Don’t worry, be happy!
Apr 21 2010
Just passing on the news from NickerNews that our former blog topic Alexis Ingraham is going to have her day in court!
Court Date for Alexis Ingraham
I am particularly amused by Ms. Ingraham’s refusal to take these charges seriously. “Asked about the upcoming court date, Alexis Ingraham said, ‘It’s an arraignment. What can I say? I’m not too worried.’”
I can’t figure out if:
1. That is a big word for her and she doesn’t know what it means; or
2. She thinks it is normal and no big deal to be brought up on criminal charges.
Either way, all I can say is what an ODD response. I guess she does not worry about much. She certainly does not worry about her horses starving or having rain rot.  If this is all she has to say for herself, all I can say is that I suspect she will be in a cell sooner or later, wondering what the heck happened and why there’s no cable TV.
My most recent blog entry on Alexis, just in case you missed it.
And an update on the Darlene Wilson horses (latest blog entry here) – so far it sounds like 13 have been surrendered to Ripley’s Horse Aid. They are having a fundraiser for them on May 3rd at Amici Italian Eatery, located at 9807 224th St E in Graham, Washington, between 11 AM and 9 PM. This is about a half-hour from Tacoma. Basically, just go enjoy some great Italian food and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the horses. There will also be a raffle and a silent auction. The restaurant’s owner is a great supporter of rescue and a fabulous horse mom of a natural shod, very happy and healthy Tennessee Walker (among others), so it’s a great place to spend some money!
65 comments to “Don’t worry, be happy!”
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No happy on this subject from here unless the courts imposes more then a wrist slap.
Here in “sunny” So. Calif., an unusual late season cold front is trying to bring us some needed rain. So far, not much rain but lots of wind & cold. My horses who are well into shedding are most surprised at this. Glad I have a barn to stash them in until this is over.
sagebeasties.blogspot.com
You’re right about the wrist slap, OldMorgans. Punishment has to MEAN something in order for it to work. Take away my chocolate, I’ll be good, I PROMISE!
Seriously, people who harm animals need to have meaningful punishments — fines, jail time, community service, SOMETHING that gets them where they live. The slap on the wrist and making them promise to “be better” never works.
Wish we had some junkyard dog judges who make punishments for crimes against children, animals, and the elderly REALLY HURT those who commit them.
Talk about BYBs, I had a student tell me today (this is a 15 year old, mind you) that he had “a boy and a girl horse” and that his day “put them together so they could have puppies” (no, really, puppies ??? )
Oh good God. Aside from gelding a lot more horses, I’m all for gelding a lot more PEOPLE. Introduce a little chlorine to that gene pool.
I once had a thirteen year old girl come into the store where I was working and inform me that her pony had just had a calf.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA OMG puppies and calves……. I’m going to faint from lack of oxygen now I think HAHHAHAHAHA
oops, his dad, not his day
Off topic, but have you seen THIS?
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/04/douglas_spink_accused_zoophile.php
I’m happy this freak may be going away for a while. WTF?
EEEWWW! I hope they put him away for good, someone like that cannot helped.
This is off topic, but I have a seriously issue with my buddy sour. She gets so upset when I lead her pasture mate away for a ride that I tie her up. When tied up she will rear and paw and strike out. I am stumped on what to do with her, but it is near ridiculous how she acts. A friend sent me this video from John Lyons that I feel skeptical about. I’d love to hear how others have calmed their buddy sour horses. I am committed to finding an answer to this question, but don’t expect a cookie cutter response. Below is the link to John Lyon’s approach. Something about it screams wrong to me, but this is a new issue for me. My mare developed this behavioral problem in the last year and a half or so.
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-cure-buddy-sour-horse-separation-anxiety-221795/view/
Whoops, in my editing I see that I left off the last word of the first sentence which is “mare”
I didn’t watch that video, but I’m guessing he said to take your other horse into the pasture and run the complaining horse around ’till he’s drenched in sweat and couldn’t possibly be happier for you and other horse to go away. Yeah, that’s what I reccomend. Yeah, you have to do it almost every ride at first. Or so I’ve heard. My 2 y/o filly would run around and whinny and make a scene when I rode her brother at first. I just ignored her and she quit. I’m guessing I got off easy.
