Has anyone here ever sell out your horse herd

[nicole]

and regret it?

 

[mountain_waif]

....

 

[Dandy]

ABSOLUTELY! I sold my cart and harness a couple years ago and just now bought another one. I have not sold any minis that I regret as I am in the process of getting down to just 3 minis so have a few mares for sale. But I did sell my daughters Western Pleasure QH two years ago to someone I thought would care for her properly. WE had had the mare for 10 years. WEll, they quit feeding her and had her on limited pasture and didn't care for her feet. When I found out I tried for several months to buy her back. I finally got her back last month. We are working on getting her back into shape. She's 15 now and deserves to stay with us. My daughter is in college and wasn't showing the mare which is why I sold her to help out with college expenses. Money certainly isn't everything.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Hey Nicole

Judging by your last couple of threads you are having a rough time of it lately. Perhaps now is not a good time to be making a decision like this. Maybe rather than selling off ALL of your minis you should take a step back and think about things. I know you lost your little dog in a hard way and are probably not totally emotionally stable right now. But if you aren't enjoying life it is definitely time to put some thought into how to bring back the enjoyment. Tons of people out there have one horse because horses bring joy into their life but they don't need a whole herd and ALL the work that goes with that. Contrary to popular belief horses can be happy as solitary animals if their owner has more time to spend with them and there is activity around them. Perhaps if there is one special horse in your barn that is a keeper you could find good homes for the rest of them and then sit back and take it easy looking after that one special horse. Just because they are small doesn't mean you HAVE to have a bunch of them! It can be very hard to keep up with everything when you have a herd to look after - something always suffers! I know with me it is my housework

: Fortunately for me I have help in that department from my darling man as well as he helps me around the farm. You will also find that it is far easier to find a sitter for only one small horse and that would enable you to escape occasionally. Not everyone is cut out to be a herd owner and if you are finding it overwhelming and no longer enjoyable it is time to take a step back. Hope this helps. I feel for you and have been in your shoes before although not over horses. Take care and do put thought into this before you act in a way you might regret. Lori

 

[Bluerocket]

In 1993 my job was phased out in the area where I lived (North Georgia) - but my company offered me a job in upstate NY -- they would move me but not my critters. At that time I was breeding warmbloods -- I had 1 twoyearold, 2 yearlings and 4 pregnant mares and 6 dogs, a bunch of cats (as in over 20) and 26 ducks -- I had 3 weeks to sell everything and pack to move (to an apartment - temporary housing while my farm went up for sale).

The ducks stayed with the farm -- a friend of mine helped me place all but 4 of the cats in new homes - most of them were rescued (dumped on me) spayed and neutered barn cats -- they went to a dairy farm. I had one dog euthanized (was in poor health and I did not think she would handle the change well) - and the others were found new homes with good families - also through the help of that same friend (she worked for a local small animal vet and had plenty of contacts).

I sold all the horses except 1 mare (who ended up not being bred after all) -- for rock bottom prices -- good homes meant cheap, cheap, cheap. Sold and placed them all in 3 weeks.

REALLY REALLY REALLY tough thing to do. Moved to NY with the 4 cats -- and the one mare went to a friend's to be bred again -- and later moved to NY with me. Sold most of the tack and equipment but not all of it.

Was something I had to do at the time - was an end to a fledgling dream --- but now, 13 years later, I have another small farm and this time I have a family of miniature horses (and now 2 goats) and 2 corgi and 10 cats. Plus a WONDERFUL husband. So again I have my dream - just am a little older ---

So if you want something bad enough, and are willing to wait -- even if you have to give it up for a short while - you may be able to have that dream again - but only if you are willing to work for it.

that's my story.



Why do you ask? What is happening in your life that you ask this? If you have another thread about that I have not seen it yet.

JJay

 

[LindaL]

Three years ago, I ended a long term relationship and I moved away from the farm we were leasing. Fortunately, my X was still living there and let me keep the horses (14) there while I sold them. It was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make, but one that needed to be done as I couldn't possibly afford to keep 14 horses and pay for all my living expenses on my own (leaving the relationship meant not having someone to share all the living expenses with, unfortunately). My prices were extremely low, but I really wanted my horses to go to good homes, too. After a year, I still had 9 horses...and needed to move them, since my X decided she was moving, too. I found a pasture board situation, but it wasnt very convenient for me to get to every day and really wanted to get more horses sold. By January, I was down to 4...and moved my horses again, closer in. I planned to keep 2 horses for myself and my daughter's gelding, so that meant selling one more. Well, time, finances, new (BAD) love, etc all made me decide that I needed to sell more...and so last October, I sold my last horse and the rest of my tack, trailer, show cart, harness, etc....for a GIVEAWAY package price...just to be done with it...and I needed the money. *sigh*

Do I regret having to sell out?? Hmmm...not sure regret is the right word...I do know that I was extremely depressed for a period of time (suicidal at one point) and that if I had to do it all over again, I probably would've found a way to not have to sell my last horse and show stuff. I know that there is a reason for my having to go thru all of what I did and that I am happy in the life I have now.

I do hope to one day own a few Minis again...and maybe show again..who knows! Meanwhile, I still have a deep passion in my blood for horses and that will never change. I also enjoy seeing others' horses and going to horse events when I can.

 

[nootka]

Linda, I mean it when I say you are welcome to my horses. I always need an extra hand (and I promise less hair next time) at the shows and oftentimes seems like never enough people to do the "fun" stuff. *LOL*

Kyan is hanging around for the time being and he LOVES the attention and is a good boy in the ring for the most part.

