SANCTUARY AND RESCUE

Please click the Donate button below to give £2 to help our horses

We receive many enquiries each year from owners wanting to secure a place at the Sanctuary for their soon to retire horse or pony. It is simply not possible for all number of equines to be admitted to the Sanctuary, which is invariably full from rescue and neglect cases. Although we investigate requests for places from people who find themselves in exceptional circumstances which affect their ability to provide for their horse, finding a placement for horses from good homes that are simply unwanted once they have been retired is not usually possible.

This advice page is intended to give horse owners an idea of other options available to them and their horses upon retirement. Please be aware that this list is not exhaustive and there are many other sources of advice on retirement available from other Sanctuary or Rescue Centres.

Many owners do not enjoy the benefits of their own land and stabling and therefore rely on some form of livery system to keep their horse. This means that retirement can be an extremely expensive prospect, especially if the owner wishes to take on another horse to ride.

However, there are ways to reduce costs without compromising the wellbeing of the horse:
Look at what you are paying for at a livery yard. The yard may be expensive because it has facilities such as an indoor school or horsewalker, which a retired horse will probably not use. Look at the costs and facilities at other yards in your area which may be more basic, but still well run and perfectly adequate.
Many horses will also be quite happy at grass livery, which is the cheapest option available. Living out also has added benefits for horses with problems like arthritis, RAO or stable vices (though make sure the terrain is suitable for arthritis sufferers.) Even finer breeds like thoroughbreds and arabs can cope with living out, though they may cost a bit more in feed and rugs. Do make sure grass livery includes access to shelter and that there is a proper system of pasture management in place.
You could also look at renting a suitable field yourself, though you would need to be prepared to take on the pasture management and do all muck carting, evening checks and so on yourself. Even better, you could share a field with one or two other owners so the horses get company and you get to share out the chores!

A growing number of establishments specialise in the care of retired equines. These usually provide grass based livery and will be within a similar price range. The added benefits of retirement livery is knowing that the staff are committed to caring for non-working animals and have the knowledge to deal with a wide range of veterinary conditions which are associated with retirement. There will also be plenty of suitable companionship and an easy-going life provided for equine residents. There are naturally some livery yards that are far better than others, so look carefully at the facilities, knowledge and level of care on offer.

Many people are put off loaning their horse out because they are concerned about risks to the animal’s health and wellbeing. But by investing time and effort into the loan process these risks can be substantially reduced.

Advertise widely in your local area; put up cards in feed merchants and saddleries; ask your farrier and vet and local riding clubs if they know of anyone looking for a companion. Word your advert accurately and carefully - using phrases like ‘free to a good home’ tends to attract the wrong kind of interest.

Be discerning - let prospective loaners spend some time with your horse so you can watch how they handle him and how he reacts to them. Visit the place where they plan to keep your horse and make sure you are absolutely happy with it. Ask for references and check them too - the more hoops you ask people to jump through, the more likely you are to discourage dishonest individuals.

Always, always, always put a formal loan agreement in place. Tailor a standard legal document to suit your own arrangement and make sure both you and the loan home understand the responsibilities involved.

Ensure the person taking your horse on loan is aware of the horse's capabilities and include them in the loan agreement. For example if you are retiring your horse from competition ensure you stipulate that they must not be used for competition purposes by the new carer.

Even if you are loaning to someone you know well, be pedantic about putting everything in writing. A written agreement is not only a safety net if a friendship turns sour, but can actually protect a friendship from the strain of misunderstanding by clarifying exactly what is expected from each party.

Make sure your horse is freezemarked and/or microchipped. Retain documents such as freezemark/microchip records and keep a copy of equine passport details so that you have proof of ownership if the need arises.

Be prepared for your horse to be returned - people take a horse on loan in order to have this option available to them. As the legal owner you are responsible for the longterm future of your horse if the loan home decides that they can no longer care for him. Ensure that your loan agreement stipulates a period of notice which will give you time to make the necessary arrangements. If this is something you do not want to deal with, you need to consider transferring legal ownership (thus relinquishing all influence over the care of your horse) instead of loaning.

Remember, there will always be an element of risk in handing over the day to day responsibility of your horse to another individual. However, by being thorough many horse owners not only find knowledgeable, caring homes for their equines, but enjoy continued contact with their horse, are able to monitor their health and wellbeing and have the option to remove them should a home turn out to be unsuitable.

There are cases of neglect and illicit selling on, but it is important to remember that these stories circulate widely whereas the success stories never do. There are good homes out there and with time and effort the loan process can secure a positive outcome for horse, owner and loaner.

Generally the hardest option to consider is the humane euthanasia of a horse that has an incurable veterinary problem. Clearly if their condition is causing the horse discomfort or affecting their quality of life to a point where they become sour or depressed, the decision should be straightforward. However, it can be very difficult to consider the euthanasia of an equine whose problems only affect their ability to work and who have a good quality of retired life.

If an owner simply cannot continue to care for the horse themselves and all other options have been explored, it is important to remember that euthanasia is not the worst possible outcome for the horse.

Many horses each year are given large doses of painkillers and sold dishonestly, often resulting in cruelty to the horse when they are expected to exceed their physical capabilities.

There are also many instances where equines are turned away to pasture and neglected, resulting in extreme suffering for the horse. This is often due to the misconception that retired horses require less care than those in work.

Whatever the distaste people may feel about animals being put down before it is absolutely necessary, euthanasia is a lawful, legitimate choice, whereas dishonest selling and neglect are not.

What are the options when it's time for your horse to retire?