Giving my horse away

[Greentchr]

Well, my son's horse, not mine. We had to choose one of the horses to go, and Neeka lost . She is the oldest, she does not get along well with the others... but she is also the sweetest, the kindest, the one with the least vices (she has none), so I think the one that will most likely get the best home.

I am giving her away because I hope I can control where she ends up easier than if I were to sell her. She is about 18 (or 14 if you believe the last owner), a grey Arab, doesn't buck, spook or have any vices; loads, shoes, bathes, leads, stays behind electric fences, trail rides, rodeos, is willing to please, never a problem to catch (she comes when called)... in short, she is pretty much perfect. She is an Arab, which means she can be a little hot- but she is easily controlled and easily trained.

These are the conditions I have put on for anyone who wants to "adopt" her- tell me what you might add:

1. You must have a genuine love of animals and the ability to care for a horse properly. If you do not know much about horses, you must be willing to take lessons and learn what you need to know.

2. You must have a pasture available- she has always been out on pasture, and I am not willing to have her ‘caged’ in a little stall for the rest of her life

3. There must be adequate fencing and shelter available- at least a 10x10 lean-to for shelter

4. You must either have a pick-up truck, or have access to one (to get the horse to the vet if necessary, and to pick up hay each year)

5. You must have adequate finances to care for a horse.

(I go into detail about what it costs to care for a horse each year)

6. You must be willing to give her back if you cannot keep her for any reason. I do not want her being sold for slaughter in the future, or passed on to a less-than-desirable home. She is branded

7. You must be planning on keeping her for a long time.

What else should I demand of a possible new owner? I will inspect the premises (very few people board here, most all have horses in pasture), and ask for references, but I want to have the best chance to find her a good home

 

[laceyfreckle]

that all vaccinations and worming and feet trimming is kept up to date and that they need your permission for euthnasia if subject came up due to injury etc.. btw if she was over here i wouls snap her up myself! I would also use the terms 'long term / permanent loan' rather then 'giving her away' and have a loan contract drawn up

 

[jo'n'dec]

do you have insurance outline any excess that may be incurred. if you would like to keep in touch with her then i would include that too, just incase.....good luck with it

 

[KarinUS]

that all vaccinations and worming

I don't think that's necessarily a requirement of good care. Some people are worried about over-vaccination and do titers instead and worm counts instead of rotational worming.

I am sorry you have to let her go! How is your son taking it?

 

[Greentchr]

that all vaccinations and worming and feet trimming is kept up to date and that they need your permission for euthnasia ... I would also use the terms 'long term / permanent loan'

Excellent ideas! I wish you were close by also... I would love for her to go to someone on this board, but I don't think there is anyone else from my part of the country on here... I think I will have to add that they have her examined for melanomas every year also, as she is grey and I have already had a bunch taken off- not very expensive, think it cost me about $125 to get them off last year.

do you have insurance...

Thanks for the suggestion... we do not carry insurance on any of our animals. Few people do over here unless they are show horses, and Neeka is definitely not in that catagory.

 

[Greentchr]

I don't think that's necessarily a requirement of good care.

True point, but we have the largest number of west nile virus cases in the nation, so that is something I am very keen on vaccinating against

I am sorry you have to let her go! How is your son taking it?

fairly well, considering. He would rather we gave away his sisters horse, but the mustang is a laid-back horse that anyone can ride, is 5 years younger, gets along with everything else on the property, is an easy-keeper... she just has a few more points on her side of the scale. My daughter is afraid of riding the Arab- she is a terribly nervous rider- but is OK with the mustang, but my son will ride her horse,as will the neighbor kids...

I guess it should be an easy decision on which one has to go, but it sure isn't. Every time I go out there, I feel so guilty ... I really do love that horse. She is such a nice, sweet, kind little horse. The mustang is pretty stand-offish, and my horse is nice enough, but not... sweet. Jeez. this is harder all the time... I'm bawling right now- and I am much too old to be this emotional!

 

[julia gulia]

I would just worry because of her age Most people think a horse is over the hill at the age of fifteen. I so hope you find just the right home for her.

 

[Kalypso]

*hugs* Must be hard

If you want to be that picky about her, you'll have to loan her out and not sell or give her away. Even giving a horse away, it passes ownership. You then have no rights whatsoever to said horse. A person taking her on can agree to all of the above, and then not do a single one of them. Putting her out on a long term, full loan will insure that you still have rights to make sure she is being cared for the way you want. It also makes sure that, should they ever need to get rid of her, she would HAVE to come back to you. First right of refusal, or saying you would like to be notified if they have to get rid of the horse, is really a courtesy, and doesn't really stand up in law. All they have to do is say they at least tried to get in touch with you (so I've been told by a lawyer).

If you loan her, you can make someone take lessons, etc, if you actually give her away so she is no longer yours, you really don't have any right at all to try and tell them what to do

 

[KarinUS]

Is there anyway you could keep her?

 

[Shadowlark]

www.equine.com

Has a special section for horses who need to be rehomed.