Luckily though I've had to sell down some, I can still hang onto most of mine, though I often think about the "what if" of being without. I think I would try to hang onto at least two of them....

Liz M.

 

[showmofffarm]

Eight years ago I went thru a divorce and ended up having to sell the property and the horses. I also sold everything I had that went with them: show halters, blankets, clippers, buckets, brushes, everything. I took a hiatus for a couple of years and then had to get back into them. So, I bought some horses and everything else that I had sold a couple years back and found a barn to rent. I stayed with the minis until this past fall when I made the decision to go back into QH's. So, again, I sold the minis and everything I had just bought with the exception of my Double K's.

The first time was out of my control; the second time was my choice. It's a very hard decision to make and swallow but sometimes you do need to take a break and get your head on straight. I'm not going to say that I'll never own minis again because at this point I don't know. What I do know is that I'm happy with the choice that I made and it was thought out over a couple of months.

Good luck and keep your chin up!!!

 

[nicole]

Why do you ask? What is happening in your life that you ask this? If you have another thread about that I have not seen it yet.JJay

I have a lot going on right now, and I am not sure if we are heading towards a divorce. But I am really feeling the stress of it all. I must worry about my daughter right now.

I don't want to sell but I think it's the best thing for me to do right now.

I am really not enjoying going to the barn anymore and it's because of the pressure from my husband. Maybe I do spend way to much time out in the barn. My daughter is only 3 and we just lost our family dog so that has been really hard.

Work is crazy and I have a lot of projects going on. Plus my cousin comes out twice a week to work the horses. That night is CRAZY!! Kaitlyn wants to be with her and the horses but it makes me nervous when she is out there without me. Specially when Cassie wants to jump the horses and she does too.

I really hate being this stressed, and something has to give!

I have been into the horses for 28years and loved every minute, my dream was to own a beautiful barn and have show horses. WEll after a lot of hard work and a lot of arguements with my husband I finally have it. But I am not enjoying it, and I should be!

It's like I have worked too hard to get it and now that I have it I can't enjoy it.

:

Anyway I am thinking about it, maybe I should just send the horses out to pasture for a year or two and enjoy them later, but I really hate to see these horses get fat and waist what they could be showing off.

Thanks everyone

Nicole

 

[Minimor]

Will selling all the horses save your marriage? I know someone that went that route, then discovered she was so resentful about having to give up the horses that the marriage didn't work out anyway. Also, I currently work with someone who gave up everything she enjoyed (not horses in her case, but she gave up all her hobbies, drama group, etc. because her husband told her that it was because of her hobbies that he was cheating on her--she'd go to her drama group one night a week & leave him alone, and that's when he'd see the other woman. Very lame excuse I always thought, but she believed it & gave up all her extra activities so that she could spend all her leisure time with her hubby--and he still cheated on her. Her hobbies were nothing but an excuse & her giving them up didn't fix anything.

I'd suggest not selling all your horses at this point--sell a few, & perhaps keep the others, but overall cut back on the time you spend with them. Put them out on pasture & cut out the showing and conditioning for awhile. If you discover you miss doing the usual stuff with them, they are still there for you to go back to, you don't have to be resentful that they are all gone, and you don't have to start all over if you do decide to go back to them. If in 6 months you discover that you're glad that you don't have so much to do with them any more, and can be quite happy without having them around at all, then you can sell the remaining ones. That would be my suggestion, for what it's worth!

:saludando:

 

[Robin1]

Yep, have a friend who was told by her husband,"that the horses were the cause of all their problems." He moved out and told her that he wouldn't move back until she sold all the horses.

:

She sold her horses , barn, and home and he still didn't come back.

: He did however, stay with another woman, and didn't have to "give" her as much money because she no longer needed it to support the horses. :no:

Robin

 

[Bluerocket]

Nicole -- have no idea how many minis you have at this point -- but as was suggested by MINIMORE -- cutting back significantly on your numbers could help you a lot.

Assuming you have a like a dozen -- cutting back to a number like 4 could make it more enjoyable for everyone... especially if they are low maintenance horses --

The ones you worry about "wasting" - perhaps those are the ones to sell -- and maybe the most laid back ones would be better with your young child at this point.

Then again -- you know your family, your circumstances and your horses --

Go with your gut feeling. I know all my horses are special to me -- but I could, if I had to -- sell all of them except for my 2 dwarves -- and even they could be placed with a good home - if I really had to do it. I would miss them horribly!

Do what you think is best for you and for yours.

JJay

 

[midnight star stables]

I should just send the horses out to pasture for a year or two and enjoy them later, but I really hate to see these horses get fat and waist what they could be showing off.

I agree with the I should just send the horses out to pasture for a year or two and enjoy them later. I think this is best along with selling afew.

But the 'but I really hate to see these horses get fat and waist what they could be showing off.' I think you should leave them, and start showing again when you can handle it.

I really don't want to sound rude at all as I highly respect you in many ways and I'm sure you will make the right choice. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[wcr]

I have changed breeds a few times, sold out but always keep coming back in one way or another. I have horses now that will die with me and everything else could be sold. Only you know which horses those are for you. I have recently had some major changes in my life that has taken me in a direction I never thought I would go. Guess what, I have learned that everything in my life is negotiable and that I can find solutions and options if I look hard enough. We can have goals to work toward but sometimes life throws opportunities in our path and the fork in the road may be the better option in the long run.

Good luck and follow your gut instinct.