A Day at The Auction
Sep 01 2011
I hate auctions. I hate the little ones, the big ones, the “good ones,” and especially the “bad ones.”
No matter the reputation of the sale barn, the look of terror in the horses eyes is always the same. I can only imagine how it feels to these horses, but in my mind I see a herd animal alone, a claustrophobic animal in a pit, a prey animal surrounded by the glittering eyes of predators.
Up until agreeing to take on this blog I avoided auctions like the plague.
I now feel there is a responsibility here. I’m going to have to explore the world of auctions, kill buyers and rescue at a higher level than I’ve done before.
I’m starting by attending every monthly horse sale in Calhan CO. and learning as much as I can about the process, the people, and the horses which get caught up in this horrible side of the equine world.
It will take me time to infiltrate the ins and outs of this dumping ground for animals which spend their lives pressed into our service, but I plan on sharing each step of the way.
I attended my first sale in many years while researching a column last winter. Most of the horses were pretty darn fugly. There were late summer/early fall born foals, old broodies, broken down kid horses and lots of lame ones. Their weight went from pretty good to starving.
This month’s auction was a whole different story.
I was reminded of an article I covered on the housing market and foreclosures a few years back. It was explained to me foreclosures generally went in three waves.
The first wave is comprised of the people already on the edge. Folks who could barely keep up their payments,or had over mortgaged themselves, or had managed to land a loan they couldn’t afford to keep.
The second wave was made up of houses owned by people who lost their jobs and didn’t have the savings to ride the wave, or the people who had to move and couldn’t sell their homes. Young people owning their first house were hit the hardest.
The third wave was where the tale of the current economy would unfold. In this wave the houses being foreclosed on were owned by long term home owners who had managed to hang on for quite a while. These were the homes of responsible people who had standard loans, emergency funds and good solid credit. They were the people who had hung on by their toenails until they couldn’t hang on any more.
This auction was the third wave.
All of the horses, except one poor old dude horse, were in good flesh, most had healthy feet and a well cared for appearance. They weren’t just broke, most had some quality training, some had a lot. By their demeanor and patient acceptance of the situation they were in the horses seemed like they had been appreciated and treated well until now, some had obviously been loved.
The kill buyers sat on their hands, waiting for the loose stock. I don’t know how that went, I was too shook to stay and watch. I’m going to get to where I can make it to the end, but I didn’t last week.
This first horse was the high sale of the day at $1350. He was a Silky Fox, Dry Doc,2006 AQHA gelding. I saw a little soreness in his left front, it could have been why he was being sold or it could have been from his newly trimmed feet.
If I had been looking for a sharp looking riding horse I would have taken the chance. He had a great handle on him and had been used in the cattle yard for the previous eight days.
This bothered me on so many levels I can’t keep count. These little boys were selling their ponies because they outgrew them.
I have no problem with teaching our children to accept the realities of horse ownership and I have no problem with selling a horse when the situation calls for it.
But taking two loved ponies to the local sale? This father is teaching his boys to dump their pets when they no longer want them. He’s devaluing a relationship he should have been nurturing and teaching these boys a callousness they don’t need or deserve.
For the money they made, $45 and $50 consecutively, I would think the ponies could have been given to another set of ranch kids who needed to get started in the horse world. Teaching these boys to pass on their pets to a good home with, oh I don’t know, an agreement to either rehome them in another good place when the next set of kids outgrew them, or to give them back, would have gone a long way to teaching these boys real responsibility, with a little bit of kindness thrown in.
The boy with the chestnut was proud and cold through the whole sale, his brother spent the whole afternoon holding back tears.
I wanted to own this gelding. A flea-bitten gray 7-year-old grade ranch horse, he was neither a color I’m fond of or the build I look for. It didn’t matter. He was soft, kind, solid and calm. Broke to death, he turned with precision and kept one ear on the crowd and the other on his rider through the entire bidding process. I fell a little bit in love.
He was lucky, he was picked up by a family for $375.
I NEEDED this AQHA yearling filly so bad I got sick to my stomach. She is everything I look for in a prospect. From her kind eye, friendly and calm nature, to her build and color, I wanted this horse. Being a grown-up and aware of my income realities I sat and watched her go for $120.
This palomino 2009 AQHA registered stud colt was kind of halter broke. He sold for $240.What would he have brought if he was gelded and handled?
Finally, watching the sale of these three horses just tore me up. At first I was inclined to laugh at the old guy who rode them in. I didn’t get the tiny little saddle at all.
Then I watched his face as he rode his lovely, broke-to-ride broodmares, and saw the sadness going deeper with every low bid.Every time someone raised the bid another five dollars he winced, as if he was being struck between the shoulders.He stayed steady and showed his horses well.
The single mare was a 1993 registered saddlebred mare. She had a successful show career on the east coast and had had 7 healthy foals. She sold for $250.
The mare and colt were registered NSH. The 9-year-old mare had been used on his ranch, she would work cattle, was solid on the trail, and could be roped off of. Her colt was a gelded yearling and champion sired. He was started using Parelli methods and was gentle and easy to catch.
Histories and papers were in order.
The mare sold for $500, her colt for $135.
At the end of the bidding the old man rubbed his colt’s neck and we could see him say, “I’m going to miss you.”
His shoulders slumped and he couldn’t find the gate to leave the arena. He left his tiny little saddle in the dirt.
Other horses I noted and didn’t get photos of:
17-year-old john mule, broke to pack, not ride. $25.
Cute, sound 3-year-old green broke grade gelding, broke to pack in the mountains. $195
10-year-old,trail broke in the mountains, dun BLM mustang, complete with stripes and frosting in his “Spirit” mane. $150. – So much for government protection.
Thin, 17-7ear-old palomino dude horse gelding. $95
One owner, 15-year-old Dash for Cash barrel racer. Severe arthritis in her knees. Does this make you as sick as it does me? $150
Very fat, broke and foundered AQHA 1998 mare. Her breeding saved her, she’s a Rocky Mountain Major daughter. Now she gets to go on with a life in pain, just like a Pez dispenser,popping out one baby after another that nobody will buy. $750.
One bright spot: There was a total of 63 horses sold. The monthly numbers have been dropping steadily over the past year. Are things starting to finally even out? I hope so.
149 comments to “A Day at The Auction”
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While I agree that there are other ways to sell a horse than through an auction, I love going to auctions when I’m looking for a horse because a lot of times you can get good horses cheap (as in the old man’s horses).
If the auction house that you attend is anything like the ones near me, you can go back and look at the horses and their papers before the auction. I regularly do this because it gives me a chance to assess the horses before they come out, and I can pick up on things like a BLM standing in a pen. If you see this in the future, simply call the state department of ag or of the USDA and report it, or tell someone at the auction house, because you are not supposed to sell a BLM at an auction (private party yes, auction house no).
I kind of wish that the auction houses didn’t have such a bad reputation as they do right now, because when I was a little kid the auctions were the place to go to get a horse, with the cheapest still over $1000. Maybe if our economy would ever get better than we wouldn’t be seeing poor prices for our horses.
This information is smewhat inaccurate. Mustangs adopted from the BLM remain “property of” the BLM until title is issued to the adopter. Once the title issues the horse is owned by the adopter and can be sold, given away or traded in the same manner as any horse under private ownership. Adopters with untitled animals are not allowed to transfer the animals custody (sell, give away or trade). Freezemarks of Mustangs at auction should (in theory) always be checked to identify the horse and determine whether it is titled or not. Unfortunately in my experience the freezemarks are not often checked by the auctions around here.
I feel like you’re speaking a slightly different language or something. Bad reputation? Who do you think is buying hundred dollar horses, the Keebler Cookie Elves?
I don’t think anyone would criticize someone for buying at auction, but if you sell at one today, you should be aware that even nice horses are going straight to meat.
I have zero’d in on the kill buyers. They were waiting for the loose horses. They aren’t subtle.
Its interesting to hear you say that they waited for the loose stock. Up here in Indiana, our killers bid throughout the sale. Many of them are also dealers, so they buy whatever they can get for a low price, sort through to see which ones will take a saddle, or just need a good grooming in order to make more money, and then ship the rest. Our dealers are bidding throughout the sale, although frequently they recognize when a ‘good one’ is going through, and I’ve seen a few of these toughies actually realize that some kid desperately wants one of the sale horses, and they let it go and don’t bid. On the other hand, the ‘kill’ or loose stock part of the sale seems to attract a whole lot of private buyers or ‘rescues’ who will bid on anything that goes through that portion of the sale, in an effort to save them.
I have struggled with my feelings on auctions for years. The reality isn’t pretty, but one very NICE part of auctions is that it makes it pretty hard to hide a poorly cared for animal. A skinny, sick horse at the sale barn is there for the world to see, and it doesn’t take long for word to get around about who is responsible for that particular animal. Twice I’ve had to go talk to the owner of the barn, because his employees would let a horse into the barn that was clearly not going to make it– once the horse in question was in a back pen, standing spraddle legged and throwing up, with liquid running out his nose. I believe they managed to put the horse down that time– I don’t know if the auction owner simply bought the horse and had the vet euth it, or how he got around the legalities.
While the temptation is to ask why such a horse was allowed at an auction, I think the real question is this: What kind of an owner is too damn cheap to put a bullet in that horse’s head, and what kind of owner would rather haul the horse in a trailer to a sale barn, instead of letting it die in peace?
I could be wrong, I am not familiar with the auction world, I just know who the local KB are and they defiitely weren’t bidding. I know the primary rescue that haunts the auctions is full to the brim and not coming at the moment.
Could it be the market is so saturated they’re only filling the truck?
It’s a good question. I don’t know if our location makes a difference (close to Canada), or just the type of sale barn, or what. I doubt you were wrong– it’s more likely that sale barns in different areas may operate differently.
Perhaps the horse was having an episode of choke? horses can’t vomit. But whatever was wrong with the poor thing clearly should be been treated sooner, how sad.
Could have been choke, or could have been a colic moments away from death. Sometimes they will reflux like that (spontaneous without a tube passed) when they are about to die. So sad about that poor horse.
As arabtrainer said– while horses can’t technically vomit, this was reflux, or a total lack of a gag reflex, or whatever it was… there was no mistaking that this horse was going down. My assumption was that it was total lack of control on the horse’s part, coupled with head hanging low and God only knows what sickness or issue it had.
Kill buyers in my area don’t wait for anything other than buying a horse that will make them money. We usually have at least one bidding and they take turns so they don’t bid the price up against each other, isn’t that nice. Often they have big semi rigs with horses already on board and they know exactly what they want to buy to ‘finish ‘ the load. For those folks who think slaughter is needed so there is a ‘place’ for old, skinny, crippled horses to go…think again. They do like those 2yo’s that they can send to feed lots like cattle and the young one are less apt to be drug loaded. Yes there are feed lots in the US and Canada.
Most kill buyers also have connections with dealers and will let them know if there is a possible good rider on board. It’s quite the network.
At high end auction/sales they also have ‘friends’ who will buy for them so the place doesn’t get a ‘reputation’.
People would be surprised at how skilled some kill buyers are, shrewd people. I do hear it’s getting tough to make money as in the past due to fuel and health regulations.
You’re correct. Most kill buyers actually prefer the young, healthy, hardy horses.
They have more meat and they are more likely to survive. A lot of people don’t understand that it’s not only the lame, old, injured and ill that go to slaughter.
http://www.operationhorserescue.blogspot.com
I like, Mugs, that you take photos at the auctions instead of just posting lists the way Fugly 1.0 did (Sorry, Cathy, I still love you).
Somebody needs to buy the flaxen-maned Shetland-y pony and find him a nice, smart looking set of harness and a little cart. I firmly believe ALL ponies under about 13.2 should be broken to harness, at least the basics, as it distinctly increases their value and decreases their chance of ending up in a place like this, and that one, more than the taller chestnut, is most definitely the type that would look good put to the right set of wheels.
If I was going to buy anything, it would be either that pony or the black and white mare. It seems Mugs lives in a rather western-focused part of the country?
Ya think? I am just a little on the hick side, I’ve got to admit..
Thank you for this! I was wondering how the market “out there” was…I hope you’re right about things tapering off.
This was too tragic.
This made me tear up. I’m sorry you are going to have to continue going to these sort of auctions. The NSH part hit especially hard, as that is my breed of choice- not that any of those horses deserved this. I’m angry at the father of those two little boys. In my family, taking care of the pets always came first, and it was drilled into my head that horses are a lifetime commitment (which is why I only own one, and can’t buy any more until I finish my Masters). I’m not going to begrudge people selling a horse that they have outgrown, because I do think horses that are in work and have a purpose are the happiest, but they should have been looking for a good home, not dumping them at auction with a stranger.