The market in our zone is going to start to run flat really quick here.. so you will probably want to get on it. Good luck, vet your home really well.. we are in prime "meat" country and you may be a tempting target for someone to make a quick buck. Remember though that once you transfer ownership of that horse you cannot control what happens and have no real recourse, so be careful!

 

[Greentchr]

I would just worry because of her age

Yes, that is a very troubling thing. The good thing, though is she truly can be a childs horse- perhaps not a young child, but a pre-teen or younger teenager. She is just such a good horse. I have a few calls out to people I know, hoping that either one of them or someone they know will find a match for her. (and thanks for your message)

*hugs* Must be hard If you want to be that picky about her, you'll have to loan her out and not sell or give her away.

Thank you....Yes, I think that is the way I will approach it. I have never heard of anyone loaning a horse in our area, but I think it might be the best solution- I know I am having a hard time with thinking about letting go altogether

Is there anyway you could keep her?

No... maybe... I don't know The problem is finances.... I have just this month gotten a full-time job (teaching) after many, many years of being a stay-at-home mom. Even with my wages added, we cannot get our debts paid off without some pretty deep sacrafices, and most months we struggle to pay everything current. We are getting to the age that we just have to get debt under control- if something happened to either one of us that made it impossible for us to work, we could lose our house, everything. We are lucky that our children are all grown (and supporting themselves) except the last two, and my daughter is working now, which helps, but it just isn't enough.

The good thing is that I have already bought my winter hay (9 ton), so We could do all right over the winter if we don't find the right home for her. Perhaps something might change.... On the other hand, I worry that the hay might mold (can't afford a shed for it, it is just tarped), that if something happened to one of them it would strain by finances further than I could deal with... I don't want to ever be in the position of having to euthanize a pet because I can't pay for vet bills

So, the short answer is, I don't know... but I have to look at all the options and do my best to find her a home.

I must be really tired- I quit crying

 

[Vicki&Milo]

I don't know if its different in the US, but here vets will come to you, and you can get hay delivered so a pick-up wouldn't be necessary. Its worth considering whether this needs to be a condition or the condition needs to be, must be able to access vet and provide hay as required!
Good luck with it, I'm sure someone will give her a fab home

 

[Lucie]

These are the conditions I have put on for anyone who wants to "adopt" her- tell me what you might add:

6. You must be willing to give her back if you cannot keep her for any reason. I do not want her being sold for slaughter in the future, or passed on to a less-than-desirable home. She is branded

Sorry to hear about this decision. Must be really difficult for you .

I hate to be the dark cloud , but in England condition number 6 doesn't hold much weight. I suspect it's the same in America.

If you sell a horse, EVEN if that horse has been given away, it's a reeeaaally grey area regarding conditions of that exchange. There are too many people who have similar contracts drawn up and signed by both parties, but who never see the horse again.

Her branding won't necessarily help prevent the owner going against your wishes. There's thousands of stolen, branded horses who've been missing for silly amounts of time (as you prob. already know ).

I think a loan would be a better option. I understand it's difficult enough deciding a horse has to go and the responsibility of that loan horse being rteurned to you is a constant worry.
But it's the only sure fire way of keeping control of her future in the way you seem to want.
Ultimately I'd see it this way - if you want her back rather than see her sold somewhere unsuitable, you're pretty much in a loaner position anyway (In that you'd either have to say 'ok, sell her to that unsuitable home' (which you've already implied isn't an option ) or 'no, it's inconvenient but we'll take her back').

 

[Flony_Pony]

seems fine, bit ahrsh saying they need to have horse transport though isnt it?

I was 'given' my first horse, and the only thing i had to sign was that if i ever wanted to sell her her old owners (whoa re on there way to coem and see her today) get first refusal.

Be carfeull you dont put too many ppl off!!!

 

[KarinUS]

seems fine, bit ahrsh saying they need to have horse transport though isnt it?

It might be a bit of a cultural thing. Everything is SOOOO far apart here and professional services are few and far between. Hey we don't even have much in public transportation for people! Most people here really do have their own trailer/transportation because if you didn't you'd most likely have to rely on friends to take you.
I actually thought Green was being too liberal in whom she'd give her horse to! I'd be way pickier in some areas. LOL

 

[Greentchr]

I don't know if its different in the US, but here vets will come to you, and you can get hay delivered so a pick-up wouldn't be necessary.

Karin is right on this one- although vets will come out in emergencies- and then only if it is a true emergency- they expect us to bring our horses in to the clinic. Both times I have had a colic episode I needed to bring the horses in- although the second time she instructed me to give the horse a shot myself (that she had provided after the first time) and call her in an hour. The horse was fine after a few hours. I had a horse get some pretty ugly lacerations on it's leg, and the vet just told me how to care for it and to give her a shot of pennicillan every day for 10 days. I think the vet might handle things differently for different people, however. She knows I am competent and so treats me as such.

As far as hay, I expect a person could hire someone to go pick up hay for them, but very few farmers deliver that I know of. I have a neighbor that will drive his hay wagon to my house (which is only a mile or 2 away) if I want his hay, but he is the only one I know of unless you are getting 10-20 tons at a time and buy the 500lb bales. The cattle ranchers have their hay delivered, but only in huge amounts.