Gosh, Amigo. Pretty harsh words for someone who hasn’t seen the John Lyons video. While I am not a JL certified trainer, I have followed his methods for nearly 20 years, and have had incredible success with them. His exercises to help a buddy sour horse are full of common sense and gentleness, without letting the horse get worked up and upset. It’s to PREVENT them getting worked up and upset.. how are you going to have a horse that is confident and also respectful by running them into the ground as you described? I find it interesting that you can make such a generalization after even admitting you haven’t seen it. Please do not lump ALL natural horsemanship people/training together! “Making the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard” can be done in many ways.. and, like every other interpretation of a phrase, is done in widely differing manners amongst differing people.
I apologize. I have every respect for John Lyons and his training. I was serious, though. I am a Clinton Anderson follower (for the most part) and that is what I’ve heard him say (in my own words of course). No one has yet posted what the video actually said, so….my bad.
I did watch the video and I see nothing wrong with this approach if you have the time to commit to it. I had a mare like this and used to tie her up to a very sturdy tree limb above her head so basically all she could do was safely move around, and I would practice leaving and coming back. Eventually she got the point. I thought for sure from your concern that he was going to suggest a shock collar or something. He did stress safety pretty clearly. There are different approaches to different problems. You’ll have to figure out which one works the best with your horse. I have also read on this blog where people buy goats or other companion animals for buddy sour horses but that really doesn’t solve the problem for the sour horse. I also took the sour horse out by herself whenever I could. That helped her too. She was usually fine going out but wanted to rush back to the barn on the way back. We got a lot of practice turning a circle and stopping facing away from the barn and then only proceeding when she settled down.
Hrm.
I know how to handle buddy sourness on larger properties (horses in different fields and not stalled next to each other) or under saddle. I’m somewhat at a loss as to how to make her think being left alone in the field isn’t so bad after all. Sorry.
If you follow all of his instructions as regards the safe fence that the other horse cannot jump over and ride the horse over which you have the most control, I can see this method working. He does mention having to do it two or three hundred times, so it isn’t simply a case of jumping on your horse and going off on a ride. You are going to have to apply quite a lot of time and patience and have super safe and non-jumpable fences for the other horse. You are not going to fix this in one session.
I find it incredible that anyone should be surprised that a horse objects to being left on it’s own.
Horses are herd animals, if you isolate one and leave it on it’s own it thinks it is being singled out to be eaten!
Get another horse.
Simples.
You do not need a huge one, pasture an old pony in with the two “friends”, then you will be able to take either one out without concern.
The JL video?
I would really, really not recommend trying to ride out of a field that has a horse going bonkers in it!!!!!
Apart form that, nothing new, just common sense, but it is not the answer. Another horse is the answer.
Another alternative to consider for lonely horse issues is actually to get a goat or two…make sure they are of one of the more affectionate and easy to handle breeds and are either females or wethers (You don’t want a billy unless you’re breeding…they musk). Nubians are excellent.
Goats and horses generally get on well and goats have one other advantage. They eat plants horses don’t like. Goats will cheerfully consume the tough, weedy plants horses won’t eat that can take over your pasture, leaving space for the nice sweet grass. (Although watch out, I’ve known them to also cheerfully consume clothing left within their reach).
I think that the best punishment would be community service that she must do. Proper, useful, helpful to the community service and lots of it. It would help the community and hopefully allow her to re-evaluate her life and how she runs it. So not just punishment, but ideally also improving the person so that they can become a better citizen.
I like the idea of community service as a part of the punishment for animal abusers. I think they should put them to work in a rescue or shelter, caring for animals that have been abused, day after day, until it sinks in that they are living, breathing, feeling, thinking creatures who experience pain and misery just as acutely as we do. At minimum, hour-for-hour for the number of hours that animals under their care were being abused or neglected. If a vet says it took 6 months of neglect for their horse to get in such bad shape, that equates to 4,380 hours. Per animal. 24 hours of service, per animal, per day.
Either that, or put them to work digging ditches or breaking rocks for minimum wage and use their earnings to fund the rehab of the animals they abused.
I hope there is a special place in hell (and JAIL) for Alexis.
