I wish none of us had to face selling a horse. Our horse, my horse, the horse we love. EVERY post I see about selling a horse on here....we are unsure, we are sad, we are confused. I wish we all had top quality trainers we could call up any time, to take care of the horses we may ahve to sell due to not being able to handle....I wish we could all have giant barns and huge pastures so we'd never have to reduce our numbers...I wish we could all have none stop free hay and grain.....so we'd never have money issues.

  It just seems that as we all know...horses are expensive. Really I think money is ALWAYS the reason.....even though it might not seem like it. Like my colt Soldier, I cannot afford a trainer, I cannot afford to keep him here to tear up my barn. Or say you cannot see your horse enough....think about it...money is why we can't see them...College, "I have a busy college schedule" You are in college because you want to make good money with a great job that requires a college degree.....

  Or what about when you've moved up a level on the know-how scale. Those lessons have paid off and now your pony just isn't there... I actually can't think of why this has to do with money.... Maybe because you want to show, a really great horse..in APHA or something...I don't know I could think of another money reason if I had the time but I'm trying to decide to sell me colt or not!!! =)

   Get the hint?? I guess it's just all wish'n though. I hope any one who has to sell a horse finds them a great home...and doesn't have to tough of a time dealing with it. Good luck to all the horse sellers...

 Well you pretty much summed it up Doxie - I nearly had to sell/give away my pony last fall because of money/time; I was making the 22 minute trek out to Bobbys (trainer) 4 to 6 times a week, and had no time nor gas to visit Peanut at "the other barn". But then amazingly my trainer offered us an even better deal than what he was already giving us! So now my little "mule" pony is happy AND healthy at Bobbys, probably munching hay as I type. It's so wonderful to know that she's in better hands. We recently went to the other barn; it was a wreck since my dad wasn't there holding it up with his bare hands. They have no bedding there what so ever, there was manure in the ailsles, the manure pile itself reached almost to the barn (more than 75 from the supposed manure pile to the barn) and was nearly a foot high; plus there was ice chunks in the aisle and poor dirty horses. How happy I am that we are not there anymore! At that barn, you couldn't even be sure if your horse was fed in the evening, and the only way I knew Peanut was being fed in the morning was because my dad did it himself! It started out with him doing it while the owners "were on vacation", but they never gave him a chance to let it up until we moved. 

Sorry, bit of a rant there  

 For some people it IS a matter of money. Or time, when you are in college or working full-time, there is little time left to ride compared to the $$$ you pay in board, vet bills, etc. I am thankful I've been able to keep a horse for a while and found reasonable board. It also has meant giving up my bigger dreams, but maybe those will come someday. For now, I am happy where I am, my horse is happy, and we are getting a great foundation with a wonderful trainer (who has shown at a national level and successfully and doesn't - yet - charge two arms and a leg for lessons).

We all have other things in our lives that cost money (home, car, food) and that takes our time (people, etc.).  

LET ME ADD that I did sell my previous horse because we just could never get in sync. We did not trust each other. I sold her to the young lady who had a part-lease on her. She remained at the barn for another month and often was in the pasture next to the ring I rode in. I would cry and cry when I went by her! I cried for 2 months. Had her for 4 years and invested alot into her (love, money, time, more money). But had to let her go and now I have a horse that fits me to a T. If I could have afforded it, I would have kept her and just leased her to someone but that wasn't a possibility.

Our relationship with horses is funny isn't it? On one hand we love them like any other pet but at the same time so often they serve a purpose: teaching us to ride, getting us to that next level up, etc. For the majority they're too expensive to just keep around to pet and talk to. Very rarely would we take on a "project cat" to train and sell! They aren't just pets but they're more then tools!

I agree that it's hard to sell a horse, but for me, this is my job! And as strange as it sounds, there's a part of me that really enjoys it. Someone told me, "when you train a horse you are making art". I LOVE that! I love taking a pony that I found out in the middle of no where with no skills, putting some major work into it, and then being able to watch it one day pack a kid around and win at shows. There's a sense of creation there! And to see the smile on the teeny tiny kid's face as he just went around and did his job? I LOVE it! Yes, it's terrifying to think that all of my ponies won't find great homes. And it's always sad to watch the trailer pull away. But I plan on doing it again, and again and again....

The emotional difficulty in selling a horse will of course depend on just how attached we are to that horse! 

When I went to college, I just knew that I had to sell my QH gelding.  I could no longer keep him at my parents, as they were moving to a neighborhood in the city approx 45 minutes away.  I didn't have the money to keep a horse as I was only working part time.  I had owned him for a few years and he was a nice horse, but I just did what I had to do at the time.

The mare I own now, I actually sold once.    I was going through a divorce.  I moved 1000 miles away to start a new life and knew I couldn't take her with me.  I found her a wonderful home, which I think helped the process.  In fact, I think if you feel really good about the buyer, it makes the process 100 times easier!!!!!

I was able to buy my mare back 2 1/2 years later!!!  I know that isn't normally how things work though.

