Is it worth it?

[Stormhorse23]

Quote:
I totally agree with almost all of what you say. I know she could probably continue if she'd tell me "NO!" when she knew she couldn't do something. I swear I could run that mare a 6 foot fence and she'd give it all she had (which I would never do!). I am definitely talking to the vet soon. This is the same vet that has helped out with her leg and eyes (and when she reared up in the trailer and busted open her head, and when she ran through the fence, and when....

)

 

[EggCentric]

You said her best year was last year, not so. Retire this horse, let her live out her days just being a horse. THOSE years will be her best.

Yes, she will do everything you ask of her, that's how horses are. Should she be doing them? No.

It sounds like she has served you well over the years, given you her best, now it's time to return the favor.

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

I think retirement would be best for your horse. I am amazed that she hasn't hurt herself or you jumping if she has such tripping issues.

I have witnessed my riding coach get her neck, jaw, collarbone, arm and ribs broken because her mare didn't lift her front feet high enough going over a jump(4 feet I think) and ended up falling into it(it was one of those streched jumps too, dunno what you call'em in english)..... horse did a flip, my coach went headfirst in the rails and then a 17.5 hh warmblood on top of her......
This mare was just 7 and an awesome jumper, all it took was 1 little glitch....

You have been quite lucky. I think she deserves retirement, a nice peaceful retirement.

 

[BasenjiFan]

If you still want to show, do you ride at a barn with a trainer? I used to do small hunter/jumper shows on my lesson horses... that could be a viable option for you if you have or can find a barn that offers such services. Of course, depending on the trainer, the cost of showing could increase dramatically if you didn't show with trainers before. If you do show lesson horses, you can keep your mare for pleasure riding that she is capable of and show at the level you want to.

I recently had to euthanize my 20-yr-old half-TB mare (she lost vision in one eye after an accute bout of uveitis, then her arthritis worsened and she finally foundered). She was born windswept in such a way that her hips didn't heal properly, leaving her forever pseudo-lame, but sound enough for light trail riding. She was my first horse, her breeder/family friend gave her to my family when I was eight and she was three, and she was a perfect baby-sitter and low-key trail mount. I never rode her in lessons; my abilities surpassed her capabilty. So when I showed, I rode my lesson horses. My long-winded point being: you don't have to choose. Keep your old friend, show on a new one that you don't have to own. Good luck!

 

[Stormhorse23]

Keep your old friend, show on a new one that you don't have to own. Good luck!

Oh I wish I could. You see, I won't get on a horse...ANY horse, I don't care if it's Steel Bars himself, if I haven't spent hours with it. Training, brushing, feeding, cleaning.

Anyway, I had a talk with my mom and she said I better show Stormy this year and she didn't want to see me back off and then at the end of this year, I could probably look into getting a baby to work with. But that would leave me with three horses, to clean up after, exercise, and feed everyday. That means I would spend about 6 hours per day on horseyness, which is not that bad. me and stormy work 6 hours on saturdays and 4 on sundays and then an hour or two every other day the rest of the week.

and then of course, theres that parent factor. the mom screaming from the stands during barrel races. She used to be a barrel racer and had a crazy black horse named Ren and they were wicked fast and i know we'll never be that good and pushing her isn't helping. I asked my dad on his opinion and he said "You can't have a friend, and a competetion horse. if you have a competetion horse, you have to push it so hard it's gonna get hurt sooner or later." and i do have to agree, unless of course its western pleasure...​

 

[Equest94]

Wow, if your mom was a horse person herself, I'd think she would know better....

I guess that just buckles down to the 2 different people in the horse world - ones who understand their horse's limits and the others who just push them over the edge...

^^^ if that's the case, I would stay away from working with a baby - again, JMO

 

[Stormhorse23]

Quote:
Why should I stay away from working with a baby? that sounded mean typed but I am just wondering about your thoughts on this? We both agree on foal breaking methods and have trained some wonderful babies together. neither of us understand the term "breaking" but "gentling" sounds too much like pareli stuff. yuck...

 

[Equest94]

See, this is what I was slightly ranting about before. In the topic I posted about critiquing the Rhinelander Gelding I'm interested in getting, you said that it's not about the horse's conformation or over all looks...it's about the bond...

You seem to be contradicting yourself quite a bit. You speak like you understand your mare and you would do anything for her. If you really cared for her you would realize that she physically cannot put up with jumping nor should be be barrel racing. I mean, not only does she have poor confirmation, she's also getting older, is blind, and cannot bend or flex her leg due to her missing a tendon. I'm sorry, I have to ask - what the hell are you thinking? It's time you give that mare some respect back and retire her. She served you long enough and pushed her limits for you. It's just a matter of time before something happens to her, you, or both... you can semi-retire her now, keep her as a pleasure horse with light riding but no...just because your mare keeps giving, you keep taking.


Your parents seem to be the type of "horse people that I cannot stand" - I would have expected older/wiser minds to tell you that your mare can't take it, but you're just a family of "horse pushers."

Your dad seems like an complete jerk. I have showed an Oldenburg in level 6 jumpers, he also did the Grand Prix level... that horse was smart, talented, and very athletic. Not only was he the best competition horse I have ever shown, he was my friend. If I didn't trust him on a "friend" level, I would not be jumping him that high and across those spreads. He was also VERY expensive, and it would be horrible to push him that far to the point of breaking him (not that I would be so cruel to do that anyways).

Equestrian sports are all about team work. If a horse trusts you enough to let you sit on their back and preform with you, you better be respecting them back. You speak about a bond... if you had a bond with your horse, you would understand her...you would know her limitations... Seriously, if your not in tune with your horse, you shouldn't be riding her anyways, let alone competing her.

If you really love and care about your horse, you'd grow some balls and stand up to your parents and tell them that horse has slaved for you and your family long enough. Any real horse person would see that.

Also, if your vet OK's you to jump and race your horse, he/she is truly an idiot as well.

As for working with a baby, I honestly think you wouldn't know what's best for it and will probably push it so far you'll ruin it...

(I'm sorry I have to be so blunt...)

 

[Stormhorse23]

Ok, since we cannot talk reasonably about this without insulting my family, can a mod please lock this?

And age matters, yes, but confirmation, in my opinion is just a bonus. I do admit she is incredibly ugly, but that doesn't get in the way of her work.

And I am not going to ever work her as hard and she once was and she is going to be slowly quitting her "jobs" over the years.

Thanks to everyone who helped and voiced their opinions nicely!

 

[DuckLady]

At the request of the OP, I am locking this thread.

Equest, please reread the rules you agreed to when you joined. Specifically 3 and 5

3. No Flaming (verbally attacking people or groups of people - e.g. a profession, an organization, a company.)

5. No teasing, mocking, ridiculing, or otherwise making fun at other member's expense.

There are better ways to communicate. Please find them.​