Because of my absolute idiotic inability to wade through the world of the Internet I lost my password to comment on Fugly. Again.
She had a great post today, I wanted to comment but I couldn't get logged in. Again.
Trust me folks. This is an ongoing issue with me and why many of my favorite blogs hear from me so rarely.
So my comment is over here in Mugwump land.
Cathy brings up a great point. When are we going overboard trying to save a horse who in need? How do we decide which horse gets our very limited time and resources?
With rescues stuffed to the brim with unwanted horses, where do they draw the line?
We have two primary rescues in our county.
One is very careful with their money. The rescue is very much run as a business.They keep a tight control over how many and what horses they rescue. They will put down horses which have no chance to be adopted. If the horse is ancient and weak, mentally unstable, deformed or crippled, or dangerous they will put it down and make room for a horse who has a chance of being safely adopted. This rescue has paid employees, one highly qualified trainer and a few talented riders to help start horses. It has a staff of well trained volunteers at all levels. They rehabilitate a steady flow of horses and get them out into the community with qualified adopters. If a horse doesn't work out this rescue will help place them elsewhere.
The second rescue is well run by a big hearted woman. She has a terrible time turning away any horse, for any reason. She is the only truly experienced horse person on the place and is stretched very thin. She has a lot of horses. There is a herd of old horses out there. Very old. They are a group of sweet castoffs. Most have spent their lives in service and then were dumped. There are close to 30 of them, probably 15 or so that can't graze or eat hay, so they need mash .They all have expensive medical needs and time.
There are horses needing to be broke, there are horses needing to be handled. There is a shortage of tack and usable volunteers.But she tries to save every horse and usually succeeds. They all have her heart.
If an adopted horse doesn't work out they are always welcomed back.
Two different approaches. Two different types of success.
I am very worried about one of them.
My other comment is about when we need to be realistic about what our horses need. I had a very beloved mare named Annie for 20 some years.I've written about her more than once. She had a comfortable retirement for about four or five years after many years of being first my horse, then my daughters, then as a lesson horse. She never let me down.
She began to lose weight. I supplemented her feed, it helped her, but didn't fix her. She lost her sight. Another one of my horses, Loki, would lead her to water and ate with her, keeping the other mares from taking her feed. She kept going down hill. I kept putting off the decision I knew was coming.
I had my vet check her for the third time that year.
He looked me in the eye and said, "It's summer. She's struggling. Last winter was hard for her. You can love on her and feed her up and let her enjoy the sun on her back for the summer. But I know you don't want to be calling me out here this winter because she collapsed in the night and is frozen to the ground."
So I fed her mash and took her out to graze in the good grass. At the end of August I went out with my daughter on a cool afternoon. we pet her and told stories about her. Annie put her head against my chest in the greeting she had given me for most of my adult life. I scratched her ears and began to waver.
"Mom," the kidlette said, "it's time. She's barely here."
Three days later we put her down. She was somewhere in her thirties.
If I hadn't had my vet and my daughter to help me keep my perspective I might have kept Annie going. For me.
That's all I've got.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
I try not too get to soap boxy here at the chronicles. But this recently ran in the paper. I will never, ever, go to a horse sale again.
An Afternoon at The Sale
By Janet Huntington
Anybody who owns horses knows what a mess the horse market is in. It’s almost impossible to sell one, even giving them away can be tough.
The current economy is not completely to blame, but it was the last straw for the crumbling horse industry.
The term "Unwanted Horse" was first coined by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) at a horse industry meeting in Washington D.C. in 2005. Unwanted horses are defined as "those no longer wanted by their current owner because they are old; injured; sick; unmanageable; fail to meet their owner's expectations; or the owner can no longer afford to keep them".
The fact which jumps off the page and hits me over the head is there are simply too many horses and not enough people who want them.
The closing of American slaughterhouses to horses, backyard breeders and over production of horses by the large ranches have all been blamed for the current equine market. The arguments become so political I have tuned them all out and tried to go on with my life.
Unfortunately my life has been directly affected by the mess the horse world is in and continues to be so.
As a horse trainer I saw the extra funds horse owners used to keep me employed going to buy hay. I saw prices for a horse drop and way too many skinny horses standing in over grazed fields.
It’s a bit of a blow to your ego to realize the career you have carefully constructed over years of back breaking work is the first expense cut when budgets start being trimmed.
Now as a horse owner in the private sector I’m seeing high quality horses with absolutely no market value being given away or taken to the auctions.
I spent last Saturday afternoon at the Calhan horse sale. My thinking was I should see first hand what’s going on out there. It was pretty upsetting.