A good reminder that there are still so many horses in need, but a tough article to read (and I’m certain to write).
Yeah, the kids’ dad makes me MAD.
Kid-safe ponies are GOLD!!!
Weirdly, they’re also usually really cheap or free, except for super fancy hunter ponies of course.
Also, I’ve never understood why someone with a decent amount of land didn’t just KEEP their ponies. It’s not like they usually need much beyond pasture & basic vet/farrier care, a grazing muzzle, and love. They’re also handy to have around when families with little kids come to visit, if only to love on, brush & braid.
The woman who cares for my two horses (one retired gelding and one red headed mare) supports her daughter’s show horses by caring for others’ horses and doing it well. She also sets a wonderful example for her daughter as they still own every single one of her daughter’s fancy show ponies; the small, the medium and the large (and all of them went to Pony Finals at least once). She will lease them for the show season to the right person. One is currently free leased to a therapuetic riding center. But she refuses to sell them because she is afraid something bad will happen to them. Needless to say, I love this woman.
Man, I gotta stop reading this at work! I got to the section about the little boy choked up over selling his pony, and I choked up, too. Oh, it’s just allergies. Yeah, allergies! I wonder if his daddy and brother lectured and/or teased him about his affection for his pony–told him to “grow up” or called him a sissy. I was raised in that environment, too–animals are equipment, to be used and maintained, but then disposed of when they are no longer useful, or start costing money. Poor little kid.
I hope that kid never has compassion completely beaten out of him.
You’ve made me cry.
Wow Mugs, your post just broke my heart, especially the old man and his broodies. I wonder how long he held out before having to take them there, especially knowing they were breeds that wouldn’t be popular. I too would have taken the grey; he looks like a great mount with a great attitude. I am amazed that you were able to walk away without anything!
Watching the loose horses is heartbreaking as well, sometimes they are the ones I have the hardest time walking away from as they are crippled or unhandled and I love a good challenge. Put your game face on when you start watching that part.
It sounds like this sale isn’t too bad. Here in WA we have a sale barn who is owned by a kill buyer. Despite the fact that according to state law it is illegal for the auctioneer to bid, he routinely bids over individuals, even when they are standing in the seats yelling and waving that they aren’t done bidding. He puts the horses in the kill pen and then puts a 300% markup on them to resell to the public through a group of people who he allows to list the horses. The group means well but he is making a mint on taking advantage of them, even while bad mouthing the “bleeding hearts” during the sale.
I’m with you, the old man and his loved, cared-for horses just wrecked me. The kids with the ponies? Let’s hope someday the little boy holding back tears will grow up, realize why what happened was wrong, and become a voice for change. Hey, there’s always room for optimism and there might even be a day when his brother the cold one looks back and regrets.
I think your parallel between the housing market and the horse situation is spot on. What worries me is that it’s becoming more established that part of the solution of the housing crisis is going to be to drastically reduce available stock of real estate. I love horses, dearly, but they are a luxury, at least under the current financial model (yes, once they were an absolute necessity, though still expensive). Wouldn’t it be nice if someone out there devises a model of horse ownership (horse-sharing, more properly operated and financed liveries?) that would keep more of us horse-crazy folk from getting in too deep?
I’ll go back to sniffling over the old man and his horses. Damn it.
I’m a horseless rider. There were always plenty of us and now there’s more than ever. We can only fantasize about the chance to share a horse. The problem with leases is that they’re for a limited time… Horse-sharing is an option I know many people would be interested in.
I find it hard to believe there aren’t a LOT of horses out there looking for a rider. I have a QH mare I’d ‘share’ with a nice, experienced person in a heartbeat in exchange for help with chores. I’ve found that there are more horses looking for riders in my area than riders looking for horses. Occasionally you’ll see an ad from a gal looking for a free lease of a made horse, must be 16H + and jump 4′, those are going to be harder to find. I’ll bet if you run a well-written ad in CL you could find yourself a ride!
I’m glad this is your job, not mine. I can’t go to the auctions anymore. I feel sick just reading the reports. Maybe part of it is that 2 of our horses were in danger of going to low-end auctions when we bought them, and one other was in the KB pen when a friend “rescued” her. I wish I could save them all, especially the foals.
I’m not quite clear on the hatred of auctions. Like wise I don’t really see the difference between putting them through the auction or putting them on the internet such as Dreamhorse or Horseclicks.
Either way you really don’t know where they are going unless you completely check out the buyer of your horse. And how thoroughly do you check them out? Call their vet? Actually go to their home and see how the horse will be kept? Watch how they handle your horse and their other horses? Ask for references? All of the above? And even then you have no idea how long they will keep your horse and who they will sell him to.
I’d be willing to bet very few of you who have sold horses have done the above.
Or are we expected to keep our horses until the day they die, like a good old pet dog, laying on the porch until the end.
Sadly circumstances change for people, illness, job loss, divorce. They can’t keep a huge eating machine when they are having a hard time feeding themselves. Private sales are difficult at best.
While I know auctions can look like a horror, sometimes it the only choice people have.
It’s just that there’s a much bigger chance of the horse going to a kill buyer at an auction. Most kill buyers won’t waste a lot of time traveling from place to place to look at private sales. It’s not economical.
Plus, as the original blog post said, auctions are a really stressful environment for many horses. Stress leads to a poor showing on the horse’s part, not to mention, the auction grounds aren’t the best place to see what a horse can do.
“Most kill buyers won’t waste a lot of time traveling from place to place to look at private sales.”
Actually, there is an entire, seamy industry of kill buyers and low end dealers who cozen sellers out of their horses for little or nothing, talking about their grandkids, their neice, or those nice neighbors who are looking for a horse JUST like that…. Two weeks later, the horse is at the local auction, selling for whatever it sells for, and our dealer or kill buyer is laughing all the way to the bank.
Special place in hell for those people, I always hope.
What frustrates me about auctions are the horses with little to no information on them. If you are going to sell your horse at auction make a flyer, be detailed, include pictures. Stay by your horse so people can ask questions.
Buying off dreamhorse or craigslist or other sites gives the buyer and seller face time, time to chat, time to watch the horse, time to ride and time to decide rationally if they are the right horse.
A big difference is you can’t control who bids on your auction.
Yes I’m sure some places you can refuse sale, but in most cases once you put them up on the block it’s out of your hands. At least with a classified you get the opportunity to talk to (at minimum) each buyer, and say yes/no/maybe individually.
The best you can do with an auction is ensure they’re the best horse possible to get the low bid up or try a reserve, but again, most cases neither of those are happening.
I’d also agree that the clientele at the auction is much more mixed/you’re more likely to encounter meat buyers and meat prices. Yes, some kill buyers do travel (and some even lie and pose as families) but that’s what, at most 1-2 of the people replying to your ad if that? At auction it’s probably half or more of the people bidding if your horse is in the right price range/market.
I’m a third-waver struggling to hang on to my dream farm after my hitherto well-managed operating money evaporated in the stock market, and selling horses I never thought would leave my farm. Trained proven show horses, registered, in good weight, in good shape, good feet, u/t/d on health care and vacs. Horses I’ve poured my heart and soul and every dollar I’ve ever had into for the last 20 years. Another one I never planned to part with goes to this month’s auction, simply because I’ve exhausted every other option.
I’ve given some away, put some down, and sold horses I bought for 2,000 and up for $200 and under. I took back horses I’d sold in good shape for good money that turned up starving, and rehabbed them, then resold them knowing I couldn’t really afford to, but determined to be responsible. I quit breeding in ’07, quit showing or hauling anywhere, do my own vet work, my own farrier work, work my ass off just to keep the place, cut off the TV, the phone, and every other unnecessary expense, eat virtually nothing myself, and cut every imaginable corner.
I … have….no….choice.
Denial only goes so far, and I refuse to compromise any further on their care. Going all the way under won’t do them or me any good at all.
I have spent hundreds on advertising, dickered my prices down to nothing, spent more hundreds hauling to the “better” breeders’ auctions only to barely break even, and it hurts like losing a limb every single time I have to take one into an auction ring. My only consolation is in knowing that I have bought good horses cheap at auction houses — when I was a kid, I bought youngsters and started and resold them to finance my horse habit — and they made good horses for people who cared about them.
I cringe every time someone starts railing on people who sell horses at auctions, because I know for myself and for a lot of other people, we have exhausted every other possible option besides simply putting a bullet in the head of a beloved friend. And even at that a backhoe operator costs more than a consignment fee to an auction like this — food out of the mouths of the ones I have left. At least this way they have a chance, and I have a few more dollars to meet expenses.
I know that feeling of walking out of that auction ring with an anvil in my gut — and can SO relate to the man with his beautiful mares and the little boy with his precious pony. So folks can sit in their armchairs and sling obscenities and call me things like lazy and stupid and uncaring, but if there was any other choice…. I’d take it.
I’m blessed with a pretty steady professional job, a bounce-back plan that’s working, and some hope that I’ll come through this with at least something left, but every auction sale leaves a hunk of my heart on the sale ring floor, and every hunk out of my heart makes it that much harder to tighten down and do what needs to be done.
I wish you well. My heart goes out to you and your horses.
I, for one, am not judging you. It’s a very hard world out there, and sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. But I’ll always wish there was another way.
I wish you well also and feel your pain as if it were my own, because it is my own as well. Each of your words could have been written by me. I pray that your horses find good homes.
I feel for you, and have seen friends go through this. I’m not judging you, but I do sympathize with the horses too.
So do I believe me.
The only problem with the online, anonymous confessional format is that now I really wish we knew what kind of horses and where you are so that I could send readers your way.
You are a good writer. I recommend starting a blog detailing your struggles in this lousy economy with a horse operation. Advertising money is there for the making and anyone can use WordPress. I will bet that you’d get a readership…and ad money buys hay.
The last time I said this I got yelled at… but it’s still true. The original cost of a dream farm should always include the price of a backhoe. I don’t see how it’s possible to get along without one to manage natural ponds, dig graves, and fix erosion problems. We have one and we’re not particularly wealthy.
I’m sorry about your situation, and I don’t know that if I were in the same place I would have the strength to have a sound horse put down instead of letting myself believe that an auction might lead somewhere other than a kill pen.
I’m so sorry. I admire your strength in having some of them put down. It’s chunks out of your heart, to be sure, but you’re best equipped to judge how good of a chance they really have away from you. I think most of us know that sometimes life presents no good choices, only the less bad ones, and it sounds like you’re going with those. Good luck!
nonamesplease, I am so sorry you are going through such a difficult situation right now. I hope it gets better/easier for you soon. This must be so difficult for you to have to go through. ((hugs))
Oh God…. it’s awful what people have to go through.
There are so many folks out there who believe with all their hearts that if you work real hard, and have good intentions, and do everything *right*, then life is gonna be OK, and that everyone who’s in dire straits like yourself must be stupid, lazy, or both.
Time and chance happeneth to us all, friends.
I’m glad you’re backup plan is starting to pan out. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!
My heart goes out to you Nonames. I hope you are able to stay by your horse during the auction and answer questions, have a great info sheet on its pen and a healthy reserve to keep the kill buyers at bay.
I right there with you Nonames. I haven’t parted with any horses yet but I am seriously debating putting down one old gelding but I don’t think I can afford the renderer or the vet. We live hand to mouth most months…the mortgage is almost always a month behind along with several other bills. The economy, which tanked my husbands sales job and a chronically ill adult child have threw our lives into a downward spiral. I’ve watched it creep up slowly over the last two years and we made some positive changes to kick the can down the road….but that’s all we do…kick the can down the road to be dealt with the next month, and the next month and the next month. Thank God for my job and my vet who takes payments, that’s all I can say.
My one “good” mare had an abscess in June…$450 later in vet and farrier bills and she’s STILL off on that foot. I can’t afford to do anything more about it except bute and keep my vet posted. Because of that abscess I couldn’t get vaccinations or coggins this year. That was a scary first and yet another reminder about how delicate my finances are. Thank goodness they live at home and don’t go anywhere. No worries, I make sure they always have hay and grain and they never lack for farrier work….but I lose a hella lot of sleep wondering what next month will bring.
Good Gravy – contact some one the rescues in your area,they might have euthanasia assistance. I think that Norcal rescue in CA has that program and they might extend the help to a different state if you contacted them. You could also ask a hunter if they will shoot your horse. It is quick, painless and cheap. We have several big cat sanctuaries and game farms in our area and they accept donated horses; the horses spend time on pasture until needed and then are shot and fed to the big cats and bears. It’s not for everyone but there may be options like that in your area.
