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Post by qhflicka on May 7, 2007 17:07:55 GMT -5
We rescue horses from the Hermiston and Toppenish auctions. The babies at the Toppenish auction usually go for $30 to $100. We don't bid against familes with children, believing the horses will go to a good home, but as someone pointed out to me, some kill buyers also have families and cute kids.
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Post by cat67 on May 7, 2007 17:11:07 GMT -5
Part of the problem with horses will always be: Who wants a baby? Unless you show halter - the one exception - you are buying a food vaccuum that is going to cost you money, that you can't DO anything with, for two years or more. Yet, if nobody bred, those $2000 - $4000 horses you saw wouldn't exist. None of our horses would. Some people do have to breed, it's just that they have to use their brain in making their breeding choices, not just breed horses because they like them but be aware where the market really is, plus they have to be willing to keep the ones that don't sell as babies until they do, and provide them with appropriate training during that time so that they are marketable. There is a lot involved. I really think you have to be aware of the market, if you are going to breed, and not do what too many people do and just breed based upon what THEY personally like. For example, tobianos are very cold right now. Nobody wants them. They are a dime a dozen. If you are going to breed paints, you need to be breeding overos and they need to be show quality. And good sized. Or if you are going to breed Quarter Horses, with the very specific exception of top quality cutting horse stock, they need to be tall. The market for stumpy little QH's is extremely dead. The market for tall, Thoroughbreddy-looking QH's that move with a flat knee is very good. I have a friend in Wisconsin who breeds 2-3 babies a year and never sells them for less than $5000 - as weanlings. The market IS there for quality. The problem is, too many people are breeding too much garbage and too many of them. I just did a breeding farm web site and one of the features I put in was a Breeding 101 page that I wrote up which addresses some of the issues surrounding responsible breeding. I'd like to see more breeders making a similar attempt to educate the public. www.yellowhorsesinc.com/breeding101.html
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Post by winterlakesfarm on May 7, 2007 18:41:48 GMT -5
Sheila Varian that owns Varian arabians is another breeder that goes out of her way to educate and give criteria for breeding. She never breeds a mare unless she has trained it to ride and it demonstrates a good mind as well as beauty. She is very exacting in her process to determine what is a good breeding prospect....her site is www.varianarabians.com she is also inducted into the cowgirl hall of fame and trains her horses to work cattle and she ropes off of them. She trains them in the old bosal and spade bit cowhorse methods and she is an amazing person in her own right. More breeders like that and less of what we saw at the auction would be an acceptable criteria for me to like people breeding again. I do like the website you created and if I had a spare $7500 I would be taking home that Cecil colt! What a looker!
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Post by slew on May 7, 2007 19:54:06 GMT -5
Hey, this little guy is a looker......and so LUCKY!
I am getting very depressed looking over craigslist and seeing more and more horses for less and less money...... I have been contacted more than once lately to take a horse......but I am full to the gills and just can't.
I hate to see such a glut on the market.
but anyone........HURRAY for these two!
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Post by trillium on May 7, 2007 20:35:19 GMT -5
What a great story about Dobbin and Bo. Way to go you guys, and I had tears in my eyes too, reading about this one. And yes, Shelia Varian is a great example of good breeder. I love to look at her horses. Couldn't afford one....but love to look.
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Post by clearlybluebreeze on May 7, 2007 20:40:31 GMT -5
Thanks to SAFE for rescuing thses guys! Thank you so much for honoring Odie's memory. He certainly took a piece of my heart with him - over that rainbow bridge - but seeing these other horses that are given another chance "thanks to Odie and SAFE" makes me so happy! I hope to stop by and meet them this week.
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Post by cat67 on May 7, 2007 22:32:25 GMT -5
I have a friend in Wisconsin who had a son or grandson (can't remember which) of Bay-Abi. She was like "you have to ride this horse, I know you don't like Arabs but you'll like this one." She was right. He was bomb proof, had a killer flying lead change and a slide stop. I wonder if he actually came from Sheila? Could have been! Back to topic - I can't wait to see these horses fatten up. It's so great. Maybe someday they can meet Kit and discuss their narrow escape from Randy the meat man!