Re the John Lyons idea of fixing the buddy sour horse, it might be the 3-400 times he says that seems odd. That would be one long ride if he means in one session!
Rewatch–he says NOT a quick fix-gonna take TIME–have a SAFE fence– If you listen and watch you can learn something from anybody—sometimes it’s what not to do.. However,I think this method would work..
It’s funny how all those round bales are brand spanking new. Those horses are eating like a horse that doesn’t get food put in front it reliably. They’re too intent. Check out this:
http://www.myfoxmaine.com/news/85383292.html
http://www.wabi.tv/news/10063/horse-care-in-clinton-questioned
Horses only eat like this when they are starving. In South Dakota I used round bales and my horses never just stood there and ate. Not like these horses. Since the round bale was there 24/7…they grazed it. Nice and slow and relaxed. Not frantically.
40 horses is too many for just 2 people. Even if they were Superman and Wonder Woman, 40 is too many for 2. Especially on that small looking piece of property.
As I’ve said before, I am baffled by why people even want to have 40. Holy crap, that’s like my nightmare. 160 feet to pick, not my idea of a good time. Can you imagine the hay bill? It’s not like you can brush that many. Why, people, why?
Probably because they DON’T pick out 160 hooves? Or buy quality hay, or get frequent vet check-ups, shots, farrier visits, etc.
Completely off topic, but have you checked out the forums at horsechannel.com? There are some real gems over there…
I quite agree. I have 6 horses, and nothing else to do with my time right now. And I still find it difficult to excersise 4 a day. 40 horses? No thank you.
If you really want to have access to that many horses, go work at a large barn
.
I think it takes about a worker to horse ratio of 1 to 4 to look after a big herd correctly. About.
Grr. I can’t type. I meant 1 to 8.
I think I can do 8 correctly assuming I do not have another job. MAYBE 10 but 10 is pushing it for me. And I’m pretty fast.
That said, I have been up to 10 in recent years and paying for 10 was way too much. Am now down to 5 and staying there!
I’m talking more about staffing levels at larger barns. At lesson barns, you can actually go higher…the workers at the barn I ride at, I’ve seen one person feed 30 horses in an hour, which is not bad going…because the staff only have to exercise those horses that need extra work/training…most of the work of exercising is being done by clients. For one person alone, I’d say 5-6 is a better limit, as you can’t do economies of scale…the walk down the aisle and toss a flake of hay into every stall on the way past system is faster per horse the more horses you have
.
As regards constantly eating, my Thoroughbred who was a starving horse when I first met him will still stand at a round bale and eat constantly. I offered to buy him as soon as I saw him, but did not have the opportunity to do so until later when he had gained weight. (His then owner was threatened, helped and bullied into correcting his weight.) His weight went up to normal, then some people took him on trial and mistreated him. I saw him, the owner was contacted, he was taken away from them and sold to me. That’s why he was under-weight, lame (hoof abscess) and covered in welts (after being beaten up by another horse) when I bought him. It’s been five years and he still cannot leave a round bale alone. I cannot help wondering what sort of mental scars a horse gets from being starved. If he ever goes off his feed, it’s time to call the vet.
I agree with you. I personally don’t feed round bales but my good friend does and her horses go nuts when they bring it in. Then they stand there with their heads buried in it until it is gone and the next one comes. My spoiled brats pick at their good quality hay but they are out on grass 12 hours a day too.
I had a mare that way too. Funny thing was she wasn’t emaciated when I got her, but she had recently been turned over to the people who sold her to me so I think they may have put weight on her. She needed about 100-150lbs (at 16.2hh) which is bad, but by far not the worst we all know a horse can be. Someone must have really starved her because she was one of the easiest keepers I have ever seen. But she would gorge herself! She would eat with the gusto of a horse that had been deprived food for days on end, it was like she would go into a panic if she knew it was feeding time. Not normal feeding excitement, not even food aggression (she was never aggressive about anything) this was full-blown panic about getting food! It’s been 12 years and the family she is with now say she has gotten a little better but not much.