This just broke my heart. Wish I was a Ka-zillionaire………..
Nonames, you have no reason to cringe at the auction. You have been responsible in breeding and training, and you obviously love your horses. But your one in hundreds that are opposite. People who are yelling are probably are yelling at the fuglies and the untouchables. The people who thought breeding a psycotic and a psycotic together was an excellent idea. Or breeding for that very ‘rare’ color and didn’t take in conformation. Or instead of reaching out to experienced people to help them when their over their heads, they hide their heads in the sands and play ignorance while their horses pay the consequences. Or people who breed quality are delusioned into thinking that the fact that their horses are in high demand. You on the other hand stopped breeding in 07 (which I applaud until my hands fall off). You trained your horses to the best of their abilities, and cut out the non necessarties. I can read people as most do. We don’t yell at the people who make it clear to the rest of us that it just kills them doing this to their horses. Instead we yell at the back yard breeders, KB’s, horse traders, breeders who are in denial (or breed krazy kolors), people who use and abuse than toss aside their horse, owners of race horses that toss their broken down horse to the side, the greedy that allow their horses to suffer. The people who are cold and seem to give a shitless about where their horses are going. Those are the people who we yell at. Instead chances are I would out bid anyone and take them in or if the case arose help them over the rainbow bridge. My heart goes out to you it really does. I hope your horses end up in homes where families will love them to peices.
OK Mugly this is probably more of what people want on this blog. Of course, it is quite depressing. I hate auctions – I don’t care what kind of auction it is I still hate them. I posted a comment about the auctions having really good stock going for peanuts just a few months ago only to be knocked down by Cathy. So I’m glad that you are writing about it in some way because the auctions have fewer fuglies and more beauties going for meat. Not that the fuglies deserve it either. In fact, no creature does. It just amazes me that people can do this to their pets and I don’t care if it’s a competition horse that is lame. For God’s sake shoot them in the head if you really can’t find another home. Yes that’s right cowgirl up and shoot them – it costs a couple of cents, it is quicker than anything a vet will do and I’m sure a burial site can be found and it won’t cost a whole lot either.
Good luck with the blog.
“I’m sure a burial site can be found and it won’t cost a whole lot either.”
NO IT CAN’T. This is a BIG problem. In many areas, it would be illegal to bury a large animal. Backhoe rental ain’t cheap, either. Pet cemeteries — I live near the best, and certainly the most reasonable.
I just put down a horse. Burial was $350; euthanasia was also $300, partly because it had to be done on a weekend during off hours — on a weekday during normal hours, it would have been ~$200.
Other places will charge well over $1K to bury a horse. Not everyone lives on a couple thousand acres where they can put down a horse with a bullet and let Nature take care of the remains.
I agree that several of the horses Mugs lists as selling should have been put down instead of sold, and a bullet can be a viable choice — but it’s probably not as cheap a solution as you suggest.
Even though it’s legal and I know people who’ll dig holes for me at a nominal fee, the water table on my farm is too high — a hole that size would be half full of water before it was dug, and that’s not good for the ground water. The rendering truck will come for a fee — and it is hella hard to put down a sound, healthy horse you’ve raised from a baby for economic reasons — I’ve done it, and may have to again. Our local auction announces “KK” when a meat buyer is high bid, and gives the seller the no-sale option.
I seriously think we need to be reverting to the old model of having local knackers, so that a horse could be humanely euthanized at home, or close to, and then the meat doesn’t go to waste either. Some aspects of modernity are absurd and the ridiculous costs of death (human or animal) are among them. Given that it’s going to happen to everyone and everything around us, it really ought to be free or close to.
“Our local auction announces “KK” when a meat buyer is high bid, and gives the seller the no-sale option.”
Wow! Good for them!
Patty, I hope you’ve never had to hold a rifle to the head of a sound, healthy, beautiful animal you’ve loved and cared for all its life and pull the trigger, and I hope you never do. It takes all the opinions and cocksureness right out of a person to do a thing like that.
Amen. I’m always amazed when people talk like a bullet is quick and painless. Yea… if you hit the right spot first try. Otherwise, you are trying to take a bead on a thrashing, panic stricken friend who is in terrible pain. THAT particular nightmare isn’t fun to live with.
I’ve had both my horses since each was two. No swapping out for ‘better’ horses for me… and two is all I can reasonably care for at this point. Anyway, I’m right there with ya. If something horrid happened and I could no longer care for my horses properly due to financial or physical changes… and could not readily find a DARN good home for them, with someone who appreciates them as individuals, not just hay-powered four wheelers…. I’d rather send their souls onto whatever comes next and donate the flesh to any of the big cat facilities in the region than see them end up at auction. That would be more palatable to me than to send them out to who knows where, fearing they’d go from pillar to post and no telling what-all might happen to them. Some will see that as ‘mean’…. but a wise man taught me you have to be strong enough to put down your own dog when the time comes that THAT, tough as it is, is the most humane decision you can make.
My mother has a very detailed living will. She gave me power of attorney, trusting that I understand HER wishes and am strong enough to take responsibility for following through and bearing any ‘blame’ that might come from my sister in the event that there’s a choice of ‘heroic means and marginal quality of life’ and ‘moving on to the next’. My strong belief that life goes on beyond this time extends to a desire not to ‘hold on’ to any being just because missing them, after they are gone, would be so difficult to bear. OH, yes… should I have to make such a decision for my mother it will be HARD, and tears will fall…emotions will run the gamut. But to me, being strong enough to let go is just part of life.
So… to those who have been brave enough to speak out on some of the very harsh realities of lives falling apart due to foolish actions of government, banks, corporations, etc…. I commend you for your honesty, and i honor your strength!
That auction is two hours from me… Mugs, do you mind me asking what part of CO you’re in?
I would love to have that little grey guy…I’m not even a huge fan of them, but he is sooo cute. It makes me happy that he got a good home.
Love the pictures!
Only a couple hours from me, too, and sounds like more horses than my local auction. Currenlt looking for a husband-safe horse, and that grey looks like he might have fit the bill!
Funny, I have to agree. I’ve been to plenty of the highest of the high-end auctions and felt no more comfortable-not sure whether it was the unknown fate of some or the familiar predators that claimed others…..
This is good for us…while many of us have seen auctions firsthand, it’s good to be reminded of the reality. Photos make it so much more real than a list of name/age/height.
I want to kiss that gray gelding on the nose- sweet boy.
As I sit here with tears in my eyes reading your account of the sale, I wonder WTF is wrong with our nation that we have fallen so far that this has to happen?! I am not a proud, horse owning, American right now. This makes me so sad.
In about a year I’m going to be in the market for another horse, specifically a mature, well-broke, beginners-can-ride type horse. From the looks of it, an auction seems like the place to find those guys for cheap. Thank you for all of the information, and the photos. It’s heartbreaking, though
First of all, bless you for doing this, it’s awful just to read about so it must be ten times as awful in person.
Second, there’s more work to be done. The other half is finding out and letting us know who exactly bought those $50 horses and what their names are, if they are willing to let any private citizens liberate them, or if they are already on that truck to Mexico. And if they are headed to Mexico, whether or not they have paperwork detailing their medication in accordance with the law. Otherwise it’s just a sad list of details and photos without any way for anyone to help.
I couldn’t help thinking that the father of those two boys probably taught them exactly the lesson he wanted to teach them – that horses are livestock to be used and killed when you’re done.
“I couldn’t help thinking that the father of those two boys probably taught them exactly the lesson he wanted to teach them – that horses are livestock to be used and killed when you’re done. ”
I don’t think anyone here doubts that that’s how the father looks at it, and how he intends to raise his boys, too. But that’s part of what is so sad about this — that he’s not accidentally teaching his kids not to value animals, that’s his intent.
You’re a braver person than I, Mugs.
My horses are still at home with my parents (and so am I, sigh). I went to college so I’d be qualified to do the work that doesn’t kill you, like so many of the good horse people around here have to do. I went on info interviews and people told me they wished they had a degree or apprenticeship or military background to fall on when the horses and spouses weren’t working out. My parents are having a really hard time of it this year, and all of us graduated into this shitty job market, and I can’t even get a call back on stall cleaning jobs around here. We’re carpooling since we can’t afford the gas of multiple cars, so I can’t leave the house to look for work or guarantee I can be places, so I’m just sitting here going stir crazy and burning a hole in my resume. I worked really hard so that I would have the skills to work to keep my horses, and nobody has to hire the newbie when there are so many experienced people out of work. That bleeding edge is the only thing getting trickled down right now.
I’m not sure if your situation allows for it, but when I was unemployed for a while I ended up volunteering with a local non-profit. They needed someone with my abilities, I got something relevant on my resume, and they actually ended up hiring me a few months later (for a pittance, but it kept me going for a while). Non-profits need a surprising range of skills, most of the other volunteers there were doing professional work as well. About half of their employees had started as volunteers. It’s not a sure thing, but at least it’s a way to get your foot in the door somewhere.
Good luck.
I read nonamesplease’ post and it really hit home. I have been throught the same thing on a smaller scale due to divorce and the economy cutting my income. I am barely paying for rent and basic needs, and don’t have cable TV or a phone (work lets me use theirs). I have been trying to place the last horse for months, he is staying free at a friend’s but has overstayed his welcome (she sold all her horses due to her health problems), and my last possibility for a home fell through an hour ago. So I’m sitting here with the horse dealer’s phone number that wanted to take the horse last month when he bought my trailer. I thought only “bad” people took horses to auction or sent them down potentially bad roads, but after a year of hanging on something is going to have to give.
Littleredarabs…where do you live? (What state?)
Littleredarabs… Where are you located and what sort of horse do you have? I would be interested in a “beginner” type lesson horse with Arab blood. Old horse, manageable lameness, long term meds needed are not problems. The horse just needs to be able to handle a few intermediate but weak rider lessons a week.
I have never been to a horse auction (even though I am an hour from New Holland) because I know beyond a doubt that I would bring a horse home with me. There would just be no question about it. Horse auctions are sad, sad places… for the horses and for the people who have sunk so low in their resources that this is the last place they can take their beloved animals. My heart just breaks for that poor old man you described so well and for everyone else who has been forced into that type of situation. For the people who sell their horses at auctions when they DO have a choice I feel nothing but contempt and disgust. Getting rid of your old broodie for $50 at an auction when she’s either too lame or too old to have any more foals is the same as tossing your grandmother in a bad nursing home and throwing away the key.
http://www.barnmanagerblog.blogspot.com
That’s my problem, my sister and I went to an auction a few years ago to buy tack absolutly determined not to even look at the horse. Off course we couldn’t resist and couldn’t leave the skinny, out of his head tb behind – he was the only one there is bad nick but just couldn’t leave him.
Horse auction + me = DISASTER. I literally have nightmares about attending one (that, and my other common dream that involves a barn full of dead/dying horses that I didn’t feed). My emotional system would go on major overload and short circuit. Don’t know how anyone can stand it… I plan to get a rescue some day, but will go through a TB retraining facility.
I think we are having the same dreams lol.
I frequently have nightmares about horse auctions – I’m usually running around, in a complete frenzy trying to decide which horse to save from the meat man. I have nightmares about feeding time as well, I can never get there on time and I’m worried to death that my horses will colic =/
http://www.operationhorserescue.blogspot.com
For all of you struggling to hang on and do what you can for your equine friends, I wish you the utmost luck. It’s tough out there…
I am one of the fortunate few who have a good job, a good place to live (for me and my horses) and I was even able to take on one more mouth to feed… a starving critter that had a free sign and a sweet face. But I am now, once again, at maximum. I’ll try to turn him into a stellar riding horse and sell him to a good home, like I’ve done for several other horses before him, and then look for the next critter in need of a different life path…
I keep telling myself, I can’t save them all… but I *can* save at least a few.
Life’s A Beach
http://36andsingle.blogspot.com/
I think there a few readers here who could also find a little spare cash to feed another mouth, but I agree that it comes to a point where we have to say enough is enough! I have sustained my job for which I’m thankful, but am far from living the good life. I’m also an absolute sucker at an auction, especially for the young ones that have their whole future in ‘my’ hands. I did it again this spring with a lovely little filly (when the gavel fell, I felt physically nauseous) and took her home. I gave her an education in clipping, tying, bathing, saddling and carrying a rider at a walk. I put the word out about her to everyone I came in contact with and found her a wonderful home 2 months later. I sold her at my cost, lost nothing but time, to a gal with the experience to make her into a quality HUS pony for her own children and students. Her value has increased tenfold within 4 short months. Some of them are definitely worth taking a chance on even if we only break even for our efforts. Just being able to see, touch, handle her and consider the purchase made all the difference in making the sale. Auctions are scary, buying on sight only, but I’ve purchased half a dozen horses at auction over the years and not one has been a regret. I’ve had one mare for 8 years and one for 25 years. Not a one had issues other than lack of education and that was easy to fix.
