Moral Dilemma...Need Opinions

[PAWZnHOOVES]

hi everyone, i have a little dilemma here and i would appreciate it soooo much if you could give me your opinion. So..for some background, i am 17 yrs old and i have been riding since about 5. But, for these whole 12 years all i've really done is trail riding with some parades and a few play gymkhana shows. However, it's always been my dream to do rodeo...and my time until i go to college is almost up. So, a friend of ours has been looking for a horse and my dad and I went to look at some horses for sale by someone that we know. When i got there i fell in love with this AQHA bay mare, 4 yrs old..and trained to do cutting, etc.--a perfect rodeo horse. She was originally up for 3500, but the guy saw how much i wanted her and dropped it to 2500 just for me...but my dad still cant afford to buy another horse right now...which brings me to my dilemma. I have a horse right now, about 11 yrs (but no papers), i've had her since the end of 5th grade, and she's my first horse. She's simply a dream, she's very loyal, bomb proof, fully broken, gentle but spirited...everything i could ask for plus more, except for rodeo training. It's just not her thing...and my schedule never works with trainers, so i need a horse that's already trained. The only way that i could buy the other horse is if i sold her...and my dad and I both are very attached--he said "selling her would be like selling a part of your family". The only good thing is that the people who live next to the place where i board have been after us about buying her forever and i know they would treat her very well, and she would still be there for me to see all the time. So...I don't know what to do...I'd really like to have some outside opinions...thanks so much for reading all of that.

[PAWZnHOOVES]

Here's some pix:

My Current Horse (sorry it's not a great pic):
http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/40bd5d4c_f05/bc/Pic+Upload/backup+011.jpg?BC4U3YCBhxizzzm9


The Other Horse:
http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/bc/40bd5d4c_f05/bc/Pic+Upload/iwanther2.gif?BC4U3YCBfs7eG9dy

[Mav13]

Hmmm, this is a hard one... If you really want that dream rodeo horse go for it! If you know the people that you would be selling your old horse to it wouldn't be all that bad, especially if you'll get to see her once in a while. But I understand how "selling a part of the family" could really get to you. Well, I just hope you make the best decision that you can for your horse. Hope I helped! :)

[Crittermom]

Would leasing her out be an option? If you do decide to sell her I would suggest a contract with first right of refusal in the event they ever decide to sell her. Being that she would be close and you could see her and know the people she is going to would make it easier. It's a hard decision either way so I wish you good luck!

[PAWZnHOOVES]

thanks so much you guys for responding. 2 crittermom: i can't lease her because i need the whole lump sum right now, and they don't wanna lease...they want to buy. and also, i was thinking about that contract...because if she goes anywhere later, it's only going to be back to me. but thanks again for letting me know your opinions and i'm still welcoming more, thanks!

[JenHan disease]

:( this is a real hard situation!
if it is your dream and you are sure you are not going to regret it GO FOR IT!
if you can see your old horse often then maybe u should buy that other horse......
BUT of course it is going to be terribly hard especially if she is part of your family.
i personally, wouldnt know what to do in this situation either! but whatever you do make sure you arent going to regret it, and make sure you are doing what is right for you and not for any body else.
this is a big desicion to make!!! also, take a long time to think about this because if you make the desicion too quick you might regret it.........
good luck!

[PAWZnHOOVES]

more advice, please?

[JenHan disease]

ok this is what always helps me with big desicions......

look at the pros and cons of buying the new horse. write them down. then look at the pros and cons of keeping your horse. write them down.
then go over and over it again and again. keep on asking for advice. from professional horse ppl and your friends, family etc.
remember in the end it is up to u, dont let anyone else make the desicion for u....................................
hopefully that may help.
good luck PAWZnHOOVES

[Chewysnova]

In my personal opinion, when you take in an animal (any kind) you keep it for the animals life, even if it is 10 years, 30 years or 100 years. You took on the responsibility of the animal, the animal has gotten attached to you and you should keep it for the remainder of it's life. I don't think it's fare to trade in your horse for a better, newer version that has more tricks. For instance, currently I have my limit of animals. I would love to show dogs, but I do not have a pure-bred dog and we can not take on another dog right now. But I would never sell my mutt to get a pure-bred dog just because I want to do something.

But that’s just my personal opinion, to each his own and I hope that you make a decision you won't regret.

Ashley

[MangoLaska]

It's a really hard call.

But if it was me, I would keep your first horse. You never know where horses will end up. Even if the people who buy her are great, when they sell her, the next people might not be quite so great. And it's the saddest thing in the world to lose track of an old friend.

Good luck with your decision.

[nattu]

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. When I was 17 I was offered a really lovely mare (Sophie) She was a fantastic riding horse, and was perfect for me at the time, but I couldn't afford to have her as well as Chelsea, the older, slower, smaller horse I'd had for the past 6 years. I decided to keep my old horse. I may have missed out on some great rides with that mare, but I never regretted my decision, Chelsea ended her days peacefully in the home she'd always known after 6 years of retirement. I just wish all horses could end their days like that.

[PAWZnHOOVES]

aw thanks guys so much 4 replying (nattu, my horse's name is chelsea toO!) argh i had a gymkhana show today and chelsea did sooo bad :( and blah she's like bi polar, she just wont show...

[nattu]

My Chelsea was like that! One day she would whizz round and be a star, other days she wouldn't do a thing I asked her. I suppose horses are like us, they have their off days, and they get bored of doing the same things too. Maybe she just needs a week's rest? Or a ride out in the country for a change of scenary?

[PAWZnHOOVES]

lol, well, i only really get to ride on weekends so she does get a week's rest, every week haha...and where i live, there is not country, it's all the city :(

[MangoLaska]

If you only ride her on the weekends you can't expect much from her...horses need to be ridden consistently if you want to show successfully...

[PAWZnHOOVES]

oops i should reword that...I personally only ride her on the weekends, but my dad and our friend rides her during the week but they don't focus on show stuff like i do...but she is exercised during the week.

[nattu]

Can you tell me a bit about rodeo? We don't do it in UK. All I know is that there's a lot of bucking and falling off! Is it a big horse show and the bronco stuff is just a small part of it? I know there must be more to it that that - what's it about and what other events can you do?

[PAWZnHOOVES]

o ya rodeo is sooo much fun i wish i could do it...the bull and bronco riding are only a small portion of rodeo...other events are calf roping, team roping, barrel racing...and i forgot the rest lol anyone else want to chime in?