Have you ever gotten one of your old horses back?

[HezaKeeper]

I am so ecstatic today that I can hardly type this. I got a 2 year old gelding a few years ago, that had a lot of issues, and had severely injured his previous owner. I spent a lot of time, money, and training on him just to get him to where I could touch him and run my hands over him. We were working on getting him to lead (and not bolt off etc) when I found out I was expecting my second child. I really struggled with the decision but I decided to rehome him on the condition that he would come back to me if there was ever a situation where he needed to be rehomed. It turns out that at the time it was a GOOD decision. I had no time, had a very difficult turbulent pregnancy in which I was on bed rest for 4 months, and wouldn't have been able to be around this horse even to feed him, because of his unpredictability.

I did, however, follow his progress. He went to a trainer who did WONDERS with him. They had him loading on a trailer, leading, picking up his hooves, and even *gasp* RIDING him! His owner brought him back home and then did, nothing with him. He just sat there while she worked with her other horses. She called me last week saying she can't see feeding a horse that she isn't riding, and asked if I wanted him back. Luckilly I'm in a situation right now where I could take him home, and he arrived yesterday. I'm so ecstatic to have this boy back. Despite his "issues" (i.e. he's really really snorty and wary until you have your hands on him, then he relaxes. The more you mess with him, the better he gets. However, you go back the next day and have to start all over) I really really love this horse. He's here to stay forever God willing with my old retired gelding (who I must say was getting quite lonely anyways by himself here!).

I know I probably sound like a goofball to be excited about getting him back, he's not a $50k hunter or anything, but he holds a special place in my heart. And I'm very relieved to have him back home. Just wondering, has anyone else ever had a happy ending story, where they had to rehome a horse and then eventually gotten to bring them back home when the timing was right? It's just such a wonderful feeling. I feel like I did what I thought was right for him at the time, which was, and am happy to now offer him a warm stall, and loving home now that my situation is more stable.

[BasqueMom]

Congrats! What a lucky boy! Hope you have many years together.

[Bluey]

Yes, we have put some older ranch horses in a home with small kids, for them to learn to ride, but we asked they let us know when they don't need them and give us a chance to buy them back.
Two came already and three more will, once the little kids, that are learning with them, move onto more horse, one very soon, as they find a horse to replace him.

I know, it is good to know you are getting him back.
Time to do a happy dance.:)

[DeeThbd]

Bravo, Bluey. It's really good to see someone who cares what happens to their former horses when they become older horses....it's far too common to see people not caring, saying "all old horses get thin" or some such nonsense when all they need is some good care, good feed, and good loving.
Good on ya.
Dee

[TheBandit]

I just bought back a mare I had owned for 6 years. I sold her 14 months ago. In those 14 months she has had 3 owners and 1 badly timed and unsuccessful breeding lease. She has a fairly serious SI injury and I'm not sure if she will ever be sound. She's the youngest of all of my lame-here-for-life pasture-puffs. That God I have a VERY understanding husband!

[Bluey]

Bravo, Bluey. It's really good to see someone who cares what happens to their former horses when they become older horses....it's far too common to see people not caring, saying "all old horses get thin" or some such nonsense when all they need is some good care, good feed, and good loving.
Good on ya.
Dee

Yes, one here, back for four years, is now 29 and still fat and happy, if a little slower.

One still not back, the kids are growing, they just let me know they were looking for another horse and then they would bring him back. He is now 20.

The other two are one 26 and the kid has another horse, but he can't let go of his old buddy yet, so he is still there and the other is 18 and the little girl is six, so they will still be together for a long time, I expect.

In a way it is hard to know they are somewhere else, but then, they are happy and making some kid happy and that ought to count also.:yes:

As the OP mentioned, you get giddy and can't quit smiling, when you know they will be coming back soon.

[2boys]

I bought one back for a ridiculous amount of money once. I traded him to a dealer who told me she would find him a home. I said,"Please, if he becomes a burden, I want him back. I DO NOT want him going to an auction. I do not want him going to an auction. I will take him back NO QUESTIONS if he becomes a burden. Do you want me to put together some paperwork for that?" Dealer said no, no worries, she will take excellent care of him. BIG MISTAKE. As I tried to keep in touch with her, and follow his progress, she became a little annoyed,but willing to answer my questions. Told me that she had donated him to a college in PA. After some investigation, I became concerned. BUT my investigation was cut short when another dealer from Maryland called me with my horse's papers. He had bought him at NEW HOLLAND and was looking for some background information. After a lot of blubbering, and making a fool of myself, my horse was on his way back to me for more than I had bought him for the first time. He will be with me UNTIL HE DIES.