In fact, my trainer who used to buy at auction and flip…admittedly, she knew what she was doing, only had ONE purchase she regretted that I knew of.
Mostly, she would look for ugly horses (one of the best beginner horses in the barn was one of the ugliest critters I’ve ever seen), healthy unbroken three year olds (she had a full time trainer, so it didn’t cost her any more to break them) and horses that needed groceries (I ended up with one of those…although it turned out NOT to be a true neglect case. That dang pony ended up with a special diet and ate as much as her 16h Warmblood…he had some kind of metabolic issue, I think). Occasionally she’d find something that had some kind of minor issue that could be fixed with a bit of training or a change of bit.
But one day she came home with this cute gelding called, as I recall, ‘Dennis’. Bay pony, maybe 13.2-13.3, unknown history. He was sound and good looking and one of those ‘how did this horse end up at auction’ situations.
How DID that horse end up at auction? Well, let’s just say. I saw this with my own eyes, and in many years of hanging out with many horses, it’s the only time I’ve seen it. They treated him the way you would a horse you aren’t sure is broken to ride…carefully. He seemed fine until they actually tried to ride him, then he reared up and threw a kid. So, they tried a change of bit (90% of the time rearing that is not associated with a sore back or a sore mouth is over-bitting or a horse that hates the bit). They tried a TON of changes of bits, they tried no bit. I was there the day that horse nearly killed a young woman. He flipped on her. Deliberately. I’ve never seen such a look of pure malice in a horse’s eyes. This wasn’t fear, this wasn’t pain, this horse HATED humans.
I don’t know whether he was abused, whether he was mentally ill, whether he had a brain tumor, what, but I do know that was the last straw…the next day she took him out back and shot him.
I disagree with MANY of the things those women did, but I do not disagree with destroying that horse. Which is another thing. If you buy at auction, or buy ANY horse without any history, you run the risk of ending up with a horse that, for whatever reason, you have to euthanize…and are you tough enough to make that call?
Buying at auction is absolutely a crapshoot at best but paying a couple hundred dollars for a young, unridden horse with decent conformation is a gamble I’m willing to take on occasion. I have the skills to train and love starting babies, that’s my forte. I feel that by training I’m increasing the chances that the horse will have a good life. I can’t keep the ‘flippers’ but I feel I’m giving what I know to sustain their futures. Other people take in an ‘oldie but goody’, feed mush and trim / worm at the minimum which I find admirable. I know horses who have 2 or 3 trims a year whose owners rasp between trims to save $ just to keep the horse. To each their own but I think we can all help a few out here and there.
Regarding the psycho horses….I have zero problem putting a bullet in the head of a horse that cannot be useful as a pet or riding partner. I think there really are “Jeffrey Dahmer” horses and they need to be put down. Fortunately, I’ve never had to do that but every so often there’s the unmanageable, hormonally disturbed mare or ruined horse that can’t make the trip back to useful. I’d still pay to euth before I’d send one to slaughter. Really, how far does a couple hundred bucks go these days after the fuel to get to the auction and wear & tear on the truck/trailer? Horse lovers don’t haul to auction, period. I’m of the mind that once an animal is sent to death row that the death be carried out in a swift and painless manner by vet or bullet depending on the owner’s financial circumstances.
Shooting a bullet into a horse’s head doesn’t cost a lot and if you are unable to cowgirl up then there are plenty of gun clubs around full of people who would be happy to assist. Digging a hole or sending to the rendering plant or organizing a delivery to the local zoo or sanctuary are all possible solutions. The vet doesn’t have to be involved at all.
Why on earth would you have so many horses….. argh!
Yes if you breed you should be prepared to keep them until they die. I don’t care how much money you have foolishly lost in the stock market. I don’t feel sorry for any of you that are having to make these decisions but I do feel sorry for your horses. If it were me in your situation then I would feel the same way but I would do the right thing and put all my horses down over sending them to the auction. Why don’t you just take them to the processing plant yourself. I used to raise beef cattle and I wouldn’t even sell them at an auction. We took them all to the slaughterhouse ourselves. That’s right directly there. Sometimes they were processed (killed) right away.
Hopefully none of you come back as horses that get sent to auction. If only I had the power.
Patty—WOW your insensitivity is astounding! I’m so happy that everything in your own life has always gone according to plan, but many of us in the “real” world have had divorces, health problems, car accidents, job losses, and the list goes on and on. There are any number of reasons that people find themselves in unfortunate situtations or circumstances that they never imagined or thought possible. I’m sure the loss in stock portfolio is only one of a number reasons this person shot a perfectly sound horse they’ve raised and your cold-hearted comments only heap on more misery to an already sad situation. Usually I don’t sympathize with people because many of their situations are self-inflicted. However, with today’s economy, I know that many people are hanging by their fingernails!!!! For example, I was divorced because the man I was married to said he had thoughts of killing all of us (including our two children) and then killing himself. Many people sided with him because I didn’t tell them the whole situation (because I didn’t feel it was ANY OF THEIR BUSINESS). So before you go throwing stones, maybe you don’t know the whole story of which you speak and bash!!!!!!!!!!!
I would say Patty actually does have a point to some degree and isn’t what she said basically the same as what Cathy constantly preached? Don’t take on a horse you wouldn’t be prepared to put down yourself instead of selling it at an auction where it could go to kill.
I recently left a farm where the owner is going to have to start making some pretty tough choices. For years the farm has been losing money (I was foolish to think I could change things around, but you live and you learn) but the owner kept bringing in more and more horses. It was a lesson farm geared towards beginners so these were not top of the line horses, mind you – these were old horses and arthritic horses and lame horses. She got pats on the back and was told repeatedly how “wonderful” she was for taking these horses in (little did people know she refused to pay $1 or more for ANY lesson horse and thus was reduced to getting this old guys that no one else wanted). Now she is running out of $$$ and has more horses than lesson students. Someone taking a quick look at that situation would say yes, that is so sad and that POOR woman. She “rescued” all of these horses and now she is on the brink of losing her business and what is she going to do with all her old, lame horses? I can tell you right now she doesn’t have the money to have them euthanized. I have no idea what she’s going to do, but somehow the horses are going to suffer BECAUSE SHE NEVER SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT MANY IN IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Anyone, at ANY time can lose their savings. Their job. Their husband. Their wife. Would you sell your children because times got tough, or would you send them to live with a relative for a little while until you got your footing again? A horse you have pledged to love and take care of is no different, at least in my eyes. I guess the moral of this long post is simply this: do not take in a horse that you cannot care for, whether it be now or in the future.
In an ideal world, you would be correct. The best of planning would yield the best of results, the bad guys would get their comeuppance, and the good guys go riding off into the sunset.
In the real world, people are seeing their dreams collapse despite their best efforts at savings, cutting back on personal expenses, and everything that normally works. Horses that are usually worth something due to training, bloodlines, or looks have depreciated drastically. Markets have dried up. Hearts are breaking and lives are ruined, human and equine alike.
How dare you sit in judgment on these people.
“Anyone, at ANY time can lose their savings. Their job. Their husband. Their wife. Would you sell your children because times got tough, or would you send them to live with a relative for a little while until you got your footing again? A horse you have pledged to love and take care of is no different, at least in my eyes. I guess the moral of this long post is simply this: do not take in a horse that you cannot care for, whether it be now or in the future.”
This is assuming that you have a place to send them to, or the omniscience to know the future. Most of us are not so blessed.
I am not judging anyone. Horses are a luxury item. No one NEEDS to own a horse. When you make the decision to purchase one, you need to plan for the future. That includes a future where you may or may not lose everything. I am not directing this post at anyone on this forum, but rather at the people out there who have seen the writing on the walls for YEARS and yet kept clinging to their horses as they got older and older, knowing full well that in a few years time they would have no money to provide for them. These horses at the auctions don’t appear out of no where. Not all of the skinny ones are owned by “bad” people. You can’t make exceptions for some horse owners and not do the same for others. Everyone has a back story, and everyone who brings their horse to an auction knows what could happen. They bring them there to sell them fast, before they lose even more money. That’s what auctions are for. That’s the entire point. There are a lot of options available to the loving, caring horse owner before they have to bring their horse(s) to an auction. A lot. And yes, I feel terrible for the old man who had to sell his beloved horses and the two boys whose father made them sell their sweet little ponies. But you know who I feel worse for? The horses.
I think I’ve got a new plan. When I get my second horse, I’m also taking out enough money for euth/disposal and sticking it in a drawer somewhere, safe from being spent. There we go, my problem solved–I’ll just mentally add $500 (or whatever) to the price of any horse I ever look at. Anyone else just getting into ownership again should probably do the same.
So.
Hypothetically.
You, your entire family and friends are in a shooting. You are shot in the neck and become so disabled as a result that you are unable to work. Everyone you know is killed in the shooting (it was at some sort of family/friend gathering perhaps).
You are unable to work. You were going reasonably well even though times were tough, but suddenly you have lost everything, and you know no one at all who is able to either look after your beautifully bred and trained show horse that is kidsafe, bombproof etc or take it on. You’ve advertised to sell and have dropped your price to next to nothing, but there is still no interest. You’ve sold your farm but that has barely covered your enormous care bills to date and paid off the mortgage, leaving you with nothing afterwards. You’re living on a pension, if you can call it living. You’ve tried the people you know, you’ve advertised everywhere you can think of and your horse won’t sell. You have contacted rescues to try to give your horse away / donate. You’ve tried to arrange for euthanasia – you don’t have a gun, let alone bullets (seriously, does every horse owner in the USA happen to own a gun? I’m in Australia where it’s different, but that still seems odd to me!). You don’t have anywhere to bury the horse even if you did get someone to put a bullet in its head.
You can no longer afford vet fees and can feed barely enough, you’ve had to throw that special diet your horse was out out the window. What’s your next step? Advertise on Craigslist ‘free to a good home’ and hope that the buyer isn’t taking it to kill? Auction? Keep it in the paddock and hope like hell you never need a vet out or new shoes or that the cost of agistment doesn’t go up? Go to the local news station and hope like hell your sob story will scare up a buyer? (actually that option might work in this case). Know that if you do that, you’d probably have lots of people scorning your lack of planning ability, your foolishness in being near a killer without realising, etcetc. That’s what people do.
My point is, if we all have to come up with a plan where those we love, animal or people would be safe ‘no matter what’ before we get a horse/family/etc, we would all be forever alone. No plan however well thought out will cover every contingency and it’s naive to think that you or anyone else could plan for tragedies that are completely unexpected. The most that anyone can do is plan as much as possible, which it sounds like the poster above may have done.
Now, those who don’t plan for even the most basic mishaps, who have horses but moan if they have an accident because despite not having had any enormous tragedies, they bought a horse without thinking about costs they might incur beyond food – those people are well deserving of our wrath.
It is completely insane to think that my life is perfect which I think you mean by it playing out by my “plan”. I think life is full of choices and luck is just opportunity meeting preparedness. People use all sorts of excuses as to why they sent an animal to auction or why the abandoned their family pet. I chose to act responsibly by not living in denial and breeding a whole lot of unwanted horses. By not abandoning my friends even when things get tough. By not taking on more than I can reasonably handle. Your abusive relationship has nothing to do with decisions to send horses to slaughter but your abusive relationship had everything to with your decisions. I’ve heard it all – I’ve got cancer, I’ve got permanent disability etc. So what. Maybe I sound extreme or harsh but I can only think of the suffering that people like you cause to other creatures because of your own selfishness. I would prefer to be the change in the world and not part of the problem. I am far from perfect but I think that I’ve got some things right in my life. I too could have stayed in an abusive relationship and caused problems for all sorts of people and animals around me. Instead I chose to get an education and work my ass off to build my own financial security. Please stop all the whining and act responsibly and say no to auctions/slaughter. Try to reduce suffering in this world not contribute to it because your *selfishness*.
Ayup, them fools what put their money in the stock market sure were fools. Dont’cha know investin’ is just another word for gamblin’? And investin’ means stock market. Fools coulda’ avoided gettin’ hurt by this whole depression thing if they was just smart like you and me. No pity for ‘em at all. I keep my money in my boot. Does hurt a bit, good thing I never got more than a hunnerd to my name.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL………I just blew an M&M out my nose and it bounced off my screen………*slaps my wrinkly knee*
The trouble is that many of the readers of this blog live in a country where you pay for your health care, often exorbitantly out of pocket. Worse, for many others, health care is tied to a job, and the job market sucks.
