Bonne Chance - "Bo" - Rest in peace

[schwung]

Yesterday, myself, Jaybird (Bonnie), and Winterslakefarm met at the Enumclaw Auction. We went there with a specific purpose, to outbid the meatman on 1-2 horses using the money that was donated by clearlybluebreeze and her friends in memory of Odie. We felt that saving a couple of horses from slaughter was a fitting tribute to Odie.

Our second purchase of the day was an older, thin bay gelding. Like with Dobbin, the only one bidding on this poor old thing was the meatman (who sadly took home several others yesterday). This poor bay gelding was dumped at the auction by an unknown owner with no name and no history. He was a thin, sad looking creature, led in by the auction handler and you could see from the stands that this horse's feet were horribly overgrown and chipped. We raised our number to outbid the killer and bought him for $150.

When we went back to meet our new horse, he was a very sad looking horse, with his head held low and appeared very depressed. He didn't have much interest in us at first and turned his head away, but as we pet him and talked softly to him, you could almost see the hope start to glimmer in his eyes that maybe things were going to be ok. As we haltered him and led him out, we heard the sound of a loose shoe, and sure enough, on one of his poor sad, overgrown, cracked feet was one shoe, still hanging on by two nails.

As we led him out to the trailer, his head came up, his step quickened and he marched on ahead of Dobbin to the trailer. He is very very sweet, and dived right into the hay and treats, and seemed to be soaking up all the attention we were giving him. When he saw the hay in the trailer he practically jumped in. Chelsea took a special liking to this guy, so I asked her if she would like to name him. This morning she emailed me with his new name - Bonne Chance, which means "good luck" in French, as he certainly did have a bit of good luck on his side last night, ending up with us! He will go by "Bo" for short.

Last night I made up a small mash for them and both Bo and Dobbin seemed surprised to have it, but dived right in. But this morning, Bo was standing at the gate nickering at me in hopes that maybe, just maybe, I might have some more of that for him. He's quite a talker! I happily obliged, and although I put two grain tubs out for them they chose to share the same one. They are getting along just great together, and I haven't even seen an ear-pinning between them.

Here is Bo at the auction:












And this morning. He is such a love, and comes right up to the fence for pets, so it was hard to get any good photos!

[averyacres]

Just wonderful!!! Thank you SO much everyone for making this happen!

[cat67]

Wow, he is going to be CUTE when he's fat! What is he, appendix? Do you know anything about him or nothing?

I would have picked him too.

[schwung]

Your guess is as good as mine, Cat. He's not terribly big, 15h maybe.

[cat67]

Hmmm I'm going to say Appendix QH. No lip tats on either of them?

[winterlakesfarm]

Well I tell you I have tears in my eyes over seeing him out on grass and happy.
When I first got the auction Jaime was not there yet and Bonnie and I probably walked by each other 10 times but we were so intent on identifying the at risk horses that we did not connect.

This poor guy was in the furthest corner of his pen, head down and had no interest in anything going on around him. I tried to talk quietly to him and see if I could get a response, but he just looked defeated and was waiting resignedly for the next blow that life was going to deal him. There were other horses that were at risk as well(most went to private parties) but for some reason this guy really weighed on my heart.

When he came in the ring he was pretty sad but obedient and again was just following the ring handler and looking pretty much done with believing in anything like good luck. When Jaime got that competitive look in her eye when "randy" the horse dealer bid $100 on him she and Bonnie quickly offered $110, Randy countered and Jaime hung in there and finally made "Randy" back down. ;D

When we went to the back to inspect SAFE's purchases/rescues I again was drawn to the defeated look on his face and depressed body language. We all stood and talked to him for a minute and while the others went to check on Dobbin I stayed and stroked his muzzle and promised him that his life was going to be filled with love and people who would look out for his best interests from now on. He gently rested his head on my shoulder but just did not seem like he could believe anything good was going to come his way.

The others returned, I choked back some tears and Jaime haltered and led him to her trailer. As we walked a slow tranformation happened......he sped up, he walked with a little purpose and his eye got just the littlest bit hopeful. At the trailer Jaime gave him some hay and we all loved on he and Dobbin some more, and he looked even the littlest bit more hopeful......finally Jaime found the way to his heart by breaking out a jug of horse cookies and feeding them some. Bo thought those were the BEST ever! Finally he was excited at the prospect of what this new chapter might bring......he very politely let her know that he would like MORE of those please by trying to get first his muzzle, and when that failed his tongue, into that jug and get MORE of those!

