ROCKET IS A 12 YEAR OLD SORREL GELDING- BARREL AND POLE. HAS ALSO BEEN RIDEN ON TRAILS. KID SAFE. WE ARE MOVING AND MUST SELL. PRAYING HE GETS A GOOD HOME. GOD BLESS.
Ad Type: For Sale Name: ROCKET Breed: Quarter Horse Gender: Gelding Color: Sorrel
Height: 15.00 hands Temperament: 2 (1 - calm; 10 - spirited) Age: 12 yrs Registered: No. Price: $ 1,200
This ad just rubs me the wrong way. Not because there's anything really wrong about it or because the horse doesn't look well cared for but because of the phrase "praying he gets a good home".
Well that's just great. You know, I can pray all I want that people will stop being jackasses and taking good horses to the auction. I can pray until I'm blue in the face that the kill buyer won't get lots of those horses. I can pray until I pass out that people will stop breeding crappy horses and you know what will change? Nothing.
Why? Because I haven't done a goddamn thing to actually make it happen. If you want your horses to get a good home you don't just pray about it. You make sure the horse only gets sold to a good, approved, home. End of story. There's no trick, there's no magic, there's actual goddamn work involved. If that horse doesn't get a good home, it's not because fate willed it that way- it's because you were lazy and YOU didn't do your job as an owner.
I make sure my horses go to good homes. I screen people. You have the internet- you would be amazed how much you can find out about people by doing a simple google search or a facebook check. You ask questions, lots of them. You ask for pictures or to come do a check. You ask for pictures of their other horses and what their care schedule is. You have them come out and you watch them ride and interact with your horse. You have them sign a contract. If anything doesn't add up to you, you say "Sorry, I don't feel comfortable selling you my horse" or "I don't think you're the right fit."
Bam. There you go. When I'm selling a horse I literally turn away dozens of people I don't feel are a good match. Some of them get mad. Some of them swear at me. Some of them thank me for my honesty. But no matter what, my horse ends up in a good home.
But TT you say, the horse market is awful and it's a buyers market! I can't do afford to do that!
..... I can and so can you. I'm a freaking college student. You think my horses are magical beings that are just naturally better than every other horse? No. It's because I make sure to present them well, take good pictures of them all cleaned up, and I write an ad that actually tells you about the horse. Here are some of our ad pictures:
At a jog
Bareback at a walk
Playing in the pasture
Kota just went off to his new home yesterday. I had him listed for under a week and we had people calling nonstop. Someone cried when we said we'd already found him a home. Is this because he's better than every other horse out there? NO. It's because we represented him well...and we trained him.. Do your goddamn job and make SURE your horse gets a good home.
Here's a picture they sent me of Kota in his new home.
Gah. End rant. That's just a pet peeve of mine (You may notice that I've got a lot of those). Like when someone tried to guilt me at an auction by saying, "I sure hope he don't go to the killers, he's such a nice horse." *hint hint* *buy him*
I responded rather coldly by saying: "If you don't want him to go to slaughter than DON'T LET HIM. Don't let the kill buyer get him. No sale him and sell him online." This is not a complicated issue folks.
And now for an ad that I have a problem with because... well, hell, take your pick.
2. FILLY PAINT/GAITED B/W HORSE - $900
I HAVE A YEARLING BORN IN APRIL OF 2011
DAD WAS REGISTERED BLACK/WHITE TEN. WALKER/RACKING,MOM IS TRICOLOR PAINT ,NOT GAITED NOR REGISTERED
SHE HAS BEEN REGUARLY WORMED AND VACCINATED. COGGINS IN AUG OF 2012
SHE WAS WEANED AT 5-6 MONTHS OF AGE. AND HAS BEEN MESSED WITH SINCE DAY ONE. HALTER/LEAD BROKE. TRAILER LOADS. STANDS TIED. STANDS FOR FERRIER. EVEN TEMPERED, QUICK TO LEARN. SHE IS GREAT AND INTERACTIVE. SHE HAS BEEN RODE A HANDFUL OF TIMES AND IS CATCHING ON TO NECK REINING. NO OFFERS TO BUCK. WILL CROSS BRIDGES, CREEKS, DITCHES. HAS NO ISSUES WITH DOGS, VEHICLES OR ANYTHING ELSE I HAVE EXPOSED HER TO.
SHE LOOKS TO BE GAITED.
SHE HAS BEEN ON TRAIL RIDES SINCE SHE WAS A YEAR OLD, USED AS PACK HORSE. SHE HAS NOT BEEN ROUND PEN WORKED.
SHE IS LOOKING TO BE 16=6.2 HANDS. GREAT FEET.
HER NAME IS CLEOPATRA
...... Okay. You have a yearling/ now 2 year old? I hope this ad was written at two distinct times... You have an obvious (I really hope) oops baby that may or bay not actually be gaited. I'm glad she's been messed with. But why the hell is she being ridden over what sounds like fairly difficult places? I'm all for horses being ponied on the trails, but using a yearling as a pack horse? That I'm not so cool with.
Quarter Horse for sale - $1000
15 yr old Gelding - trail horse, anybody can ride. He is very sweet and has a lot of personality.
