# Retirement boarding?



## samiam517

Long story short, over the summer my older horse started with a lot of back problems. I've tried everything I think I could do to help him and nothing seems to be doing any good, every ride just gets more and more painful for him. I think the age and past life is finally catching up to him  
Needless to say I have adopted an OTTB to take over the workload and let my poor old man rest but I really don't know what to do with my older gelding. He is my first horse and I have a bond with him that I don't think I will ever find in another horse and would really rather not sell him. I really want to keep him at the farm with me (where I'm currently boarding) but with the way the economy is I don't know if I will be able to keep up on the board for two at the farm I'm at. 

I've been thinking about seeing about retirement farms for him or somewhere where he can just live out his years being a horse. So my questions become 

1) does anyone know of any good retirement farms in the nj/pa/ny area?

2) is retirement boarding a good option or am I better off finding a backyard somewhere where he can mow the lawn?


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## cakemom

It's sometimes possible to find someone looking for a pasture mate for their only child. That would be ideal for you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PaintHorseMares

cakemom said:


> It's sometimes possible to find someone looking for a pasture mate for their only child. That would be ideal for you.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I agree. This usually works out very well for everyone, but in my experience typically involves transferring ownership. I've seen a number of horses given away to very good homes to live out their years as pasture mate/buddy horses.


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## tlkng1

The problem with a retirement farm is that you would still end up paying a monthly "board" fee. Your best bet is what the others have said...advertise him as a retired horse that needs to be a pasture buddy. Use a free to good home only, require references and hopefully, if people are willing, request updates and/or visitation rights.


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## Joe4d

Not sure why someone would take on your responsibilities for none of the gains of having a rideable horse. I wouldnt take one like that. Gonna take on a older horse that cant be rode so i can be stuck with extra vet bills, extra food needs, and most likely get stuck with him when the owner quits paying. Just so I can get attached then suffer watching him slowly die. And then deal with those expenses.

Sorry but I just dont go for the attitude, of ride/ show/ use a horse that had lived his life to serve you, then as soon as he cant perform buy another and kick him to the curb. Sugar coat it all you want but that is what you just asked. 
My place is always set up for 3 horses. Old retired guy, current ride, new baby. Eventually current ride will be old retired guy. I feel if they gave so much of their life giving me joy and pleasure I owe them a comfortable, carefree life in their retirement years.


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## tlkng1

Joe..it is a matter of what someone can afford. Sure, it would be nice if everyone had 10 or so acres where they could have their retired horse and their new horse, however, most of us aren't in that position. All horses retire eventually and it is for their health and well being that we stop riding when it becomes too much for the horse to handle. People out there do look for pasture mates for their horse(s) and are willing to take on the expense of an older animal as in most cases the pasture buddy is normally offered at no cost of purchase. Retirement farms have sprung up for just the reasons above which also offer an alternative to euthanasia. Even young horses have to be retired occasionally due to whatever condition.

It isn't fair to belittle someone for wanting to find a good home for their retireee. or for wanting and locating another horse when the current one can no longer be ridden. As much as I have loved the horses I have had, I would be in the same position if it came to it.


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## tlkng1

Sam...try an internet search for retirement farms in the states you listed. If you find one, do a look at prices, services, visiting rules etc. If you decide to go the retirment farm route, make sure to visit the place just as you would if you were trying to locate a new riding facility. Here is one I found just on a quick search:

http://www.promiseskept.org/horseretirementnewyork.html


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## Joe4d

It isnt fair to just pawn your responsibilities off on someone else either. If you cant afford to give it a home you shouldnt have brought it home in the first place. Sorry but advertisements and postings like this are upsetting to me. Animals are living breathing creatures not disposable garbage. I just find it extremely selfish to want to pawn the old guy off on someone else to deal with in his declining years.


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## Delfina

It's not always a case of "pawning off". A friend of mine has an ancient 30yr old, toothless pony who gets used as a companion. She's calm, quiet, easy-going and makes a great buddy for a recovering horse or a high-strung one. Doesn't crib, chew, destroy fences or attempt to escape, even if the gate is wide open. 