BTW- She has one of the coolest stories of any horse I’ve had. I wanted to keep her as my personal trail horse but we just didn’t get along. I’d always heard about some people and horses just not clicking together but never experienced it until her-this mare just did not like me! Nearly every ride was a battle. I noticed she loved kids though and started letting them ride her in the arena and eventually on the trail. She loved it! I finally made the decision to donate her to a theraputic riding school where they just fell in love with her, she was amazing with the children. An autistic boy really took to her and at 12 years old his first word was her name, “Fancy”. She is now free-leased to that family at their home (they bought horse property and a companion horse just to get her) and that boy takes remarkable care of her. I know she has a forever home and she has brought life changes and so much joy to an entire family. Now that is a happy ending any neglected horse deserves!
I love this story
Just my personal opinion. But it could be just like people who have been starved. Some horde their food and are afraid to eat it because they are afraid there isn’t going to be anymore or the exact opposite…they eat all the food when ever it’s available, whether they are hungry or not…just because they aren’t sure when their next meal will be. Regardless if, like your horse, they are being fed regularly. Like an elephant…they never forget. Sad isn’t it. Glad you were able to get your TB in the long run. Sucks that he had to go through what he went though to get to you. I bet you are thankful that you have him now.
If he buys them in that condition,he should have recepts/some kind of record of purchase…
http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/animal_cruelty_06.pdf
This 60 page book should be required reading for all Judges, Prosecutors, Animal cruelty investigators and humane law enforcement agents everywhere, involved in an animal cruelty cases. It was written by Dr. Randall Lockwood, Ph.D. for the American Prosecutors Research Institute, the non-profit research, training and technical assistance affiliate of the National District Attorneys Association and is found on the National District Attorneys Association website.
As I was reading this I almost forgot that this was based on research and not about one of the perpetrators that has been previously discussed on fhotd blog’s. Lockwood’s physiological analysis of animal cruelty perpetrators was spot on.
“Such studies support the popular notion that perpetrators of animal cruelty are likely to be involved in many and varied offenses. Often the animal cruelty offenses will be among the easiest to prove and may potentially carry some of the most serious consequences for the offender.â€
Please inform the people that this information was intended to educate in your area. This may help change the prospective of those charged with upholding the current cruelty laws and better understand the seriousness of said crimes and give them better investigative techniques.
I can just imagine the dumb look on her face as she said it too.
I think that we have allowed the “unrulies” to get away with wrist slaps too much….
http://www.neatorama.com/2010/04/17/30804/
And maybe we should go ahead and bring back thumb screws, the yards, chains, and sort of punishment that sticks with you like molasses to an igloo. The problem is the most that criminals have to fear is a warm place to sleep, cable tv, weight rooms and an eternity of free time. I know jail is no holiday but when you haven’t been there and you’re young and stupid you don’t realize that.
“sticks to you like molasses to an igloo” OMG I almost fell out of my chair! Never heard that line before!! Hilarious comparison!!!
Previously my only molasses analogy was “Slower than molasses in February.” Which would be the phrase I use to describe whatever slow-plodding horse I get stuck behind on a trail ride…
Well, its one of those southern things my great grandmother would say about things like gravy and grits and good home cooked meals. I have found several of her charming phrases useful as I get older like “bout as useful as varmit scat” and “More difficult than a polish bred mule” Im not exaclty sure what was meant by this one. I just figured it had some thing to do with the pollack jokes and mules being stubborn. I love to throw out a “You kids are noisier that a gaggle of geese in feedbag full o mice” when my kids are wound up. They always stop and give me a what the heck did she just say? look.
So you are welcome
Well let’s just hope the prosocuter in this case decides to throw the book at her. He/she should have no problem witnesses against her, starting with the owner of that stallion she starved in 2002. Her animal neglect is about as well-known as Fausty’s extra-cirricular activities.
OT but I wonder if this person has heard of the blue-eyed horse registry, since his owner thinks eye color is such a selling point:
http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/grd/1701558353.html
Now that’s knocking yourself out for a good advertisement. Can’t be bothered to take off the fly mask.
Does anyone get that feeling reading these Ads that your just not dealing with the cream of the crop? Doesn’t this occur to these people who post these Ads. I mean – Go back and read it. Does it sound appealing?
Nine out of ten of these Ads sound like they originated straight out of a trailer court. Is there no self awareness any longer? Do you want to be seen like you never went beyond 7th grade? It’s SO sad.
