10/19/2026
This is so true. Not our horses. Not on our watch.
One of the cornerstones of our program is the lifetime commitment we make to our beloved equines. Their value doesn’t end when their riding days do. They remain part of our family, deserving of care, companionship, and a life they can enjoy—for all of their days. ❤️
What happens to your older horse when you decide you no longer want to be responsible for them?
Sadly many horse's reach old age and find themselves in a more turbulent era of their lives than they did in their prime. Although it's commonplace for horses to be moved from home to home in their best years, it can be even more frequent towards the end of their lives which is terribly sad. Once the horse can no longer be ridden they're often seen as useless and expensive pasture pets, or once they become chronically ill in their old age their owners no longer want to pay the vet bills- especially for a horse they can't ride and feel they can't do much with. As a result they find themselves thrust into a new home; but sadly it often doesn't stop there.
Our elderly horses need us the most when they reach this phase of life- they have often spent the rest of their lives putting up with our antics in order for us to reach our dreams and desires; and yet it's after all this that they find us giving up on them. It truly saddens me that so many are willing to just rid themselves of the responsibility of an older horse plainly because they want the next best thing- this isn't what love actually looks like, it's what using looks like, and is beyond self centred of us.
So what happens next?
Well a lot of these owners who are willing to pass on an old horse for their own benefit hide behind the idea that it's best for the horse, and aim to find what they think will be a nice retirement home- in this case they feel they don't have to experience the guilt or irresponsibility in the act they're committing, whilst also just wanting a brand new shiny horse to use instead. But the reality is this retirement home often doesn't exist.
Many old horses find themselves put in this position and then promptly passed from pillar to post. Sometimes they're even given to dealers or private homes who try to sell them as something they're not and claim they're younger and more able for the sake of money. In the worst cases they find themselves in cases of neglect, or even at slaughter.
The best thing we can do for our older, aging horses is honour everything they have done throughout their lives for us, and actually show them the love and compassion we claim to have felt towards them all this time. By this I mean provide them with a safe and loving retirement for the rest of their days with food, friends and freedom. This is the only way we can't rely guarantee their safety. Ultimately if we're buying a horse in the first place we should endeavour to provide for them for all of their lives to the best of their ability, not just for as long as we can use them for riding- if this is the case we don't love horses, we love using them.
Alongside this there are so many lovely ways both ourselves and our horses can enjoy their retirement without ever thinking about riding again, and these can be lovely and mutually beneficial. An older horse is far from the 'useless' label we are quick to pin to them, if only we'd look beyond the human centred acts of riding and competing and appreciate horses for exactly who they are.
