So true. Sometimes I think they do it on purpose to make us prove we love them and are prepared to spend enormous amounts of money on them. You'll notice they always pull this kind of thing when the owner is broke: it means she has to make a bigger financial sacrifice for the horse, proving she loves him even more. I have spoken to my horse about this and warned her that I do not have money for major veterinary surgery so she had just better not entertain any ideas about developing a major illness.
I’ve spent over $2000 trying to ease the pain of arthritis for my gelding. Problem is we both have arthritis and I can only get off and walk a couple miles of mountain before we’re both crippled. Rode him 12 years of many mountain & beach trails & mounted shooting. Grand kids & nieces love him & he loves them. Sending him with a pile of supplements and bute to a kids at risk program next week. It’s going to be tough.
I was at a barn inspecting a metal roof for wind damage and was talking to the owner. He charges $1800 a MONTH to board horses in the heated barn which has enough room to ride horses around. $1800 a MONTH! And he was barely making ends meet.