I thought this blue eyed horse association was a joke, but they are serious aren’t they?
I just love the photoshopped blue eye in the horse next to their logo….
http://www.chasenit.com/page19.php
Someone isn’t smart enough to take down her networking profiles yet:
http://www.hs.facebook.com/gogopony7
http://www.myspace.com/Honeybeesbabe
Oh, Alexis. Maybe someday you’ll learn.
How freakin’ awesome the bitch is knocked up. Because her genetic line is one worth preserving.
I agree with others, the justice system is not making punishment severe enough. People are clearly not afraid or worried about the law if they are taking is as lightly as such. Maybe they should go back to hanging? kidding, but it was a thought, right?
http://www.ocala.com/article/20100421/ARTICLES/4211008
Not sure if anyone has seen this one, this was in Ocala, FL. Some guy was hoarding around 700 animals, about 400 were saved, over 300 were dead. Evidently this guy had a booth at our local Flea Market where my daughter works. Everyone seemed shocked that he had this many animals and was neglecting them so badly. All they could say was what a NICE guy he was…he has been Baker Acted evidently…
Dear God. The parrot in the caption photo is the spitting image of my parrot Buddy. My spouse-like unit found him 25 years ago, nearly frozen, clinging to the engine of a parked Harley in the middle of December – someone probably let him out of their highrise because they couldn’t take his screaming anymore. For every beast that’s saved, there are so many not so lucky.
P.S. Buddy is still alive & kicking & screaming & protecting my rescue cat Tummie.
Until there are stiffer penalties for animal abuse, people will continue to do it. Increase the jail time, fines, and severity of the charges. I have to comment on the 40 horses too. I have four at home right now and am responsible for caring for three of them (the fourth is the hubby’s), and my evenings/weekends are full with providing proper care/exercise to three! Of course I work full time too. I can imagine having a few more if I didn’t have to work but to me it gets overwhelming and that is good because I will not turn into one of “those people.”
Alexis appears to me to be the kind of slob who wears smelly soiled undergarments on a regular basis, and has the IQ of a maggot.
Off topic but here is a real winner I found on craigslist: I have a horse that i is just over two years old now. It is a stallion so he would have to be gelded but that doesn’t cost much and he is not registered so he does not have papers. I got him from an older lady that lived in Wisconsin last spring who could no longer care for him. He is a appaloosa/quarter horse mix, his dad was 16 hands and was full appaloosa and his mom was part appaloosa and quarter and she was 15 hands. He is just green broke though, he is good at leading and he does load into a trailer but we haven’t done that since last fall so he might be a little stubborn with that. We have had kids on him bare back and lead him around and we have had a sattle on him but only a couple times. He had his shots and coggins done last fall. He is a great horse that is easy to get attached to and i wouldn’t be getting him a new home but i am moving away and cant bring him with. I am looking for only people who are serious about taking him and giving him a good home he is a great horse and i just don’t want him sitting in a pasture and not getting taken care of properly. i would like to get a re homing fee of $500 dollars for him but that is negotiable so email me with any questions at jacobmusker@hotmail.com or call me at 763-350-1522. thanks! http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/pet/1657135495.html
Hmph. At least he cared enough to get him his shots and coggins, and at least reccomend gelding. That puts him one rung above most of the CL catastrophes. Riding a two year-old does not though, and neither does putting children on a stud bareback.
I can’t stand the words “re-homing fee”. Unless you are a legit rescue call it what it is and that is a sale. No shame in that, people do it every day.
The phrase “re-homing fee” being used by private owners selling an animal irks me about as much as pro-slaugher people saying “unwanted horses” or making excuses for common street thugs by refering to them as “culturally challenged”. Enough already! Call a spade a spade!
Re-homing fee started when Craigslist did not allow animal sales. Now they do, it’s just that you have to put them in the farm & garden section, not pets. It was a euphemism designed to keep the ads from being flagged.
They still do it in pets because CL doesn’t let you sell dogs/cats. $2000 re-homing fee my you-know-what!
I had heard it started on CL but I have seen it popping up other places too. Do they think is sounds better that “I am selling this animal I claim to love so dearly?” No shame in selling if you have/want to, just don’t understand why they don’t call it that. Especially with horses on CL since you are allowed to sell them unlike cats and dogs.