Most of the stock was healthy and in good weight.
I watched a very nicely broke, flashy dun 4-year-old gelding go for $190. A ’97 registered bay mare who had been the family gymkhana horse and thrown four healthy babies was being sold because “the kids had out grown her.” She brought $220.
A white mare came in. She was eight-years-old, had good straight legs and a sharp handle on her. She was only about 14 hh and she wasn’t very pretty. But she was calm and solid. She sold for $50.
Then a big, flashy, breeding stock black gelding with lots of chrome sold for $230. He was dead lame, but it didn’t matter.
All of these horses were picked up by the kill buyer (KB), the man who is in the business of trucking horses out of the country for slaughter.
Some of the horses were bought up, either for private use or resale, but there were some really nice horses leaving the ring for very little money.
A 24-year-old paint gelding was ridden in by a young teen. He had been a reserve grand champion in 4H the year before but now he was in the auction ring. His owner no-saled him at $150. She later sold him for $225to a man who promised he wouldn’t go to kill. He was a lucky boy.
I have no bone to pick with the KB’s who operate in this area. They’re simply cleaning up somebody else’s mess. They buy the castoffs, the horses labeled unwanted, and sell them for a profit. Kind of like a turkey vulture, not too pretty to look at, but necessary to the environment.
The green-broke horses went for $150 and less. The loose horses sold for between $50 to $100.
There were two foals, so scraggly and stunted they looked to only be three to four months old, they sold for $25.
The one which broke my heart was the ’85 AQHA gelding who went straight to the KB for $150. The description the auctioneer read to the audience said he was well broke and had been with the same family for years. Now he was here.
I saw a mare bred by the Quarter Horse ranch I used to ride for. I didn't know the mare, but I recognized the look and when her bloodlines were read it turned out I was right. She was very sharp and broke. She lucked out and was picked up by a private buyer for $495.00
I can’t help but think the way to crawl out of this current mess is for each current or potential horse owner to take responsibility for each horse they own.
Understand these are animals who can easily live into their 30’s. Decide how you are going to do with your horse as they age or if they are injured and made unrideable.
I don't think for a minute horse owners shouldn't have the option to sell their horse. I’m not even saying there isn’t a time when a horse might have to go to a sale. Let’s just start being honest with ourselves about what’s going to happen to our horse once he’s there.
The mare who raised my daughter and worked as a school horse for me for the 20 plus years I owned her came from an auction. She turned up lame off-and-on, which gave me the opportunity to get my hands on her. Annie was never 100% sound, but she was good enough and ended up being a wonderful horse.
With a little research I found she was a T-cross bred mare, had been shown in halter at the stock show as a yearling and was the horse of a top Colorado reining trainer when he was a teen.
When she was too old and sore to be a lesson horse she enjoyed a few years of well cared for retirement. When it was time I had her put down.
For me, this was the right way to respect a horse who had been my friend for so many years. Our relationship was one of the longest and probably the most solid of my life.
I am not my fellow horseman’s judge. I can’t wade through the right and wrong of each person’s decision when it comes to their animals. I do strongly believe each animal we own deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.
I can’t believe selling a horse destined for a long, painful, terrifying journey on a slaughter truck and then killed in a unregulated slaughterhouse is right.
I won’t even denounce taking a horse to a sale. I don’t know what other peoples circumstances are. Things happen.
But take responsibility. Admit there is a high chance your horse will be on the KB truck. Do what you can to prevent it.
Finding a new home for a horse you no longer want can be tough. But it can be done. Be realistic about the current value of your horse. Be willing to take a reduced price to place him appropriately.
The horses at the sale who sold to the private owners had a few consistencies.
They were well trained and mannerly. They were ridden in the arena. They were clean, well-fed and good looking. They were gentle. What saved the 24-year-old paint was his wonderful, kind manner. His wise eyes showed he could babysit the grandkids anytime.
They were broke, broke, broke. If there were papers, they came with the sale. There was a written history by the owners about the horse. With only a few exceptions they were under 15-years-old.
Where I stand now is I will protect the horses I have as best I can. I absolutely will not breed any of my horses. I will geld any stud colts which come my way. If my horse is permanently injured or too old to keep I will put her down.
The cost of euthanizing your horse is not prohibitive, especially when you can get assistance from the Front Range Equine Rescue (http://www.frontrangeequinerescue.org/ ) "End of the Trail" program. They’ll pay up to 50% of your expenses. They also help with gelding costs too, so there are no excuses for unplanned, unwanted babies hitting the ground. Check out "Stop the Backyard Breeder" on their website.