I don’t live in the US, but my husband works in a hospital there at the moment and gets to see the heartbreak. I sure sympathize with anyone who is a few nights in a hospital with a broken limb or an illness away from losing everything. There’s nothing predictable about that.
Right now, there are thousands upon thousands who did everything right, followed all the conventional wisdom, worked hard, and are still not OK. Let’s not be too simplistic and blame the stock market for that!
Geez. Are you, like, 14, or have you been living under a rock? You obviously don’t remember the days (every day more or less between 1945 and 2006) when the smart way to stay financially secure was 1.Invest in property, it will always increase in value because they aren’t making any more. 2. Invest in the stock market, because it is based on good old American industry that employs hard-working people with good ideas. 3. Go to college, because education is the key to getting a stable job that pays better than average. 4. If you’re not the college type, learn a trade and join a union, or start your own business and work really hard for long hours.
If you don’t succeed, it means you “made bad choices.”
None of these rules mean anything any more, because we are in – lets go ahead and call this economy what it is – A DEPRESSION.
And kicking people who followed all the rules we were inundated with all our lives, but who STILL end up having the ground fall out from under them, does nothing to add to an intelligent dialog.
I don’t know if anyone can assume, in this ‘third wave’ that a person is teaching his sons to swap their horses out like baseball cards. Consider this:
You say yourself that this is the ‘third wave’… people have hung on and hung on, and now they know they can’t afford to continue the lifestyle they’ve been used to.
I live outside Ocala, FL, where there are LOTS of horses and there is LOTS of unemployment. There are LOTS of people who have been trying to sell a horse they love, but can no longer afford to feed for a long, long time. When the reserves get so low they can’t afford another month’s feed, hay, farrier, etc….here are their choices:
1. Have the horse put down, if they have enough money to do that.. and enough GRIT to stand up to All Those Humane People Who Would Judge and Begrudge them.
2. Try to donate them to a Rescue. Rescues are pretty darn full right now. A responsible rescue is not going to take on any more horses if they are stretching to feed the ones they’ve got. So that option may be null.
3. Leave them tied to somebody’s trailer at a trailhead. Yep, it’s happened around here.
4. Let them loose to fend for themselves. Yep, that’s happened here, too. There was a whole herd of such horses down in South Florida… historically, it’s not uncommon for folks to turn *many* horses out in the everglades when the money ran out… or, in the case of the racehorse industry, when it became apparent that certain horses would not bring in any money.
5. Shoot them yourself (better option in my opinion than letting them slowly starve, if you can’t afford a humane ‘end’ to their earthlives.)
6. Take them to an auction and hope for the best… after all, this kind of horse (like the ones that you interpreted as a ‘bad example’ on Dad’s part, taking them to aucion) will surely be recognized as a good horse, and purchased by somebody who at least has the money to buy and hopefully feed and care for it.
There’s a piece that a lot of our ranting and raving about auctions fails to take into consideration: for many people, it’s the ‘lesser’ of all the evils when they can no longer care for a horse that they cannot sell or give away. ANd yep… there are quite a few people in my neck of the woods who have been seeking to GIVE AWAY horses for some time, but no suitable homes are available to them.
Let’s not forget some other ugly truths: in an economy and a situation like this, would it be more ethical for rescues to start putting down unadoptable horses (the sick, the lame, etc.) in order to give more marketable candidates a chance? What about assisting with euthanasia for those who are desperate and on the verge of abandoning a horse or sending to auction for basically meat price?
All tough questions, and they sure bear discussion, but they are so emotional (especially within the management of no-kill/”do-everything-possible-to-avoid-kill” rescues) that it generally degenerates into mud-slinging and rancour.
it makes me sad that some rescues will take the ‘dramatic’ cases in a heartbeat, and publicize their adoptions widely, soliciting for donations to fix babies with profound birth defects that may never be able to have a job, or even be sound enough to be comfortable. Yet… a lot of people who champion such dire cases will tell someone who’s lost a job “You should have made sure you could afford the horse before you bought one!”
It sickens me that much-loved horses end up at auctions or put down, while ‘unwanted’ horses are taken in every day because they are ‘unwanted’. I’d choose to buy some hay for a neighbor in the midst of hard times before I’d donate to MOST of the rescues around here (there are a couple who are very, very legit, responsible, and will do anything to place horses… one recently placed a group of very nicely bred but nearly unhandled (for years) QH’s, arabs, and half arabs after the owner died… and she did the right thing by relaxing some of her usual ‘requirements’ (Parelli games, XX amount of land, etc) in order to get them into good situations.
If I lost my job, and was looking.. and needed a couple rolls of hay and a few bags of feed to keep my horses… I’d be REAL upset to learn that a friend or neighbor had donated to a rescue, for surgery for an abandoned horse that might not recover nicely anyway. However, it would be their choice to donate to the rescue so I’d have to, in the end, respect that. I can only choose where my own donations go, not those of others!
You do have a good point, rescues need to prioritize and stretch their resources further than ever right now. And anyone who has read this blog for very long has seen rescues make foolish decisions in the name of compassion.
That said, I’ve heard of dramatic cases that I think were handled responsibly. One example was a young, cute dog that had been hit by a car and had a broken leg. An amputation would have cost roughly $500 and had a good outcome, but the shelter chose to publicize the case and spend $2000 to fix the leg. Due to the media attention, they got an extra $6000 in donations, which they used to rescue and rehome more than a dozen other dogs. While I wish shelters could raise money without parading around cases of severe cruelty or injury, it does raise money effectively. It’s a fine balance.
I’ve often thought this. Why do rescues take in horses that have no chance of ever being sound and spend HUGE amounts of money on rehabilitating them only so the horse can continue to live a life of continual pain? It is because they are in a rescue for THEMSELVES and not for the horses. They want glory, adoration and praise from the public on what a WONDERFUL person they are and the very sad part is that they usually get IT because the general public can’t see through the “game”! Well, I see through that game and it is sickening. Put down the horses that are hopeless and use your resources and hard earned donations on horses that can continue to lead productive lives. It is harsh reality, but there aren’t enough homes for horses that can’t be used for something.
It’s simple. Dramatic cases get more donations.
If you don’t like it, STOP SENDING YOUR FUCKING MONEY TO PAY FOR SOME $10,000 SURGERY!
Send your money to a responsible we-know-our-limits rescue. Send it for the upkeep of a nice, sound horse that has nothing wrong with it.
Vote with your wallet. This means YOU, Alex Brown Forum members.
I find it pretty ironic that most people can turn their heads on the hundreds or thousands of animals needing rescue for the one animal on the news that’s missing a leg, eye, traveled unknown to France and back, etc. CL is full of free horses desperately needing homes yet nobody calls on the ads. The same horse, with a sad story, would have hundreds of willing adopters if it was broadcast on the 6:00 news. They all have a sad story, does tv make it more believable?
There are too many hard luck horses for rescues to take care of. The old, weak, sick, and chronically lame animals coming out of the auctions need to be euth’d to allow room for the sound and useable. I have no problem with rescues closing their doors to new arrivals to care for the animals they have but they shouldn’t close the doors to 5 skinny but healthy young horses to try to save a horse with a broken leg.
If people find themselves unable to afford to keep their horses any longer, why not call all the vet’s in the area and try to barter for the euthanasia? Offer to donate tech time, clean the office, file, type, whatever in exchange for the needle. Contact nearby rescues asking for assistance with the cost of euth and disposal, maybe they’ll offer to run a special collection.
Years ago, auctions weren’t an automatic death sentence but these times have turned the tables on horses and they deserve a more dignified end than a rendering plant.
This is a well written article and addresses a very sad issue with honesty and grace. I can’t stand the way our economy has affected so many many good people who loved and cared for their horses, but now are having to sell them for far below their value. I feel so sorry for the older man who had to let go of his beloved brood mare and colt.
I am one of the people in that “third wave” you talked about, and I lost my home 2 years ago. Thank you for your kind understanding of the pain this is causing people who really would love to keep their beloved horses – not to mention their homes – but simply can’t. This world has gone very cold for many of us.
This post AND Nonamesplease’s comment both broke my heart. Mugly, you have my true respect for attending that auction. It is just something I cannot do.
To Nonamesplease, I say, God bless you for doing your very, very best and I certainly understand your predicament. I do not have a farm, I do not have a horse, but I have a house that it’s a miracle I’m still living in (hell, we should have gone under in the FIRST wave) and I have done plenty of things I never thought I would to keep it. I have not had to part with an animal, but then, I only have one and I’ve actually bartered with the vet to keep her (dog) well and happy. I can’t imagine your pain. Yes, your conscience surely can be salved by the knowledge that when you were able to you rehabbed strange horses AND the ones you’d bred. It sounds like you have been the most responsible owner you could possibly be under the circumstances. You are NOT the kind of horse owner this blog and its readers are going to condemn.
On the other hand, the father of those pony kids… I have no words for how angry that makes me. And I’m telling you right now, at least one of those little boys will NEVER EVER EVER forgive his dad. NEVER. For God’s sake, I’m still mad at my mother for taking away one of my favorite STUFFED animals when it was tattered and worn and replacing it with a new one! And maybe his seemingly cold-hearted brother will someday realize that what they were made to do was just plain WRONG. Can you say “scarred for life”…
Nonamesplease and littleredarabs, I feel your pain and am well aware that I have missed being in your position by a whisker. (So far, at least.)
I stopped breeding when I saw the writing on the wall in 2007, but that hasn’t stopped me from watching my lifelong dream crash around me in slow motion in the intervening four years as I struggled to train and re-home a band of Arabian broodmares that had gone from being worth thousands apiece to being worth nothing in the space of about twelve months. I chose to go in the order of easiest to finish under saddle and sell to hardest, and I am down to my last mare as of last month.
She’s not officially for sale yet, but I’m going to go ahead and plug her here because a) I’m completely shameless, and b) I know there are good riders here who enjoy a challenge, especially when that challenge is also a good deed.
I bought Sharra on the strength of video and previous offspring from several states away. She’s a 1998 mare, double-bred Khemosabi, top and bottom, and she looks the part. When she stepped off the trailer, I discovered a mare who self-mutilated when stressed by whipping her head around and biting at her own flanks until they were red raw. She took 45 minutes to catch in a tiny little paddock (I soon reduced that to under five, which was still a far cry from my other horses who walk up to be caught), and flinched at any sudden movement.
I bought her pregnant, and the resulting pinto filly– gorgeous, friendly, and level-headed– sold to a show home as a weanling. I didn’t rebreed her, wanting to find out how much of her temperament was inherent and how much was environmental first. By that time, it was too late; I was out of business.
Tragedy seems to surround this poor mare– I found out last week that her beautiful pinto filly burned to death in this barn fire. Emotionally, that was about the last straw for me; I’m a wreck. It’s like, even when I was doing it “right”– selling foals to wonderful, professional homes with bucketloads of money– I was still setting my little ones up for horrible ends. Right now, I just want it to be over. I just want to be responsible for my current boarders, my elderly riding gelding and my up-and-coming young riding horse, and not for the futures of horses that I don’t even own any more.
So, fast forward to today. Sharra is just back from training with my wonderful friend Melanie. She now walks up to be haltered and stands at liberty to have a saddle or flysheet put on. No flinching, no snapping at her own flanks. Melanie’s teenage intern rode her at the walk, trot and canter online (while Melanie lunged or ponied her). She had two bucking fits during that stretch of her training. When the intern went home, Melanie sent Sharra back to me (both Melanie and I are older and have enough physical issues that we don’t have any business starting teenage broodmares). Since then, another younger/braver/WONDERFUL friend of mine has been on her a few times. The most recent ride was her first solo ride (off the lunge line), and she was a champ.
That’s where I am with her right now. I will sell her to the right person for $500. This is not because I’m trying to make money; all of the sale price goes to (partially) pay Melanie for her training. Also, even such a low price makes me feel a little more secure about her future.
I will NOT take this mare to an auction. I will euthanize her before that happens. And no, that’s not a veiled “OMG if no one takes my horse in the next two weeks I am TOTALLY GOING TO SHOOT HER”. Things aren’t that bad yet. They’re *bad*, but I have hay for the winter and no one is going to foreclose on the property since we own it outright.
However, I am worried that I won’t be able to keep up her training progress over the winter, and I’m emotionally exhausted, and this blog is an amazing resource of people for whom this mare might actually work. (Hint: Craigslist isn’t.) So, if you want a beautiful but emotionally fragile mare who is in desperate need of a special human, or if you know someone else who might, I would be immensely grateful if you would let me know.