He is quite sweet and if I could have stuffed him into my toyota(note to self - NEVER bring my trailer to the auction!) I would have brought him home as he had completely stolen my heart! I swear if I could fill my pastures with these old bay men horses I seem to fall for(Sarge, Dally, JR and now Bo) I would. Watching them blossom and regain a love for life would be enough to feed my soul until we all pass into a place where people do not dump their old fart horses at the auction! Bless SAFE and Bonnie and Jaime specifically for helping this guy remember that sometimes life brings good things to forgotten horses!

[averyacres]

Okay, holding back the tears at work....sniffle, sniffle...

I LOVE what you said here:

I swear if I could fill my pastures with these old bay men horses I seem to fall for(Sarge, Dally, JR and now Bo) I would. Watching them blossom and regain a love for life would be enough to feed my soul until we all pass into a place where people do not dump their old fart horses at the auction!

[cat67]

Someday winterlakesfarm and I will win the lottery and buy a big farm. On one side of the driveway will be old bay geldings and on the other side will be old chestnut mares. I would happily bring home every skinny old chestnut TB and QH mare from every sale if only I could figure out how to afford it!

[averyacres]

I will do the same if I win the lotto as well!!! I will have to have the pastures filled with all the different colors though....

[qhflicka]

You're the best. Thank you.

"Watching them blossom and regain a love for life would be enough to feed my soul" So well said, and now we have something to tell people when they ask us why we "waste" our money, time and energy rescueing and rehabbing horses in need.

A very wealthy friend of mine told me I was "crazy" when I called her and told her the horse she had sold six months prior, was on the Toppenish, WA feedlot and that I did not have the funds to bail her, and could she help. I said I would foster her and find her a new home, and pay her back. She was not interested, needless to say, that friendship ended. How can anyone be that heartless?

The horse was a sweet, gentle, 20+ grullo mare, she had bought for her grandkids to ride. Some kind soul rescued her off the feedlot, just in time.

[cat67]

I asked Jellybelly because I wasn't sure, but the dealer you outbid for this gelding is the same one she rescued Kit, who's now mine, and her daughter Bess from at another auction two years ago...I think Yelm. The one who told JB if she didn't buy Kit too that he "was going to can her." What a scumbag.

[winterlakesfarm]

Yes it was hard to "read" him and the grossly fat old man who we called "blue hat".......they got a few horses but some were over meat prices so I think most of them were for re-sale......blue hat was so despicable he was in the back when I was loving on Bo he asked me if he was mine and was interested in buying him grrrrrrrrrr.....I was cordial because I was worried about a couple of the other horses and wanted information, but if looks could kill he would have had some lasers shooting into his back as he walked away. "Randy" bought about 10 horses and all but 3 or 4 were well over meat prices and broke. "Blue hat" bought fewer horses but took a few at real risk. One tall chestnut TB and a big older Buckskin are haunting me today with not knowing where they ended up. There was another dealer there "red hat" that Juliane and I talked to the last time we went and I did not see him buy anything yesterday, although he did bid on some nice riding horses- well broke ranch types under 10 years old so they were not in much risk. There were some beautiful Buckskins and Palominos there......amazing horses off of ranches in Idaho and Nevada.....most going in the $1500-$2000 range with one bringing over $4000. the saddest of all were all the paint, palomino and buckskin babies going for $100 and they were working to get that starting bidding at $75. Then of course a raft of sorrel(chestnut for those who speak "english") that you see at EVERY auction. I swear I could choke those who overbreed and dump at the auction......and a special curse on the ones that overbreed, dump mares and 12 day(yes DAY) old babies with the mare bred back at the auction. Watching those mares and babies on the slick concrete covered with shaving floor of the auction ring- the mares trying to protect the babies amidst the noise and confusion and the poor babies sleeping on the concrete floors of the holding pens with little or no bedding and in their own poo or pee makes me REALLY not like breeders very much with a very few exceptions. Sigh.

[averyacres]

Grr...scumbag is a "nice" way to put it....

[schwung]

Yes, the thing that amazed me the most was the fact that I would have to say at least 50% of the horses there, if not more, were paints, palominos, or buckskins. One grulla even. There is no safety net for "color" - in fact I am thinking they are in fact almost more at risk because color is being so overbred these days...reminds me a lot of the Arab phenomenon of the 80s. Of the horses there, probably 70% were QHs, 15% were TBs, and then there were a few arabs, a few minis (so cute!) and a handful of other breeds (Tennesee Walkers, Appaloosas, etc.)

[averyacres]

Okay, more tears at work... So wonderful what you guys did yesterday.