I’m going to make sure my horses are healthy, broke, and understand their life as a service animal. Each one will be a pleasure to be around and a light and responsive ride. If I don’t know how to make these things happen I’m going to get some help.
Having a plan and accepting responsibility for the lives of the horses we value is the only way I can see of ending this mess.
An Afternoon at The Sale
By Janet Huntington
Anybody who owns horses knows what a mess the horse market is in. It’s almost impossible to sell one, even giving them away can be tough.
The current economy is not completely to blame, but it was the last straw for the crumbling horse industry.
The term "Unwanted Horse" was first coined by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) at a horse industry meeting in Washington D.C. in 2005. Unwanted horses are defined as "those no longer wanted by their current owner because they are old; injured; sick; unmanageable; fail to meet their owner's expectations; or the owner can no longer afford to keep them".
The fact which jumps off the page and hits me over the head is there are simply too many horses and not enough people who want them.
The closing of American slaughterhouses to horses, backyard breeders and over production of horses by the large ranches have all been blamed for the current equine market. The arguments become so political I have tuned them all out and tried to go on with my life.
Unfortunately my life has been directly affected by the mess the horse world is in and continues to be so.
As a horse trainer I saw the extra funds horse owners used to keep me employed going to buy hay. I saw prices for a horse drop and way too many skinny horses standing in over grazed fields.
It’s a bit of a blow to your ego to realize the career you have carefully constructed over years of back breaking work is the first expense cut when budgets start being trimmed.
Now as a horse owner in the private sector I’m seeing high quality horses with absolutely no market value being given away or taken to the auctions.
I spent last Saturday afternoon at the Calhan horse sale. My thinking was I should see first hand what’s going on out there. It was pretty upsetting.
Most of the stock was healthy and in good weight.
I watched a very nicely broke, flashy dun 4-year-old gelding go for $190. A ’97 registered bay mare who had been the family gymkhana horse and thrown four healthy babies was being sold because “the kids had out grown her.” She brought $220.
A white mare came in. She was eight-years-old, had good straight legs and a sharp handle on her. She was only about 14 hh and she wasn’t very pretty. But she was calm and solid. She sold for $50.
Then a big, flashy, breeding stock black gelding with lots of chrome sold for $230. He was dead lame, but it didn’t matter.
All of these horses were picked up by the kill buyer (KB), the man who is in the business of trucking horses out of the country for slaughter.
Some of the horses were bought up, either for private use or resale, but there were some really nice horses leaving the ring for very little money.
A 24-year-old paint gelding was ridden in by a young teen. He had been a reserve grand champion in 4H the year before but now he was in the auction ring. His owner no-saled him at $150. She later sold him for $225to a man who promised he wouldn’t go to kill. He was a lucky boy.
I have no bone to pick with the KB’s who operate in this area. They’re simply cleaning up somebody else’s mess. They buy the castoffs, the horses labeled unwanted, and sell them for a profit. Kind of like a turkey vulture, not too pretty to look at, but necessary to the environment.
The green-broke horses went for $150 and less. The loose horses sold for between $50 to $100.
There were two foals, so scraggly and stunted they looked to only be three to four months old, they sold for $25.
The one which broke my heart was the ’85 AQHA gelding who went straight to the KB for $150. The description the auctioneer read to the audience said he was well broke and had been with the same family for years. Now he was here.
I saw a mare bred by the Quarter Horse ranch I used to ride for. I didn't know the mare, but I recognized the look and when her bloodlines were read it turned out I was right. She was very sharp and broke. She lucked out and was picked up by a private buyer for $495.00
I can’t help but think the way to crawl out of this current mess is for each current or potential horse owner to take responsibility for each horse they own.
Understand these are animals who can easily live into their 30’s. Decide how you are going to do with your horse as they age or if they are injured and made unrideable.
I don't think for a minute horse owners shouldn't have the option to sell their horse. I’m not even saying there isn’t a time when a horse might have to go to a sale. Let’s just start being honest with ourselves about what’s going to happen to our horse once he’s there.
The mare who raised my daughter and worked as a school horse for me for the 20 plus years I owned her came from an auction. She turned up lame off-and-on, which gave me the opportunity to get my hands on her. Annie was never 100% sound, but she was good enough and ended up being a wonderful horse.
With a little research I found she was a T-cross bred mare, had been shown in halter at the stock show as a yearling and was the horse of a top Colorado reining trainer when he was a teen.
When she was too old and sore to be a lesson horse she enjoyed a few years of well cared for retirement. When it was time I had her put down.