Wow – this place is only 2-3 hours away from me. My goal is to be in the position to purchase my first horse in the next year or so (finally!); I’ll definitely keep this place in mind. It would be really neat to make a big difference for a horse while at the same time fulfilling my life dream!
Hearing all these stories really makes me want to do something to help. Is there any way to nationally connect people who must find a home for their equine with people who are looking for a horse?
I know there are smaller groups/boards/etc that do this, but I feel like there has to be a more efficient way to let people know what’s out there. Half the problem seems to be getting the word out in a clear, efficient way – does anyone have any ideas for how to network horses/homes more efficiently?
I think there are many websites that will post pictures and info on the horses, which then helps find them an owner.
I think auctionhorses.net is one of them – I could be wrong with the website though. There was a story on here a while back about 2 arab mares – the website helped find the previous owner of one (Cynthia Ross) who took the mare back. I think the name of the post was ‘Cynthia Ross FTW!’
http://www.operationhorserescue.blogspot.com
I live in Southwestern Ontario and thankfully the horse ownership situation has not become that bad that good solid horses are selling for nothing at auction. There are a couple of auctions withing a 45 minute drive of my house. The one is family owned and a reasonable place to find a good horse. Reserves can be placed on a horse and if it’s not met then the horse goes home with the owner. Frequently, there are good solid trail horses with flyers, pictures, and owners standing right there by the stalls. Horses can be ridden by a potential buyer in an enclosed area. The sale prices are also solid. With good horses selling for $1500 or more.
The second auction is known as “the last stop” for many horses. This one the kill buyers frequent and there are a lot of standardbreds that go through the doors as this is Mennonite country and once a horse doesn’t perform as it should any longer then to the auction and often the kill buyer, it goes. The ones that really break my heart are the 18 plus year old draft horses, that have given their lives to these people and then when they can’t literally pull their weight any more they go to the auction and with their size, the kill buyer is often the only option. If I had a winning lotto ticket it would be these gentle giants that I would bring home to live out the rest of their lives in peace. Lots of good food, good love and care for the ones that worked so hard for so long.
Myself and a friend purchased a “rescue” from this second auction. One time we wanted to give a chance to a horse that might not get it. We still paid $400 for a large pony that was going through the sale for the second week in a row. She was one of six that came from out of province and had “been lunged once, and teenager ridden”, whatever the heck that meant. She came to us depressed, suspect and wary, but still willing. She left 9 months later a happy, trusting, forward going little pony. We sold her to a little girl for $700, a good home was a priority. That’s all we wanted. The owners have sent us pictures and updates and my pony club neighbors met up with them at various events and my vet ended up being theirs. We got our storybook ending, we were lucky. My current mare is a six year old QH and was destined for the auction as well. Another Mennonite heart breaker. She was thin and her feet literally looked like a ducks. I have had her a month and she is gaining weight and coming along like a champ. It amazes me that these horses will continue to be willing despite the scars they bear. Hers is a v-shaped one on her forehead from “not being willing to load”.
I’ve been fortunate. The horses I’ve picked up at auction have come along really well. And here we are lucky that horses at some auctions are still selling for more than meat prices. However I’ve stopped going to the auctions. It’s just too hard. So my heart is with you Mugly.
Great post! I am happy to see the “why’s” of auctions being delved into. There are two auctions in my somewhat-area, (Camelot in NJ, New Holland in PA) and I see a lot of people on rescue lists tearing the sellers to shreds. As if they know the reason the horses are at auction.
I don’t condone the skinny, the obviously sick horses who have been neglected for quite a long time. But when you see horses in the auction house in good weight, with braids in their manes and twinkle toes on their feet, I don’t immediately assume the owner is a jackass… what little girl is at home sobbing because they just couldn’t hold on to her horse anymore, because daddy lost his job? Who in the family just got gravely ill and doesn’t have health insurance?
And it’s almost impossible to sell a horse quick right now, unless they are a specific type (packer-type, beginner safe, with show mileage) – I know because I’m trying, but luckly my boss has lots of $$$ so it’s not an issue. But even if owners tried to sell online or advertise, if you’re running out of money, you might not be able to wait long, and still feed and care for the horse.
But I agree that auctions aren’t the best place, and those ponies you posted are a good example. WHY? Why not teach your kids what’s responsible, which is taking the time to advertise and FIND a buyer if you have the money and the horse is just not suitable for you anymore? If “they outgrew them” is really the only issue here, selling them for less than a tank of gas each was really not a … responsible, decision.
On a totally different note, I can’t go to the auctions. There is a group that posts pictures of the horses that don’t sell to get them bought out, and there are so many NICE HORSES for next to nothing. There was a flashy hackney, an Andalusian cross (I’d guess Azteca) a ton of nice TB jumping prospects, and there’s always a few 2 year olds that you can tell will fill out nicely. There’s also always a few beginner friendly packer-types that are aged. A lot of people follow this auction-photo group and have torn apart people with the idea I’ve had for years, but, I still hope one day to be able to purchase the young prospects from auction, give them a good life, get them going right, and eventually sell them. I don’t believe that I’d make money of course, but I don’t believe you’re a bad person for not “keeping a horse for life.” The nice horses that fell on hard times before they even had a chance to prove themselves would get used and seen because plenty of people in this area just WILL NOT even consider auction houses even though they can get an $8,000 horse for $500. They’d rather the experience of going to a barn and trying a horse out, it’s less risky and less ugly. A lot of people would love to “help” an auction horse but don’t want to deal with the 4.8million loopholes and contracts/regulations rescue groups have, too. I know a few people who agree with me, I’d love to adopt from a rescue but I don’t like that most rescues keep so many rights to a horse that it’s not even like you own it, you’re more just borrowing it. I understand it for the broken, retirement-only horses, but if you adopt a young, able bodied horse, put a lot of time and training into it, and you want to sell it (responsibly, of course) I disagree with the rescues who seem to believe this is an act that only Satan could fathom.
*Shrug* My thoughts. That’s all. Again, great post!
That’s what I do! People in my area aren’t really comfortable going to an auction, because at auction you don’t know much about the horse, sometimes the owners aren’t there, you don’t know what training they have ect.
So that’s why I started rescuing. I bought a 4 year old 13.2hh welsh mare, broke her in, managed to get her service certificate, rode her around for a few months, went on a few trail rides and sold her. I decided not to go for the super strict contracts the rescues seem to have though – I told the owners I would be more than happy to buy her back if they ever wanted to sell her, saw the home she was going to, watched her new owner ride her, spoke to the girls parents about their experience and the other horses they had ect. I got a call a week later saying that she was everything the hoped for and more and that her daughter loves her. I have called a few times since then to see how everything is and they sent me a video of her being ridden. It’s almost a year since I sold her now. I loved knowing that I gave Sunny (the pony) a hand out of a bad situation and found her a good home with a girl that loves her. I don’t see anything wrong with that.
http://www.operationhorserescue.blogspot.com
I admire your spunk. Good luck with your “research.” I’m wondering how long it will take you to harden yourself to the task. I used to go to auctions when I was younger and dumber. I cannot any more. Seeing some really, really nice horses go for next-to-nothing and know they’re going to show up on a dinner plate in France, just makes me really, really ill. And since the internet has opened our eyes to actual videos of slaughter houses… well, you’ll see…
Oh, and the old man with the colt and mares made my heart sink. I hope and pray I am never, ever in that position. I’m in the process of getting a mare back to her old owner (she ships in the middle of tonight, actually) who had to sell her for financial reasons years ago, and then lost track of her and has been searching to buy her back ever since. When I read something like what you wrote about the man and his colt, and when I heard this lady’s story about the mare I’m getting ready to ship cross country, and how heartbroken she’s been since she HAD to sell her, I can’t help but think about how devastated I’d be if I HAD to sell my mare. And honestly, it’s not like I can say that will never happen in this economy. Anything can happen. So I’ll just keep praying.
I work in a mortgage company in the Doc Management dept and you hit the nail right on the head! Reading the hardship papers are heartbreaking. Lost job, sickness, lost spouse, reduced wages…. I stopped reading them. It breaks your heart for most of these people.
I have been to auctions, but recently only the “higher” end Miniature horse auctions. I went mostly for the tack. I haven’t bought any horses, but I liked to see what goes through. The prices were great on some horses, not so great on others, but at least there are no kill buyers there. The “average” Mini auctions I have not gone to, but have seen the prices. Sad. $35 for a colt, $175 for a bred mare. Registered stock. I could never go to a regular auction, my trailer would be loaded up with all the misfits and unwanteds.
The “in” thing now is online auctions. Many of the bigger farms disperse their stock this way. Pictures and descriptions are posted, they may have a minimum bid or not. At least the horses are at home in familar surroundings. Buyer to arrange transportation. I’ve seen some really nice horses on there that I recognized their names. And lotsa average, too.
ELay I agree, I am in the market for a nice TB mare to be my next jumper. My jumper is now enjoying his days in the pasture. I am still convinced he hurt himself to get out of showing.
I keep looking on my local postings, but I just can’t afford to pay what people are asking up here. After paying the vet bills on my boy I can only really look for an OTTB, which is no issue for me because I have a soft spot for them anyways. I would go to the auction myself, but now I work when they are on. I keep looking on the rescues, but it’s like Elliot_Elijah said they seem to think that after you put a bunch of time on them and show them that they are still entitled to the horse. I would love to know if there is a place where people post horses in need that I might be able to help. I live in Alberta, so a place that includes Canadian listings would be great… As for the post I think it has all been said already. It is a sad, sad state of affairs out there… Here is one happy note though my jumper who hurt himself was an auction horse. We stayed till the end for him; he was the last horse to go through, not even wearing a halter to say he had any training. It’s a good thing he had his freeze brand, or I might have assumed he wasn’t even halter broke. He came through that ring with all the presence and distinction of a noble man, and I just knew he was the right one. It was just my friend myself and the meat guys left when he went through. They were at the bottom bidding him up and totally ignoring me, that’s when I stood up on my chair and yelled as loud as I could that I was bidding too. They all stopped bidding when they realized that the two weird English girls were bidding on him (We have a bit of a rep with the old farmers). Because of his harness training he was a breeze to start, and turns out he could jump the moon too! Thor has been the love of my life since that day. In fact all the best horses I have owned came from the auction. If it is any consolation there are people out there who will take home the good ones. It breaks my heart to think that if I had been working that day Thor wouldn’t have even had a chance. No braids no polish, not even the dignity of a halter… Just goes to show you there are diamonds in the rough. 
The Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance has a website and a growing list of resources for owners of *unwanted* horses. http://www.COunwantedhorse.org
I know that people who fall on hard times don’t have truly unwanted horses so this term is not meant to offend, only to identify horses that can no longer be owned by the current owner, regardless of the reason.
There is currently a survey provided by CUHA and CVMA regarding percieved barriers by the community toward gelding stallions for those who want to have some voice in programs CUHA provides. http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22CRPFTKHGH/
I had tears come to my eyes when I read “At the end of the bidding the old man rubbed his colt’s neck and we could see him say, “I’m going to miss you.”” That was incredibly sad. I think some people feel like they are doing the right thing when they take a horse to auction, rather than having them put down – sought of like it gives the horse a chance. I disagree with that (unless it’s a high end sale, where the horses are going for $5,000+).
It’s very sad that those boys were selling their ponies at an auction and I can’t imagine what they will think when they grow up and find out that their beloved pets may have been killed in such a terrible way.
In AUS, kill buyers only bid on the horses in the meat pens, at least that’s the way they do it at my local auction. Those horses aren’t put through the ring, sometimes they are ridden in the tiny little pens, but they aren’t taken into the ring and walked or ridden around. The ones that are put through the ring are priced at anywhere from $250 – $2,500 and they are pretty well taken care of. The ones in the kill pens usually have overgrown hooves, they are sometimes a little thin and they STILL go for quite a bit – I was SO tempted to buy a big, beautiful, black QH x once, but the opening bid was $400 from the KB and he sold for $700 (I try to have a $500 limit), he didn’t go for meat, so at least he got another chance. I remember being interested in a Standard bred mare, who seemed very nice – she was in a kill pen, with a note from her owner saying “good home only please” – the people running the auction just laughed when they read that out, it was a bit like “Hello – do KNOW that your horse might be killed?” She wasn’t, but she could have been.
I always get sad when I go to auctions. They are horrible places, but I love rescuing.
http://www.operationhorserescue.blogspot.com
I don’t get why the older brother couldn’t just pass along his pony to the little brother.