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Post by Angel62197 on May 7, 2007 23:13:20 GMT -5
I can't imagine how hard it must be to go to those auctions, so thank the three of you that went for doing the hardest job of all. I have to remind myself that the important thing to remember is that if every person does what they can, that's one more horse than can be helped. No one can save them all, but we can do amazing things for some.
Bo is going to be a stunner. Nothing beats a classic bay. Can't wait to see the transformation.
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Post by jellybelly on May 7, 2007 23:16:53 GMT -5
I bet the shoe he has on was put on him in October for "Huntin" so he could pack an elk out of the brush. He looks like he is going to be a great horse!
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Post by jellybelly on May 7, 2007 23:22:28 GMT -5
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. Randy Eppers is they guy that I rescued Kit, Friday, and Bess from. He is an older guy, pretty heavy and has droopy bull dog type eyes with a saggy bottom lip that looks like he need a lipectomy. He is a big time auction dealer and always has a string of riding horses at every auction. He also buys slaughter horses.
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Post by schwung on May 7, 2007 23:33:01 GMT -5
So we got Daphne, the barefoot farrier that Dr. Hannah recommended, to come out on short notice to fix poor Bo's terrible feet today. Bo was perfect, a really good guy, even though I think he was having a hard time on his left hind. He's very very stoic, I think he was stressed as Daphne brought her truck and trailer, and I think he was worried he might be leaving. He refused to take any of the treats that he loved yesterday, even after we were done, but other than that, you would never have known that he was stressed or in any discomfort. This guy, he has a heart of gold. Some before photos: After photos: This front foot has a bad crack: And this back right foot has a fold on the side, with a bit of a flare. There could be a deformity going on, or this could be a compensatory thing, as Bo is definately favoring his left hind. Or it could have to do with the foot had to grow because of the shoes, hard to say. We'll have to wait and see what happens here: The bottoms of his front feet have big toe calluses, which could be due to a previous founder, although he does not really have any visible rings on his feet now. And after we were done: First thing he did when I turned him back out: Afterwards, I decided to get some of that loose hair off of him and clean him up a bit. He was an angel, not moving a muscle and ground tying as I took a layer of hair off of him, removed his auction tag and brushed his mane and tail, and generally fussed over him. All done! Isn't he cute?
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Post by cat67 on May 8, 2007 0:09:59 GMT -5
He is SO cute.
I bet he adopts out in about 3 seconds once he's sound. He is just going to be really, really, really beautiful. There's a very nice quality horse under that condition.
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Post by schwung on May 8, 2007 0:44:45 GMT -5
There is a little bit of heat in his LH fetlock, so I am hoping that maybe this is a recent thing, not an old injury. He also has something very strange going on with his teeth, he has a half-circle that is worn on his top front molars, which look like maybe he got by running his teeth up and down on stall bars? Not sure, but it is pretty symmetrical, and definately from wear, not an injury.
I agree, there is a beautiful horse in there, and he is such a doll. I really hope he will be sound and ridable when we get some weight on him. He'd probably make a fabulous kids horse!
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Post by schwung on May 8, 2007 0:48:16 GMT -5
Randy Eppers is they guy that I rescued Kit, Friday, and Bess from. He is an older guy, pretty heavy and has droopy bull dog type eyes with a saggy bottom lip that looks like he need a lipectomy. He is a big time auction dealer and always has a string of riding horses at every auction. He also buys slaughter horses. Yup, that's the guy.
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Post by Whitewolf821 on May 8, 2007 2:44:52 GMT -5
OK, not trying to be pushy here....but how long before we think Bo's ready to go? Thinking maybe mid summer? Cuz there's just something about him...about his face....
I want to meet Bo! ;D
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