For me, this was the right way to respect a horse who had been my friend for so many years. Our relationship was one of the longest and probably the most solid of my life.
I am not my fellow horseman’s judge. I can’t wade through the right and wrong of each person’s decision when it comes to their animals. I do strongly believe each animal we own deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.
I can’t believe selling a horse destined for a long, painful, terrifying journey on a slaughter truck and then killed in a unregulated slaughterhouse is right.
I won’t even denounce taking a horse to a sale. I don’t know what other peoples circumstances are. Things happen.
But take responsibility. Admit there is a high chance your horse will be on the KB truck. Do what you can to prevent it.
Finding a new home for a horse you no longer want can be tough. But it can be done. Be realistic about the current value of your horse. Be willing to take a reduced price to place him appropriately.
The horses at the sale who sold to the private owners had a few consistencies.
They were well trained and mannerly. They were ridden in the arena. They were clean, well-fed and good looking. They were gentle. What saved the 24-year-old paint was his wonderful, kind manner. His wise eyes showed he could babysit the grandkids anytime.
They were broke, broke, broke. If there were papers, they came with the sale. There was a written history by the owners about the horse. With only a few exceptions they were under 15-years-old.
Where I stand now is I will protect the horses I have as best I can. I absolutely will not breed any of my horses. I will geld any stud colts which come my way. If my horse is permanently injured or too old to keep I will put her down.
The cost of euthanizing your horse is not prohibitive, especially when you can get assistance from the Front Range Equine Rescue (http://www.frontrangeequinerescue.org/ ) "End of the Trail" program. They’ll pay up to 50% of your expenses. They also help with gelding costs too, so there are no excuses for unplanned, unwanted babies hitting the ground. Check out "Stop the Backyard Breeder" on their website.
I’m going to make sure my horses are healthy, broke, and understand their life as a service animal. Each one will be a pleasure to be around and a light and responsive ride. If I don’t know how to make these things happen I’m going to get some help.
Having a plan and accepting responsibility for the lives of the horses we value is the only way I can see of ending this mess.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Here's a nice story about finding The Horse, even if it never should have happened.
I have a favor to ask. When you guys send me a story, don't just send me a web page. It's a pain to scan and get it up on the chronicles.....
Anyway, this comes from Rachael at www.gunshorsesandwork.blogspot.com
Dodge.
It has been almost a year since her death. I am still quite shaken by it, she was taken way too soon from me.
I met Dogde (AKA Dukes Angel) sometime in March of last year. When I saw her I though that I could NEVER take her on; she was skinny, overgrown hooves, and needed a stud chain to even walk 2 ft. The first time I saw her lunged, my eyes just about bugged right out of my head. This horse had zero manners unless that chain was snapped.
I had been taking lessons for over a year and at the time, was VERY unprepared for what horse ownership would bring to me. Though, I don't think that mattered because Dodge trampled over my whole life. All I had ridden up to that time was QH's in my lessons since I was at the moment fantasizing about Western style riding. I was fairly certain all I wanted was a QH. From nowhere here comes this large black Tennessee Walker that took me over in no way a person could, not even my husband.
When I first took her on she needed a bath because she had HORRID rain rot from standing in a stall and being just very un-kept for a year. She LOVED her bath, I still remember her quiet eyes just watching me while I bathed. After that day with the bath she quickly calmed down and just waited for me to do anything with her. I then fell in love with her, nothing was going to keep us apart.
I went out the next week and bought a lunge whip, a lead rope with a chain, treats, and called a farrier. I was terrified she had founder, since she had been standing in grossness and her hooves were HORRID. When farrier came out and trimmed saying that she was fine I was beyond relieved. I had clearance to do whatever I wanted with her. I got her on a better feed and she started putting weight on quite fast. We dove right into training, well half-assed training since I really didn't have a clue what I was doing.
Despite being a total newb, I was out at her place every other day mucking her stall, put down fresh shavings, cleaned out her water trough, made sure she had plenty of food, and did all the care for her. She and I became attached to each other quite quickly and I think we both taught each other a lot.
The first time I rode her was the shakiest thing ever as I was completely terrified. She was bareback, I had just put on her bridle, and I expected her to *at least* not throw me off. We went nowhere, but she tolerated me. We did that quite a few times before I moved her to a boarding facility and learned what blood, sweat, and tears really meant.
I got bucked, ran into a wall, bit, totally worn down, broken toe, and a almost smashed in face, but I would do it all again. We worked through so many issues together and the only one I feel bad about was her woah, I gave too many mixed signals and that was the one we never got put together.