Uh. That horse certainly looks to have "lots of personality" but sweet isn't exactly the word I'd use. That horse looks like it's 3 seconds away from biting that guys hand off. There is nothing in that posture that indicates the horse wants to be there.
4. Horse for sale - $500
That mane and baby-doll face! I love it.
I have a beautiful dark bay quarter horse gelding for sale (check out the pics). 15 hands. Approximately 7 years old. Not registered as far as I know (didn't get papers when I got him). Current coggins. Feet recently trimmed. Recently dewormed. He is green broke and a little too headstrong horse for me (I'm a beginner). He's extremely athletic and intelligent but needs someone more experienced than myself to work with him. He had never been messed with when I got him but I was able to halter break him and he's pretty good with ground work. I'm just not enough of a horseman at this point to advance him any further under saddle. Price is listed at $500 but it is quite negotiable. He has thrown me twice (I'm an absolute rookie) so you're welcome to bring a saddle and ride him if you wish but you do so at your own risk. I believe (but you'll have to confirm) Slider has the athletic ability to make a pretty good roping or barrell horse with some help from somebody who can handle him, that's just not me. I'll sell him to whoever presents me with the money but THIS IS NOT A BEGINNER'S HORSE!!!!! Let me know if you're interested, otherwise he's going to the sale on May 4.
Okay, so let's get a few things straight. You bought a horse who wasn't even halter broke and you're a complete beginner. You are essentially getting rid of him because he's thrown you twice, you a person who admits they have no business training a horse, and you will sell him to anyone who gives you money. So, basically you're dumping him, either to whoever has cash or at a sale, because you bit off more than you could chew. Uh'huh. What exactly did you think was going to happen?! You'd have a magical bond that suddenly allowed the horse to understand exactly what you wanted? That he'd be so happy to be getting a job you wouldn't have any setbacks?
I give them full props for teaching the horse ground work. I do. I see that they've obviously been watching training videos and trying to work with the horse. I also see a horse that does not appear to be mean or spiteful in any way. Of course he's not a beginners horse! He doesn't know anything yet! Green and Green makes black and blue.
In other news, I admit I want that horse. I love his mane and his build and his baby-doll face. I think he's probably decently well bred. I think he's absolutely adorable. But my mother would kill me if I brought home a project that big. On the other hand, it really does take less time to train a horse the right way than to re-train a horse with faults..... That said, I really do like him... Those ears are very clearly listening to what the guy is asking and the horse appears relaxed- his lower lip is drooping in the picture where he's picking his foot up. This horse does not deserve to go to a sale where he will probably be run through and end up going to a kill buyer.
Agree with you the last horse certainly doesn't appear to be a candidate for the knackers to me. Am awfully glad he's not within reach of me ( am in the UK ) as he is tempting & am bad for tilting at windmills. Not a good idea at my age as land really heavy now & my balance is poor. Agree that it's much easier to do the job from go as have had a few remake jobbies that took a lot longer than my boy took to break from scratch. Perhaps you can enlighten me as to why people who are complete novices decide to take on young green horse ? It makes me furious as they not only put themselves in danger of an injury but more importantly they risk ruining a perfectly good horse
ReplyDeleteI will never know, it is a mystery to me. Perhaps they've seen too many awful horse movies and think they're reality?
ReplyDeleteI admit. I caved. He's just so darn cute, I emailed the guy. I wouldn't pay that price, horses around here are too cheap- especially at the sale, but for $300-350 he'd be a good project. I guess at least he's admitting he's reached his limit with the horse..... Just in the worst way.
I just want to brush him and show sheen his pretty mane.
I actually hope you end up with him. He sure is a handsome little guy.
ReplyDeleteAs far as why a complete novice would take an unbroke horse? That is easy. Because we think we can handle it. We don't know any better. It doesn't make us bad people, it makes us disillusioned.
I did it myself, although I did the one thing that this guy didn't do. I recognized my limitations before I ever even started. So the first thing I did was bring in a trainer, to work with both me and the horse, so that we could learn together. In fact before I even brought her home I took said trainer with me, to make sure that she was trainable, and that he was going to be willing to work with me. I won't say that it makes me better than that guy, just makes me different.
Yeah. I've said before that my parent's bought me a yearling colt when I was four so we could learn together. It went about as well as expected- maybe a little better.
ReplyDeleteLooking back they say they have no idea why, as novices who had no idea to train a horse, they thought it was a good idea.
I had someone recently ask me if I thought it was a good idea for them to get a foal so their kids could learn and raise it. My response was a resounding "NO, NO, NO, NO!" and then to explain why. As far as I know they didn't do it.
I honestly do too, I'm going to find out which auction and go there if the guy doesn't email me back.
I think he looks pretty willing actually. I like that he's been started in a snaffle.
I should probably add that I would not do it again if I had the chance. Lesson learned.
DeleteYep, I know that feeling. Hindsight is always 20/20...
DeleteFor me that part that makes me disapprove of him is the part where he's playing the scare tactic "Buy him or he's going to the sale".
ReplyDeleteIt's one thing to bite off more than you can chew, it's another to essentially punish the horse for your mistake. Selling the horse to anyone with cash or taking him to a sale is kind of punishing the horse for not working out the way he'd hoped- like a fantasy horse.