She's not exactly low-maintenance as being toothless all her meals have to be soaked and she cannot eat hay in any form other than soaked pellets. Her companion skills and non-destructive ways out-value her feed needs though, so people "borrow" her when they need a companion. 

She's in-between "jobs" right now so she hangs out at the barn and keeps my horse company (he shares his alfalfa with her, she loves the taste, not that she can actually "eat" it). If I was to bring my horse home instead of boarding him, I'd bring her too. I won't keep a horse alone and I don't have time to ride multiple or deal with a horse that is destructive or needs training-refreshers in addition to my own horse. ANY horse I got to keep mine company would cost me $$$, why not take one that won't cause me the slightest headache.


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## samiam517

Joe4d said:


> It isnt fair to just pawn your responsibilities off on someone else either. If you cant afford to give it a home you shouldnt have brought it home in the first place. Sorry but advertisements and postings like this are upsetting to me. Animals are living breathing creatures not disposable garbage. I just find it extremely selfish to want to pawn the old guy off on someone else to deal with in his declining years.


In response to this: I am *NOT* trying to pawn him off on anyone, I'm NOT looking to sell him. I never once said I wanted to just dump him and his problems on someones lap and leave. I am kind of offended that you would just *assume* that I was just going to throw him out like a piece of trash. This horse is the light of my life, I want whats best for him. If that means finding him a backyard and paying some extra bills, fine. If that means sending him to a retirement farm where boards a little cheaper than my current barn, fine. If that means having to work an extra job so I can afford them both at my current barn, fine. All I was doing was simply asking about cheaper alternatives I have heard of from various other sources. In a sense you're right, I should have had something planned out for this sort of situation, but on the other hand I was also not expecting him to have to be retired so fast or my family adopting the baby for me for my birthday. 


as for everyone else thank you for your input. I greatly appreciate it. I will defiantly look into it more.


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## Calumet Run

we offer retirement board at our farm, actually thats really all we do. www.calumetrun.com pm me for more info if you are interested.


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## dbarabians

Horses are an expensive luxury. they are livestock and live a long time. Expecting someone to carry the burden of an older horse while giving up the pleasure of riding until the horse dies is unrealistic.
Joe your romantic idea of retiring every horse that you have owned sounds great but what are you going to do with 2 older horses a young one especially if the young one is not sound?
Horses live too long and cost too much money to be assured a long happy retirement.
Now of the 28 horses that I own 10 are 20-32 years old. 
They get a little more feed and vet attention but that is all I am willing to provide. I will not give them supplements for joints or soak their feed. The extra cost of those 10 would affect my ability to care for the other 18.
The minute they have difficulty eating or being active i have them put down.
OP examine your finances see if you can indeed find a nice home for your horse ro a retirement facility.
any decision you make will be yours and only you need to worry about why you made that decision. Good Luck. Shalom


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## DimSum

Holy necropost...


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## wausuaw

You could probably, as others said, find inexpensive board with someone looking for a pasture buddy (board enough to cover the cost of food and such). That way you retain your rights to him, they get a buddy and aren't out any money taking care of an older horse. But, retirement farms have the plus that they tend to be permanent, and probably have resources to handle "the end" which a lot of average people don't have (though that doesn't sound like that's in his immediate future, but will happen eventually).


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## Saddlebag

A stable I rode at as a teen had two retired horses. The owners had even designated funds in their wills should either one die before his horse did. Both had been retired about 5 years and the owners were in their 80's. The caring owners would visit occasionally until they couldn't.


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## stevenson

As an owner of Old horses, 30+ yrs old.. it is more than just feed . Perhaps you could ask where you currently board , if you could get a discount on the old horse, if you supplied ALL of its feed. Or maybe have him in a corral with a cover and not a box stall, or put the "new" horse in the a pen with a cover and not a box stall. 
Sr horses, have more needs than just extra feed, small issues can turn into huge Vet bills. 
I would Never send one of my senior horses to be used as a kids horse, or as a pasture pet to someone else. 
I DO WITHOUT so my horse dont have to . Cut down the clothes bill, the going out bills, eat cheaper . 
I will go to second hand stores if needed, to make sure my OLD horses Have what they need.