I expect this is one I might be lenient on- especially if the person lives within 25 miles of me, because I will offer the use of my own pick-up if needed for the right family- especially if we are in a loan situation.

... I think a loan would be a better option. I understand it's difficult enough deciding a horse has to go and the responsibility of that loan horse being rteurned to you is a constant worry.
But it's the only sure fire way of keeping control of her future in the way you seem to want....

You are perfectly right. I have decided (after all the input here in the last day) that I want to go with a loan, at least at first. I think what I will do is offer a short-term loan, and then if all is well, offer a long-term permanent loan.

It would be OK if she came back. I would just put her back in with the others and we would make do somehow. I will just make sure that I have enough hay for 3 horses for the next few winters. It is pretty easy to sell left-over hay in the spring, and I am not adverse to having a lot of leftover- I would rather have an extra 6 month supply in case the next year's weather is even worse than this year.

Possible Good news!
I put a notice (the same as I put in the first post, with a bit more explanation) in our local "freecycle" newsletter and got two replies this morning. One doesn't strike me as something I want to follow up on, but the other is a family with 2 children that has a 2 1/2 acre pasture with a barn. They are looking for a 'pet', and say that finances are not a problem. They also have a niece who barrel-races and might want to use her for that purpose also if she is suitable (I really do not know if she is or not, though she certainly has a lot of speed when she is asked!). The lady said her husband was raised on a ranch and has a lot of horse-knowledge. It could be a good situation...

I am not getting my hopes up, but I have invited them to come over to see her.

 

[Kalypso]

ooh, possible good news, good luck!

Are you going to offer her on loan to them if they seem suitable?

Just wanted to say - I didn't realize how different it was out west to out here in the east!! I've always had the vet out to me. The only time I've known of horses having to be transported is when they are REALLY bad and have to go to a university hospital! makes things a lot harder for you guys out in the western US, doesn't it?

 

[Greentchr]

...Are you going to offer her on loan to them if they seem suitable?

Yes, I think I will offer a 2 week "trial", and then if everything looks good, I will offer a loan arrangement. After a year, or whenever I feel very confident about them, I will offer full ownership. That way they will know for sure that she is what they want, and I don't have to worry about her being placed unsuitably. I think that once we develop a friendship it will be much more likely that they will give her back if anything happens in the future.

...I didn't realize how different it was out west to out here in the east!! I've always had the vet out to me. ... makes things a lot harder for you guys out in the western US, doesn't it?

I don't suppose it is the same all over, and perhaps it is not the same with different vets. We are in a rather spread-out area with the vet covering several hundred square miles. There is another horse-specialist about 60 miles away, and several all-purpose vets within the county, but my vet is the only one who specializes in horses in my area, and there are a lot of horses around- so I suspect she has had to adapt. The first few years I took the horses in for a yearly check-up and vaccinations. I was always told that i could just buy the vaccs and give them myself <squirm>, but I was too inexperienced for that. This year I took the plunge and vacced myself (just for West Nile which is rampant in this area). I felt pretty proud of myself, if a bit overly-nervous.

We are in a very rural area. I imagine that down in Salt Lake City, or up in Boise or any of the other large towns, the vets probably do more 'house'calls because people would not be as likely to own their own horse-transportation.

Most people have trucks around here anyway, at least if they live out of town as we do. If you don't have a truck, chances are your neighbor has one, so most people have access to one without too much bother unless they are the unfriendly type.

When we first got my horse, I did not have a truck and had to rely on a friend to transport my horse to the vet and help me get hay. I finally got a truck of my own just last year, and it has made a lot of difference. We only drive it when we need to because it gets horrible gas milage, but it is a great stress-reliever having it parked out there: I don't have to worry about emergencies. We find we have a lot of other uses for a truck now that we have it, also!

I imagine the hay situation is a little different here also. We are expected to go get hay out of the field- as soon as it is baled. The farmer will sometimes call, if you have a good relationship with him, and tell you he will be baling in the morning, and then we are expected to be right behind picking it up. They want it out of the field ASAP so that they can get the water on it right away.

Later in the fall and through the winter you can buy hay out of the stack if it is available, but it tends to be a lesser grade of hay as all the best hay is bought out of the field. Either way, you have to get it yourself. I have to hire a couple of teenagers to help me load and stack (though this year my son was finally big and strong enough to be of good use!), and I drive the truck... the 'tough' job.

 

[greeneyes13]

oh margo im sorry to hear you've have to make such a difficult decision. i hope it works out ok for you-keep us posted!

 

[Kalypso]

That's right - I live out in the country, but even here in the mountains in the country, I forget that it isn't nearly as 'out of the way' as places where you are and other states/areas out west! I'd LOVE to get out there sometime, just the thought of all that gorgeous open space!!

Offering a trial, then a loan, then ownership sounds like a good idea. That's what I was going to do when I was going to go to England for two years for my Masters degree (didn't end up going anyway ).

Good luck!

(I give Mia all her vaccinations by myself - and I can tell you, the first time my trainer actually let me do it on my own, with my first horse, I was shaking 'cause I thought I would...erm...kill her or something )