Yay for you for getting him back! Good luck!

[snkstacres]

Yup. My daughter sold her bestest friend Press Release in order to go to school after a death in the family. I followed Pressy for years, the only horse we ever sold. He went to several owners and finally someone called me and told me he was going to a show barn in Lousiana. She hinted at me that if I offered the olympic rider a ridiculously low price of $$$$ (secret) that I could own him once more.

I jumped on it. Regrets, not a second. I still have to pinch myself when I go out to feed, Pressy is home. I know what is happening with him and where he will end up no matter what happens along the way.

[MunchkinsMom]

I'm in the club. Years ago I free leased out my mare, who was not mentally suited to do the WP classes. I had bought her as a green broke 2-year old, tried to show her for 6 years, and free leased her out at age 9 (because I didn't have the time to give her the attention she needed, and work with my new show horse).

She was well cared for and loved for 10 years, living on a 90-acre Christmas tree farm in upstate NY. I thought for sure she would live out her life there.

Well, 10 years later the "foster parents" called out of the blue one day, said they were moving to Montana, and would take the mare with them, but wanted to know if it was okay. My inner voice said "no, that is a long drive for a 19 year old horse, and big climate change" so I told them I would come and get her. I think they were actually relieved.

I told my mother that I was going to bring the mare home, and she was a bit concerned, wondering why I would do this (she is not a horse person). I said "because she was my first horse" and mom said "well, you had a first and second husband also, and you didn't take them back", and I said "well, I don't love them".

It was a very tearful day when I went to get her, but one of the happiest for me.

That was 7 years ago, and she is now happily retired on our farm here in FL at age 26.

[fourmares]

I sold a mare that I had bred, raised and trained. I figured that I had taught her as much as I could, and she loved to show. I just couldn't afford to go to the big shows at that time so I sold her. My mom, obsessively kept track of her to the point that some of her owners probably thought they were being stalked. She showed in the Children's hunters until her child out grew her. Then she was sold to a trainer who used her as a lesson horse (which she hated). One of his students bought her and started showing jumpers. When they tryed to move her up to 3'6" she started stopping. So she was put up for sale. Fortunately, at that point my mother had just inherited a bunch of money, so she bought the mare back for slightly more than we sold her for 4 years earlier. She was obese, and in a shoe 2 sizes smaller than she wore when she left.

She's 19 this year and mostly retired and she will never be for sale again. I had to put her mother down last winter. She was 26.

[ShowMeTheGlory]

My story is a little different. I worked for a breeding farm that prepped yearlings for the big sales-Keeneland,Saratoga,etc in 2000. I made the mistake of falling in love with one of the guys in my care. He sold at the Sept. Keeneland sale and thought I would never see him again. I followed his racing career and then he dropped out of my radar. I was talking about him (on here I think) and someone said they thought they knew where he was. Sure enough, I was put in touch with the woman who bought him off the track and he was still in the same state as me. (he raced at Penn) We talked for a couple years, but I could never afford him. 2 years ago she called me and made me an offer I couldn't refuse and he came home!!! I can not explain how happy I was that day!!!! And he will be with me til the day he dies.

[dawglover]

I've had 2 come back this winter...a 20 something TWH mare that used to belong to my DH and a QH mare that I sold to a long time friend 6 years ago as a trail and hunt horse.
The gaited mare has ringbone and had become unrideable.
The guy who had her didn't want to pay board on a horse he couldn't ride. I feared she'd end up at a sale, so called him and told him I'd be happy to take her off his hands.

My QH mare became a casualty of the economy...her owner decided to cut back to one horse.

Those two, along with the Craigslist pony I took in back in November means I'm now housing 8. Thank goodness hubby is as much of a softy as me.

[HezaKeeper]

All of these feel good stories has me all giddy =). He's home, and although he's a lot more furry (she wasn't blanketing him), and a little ribby (not bad, but not as round as he was) he's none the worse for the wear and actually a lot more handeable. He's still jumpy and a little wary until you get your hands on him, but he's doing so good and I can tell he has a lot more confidence. So his "vacation" as I call it, was put to good use and was good for him :lol: Although, he seems happy to be back home!

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

Congrats! What a lucky boy! Hope you have many years together.


ditto.