Oh the things you will see at the auction Mugly; unbelieveable stuff. We go to the local auction sometimes for tack; I don’t usually stay for the horses afterward though (it tends to put my emotions through the ringer
I’ve seen the same horses come back through the auction, looking worse each successive time. I’ve seen tranquilizers administered in stealth and imbeciles that decide to clip for the first time 5 minutes before the auction starts. An idiot that spun his horse for so long the horse got dizzy and fell over. I’ve seen yahoos from somewhere in the mid west back up tractor trailers full of unhandled weanlings for sale (all with amazing papers of course *rolls eyes*). As much as the auction stresses me out (I run home and tell our horses how very VERY much I love them), I can’t imagine the internal toll it takes on those poor horses being sold. Aside from their own internal stress, we all know that horses empathetically absorb stress from other equids in proximity.
The funniest thing I ever saw one of the times I stayed for horses was at a registered sale. Some cowboy with an over-sized ego flew into the pen, yanked to a [very short] sliding stop, spun his horse, jumped off and started bragging about his high spirited, full of get up and go yet calm in any situation studmuffin of a mount (apparently he forgot to pass this info on to his horse, though, because his calm in any situation mount was so stressed out he plopped down in the shavings and rolled right behind the guy in mid-boast *grin*). He didn’t bring much.
I wanted to address the part about the father having the boys sell their ponies. Hopefully the father was unaware of what the auctions had became. Maybe that is what he did as a child and those two ponies were their only horses of late. As far as responsible pet ownership, I would like to share this story. When my husband and I got married, he had a labrador. As our children got older, the dog; Dutchess also got older until she was too old to get up and she was incontinent and in quite a bit of arthritic pain. It was time. I spent a few sleepness nights contemplating how to tell my kids; 7, 5 and 3 years old about the dog because I do not believe in lying. Finally I made the hard decision to take the kids along with me when I had Dutchess put to sleep. The Veterinarian’s wife (also the receptionist) had a fit that I brought my children to such an event. Fortunately, the Veterinarian was a bit more supportive of my decision. Dutchess was quietly put to sleep with an injection while we petted her and I felt that my children learned a lesson about pet ownership. They took it better than I did and never had to question where Dutchess went, etc. When they visited with friends about the disappearance of Dutchess, they were able to explain in their own little voices about what had to be done. Pet ownership is a responsibility that has some painful times to it. I wish people could make better decisions than getting little dollars in exchange for their horses taking a truck ride to hell.
I think you did the right thing. I wish more parents would do what you did. I also wish more people would stay with their pets until the end, and not just drop them off, or take them to the pound when they’re old and ill (one of my neighbors admitted that she did this, and told the staff that it was a stray so it would be free.) I once asked for a cat to be tranquilized first, she was asleep when I left the room, which made it a little easier. I was a basket case.
Absolute kudos!
My own father has always said that it is far better for a child to be exposed to death first through the loss of a pet. My own introduction to the reality was when our budgie, George, dropped dead overnight. I found the body. Was I traumatized? No. I was trying to wake him up. I certainly don’t think I have any ill effects.
On the other hand, I was taught to ride by…to be honest, the English equivalent of the bad kind of cowboy. I have never managed to forgive her for trying to teach me to beat horses, and to be frank, she was abusive towards students as well. And not that good a teacher.
She had a little flaxen chestnut pony with what Americans call chrome…a gorgeous little gelding named Flicka. (I know. I know. *I* know what Flicka means…but apparently whoever named that poor horse didn’t). He was a willing, forward going ride, equally great in the arena and on the trails, had a cute little jump.
He was also nasty, nasty, nasty. This horse *attacked* people who went in his stall for any reason…usually with the rear end. This is the horse I eventually got completely fed up with, went in there with a crop and when he tried to kick me I whacked him one on the leg he used.
He gave me the most startled look and this sort of whoof of a sigh…and from then on I could do anything with him. (I don’t normally condone hitting a horse on the leg, but I only had to do it once, and it worked). I would have bought him, but somebody else beat me to it…and I became good friends with the owner. When her daughter outgrew him, she sold him back to the barn owner.
Pretty much all of the horses there were for sale. She did a lot of flipping (and, for all of her faults, saved a lot of horses from kill). Somebody came to look at Flicka, and two days later he was gone. I was a little upset, but sure that he had gone to a good home. I think I was…fifteen or sixteen.
I found out five years later from a third party that that gorgeous pony had had a freak accident in the pasture, broken his pelvis and been shot. She had deliberately refused to tell me so I wouldn’t get upset, because I was ‘only a kid’.
This was at least two years AFTER crappy medical care resulted in the death of my grandmother (quite another story). I knew all about death. It’s possible she thought…at this point she pretty much knew I only still rode with her because we couldn’t afford a better barn…that I would blame her for it, but really, honesty, it was a ‘these things happen’ situation. Nobody’s fault. On the other hand, she was very careful not to tell kids…and yelled at anyone who did…if a horse died or had to be euthanized (which was always done with a bullet so the local hunt could use the meat). She didn’t want to upset them.
Kids need to learn to accept these things. They really do.
Uh, pretty sure Flicka referred to the book published in 1941. Or it also means “girl” in Swedish. I had to look up the Urban Dictionary definition to know what you were hinting at with your repeated emphasis that ” *you* know what Flicka means” to see that it’s a recently discovered (2006) genital disease. So they named the pony after fleas being on it’s genitals and not the book or movie “My Friend Flicka” ?
That’s weird.
Oh no, he was named after the movie. But ‘Flicka’ means ‘Little Girl’. I was joking that the people who named him clearly didn’t know that or they wouldn’t have called a boy a girl
.
LOL! You made it sound so nefarious. When you said, I KNOW what it means I was thinking, did she have the genital fleas??? why would anyone post that? hahaha
Here’s my story about what happens when kids “aren’t told” what happened to their beloved animal:
http://mylifeasarider.blogspot.com/2011/02/grey-baby.html
Boy, do I wish I had been given real closure of some kind back when I was 11…
I really enjoyed your story. Thank you for sharing. I do not know why adults think kids are so fragile over life? My two have been by my side when we had to put our beloved cat down, and then 9 months later our adored collie. Me kids survived and realized to cherish pets for the short time they are in our lives.
As for preparing for hard times, I have an account with the BO where I board. Every month with my board I add $15, $25, or whatever I can afford that month to my account. The fund is a nice chunk now and is to be used if I find myself without a job, illness, or even if I’m out of town and my horse needs emergency vet care. The BO lets me know monthly with my bill, what my balance is in my account. It is a win-win for both of us. She will never have take money out of her pocket in case of an emergency in my life, or my horses life.
I am very fortunate that I have no problem affording my horse (I thank God daily), and could afford another one or two. But then I read this blog and tell myself, “Don’t push your luck, sista.” But then again, I do gamble in the stock market….*winks to A Western Dude*….I make gains, and I have losses….but I do have faith….gotta have faith.
I love that idea.
While I personally have never been to an auction we are the proud owners of one poor horse that nobody wanted to take home. The pastor of my church came to church on a Wednesday afternoon to pick something up and heard a nicker from one of the outside stalls… seeing as how there are not supposed to be any horses at the barn he figured that he would check it out. Walked over to see a sad face poking out of the stall bars… the auction number was still pinned to his but. There was a note…”Take him he is old and lame and we cant sell him and got no use for him anymore”
The auction was on Sat evening and this poor guy had been stuffed into a stall since then with no food and no water. Well pastor called me and we brought him home… we named him Elmo and he is a great old horse. Almost completely deaf and only pasture sound but he is quite a character
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp13/moneypitfarm/6-11june%202011/DSCN6328.jpg
bless you and your pastor, (gulp, sniff)
Awww, he looks sweet- Thank you for taking him in
)
I admire you Mugly, for going to the auctions. We need an objective “reporter” type, and I admire you for going. I however could not. I would be unable to say “No”, some horse would tweak my heart, and I do not need, cannot afford, more. I cringed at the tale of the boys and their ponies. My dad, unknown to me at the time, called the local knacker and had my beloved 22 year old mare “gotten rid of” while I was at college. It took me 15 years to figure it out, he said he had “sold her to be a broodmare”. I remember questioning that at the time, and he said ‘”If she can’t get pregnant, they’ll just turn her out to babysit the foals.” I trusted him.
Reading this blog and others has helped me realize that a quick bullet in experienced hands is not the worst end for a horse. She deserved years of turnout and love, but my dad hated horses, and has no respect for anyone’s feelings but his own. I will never trust him.
And the tearful child may have the same response to his father’s “man-up”, sell your own pony message.
While Debraha’s kids will have a positive memory of how humans treat animals with love and care at the end of life. And I think, most importantly, they can trust that their parent tells them the truth.
I feel very sorry for anyone who has lost their savings, homes etc. and has had to resort to taking their horses to an auction. Just want to say that sometimes they do find good homes there. I bought my daughter’s first horse at an auction. He was an Arab cross gelding about 15 hands tall. When I bought him (for $175.00) he was 3, very thin and untrained. With work he turned into a great little riding horse for my daughter and they did hunter/jumpers at small shows. Eventually she needed a taller horse so we bought a TB. The half-arab was sold at 10 to a younger girl (I think for around $1800.00) and he went on and made her a wonderful riding horse (she rode him western). Just saying that an auction does not ALWAYS end in a terrible fate.
I currently don’t have a horse, but donate to a local rescue which lets people who make monthly donations come to the barn & groom & ride the horses.
On a rare occasion an auction can be the way to the best ending possible for the horse. The one and only time I’ve been to an auction I came back with a emaciated, beat up tb gelding – we went to buy tack on strict instructions from my mom not to even look at horses, I think the call to say could she bring the trailer was one of the hardest I’ve made and you know what she was fine with and completely agreed we couldn’t have left him. He was out of his head with stress – he wore a hole in the concrete in his pen within 4 hours from weaving, covered in fresh cuts and scrapes and in a bad way generally. He didn’t have hay or water the entire day and first time we saw him outside the pen was going through the ring but there was just something about him which drew us to him.
Spent six months rehabbing him and (apart from 6 weeks in a bad loan home we pulled him from) he had 2 happy years with us and at good loan homes once it became apparent he was way to much horse for me to ride (and my sister already had 2)
He was 9 when I got him and from the dates and locations of his vaccinations in his passport he hadn’t stayed in one county for more than 6 months ever! He had been a showjumper in Ireland (amazing what you can find online) and from his behaviour any misbehaviour had at some time been pretty harshly punished – he was terrified of jumps when I got him, jumped 1m45 with his loaner towards the end! He would completely freak if someone fell off him which was his unlimate undoing as he freaked, ran and got too badly hurt to save but it was pretty obvious that he had been badly beaten for throwing a rider – something he never, ever did intentionally but these things happen. You could do anything on the ground with this boy so long as you did it quietly, a little 6 year old on our yard used to do everything but his rugs (she couldn’t reach) and he was so soft and careful with her yet after I came off it took 3 experienced people more than 15 minutes to get close enough to untack (in his stable, he went himself) because he would have killed or seriously hurt anyone he was that terrified! To give an idea of his usual temperment when we got him his tail head was raw, infected and a complete mess – I think he had stood and rubbed it constantly and yet the first evening we had him he let me stand behind him and clean it up. This must have hurt so much and he didn’t so much as twitch a muscle towards lifting a leg at me.
From his behaviour and passport and the fact that he had litterally come from Ireland to a tiny auction house in England just to be sold told me he had been bounced round so many homes and areas in Ireland that they couldn’t sell him over there anymore – why else would you incur the expense of travelling him all that way to get a few hundred for him?
There are good homes out there for horses going to auction – I honestly can’t think of anything which would make me take my mare to auction, I’m lucky being in England as the market for horses is much better over here so a private sale or loan is much easier, but when I’m in a position to take on a rescue to rehab then I would certainly look at buying at an auction again – I just can’t go until I have the money and space for a rescue or two cause I couldn’t leave one like my Ollie behind.
probably already mentioned in other comments but here’s my twocents
Many horses are taken to auction by good and caring people, some auctions can bring top dollar such as the Hermistonhorsesale.com (yes they also have KB’s bidding). Owner’s can say No Sale if the price is too low.
Unfortunate and sometimes horrific circumstances happen and folks must sell their horse immediately for a multitude of reasons that override keeping a beloved animal. If you have never been in one of the situations you are very fortunate. Life happens, kids (and grown-ups) cry when selling ponies…not all things can be kept.
Nice post, Mugs — this is the kind of thing I want to see here. (Not all the time, it’s depressing, but this and other things that are topical, factual, and relevant to the horse world as a whole.
That auction is the closest such sale to me, as well. But I’m far enough northwest that I’m in an area not so Western-focused. Did ride reiners growing up though!
