PDA

View Full Version : second horse...?


jilllovesgus
07-11-2007, 10:43 PM
http://i14.tinypic.com/4ygb7d1.jpg
toby... he is freaking beautiful.
any thoughts? opinions?
i really like him...

he lives in connecticut.

well i guess i should tell the full story.

so here's how it goes. basically, gus might never be sound again. he has reinjured his suspensory along with something else in the same leg, and he's extremely lame. while he is perfectly happy and not in any pain standing or at the walk, he is so, so, so off at the trot. it's awful. i cried. a lot. so we are getting his shoes taken off the next time joe williams comes, and it's kind of decided that gus won't ever really be back into work again. shockwave is too expensive, and it's not even guarenteed that it would work, which would be a huge waste. so we are thinking about giving him a long break, like 6 months to a year, to see if he gets better. maybe he will suprise us and heal perfectly on his own! it's hard to tell. but he is very unsound and unable to do more than walk (although he is verrrrry frisky and wants to run).

so in the mean time, what am i supposed to do? i can't sit around and wait. so after much much much convincing, i was able to convince my parents to possibly get a second horse. i know i sound incredibly spoiled, having two horses, but honestly gus isn't really ever going to be ridden much again, and if he is, it won't be for a long time.

don't worry. i'm never ever EVER getting rid of gus, he is my love and my life, and i want what's best for him, so i don't want to push his recovery time. in a perfect world, i don't want a second horse and i just want gus to get better so i can ride him again, but that isn't fair to him if his legs just keep giving up. see what racing does to horses? he's sixteen and he has arthritis and problems in almost every one of his legs. my poor horse.

so we are considering our options. we might keep him at watchung (my current barn) with my new horse (which isn't yet 100% for certain right now, don't kill me) or we might try to see if there is a nice place nearby (maybe a retirement facility?) where he can go until he's more sound (even though he might never be totally sound again). of course, it'd have to be near enough that i could go see him every day.

this is a really hard decision for me to make, even though i'm not giving him away or selling him. but gus is the perfect horse for me, under all those crazy quirks. i love him with all my heart, but it isn't fair to him to just waste away in a stall all day when he could have a nice field to himself and be able to go out and graze all day and come in at night.

and we had been doing so well... rehabbing amazingly... and now... it's really hard for me. sure i'd love another horse that's sound and wonderful and such. but no matter what, it will never be gus. gus has left hoofprints so deep in my heart, that no other horse will ever live up to him.

let me make this clear. I AM NOT, AND I NEVER WILL BE, SELLING GUS. HE IS MINEMINEMINEMINE. (: i just want to do what's best for him. and in the mean time he can have a brother! as long as board is so cheap and my parents can afford it, we are looking around. my favorite candidate so far is toby, pictured at the top of this, but i have given kristen a bunch more ads and we are looking from this weekend on.

and if by some miracle gus heals himself and is completely sound again... i will finally believe that miracles really can happen. it wasn't a miracle that i found him... it was fate. he is my dream horse, and he will never be replaced.

so i'm trying to buck up and smile and think about another horse. possibly toby? maybe, i really like him. he's a 16.1 hh 8 year old appendix. gorg gorg gorg.


so like i said, any opinions, i'd love to here.
and i will say it again...
gus will be second to none. (:

mhoney05
07-11-2007, 10:51 PM
he is really beautiful! im so sorry about gus. i had a horse with a hock injury that needed bute after every ride! it was horrible but he loved his rides. oh well.IM SO sorry about gus. i feel your pain

Haley
07-11-2007, 10:51 PM
I can't imagine how disappointing it must be to have Gus lame again, but I'm sure he'd be happier then ever with time off! I know how much you love him, and how much he loves you back. It'll be hard on both of you, but I know you'll see him often even if he moves to another barn.

However, a second horse sounds simply amazing. Seriously, I'm jealous. Keep us posted! ;)

francesca=]
07-11-2007, 10:56 PM
We 're kind of in the same boat
my horse had reoccurring suspensory injury
and now he is "retired" and lives a leisurely life

I would have bought another horse
but I only have two more years until I go to college
and I didn't want to get involved with another horse where I would have to sell him in two years
[I lease now]

anywhoooo I think what your doing sounds like a good plan.
I love appendixes and I think he looks good under saddle
I hope everything works out !

crazy4horses
07-12-2007, 06:09 AM
I hope that a mricale comes and heals Gus!! :-)

jilllovesgus
07-12-2007, 08:58 AM
Thank you guys! <3

cursivenight
07-12-2007, 03:26 PM
Wow. I'm sorry. -hugs-

I think you're doing the right thing, giving Gus a break, and letting him out to pasture - but not selling him or getting rid of him. That's amazing =). Good luck with him and I really hope he gets better. You never know, right?

The new horse idea sounds good - and in that one pic he looks nice. Good luck with that as well =)

silverleprichuan
07-12-2007, 04:11 PM
sorry to hear about Gus, I'm sure that must be really hard. He's lucky that he has a wonderful, loving, "forever" home.

The horse you posted looks nice, nothing jumps out and says BUY ME, but if he has a good disposition and a nice mind then I'm sure he'd be a wonderful choice.

DixieGirl
07-12-2007, 04:40 PM
First od all he is really pretty! Second of all I think you should get another horse because you can continue your training. :)

ForeverEquine
07-12-2007, 07:04 PM
I'm really sorry to hear this hun.:S Just be thankful that you don't have to sell him. I was forced into selling my mare that I was just as bonded to so I can understand the pain. :( No horse will ever be able to replace Gus but it will be something new...and who knows, the bond can even become stronger! I never thought I would feel about another horse the way I did Mercedez but Gambit is superceeding her. But I will never forget nor feel any differently about her but the bond between Gambit and I is just different.

I'm rambling, lol! Sorry. Toby is very lovely though!

jilllovesgus
07-14-2007, 09:21 PM
Thanks!

So I went to try him out yesterday... AND LOVED HIM. He's absolutely incredible, everything about him. He's an amazing mover, and soo quiet and lovely. Very comfortable too! He'll make an amazing pleasure horse. I'm so excited! Chances are we're getting him, if he passes vet check and if my trainer likes him. Videos and pictures in another thread...

cursivenight
07-14-2007, 10:20 PM
Yay! I'm SO happy for you! -hugs-

moniexponie
07-14-2007, 10:26 PM
He is lovely. ^^ So is he going to be a pleasure mount? Or are you going to compete on him?

jilllovesgus
07-15-2007, 08:39 AM
^ Hopefully a bit of both!

moniexponie
07-15-2007, 10:17 AM
That'll be fun. ^^ I love the greenies, they are always a lot of fun to ride and usually they are really sweet too. xD