Horses!

[ILoveDaffy]

Happy new year everyone! What are your goals with your horses for 2025?

To finally start riding again! I spent all last year rehabbing Max after I got him in November 2023, and my farrier says he's finally sound. A more immediate goal is being able to get the blanket I just bought him on when he needs it in the next few weeks. There's bad weather moving in and I'm pretty certain he's never worn a blanket. So that will be interesting.

 

[Loveshorsesandglee]

My new horse Xena isn’t trained to ride yet so I want to finish training her to ride. I’ve made progress with training her but I still have more to do.

 

[Loveshorsesandglee]

Have you tried banana?

I did try banana neither of them liked it. Although they have eaten banana flavored horse treats.

 

[littledog]

Happy new year everyone! What are your goals with your horses for 2025?

I hope my goals are not too much of a downer for you folks - it's just the reality of doing the best I can for my senior horses - but my goal is that I recognize the right time to say goodbye to them, before their enjoyment of life is gone. It might not happen in 2025, but it will be soon.

Komet's (30) Cushing's syndrome has progressed even with his medication, and so have his cataracts, so that one eye has about 50% vision and the other about 25%. He has moderate arthritis but he's not painful walking and trotting around the pasture. And since his routine is predictable, even though he doesn't see much, he's happy in his stall and his turnout, and maintaining a healthy body condition with tons of feed adjustments depending on the weather, and how his medication affects his appetite.

Fiona (26) only has very slight arthritis, so our vet has cleared her for light riding, including tiny jumps which she still enthusiastically enjoys - typical OTTB! But her heart murmur has progressed, so she becomes tired after 10-15 minutes of cantering and trotting. And she has a thyroid tumor - the vet thinks it's benign, since they're not uncommon in older horses and her bloodwork doesn't show a thyroid insufficiency, but if it keeps growing it could impinge on her windpipe and restrict her breathing.

These two love each other and are so bonded, when it's time for one of them to go, my intention is to send both of them over the rainbow bridge together. I don't want either one of them to be sad and stressed for whatever time they have left, missing the other.

In some ways my 2025 goals are sad, but in other ways I believe I understand what they want, having known Komet for all of his 30 years and Fiona for 13 years.

Every one of you folks, as you and your beloved horses get old, will someday be in my shoes, and have to consider how you will face end of life issues and do what is right for your horses. Don't wait until they're crippled in pain or starving because they can't eat! Don't abdicate your responsibility by sending them to an auction or giving them away!

Ending their lives is always sad of course, but after a life of lots of adventures with horse and human friends, a gentle retirement with light riding and hanging out in a pasture, good vet care to keep them comfortable, my horses have had mostly good lives, and I will feel only slightly terrible if 2025 is the year to say goodbye to my beauties.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

While sad, it’s a good goal. It’s wonderful that you are trying to do the best thing for them.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I did try banana neither of them liked it. Although they have eaten banana flavored horse treats.

I’m surprised! Cici loved it!

 

[Loveshorsesandglee]

I hope my goals are not too much of a downer for you folks - it's just the reality of doing the best I can for my senior horses - but my goal is that I recognize the right time to say goodbye to them, before their enjoyment of life is gone. It might not happen in 2025, but it will be soon.

Komet's (30) Cushing's syndrome has progressed even with his medication, and so have his cataracts, so that one eye has about 50% vision and the other about 25%. He has moderate arthritis but he's not painful walking and trotting around the pasture. And since his routine is predictable, even though he doesn't see much, he's happy in his stall and his turnout, and maintaining a healthy body condition with tons of feed adjustments depending on the weather, and how his medication affects his appetite.

Fiona (26) only has very slight arthritis, so our vet has cleared her for light riding, including tiny jumps which she still enthusiastically enjoys - typical OTTB! But her heart murmur has progressed, so she becomes tired after 10-15 minutes of cantering and trotting. And she has a thyroid tumor - the vet thinks it's benign, since they're not uncommon in older horses and her bloodwork doesn't show a thyroid insufficiency, but if it keeps growing it could impinge on her windpipe and restrict her breathing.

These two love each other and are so bonded, when it's time for one of them to go, my intention is to send both of them over the rainbow bridge together. I don't want either one of them to be sad and stressed for whatever time they have left, missing the other.

In some ways my 2025 goals are sad, but in other ways I believe I understand what they want, having known Komet for all of his 30 years and Fiona for 13 years.

Every one of you folks, as you and your beloved horses get old, will someday be in my shoes, and have to consider how you will face end of life issues and do what is right for your horses. Don't wait until they're crippled in pain or starving because they can't eat! Don't abdicate your responsibility by sending them to an auction or giving them away!

Ending their lives is always sad of course, but after a life of lots of adventures with horse and human friends, a gentle retirement with light riding and hanging out in a pasture, good vet care to keep them comfortable, my horses have had mostly good lives, and I will feel only slightly terrible if 2025 is the year to say goodbye to my beauties.

That is sad but it’s necessary I’ve had to do it for my old horses it’s never easy to say goodbye but it is better to do it sooner rather than later while their quality of life is still good.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

These two love each other and are so bonded, when it's time for one of them to go, my intention is to send both of them over the rainbow bridge together. I don't want either one of them to be sad and stressed for whatever time they have left, missing the other.

My boss had to do this with their donkey and an old lesson horse (one a few years before I came) who were really bonded. One was (or about) blind and the other had something wrong with him, and they made the decision to put them down together since they were so close.

It definitely is tough, and after losing two of our horses last year, I getcha about that. I think the quiet, little moments of just hanging out with horses or short light rides, or just spending time with them are some of the most precious moments with horses, though.

 

[calicocows]

i'm not entirely sure what this year's big riding goal is. Maybe steering + confidence making decisions.

 

[Mill Chick]

I love the pics! My sister trains Mustangs