Hi – OT, RE Injectable antibiotic EXCEDE caused horse death: a friend of mine in CA forwarded this to me. I checked and the FDA just approved this drug in 2/2010 for use in Horses…
also posted on FLa horse forum:
Heartbreaking story. I have not heard of this one.
Karen
DANGER new antibiotic
Here is an email I received this AM, passed on by a vet tech friend:
SOS to all horse owners.
I lost my noble friend, XEROX, my grey 16year old mare this weekend. She had a healing face wound, and had been getting SMZs orally as an antibiotic. My vet suggested an injectable antibiotic that would be administered every 4 days. After her 2nd injection, she stopped eating, 2days later had severe diarrhea,and died with acid reflux bloody mouth. VERY SAD. My vet researched the drug after she died.
According to W.S.U this drug is causing diarrhea and acid reflux in horses. Although it has been around in the dairy industry for years but only “pushed on horses for a couple of months.”
it is: EXCEDE, manufactured by Pfizer . pass it on.
OMG this just popped up on CL and I have to share! 40 horses, they have to “lighten their load”. No Shit. Someone please PLEASE tell me my eyesight is going and the 2 horses in the second picture are not standing in front of that box truck eating sliced white bread off the ground. Sad part is I think I know who this is, and if I’m right I’m not surprised in the least.
http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/grd/1704998764.html
Holy CRAP. Yes, that is indeed what they are eating.
WTF. Seriously.
Off topic, but can someone in the Humboldt area (NW Cali) rescue this mare?
http://humboldt.craigslist.org/grd/1704638554.html
UMM, why (if the ad states she can’t be ridden because of arthritis), is there a large picture of her being ridden at a working trot???
I am so glad that my Thoroughbred belongs to me. Last week I saw him for the first time since sending him to a retirement horse farm. He came straight up to me and plonked his head on my shoulder and was so very pleased to see me.
I hadn’t thought about it in a long time but remembered that I was a starved teenager. I weighed 100lb (45kg) which for other 5’4″ (163cm) teenagers might be a normal weight, but for me it meant that nearly all my ribs were visible, as were both bones in my forearm if I twisted my hand and the bones in my elbows. This wasn’t the result of a diet. Just simply a lack of food. I was a chubby child and weighed less at fifteen than I did when I was ten. The effect that it has had is that the word diet sends me off to eat. I cannot read a diet magazine without eating, so I no longer buy them. Oh well that is life and now I am a chubby middle-aged woman.
I think the real problem is that the authorities need to start doing their job and not letting things get to the point where horses (or any animals) are dropping dead in their tracks.
For example, they get a call that horses are underweight/neglected. Owner says they just got the horse(s)? ASK FOR PROOF! Don’t have proof, take a few minutes to ask the neighbors how long the animals have been there. Don’t assume just because there’s hay on the property the animals are eating. If no one gets off their ass and gives it to them they aren’t (and you know that happens). If the animls need vet/farrier care give the owners a deadline to get it done. Finally, FOLLOW UP!! In a week, 2 weeks, not months later when they get another call that there are dead horses rotting in the field. It should NEVER get that far when someone has filed a report.
And, for God’s sake, don’t tell me animal control can’t afford to hire enough people to do it. I work for the city I live in (not in animal control- public library) and the money I see wasted is just ridiculous! I don’t know what these people are thinking (reminds me of a keychain I saw once, “I’m trying to see things from your point of view, but I can’t get my head that far up my ass”!) It should be a priority.
so glad to see on her myspace that she is pregnant. with a girl. do you think she’ll feed the baby or be too busy playing on the internet?
WHERE IS THAT HORSE IN THE PICTURE LOCATED? HOW OLD ARE THEY? COULD IT BE CHESTNUT UNDER ALL THAT DIRT (I can cerainly imagine so) There is a horse at the RDA I volunteer at that looks exactly like that. It has that same huge fugly head, the same blaze, the same scar across where its noseband should sit. She lifts her head in the same way when scratched. The conformation (from what I can see of it, blanket, dirt and all) its the same. Wouldn’t it be interesting if they were related? If anyone knows anything about that horse, please respond to my post.