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## dbarabians

Stevenson good post.
If I had to pay for board and for hay I would not be able to afford so many retired horses. Not all of the older horses I have are retired. only the 32 YO and a 29 YO are no longer ridden. I do have a 30 YO that loves to go and is wonderful as a first mount for beginners.
When a horse starts to lose its ability to perform and maintain good weight it is time to consider what the owner can afford and what is financially sound for its owner. Shalom


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## dbarabians

The last sentence in the above post is supposed to read What the owner determines is best both financially and healthy for the horse.
Thats what I get for answering the phone while typing. Sorry. Shalom


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## stevenson

dbarab.. my old horses are not rideable, not safely ! one has cataracts blind in one eye and has hysterical fits if his girlfriend is not near him(his seeing eye horse ) and she got hurt in the pasture her hip is messed up . the other old ones a retired brood mare never broke, a mustang that can be used for kids, but he is real short on patience, does best as lead line. Another old TB that has decided that he does not have to be ridden and it is not worth the hassle of making him behave (bad me ) but he was always a grumpy horse, and is just an asshat now..lol.. plus the fact He is no longer a beginners horse. He bites kicks strikes.. just a pleasure to be around... but he can live out his days being an asshat . Its not like he is the only rideable horse.. My other rideable ones are happy to go out, and one still must crow hop first.


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## dbarabians

I have owned 8 horses that have reached the age of 30 or more. there are 3 now. As long as someone has room and the finances to keep the horse that is wonderful.
However for those that board their horses one is probably expensive enough to keep. A horse that cannot be used though is a major liability for a boarder and may prevent its owner from buying a younger horse.
I can see why the OP is thinking about the long term care of her horse. Shalom


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## DimSum

No offense intended, but the OP was asking this in 2011 so I'd hope things have worked out by now


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## wetrain17

DimSum said:


> No offense intended, but the OP was asking this in 2011 so I'd hope things have worked out by now


 
Meh, still a good topic to discuss.

I can't say I disagree with" retirement homes" for horses. There is a place by me where you pay a one time fee when the horse arrives and thats it. Of course you loose your rights to the horse. But its a very nice place where horses live out the remainder of the lives.


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## Eolith

wetrain17 said:


> Meh, still a good topic to discuss.
> 
> I can't say I disagree with" retirement homes" for horses. There is a place by me where you pay a one time fee when the horse arrives and thats it. Of course you loose your rights to the horse. But its a very nice place where horses live out the remainder of the lives.


That's interesting... any idea what the one time fee is? Because there's really no telling how long a horse is actually going to keep living.


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## wetrain17

I think its about $2000.00 (us currency) I could be mistaken. I've been told the fee a couple of times because where I work is associated with them. However, its been about a year since I asked. 

The facility runs off of volunteers and lots of donations. Some horses have been there 10+years. I know there is a three year waiting list at this moment in time.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Prinella

I have a few friends that free lease their oldies out as paddock buddies. Their upkeep is still their responsibility.
One pays for everything bar hay but knows her horse is happy and looked after. 
Another one pays for half the food and everything else. Her old boy is occasionally used for pony rides by the leasors (sp) small grandchildren. (short 10 min walks)


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## IRaceBarrels

Joe4d said:


> It isnt fair to just pawn your responsibilities off on someone else either. If you cant afford to give it a home you shouldnt have brought it home in the first place. Sorry but advertisements and postings like this are upsetting to me. Animals are living breathing creatures not disposable garbage. I just find it extremely selfish to want to pawn the old guy off on someone else to deal with in his declining years.


I think we can all agree that horses move around a lot. I am my mares (at least) 4th owner. And while I plan on keeping her forever I understand that might not happen. Every horse that lives long enough deserves to retire. No horse deserves to get dumped, neglected, or destroid because of age. That isn't what she is trying to do. She wants what is best for her old horse. If that means finding a new home than so be it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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