[RomeosGirl]

Congrats Hezakeeper! Some horses are just special
Yeap, just got my "once in a lifetime" horse back in November. We were separated for 1 year, 4 months & 9 days.
So the story goes like this:
Horse (Romeo) arrives at trainers barn where I am taking lessons. She has bought him from one of her former clients (he was at her farm in the past, but they "took him home" while daughter went to college). I think the horse is GORGEOUS, but he's slightly power crazy, as he has been living in a field bucking off kids for the past year. I mention to trainers mom that he is amazing & she says "You probably will never ride this horse" - I was just learning to jump then & he had been doing the 3' jumpers (I am a die hard hunter!). I did end up buying him about a year later & he took me to my first horse show & first fox hunt. We started having some confidence issues when we tried to move up divisions & trainer mentioned that with his age (he was 18 at the time) & confidence issues it would be better if I got something else to move up on.
I ended up trading Romeo (& some cash of course) to a lady for her 9 yr old TB. She was taking Romeo for her boyfriends daughter who was just starting out. This was a very hard choice for me as I had such a close bond with Romeo, but trainer assured me I would feel the same way about the new horse in time.
I have issues with new horse, can't get him to steer well - it's like driving a battleship, get bucked off, get run away with in a field (fell off & broke my humerus).
Time goes by & I end up changing barns. New trainer/BO had known Romeo, as she had shipped for us in the past. She says nothing about new horse - I'm not riding yet - still recovering from surgery after the fall. I start riding the horse & still having the same issues. We end up vetting him & he is diagnosed with EPM. Just before this trainer pulls me aside & says "We will work with this horse, but personally I think you should have never sold Romeo".
I happened to see the lady I sold Romeo to at a show this summer & she mentions that she sold him to someone about an hour & 1/2 away.
In November I was searching dreamhorse for no reason & come across an ad that sounds vaguely like Romeo. There is no picture & the age is wrong, but something makes me wonder. So, I email the seller & just ask if it could be a horse I used to own. All I told her was that I sold him a year & 1/2 ago & that his barn name was Romeo. She emails back that it is him! So, I call my new BO (who is in Vegas on vacation) & tell her I found Romeo. She says get me the number & I'll call them on Monday. So BO calls seller the next week & says "how much do you want for him & can you have him here Wednesday?" I couldn't be happier to have him back. He's my perfect horse. I'm always happy to see him. Now I know just how special that bond is - it doesn't happen with every horse. Romeo will be with me forever & whatever he wants to do is fine with me! New BO already has a couple of lawn ornaments that don't do anything but hang out in the yard, so he has company.
I don't think he's ready to stop yet. Here are pictures of our first show back together http://image72.webshots.com/172/6/20/81/2468620810101815813jaaXgz_ph.jpg
Looks pretty good for a 21 year old boy (but maybe I'm biased)!

[Bluey]

So many neat stories here.
That last one of Romeo is so sweet.
He looks very good in that picture... for any age.;)

[Tutt]

Wonderful stories, all.
Great of all of you.

[hastyreply]

Yes, I sold a mare I bred when she was 4 to a camp where she carried kids and adults around for 16 years. I told them when they were ready to get rid of her to let me know and I took her back. She was still quite spry so I sold her to a friend whose daughter had ridden her at camp. They wanted something to keep their mare company and for the daughter to ride with mom. I knew they wouldn't ride her much but thought she'd be an forever home. They called me about 2 years ago and said the accountant told them to get rid of the horses. I said of course I would take Fox back, I brought her into this world so I will take responsiblity for her. She said Oh, can you take Nikki? Her mare. I said no because Fox put me at my 5 horse limit. I finally said I was coming to get my mare and they still hadn't found a home for the other mare (whom I called the "40 yr old virgin" because she was a 23 yr old green broke horse, green broke when she was 16!). They lived near the Mexican border and I worried that she'd ended up crossing it, if you know what I mean. I found someone who would try the mare so brought her back here with my mare. My mare has cushings and is half blind and 29 now. She will die here. The other mare unfortuantly didn't work out where she was, someone else took her and she got a chronic lameness and they didn't want her so I ended up going in with the lady who'd first taken her and had her put down. It was a sad situation but no one wanted her and I didn't want her getting hurt or hurting someone else (she was rather unpredictable). I'm still PO'd at the original owner who didn't have the balls to put the mare down herself, since she created the problem (she even suggested she could be a broodmare - AT 23 ! never bred! crazy denial).