting my *** at my job so I can pay to HALF LEASE SOMEONE ELSES lol! because I won't get rid of mine ... to each their own.

Afterall we can't control what people do with their horses. Just hope they are live as happy and long as they can.

[horsesare1]

Sounds like an extremely selfiish decision on the owners part. Had they attempted to find a home for the horse, and couldn't, I could sort of understand (sort of)..... but it sounds as if the attempt wasnt' even made.
If it were me, every attempt would definitely be made, including scouring for reputable rescues to donate the horse too. Or a 4-H program....... SOMETHING other than death of the horse.