I remember our last ride together, her ears pointed forward; doing exactly everything I asked her to. This was the ride I had been working 3 months for. The ride I had always wanted with her, all the way down to opening and closing the gate with me on her back. I still tear up thinking about the last time I was with her, because it was everything I had ever dreamed about as a kid.
The call from my barn owner was one of tears one rainy Sunday morning letting me know that Dodge had passed on in the middle of the night. The autopsy revealed that she had gotten intestinal colic and it ruptured. I spent many nights after she passed questioning what did it and how it happened. I had her pasture boarded since she had been kept in a stall over a year and I just wanted her to be a horse. I had fed her one cup of grain before turning her out after our last ride together, but that was almost 30 minutes after the ride was over and she was cooled out. The vet said it best to me, that sometimes there aren't reasons for losing the ones we love.
If I wasn't going to school these next 2 years I would already have another horse. What she taught me in our time together was beyond what I got in lessons. I gave her everything and she gave it right back to me. I love you Dodge. May you forever rest in peace and know that because of you, I will always own a Tennessee Walker.
I have a favor to ask. When you guys send me a story, don't just send me a web page. It's a pain to scan and get it up on the chronicles.....
Anyway, this comes from Rachael at www.gunshorsesandwork.blogspot.com
Dodge.
It has been almost a year since her death. I am still quite shaken by it, she was taken way too soon from me.
I met Dogde (AKA Dukes Angel) sometime in March of last year. When I saw her I though that I could NEVER take her on; she was skinny, overgrown hooves, and needed a stud chain to even walk 2 ft. The first time I saw her lunged, my eyes just about bugged right out of my head. This horse had zero manners unless that chain was snapped.
I had been taking lessons for over a year and at the time, was VERY unprepared for what horse ownership would bring to me. Though, I don't think that mattered because Dodge trampled over my whole life. All I had ridden up to that time was QH's in my lessons since I was at the moment fantasizing about Western style riding. I was fairly certain all I wanted was a QH. From nowhere here comes this large black Tennessee Walker that took me over in no way a person could, not even my husband.
When I first took her on she needed a bath because she had HORRID rain rot from standing in a stall and being just very un-kept for a year. She LOVED her bath, I still remember her quiet eyes just watching me while I bathed. After that day with the bath she quickly calmed down and just waited for me to do anything with her. I then fell in love with her, nothing was going to keep us apart.
I went out the next week and bought a lunge whip, a lead rope with a chain, treats, and called a farrier. I was terrified she had founder, since she had been standing in grossness and her hooves were HORRID. When farrier came out and trimmed saying that she was fine I was beyond relieved. I had clearance to do whatever I wanted with her. I got her on a better feed and she started putting weight on quite fast. We dove right into training, well half-assed training since I really didn't have a clue what I was doing.
Despite being a total newb, I was out at her place every other day mucking her stall, put down fresh shavings, cleaned out her water trough, made sure she had plenty of food, and did all the care for her. She and I became attached to each other quite quickly and I think we both taught each other a lot.
The first time I rode her was the shakiest thing ever as I was completely terrified. She was bareback, I had just put on her bridle, and I expected her to *at least* not throw me off. We went nowhere, but she tolerated me. We did that quite a few times before I moved her to a boarding facility and learned what blood, sweat, and tears really meant.
I got bucked, ran into a wall, bit, totally worn down, broken toe, and a almost smashed in face, but I would do it all again. We worked through so many issues together and the only one I feel bad about was her woah, I gave too many mixed signals and that was the one we never got put together.
I remember our last ride together, her ears pointed forward; doing exactly everything I asked her to. This was the ride I had been working 3 months for. The ride I had always wanted with her, all the way down to opening and closing the gate with me on her back. I still tear up thinking about the last time I was with her, because it was everything I had ever dreamed about as a kid.
The call from my barn owner was one of tears one rainy Sunday morning letting me know that Dodge had passed on in the middle of the night. The autopsy revealed that she had gotten intestinal colic and it ruptured. I spent many nights after she passed questioning what did it and how it happened. I had her pasture boarded since she had been kept in a stall over a year and I just wanted her to be a horse. I had fed her one cup of grain before turning her out after our last ride together, but that was almost 30 minutes after the ride was over and she was cooled out. The vet said it best to me, that sometimes there aren't reasons for losing the ones we love.
If I wasn't going to school these next 2 years I would already have another horse. What she taught me in our time together was beyond what I got in lessons. I gave her everything and she gave it right back to me. I love you Dodge. May you forever rest in peace and know that because of you, I will always own a Tennessee Walker.
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