Hearing about the Saddlebred mare really does make me ill. I used to attend auctions regularly, and have bid on, won, rehabbed and rehomed quite a few saddlebreds I saw going through, you dont see them terribly often at these sales, and I am pretty sure I ended up with every one I ever saw. The last one was an old broodmare. came with her papers, was 28 years old and completely emaciated. He chain of ownership listed the names of all the big farms and she had had quite a few VERY successful kids, and was royallybred herself, yet here she was. Completely discarded when past her usefulness. Not broke to ride, but it didnt matter. I never got on her. I paid $40 for her, brought her home and vetted and fed her all the good stuff. 6 months later we had to have her euthed, but at least she got a little bit of a retirement.
One suggestion for breeders in trouble: Volunteer with your local 4-H, high school equestrian, etc. and offer free clinics to learn about showing, etc. on your farm. HELLO, you are sucking a bunch of prospective buyers through the door. SOMEONE will fall in love. It is a day of your time, costing you NOTHING (maybe a few cases of soda and snacks). Do it.
This post made me so sad I am at a loss for words…
I’ve been to both low and high end auctions and they are vastly different places. My family and I have bought and sold at the high end one in East Texas where the average is about $3000 for riding horses with about half selling for over $5000 and some for $10,000 or more. I bought a super nice 9 year 16 hand, 1300lb ranch/roping dun Tivio bred gelding there in 2009. He is an amazing lesson/husband horse who everyone always falls in love with offers to buy. My sister bought a really nice sorrel 2 year old gelding then sold him for nearly double what she had paid 2 years later after just sitting in the pasture the whole time. They also sell lots of young quality stock. I bought a red dun weanling in 2003 for $800 (Driftwood out of ND she turned out so nice and is my favorite ride and smoothest horse I’ve ever ridden), and my Mom bought a lovely nearly 2 year old 6666′s bred filly for $2800 back in ’09 that she is in love with. It’s all about where you go. But I definitely won’t be going to another auction any time soon to another due to not being able to afford to bring anything home.
PS: Mugly you are doing an awesome job. I really enjoy your point of view!
Has anyone here been to the Eylers auction in Thurmont, MD?
I heard they’re owned by new people but for years I went there with my friends to pick out a project horse or two (none of then wanted to spend too much time or money shopping for unbroke 3yo’s). They always gave buyers three days for vet checks and everything seemed to have a $500+ reserve and looked healthy. You could ride horses before buying.
As an added plus, I remember the auction staff not-so-nicely escorting a known kill buyer off the property for trying to buy horses for slaughter. So if I was going to send a horse off to auction it’s probably one of the ‘safer’ ones. Or at least it was, if anyone has heard/seen differently I’d love to know!!!
That was sad. I am in Westcliffe, CO so we are neighbors! I am new to the area and since coming here from Canada without my horses (for only two more weeks!!!) I have stayed away from most horse things. I was finding it increasingly disturbing and needed a break to lessen my cynicism. It still makes its way back to me. The horse and buggies around here with their muddy coats under their harnesses and excessively long feet in shoes at the grocery store or the post office, the sweet little neighbor pony with slipper feet and some disgusting shows of aggression at a cutting show.
Glad I didn’t come to that auction. Those ponies (who, yes are worth their weight in gold) made me especially sad. It made me think of an auction story. We were boarding a very kind, but very old grey horse at our place in Canada. He was owned by a little girl who was getting lessons by the same woman who sold her the horse. He had recently started bucking. They had him looked at by the vet when she was there doing teeth and she found a heart murmur and wouldn’t sedate him for teeth floating. She advised him being a pet and maybe some light walking and said that was likely the reason for his bucking when being asked for harder work (not to mention the saddles that didn’t fit, and the kid who couldn’t ride thumping around up there). The next auction time, at the advice of their CHA certified “instuctor” he was run through. Better get something for him rather than having to pay. It made me sick. So wrong on so many levels! Then I think the instructor had the perfect replacement to sell to her. Of course!
Off topic : I have space for a 3rd horse and I’m not really looking to purchase another one for myself. What would I be getting myself into opening up my barn for 1 full care boarder? I live in western PA, near Franklin, i.e. middle of nowhere, and have no idea what would be reasonable to charge or what kind of agreement I would need to work out in case of non-payment or abandonment.
I have 20 acres, about 4 or so pastured off, and we’ve almost finished a 3 stall barn with a large tack room. There’s just pasture and a small trail here, nothing really to ride unless the horse is traffic safe. There is a nice dirt road with minimal traffic that’ll take you to the river about a three miles away, and access to the bike trail which is horse friendly as long as you clean up after your horse. (I can’t take mine cause she leaves a trail like Hansel and Gretel to find her way home)
My herd currently consists of a 7 year old mare and a yearling filly. I would welcome input from anyone who has experience owning a barn or that has been a boarder.
While we’re on topic of auctions and we all know that many of those horses end up in the KB’s hands, I think everyone should watch this video, whether you are against slaughter or not.
http://youtu.be/pwBYSImLfTE
And if you have the stomach for it, watch what happens after the horses reach the slaughter houses. I found this in Rick Gore’s website and it was better quality than the on posted on youtube. I’ve already seen that footage once and I have no desire to see a video like that EVER again. Here’s the link:
http://s147271628.onlinehome.us/HorseSlaughter.wmv
WARNING: There are some serious graphic images here!
There’s nothing wrong with auctions. What’s wrong is that there are so many poor and mediocre horses flooding the market and selling for a pittance.
Too many bad owners looking to make a buck selling a horse that’s served them well. Putting them through that when they’re no longer fit or useful and worth nothing on the market other than meat money.
Remember an earlier quote on Fugly, the KB is just cleaning up the horselover’s mess. The monthly auction is a horse’s last chance regardless WHY he got there. USDA keeps track of horses shipped for slaughter and those thousands of horses can thank lollipop horse lovers for that last trip. Many of you should cowgirl up and attend horse auctions to see the whole other world of last chance horses. See the regular network of buyers and sellers; see riders for hire to misrepresent horses the seller is scared to ride. See the horse flippers and dealers. See the horse dumpers that want someone else to deal with their ugly problem. Maybe that father selling his sons’ ponies was MR Nonamesplease. Just because he didn’t come crying first, he gets no sympathy? What about the one owner Dash for Cash barrel horse? 15 years with one owner, lamed by one owner, now dumped at auction. Why? Lost her job, outgrown, needs faster horse, the EXCUSES ARE ENDLESS. The fact is the owner dumped the horse for someone else. Maybe the KB will clean up that mess, what do you think? Maybe you should all cowgirl up, like AQHA and realize if you want to breed there has to be a disposal plan in place. Why are breeders whining the most? Profits are down, costs are up, those brood mares do eat, bred or not. What do you think? For the breeder-has-beens, what did you actually offer the horse world? Rare breeds? Speshul colors? Think about it while attending a monthly auction where ANY horse may find his last chance. How many forever homes and special humans are out there?
I haven’t been to an auction since I bought the pony that taught me a hard lesson in taking responsibility for my mistakes.
As for the old man I feel for him too. I bought my mare (Annie) off of an old timer in our area. She and a gelding my father in law bought were the last horses he owned in his life. He died only a couple of months later. I wish I would have sat down for tea that day to talk to him and listen to his stories. He was probably the best horseman I’ll ever know.
The best local twice-yearly horse sale in my area has decided to not hold their sale this year. They could not get the qualify of registered horses they needed. They did not want to be known as a place that people could dump their junk. And, they didn’t want to offend sellers with low bids on their good horses. We will miss it, as it was a good place to buy and sell good horses.
I am a little late on reading this post. I am unlucky enough to live 30 miles away from the local sale barn, which runs every Wednesday and has anywhere from 5 to 60 horses PER WEEK. And stupid enough to go, most weeks. I am an independent rescuer and I will illustrate for you what I have bought and and bid on in in the last few months, buT i could go on pages about the lovely horses i have seen go to kill.
A little aside about ponies….they rarely go to kill. The kill buyers buy them often as trading animals or on orders. Donkeys and mules are also rarely bought for slaughter purposes (even worse though is donkeys used for roping) PRIME candidates for kill….yearlings all the way up to older horse in good to poor weight. Broke horses with no soundness problems are a crap shoot….sometimes they tgo to kill, sometimes they do not. Draft horses are always a major ticket for the kill buyer around here, more bang for the buck. Horses bought:
-bought 735 lb. 25 year old QH dude string gelding for $78.50. The kill buyer dropped out of the bidding, as the horse required a coggins test because was from out of state and this would have cut the profit an an already emaciated horse. Horse is completely rehabbed and living with a friend for her children to ride. He is 100% sound and healthy.
-bought 835 lb. 28 year old QH summer camp horse. I paid $207.40 for him (.25/lb) Kill buyer dropped out ofd bidding at .24/lb. Currently rehabbing.
-bought 900 lb. 3 year old andalusian/quarter horse cross stallion for $154.70. I bid on this horse up to .10/lb and thought I was bidding against private bidder. I in fact was not, and he went to the kill buyer onto his kill order. He sold him to me for $50 over the sale price right after the sale. His sale price at the sale was $104.70. Required no real phyiscal rehab, but he did have ringworm. Place within days.
-bought 3 year old black/white paint pony mare for $120. Required no physical rehab, she was in excellent physical condition. Placed in 48 hours.
Horses I bid on:
-middle aged morgan mare who had never had a foal, so she probably worked for a living. I bid on her up to $330 (approx .30/lb) SHe went to the kill buyer on an “order.”
-late teens grey dude string horse in good condition. He went to kill buyer on the kill order for around .26/lb or $210. I had already bought one that day and could not get the other.
-2 year old bay paso fino stallion. Halter broke and in good condition. He sold for .9/cwt to a kill buyer, but he went on an “order”
-buckskin 3 year old grade gelding. Broke to ride. Sold for .10/cwt to a kill buyer, but he went on an “order”
-older gray QHg type gelding. Went to kill on the kill order for about .11/cwt
-32 year old (by owners admission on paperowkr) QH gelding in excellent shape. Went for kill on kill order for .20/cwt.
I had the pleasure of watching the prior 2 loaded onto the truck as I left that day. But, I only have so much money on a given week to put into this.
The story about the man with the tiny saddle makes me want to cry
I would’ve been tempted to buy as many of the three horses as I could, just so I could go tell him he could come visit them any time he wanted to.
My coach went to an auction recently, I think to be a second set of eyes for a friend and to look out for a possible pony for her kids, and was telling us that there were a good 20 or 30 pure quarter horse colts and geldings with good bloodlines and conformation (and she got there late, there may have been even more than that). Most of them went for less than $200, and she’d be willing to bet the majority ended up on the meat truck.
Can you tell me what you mean by the” on order”? thank you! God bless you for saving those you can.
First off, I’ve bought at auctions.
Second, I’m a horse owner.
Third, for the last 5 or so years I’ve been working two jobs to afford keeping my horse; not in the best conditions, but the best that I could afford. I’ve now got my girl in a better barn that is cheaper (and better), and still continue to work a 2nd job, to SUPPORT my horse. I am not too proud to admit that I do that. She is my girl, and I promised her that I would be her only owner. I plan making true to that promise. She still gets everything she needs, even if I have to go shortl
I find that the people that sell for reasons of pride; i.e. continue to support a lifestyle – utterly caullous.
JMHO
Kate
We bought the Saddlebred mare, the sorrel yearling AQHA filly(sweetest girl ever!), the pony mare with the flaxen mane and tail(for our 3 y/o boys) and another very nice bay roan AQHA mare that had a hernia. My sister’s head is actually in most of your pictures, lol. We found the Saddlebred and the sorrel filly good homes. And are still trying to find one for the bay roan, but we might just ger her hernia fixed and keep her, and we are keeping the pony. We are actually going to go back and get another pony. And we do plan on breaking her to drive. Just want to let everyone know that those horses are in good homes
Here are some pictures of 3 of the horses we bought that day at the Calhan Auction(I only sat on the pony the one time for not even a minute) I couldn’t find the ones I had of the Saddlebred mare.
you have become my favorite person ever….
I was having trouble posting pictures, but here are links to see Wendy (the sorrel yearling) Silky (the bay roan) and our adorable pony, April. We paid $130 for Silky and she was towards the end with the loose horses(you’re lucky you didn’t stay). We’re very happy we stayed and got her, she is so sweet and adorable. She comes running up almost everytime she sees us and is always very happy.
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z366/rapaho22/wendy.jpg
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z366/rapaho22/silkyfox.jpg
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z366/rapaho22/pony.jpg