But now I have 2 "forever horses".  They are at my home and I've often wondered if I were to board again in the future (definitely a possiblity)..... would I be able to afford 2?  As it is I am having trouble finding the time for both of them.  That makes me feel bad..... but I know they are taken care of as long as they are with me. 

I would find it extremely, extremely difficult to part with either one of them now.  I am probaby more attached to these 2 than any other horses I've ever owned.  It would take an exceptional person for me to part with one. 

If finances forced me to sell one or both.... it would be pretty devastating. 

I guess the only thing I can say is you never HAVE to sell your horse to the first person who comes with the money!  Finding a good match is good for everyone. 

Best of luck with you & Soldier!!! 

I am finding myself in this position right now. I will likely have to sell both of my horses this month as I was let go from my job on Thursday. If I can't find a job within the next couple of weeks, I won't have any choice but to part with my horses.  It is already breaking my heart in two, because I'm attached to both of them.

I'm soooo sorry to hear that!!!!  I will keep my fingers crossed that the perfect job comes along for you soon!!!

blueyedhorse:

I am finding myself in this position right now. I will likely have to sell both of my horses this month as I was let go from my job on Thursday. If I can't find a job within the next couple of weeks, I won't have any choice but to part with my horses.  It is already breaking my heart in two, because I'm attached to both of them.

I guess Im abit different. We bred and train a good portion of our horses to sell. I think this helps with the selling factor. I know they are only hear with me for abit and its my job to make them productive members of the equine community and develop them into willing, fun partners for their new owners.

I think people who have to sell their "companion" horse should view it the same, and this goes for you Doxie girl. Think of selling this horse as an oppurtunity to A: Give said horse a new chance with a new owner who possibly has more time/skill/money B: Give yourself an oppurtunity to either get a horse you can enjoy and fits your situation right now or spend more time with a horse you already have.

coyotecreek:

I think people who have to sell their "companion" horse should view it the same, and this goes for you Doxie girl. Think of selling this horse as an oppurtunity to A: Give said horse a new chance with a new owner who possibly has more time/skill/money B: Give yourself an oppurtunity to either get a horse you can enjoy and fits your situation right now or spend more time with a horse you already have.

I agree. I've had to sell a few horses, as well as my mom has had to sell a couple in the last years. There were a few I was quite sad to sell, but most I was very happy to have them move on to great homes. One I regret selling as I think she might not have ended up in the most ideal situation - but that's speculation on my part. The others I know have all gone on to great owners - and are a better match for them than they were for us.

I deffinetly see were yall are coming from.. Trust me .. Once you sell ahorse you will regret it for the rest of your life. atleast thats how i feel..My horse, Denver was my first horse he was Fabulous! he had dark brown fur smokey black stockings and two blue eyes... every one commented on him..he would follow you arround the paddock...Except after i started taking lessons he started rearing...i would just laugh it off but his rears kept getting higher and higher. I trusted him though. He never meant to hurt anyone...until one night me and my mom were goign to go out for a trail ride down the dirt road..Kick up some dust.. it was the perfect night. Or atleast we thought. When we got home We saddled up and we got on the horses. Just when i clicked him to walk out he stoped and by now i could tell what was coming ...but i thought oh here we go again..so i said Dad get out your camera get a picture of this..we both laughed..So i am just a calm rider:let the horse do his thing and understand what he is trying to tell you..well my mom told me to get off because she had been wroking with him..so i got off and she got on she was clicking him to walk out and he just wouldn't do it..so he reared,,she kept egging him on keeping her rains loose..all of the sudden he reared and she didnt expect it. He came down backwords on her then he fell to his side and landed on her leg..Luckily she had on a halmet.. Right away he jumped up and stepped on her head..he even left skid marks from his hoof on her helmet..when he got up he steped right on her hand..Her fingres were a torn up...and her ring went into her fingre..We had to sell him.::(:(:(

At first i was afraid of him and then i started realizing that i needed to ride him again...my mom said no..i understood we ssold him and i cried and this year all i wanted for Christmas wasmy baby back...:(

Well Blondie your post certainly shocked me.  I would have sent that horse right away from my daughter as well.  Your mother almost was killed or permanently injured.  We all have a hard time accepting things for what they are sometimes and after time passes and our fear lessens we look at it through "rose colored" glasses, but crying over a horse that you could not change that was dangerous is not productive.  He needed to go and you need something safer to ride.  A trainer once said to me that there were too many nice horses in this world to put up with the dangerous ones. 

 Anyway about selling horses, I got a part time job to support our pony Chico and moved him to my friend's house which is less expensive.  My daughter now takes lessons on a schooling horse and shows that horse.  I would love to have the money for another horse, but we love our boy and since he came from an abusive camp situation and my daughter can Hunter Pace & trail ride him we won't sell him.  For me it is never the buying that is out of reach, it's keeping the animal.  Wish I had the money to move to a place I could keep Chico then I could get another horse, but the economy is saying no to all that.  For our family we are just holding in place to see how things pick up in the future.  Susan