Post by bubba on Dec 19, 2005 11:07:28 GMT -5
For quite a while, I'd pass a field with a lone horse in it. There was a barn of sorts for shelter and a stream running through the property...over time, I noticed the horse was getting pretty skinny.
I stopped one day at the business next door. It was a pretty crappy garage. Turns out, the workers were betting on how long the horse would live. The barn was 2' deep in old pig manure, there was no water except for the small creek which was full of run-off from the garage, the grass was gone for the year and no hay was provided and the horse was really skinny and a mess.
How did he come to this? Simple...stupid horrid people. A couple bought their daughter a young off-the-track TB. They didn't like that he was not a puppy dog so they cut his feed. Then, they didn't like it that he was gassy and farted on occasion, so they cut his feed again. Then, since there was so much grass why should they feed him at all (especially since the girl had discovered boys and wasn't interested in horses an more). Since there was a creek, he didn't need any water, plus, if he ducked down, he could fit into the pig barn.
I finally found out who owned this poor guy and for $500 ("he's a valuable registered TB don't ya' know" I was told). I didn't need a rescue as I was already horse poor, but he needed a home. So, I had "Bones".
I rehabbed the poor boy (he was only 4), slowly put weight on him, vet care, blacksmith etc. After 8 months, Bones was a beautiful bay gelding and very sweet. I was wondering what I'd have under me when I finally rode him. When I finally leaned over him putting some weight on him, he couldn't have cared less. When I finally sat on him, he seemed to say, "howdy, so what took you so long...gotta' carrot?"
I worked Bones for several months and he was a wonderful horse. So, now I had to find him a good home (I had 2 jumpers and no money for a third horse). I finally found a nice guy, a fairly new rider but someone who seemed to listen and liked the boy. So, for $500, Bones had a new owner and a new life.
6 months later, I looked in on Bones. His stall had a wire mesh on the top and a sign saying "Dangerous, don't enter". He made a face at me when I came up to his stall. I said, "Bones, stop it". He stopped, gave a low "whuffle" noise and put his head under my arm for protection. After 15 minutes of talking to him, I was out looking for blood. This idiot guy had listened to everyone at how to ride Bones. He so traumatized this poor horse, you could see scars on Bone's side and some saddle sores from poor care. I ran into Bone's new owner and said I wanted to buy him back for what I sold him for. "Oh no, he's too valuable now with all his training", you can have him for $2,500. I sure wish this was one guy who's body someone might find in a year or two in the woods...but that was just a pleasant fantasy. I sold one of my jumpers to buy Bone's back, he deserved it.
I had Bones for 20 years, he was never ever mistreated. One day, an old lady friend of mien (well, she was 75) stopped by to give Bones a carrot and was talking about her grandkids and that she'd always wanted a horse but her husband (recently deceased) had always said they were a waste of money. I had checked her fences (nice fancy wood) and her run-in shed (it came with the property and just held a mower for her 4 acres)...2 days later, I trailered Bones over with all his stuff and handed her "the keys" to her new horse now named Fossil since he was one now.
I kept Bones looked after for vet stuff and blacksmithing....and something neat happened...the grandkids came by. Now that Grandma had a horse (Bones loved kids, they had candy), they wanted to visit. She had company and had a house full of youngin's. She and Bones had 2 years together... died a month after Bones. He was a good horse who was my friend.
I stopped one day at the business next door. It was a pretty crappy garage. Turns out, the workers were betting on how long the horse would live. The barn was 2' deep in old pig manure, there was no water except for the small creek which was full of run-off from the garage, the grass was gone for the year and no hay was provided and the horse was really skinny and a mess.
How did he come to this? Simple...stupid horrid people. A couple bought their daughter a young off-the-track TB. They didn't like that he was not a puppy dog so they cut his feed. Then, they didn't like it that he was gassy and farted on occasion, so they cut his feed again. Then, since there was so much grass why should they feed him at all (especially since the girl had discovered boys and wasn't interested in horses an more). Since there was a creek, he didn't need any water, plus, if he ducked down, he could fit into the pig barn.
I finally found out who owned this poor guy and for $500 ("he's a valuable registered TB don't ya' know" I was told). I didn't need a rescue as I was already horse poor, but he needed a home. So, I had "Bones".
I rehabbed the poor boy (he was only 4), slowly put weight on him, vet care, blacksmith etc. After 8 months, Bones was a beautiful bay gelding and very sweet. I was wondering what I'd have under me when I finally rode him. When I finally leaned over him putting some weight on him, he couldn't have cared less. When I finally sat on him, he seemed to say, "howdy, so what took you so long...gotta' carrot?"
I worked Bones for several months and he was a wonderful horse. So, now I had to find him a good home (I had 2 jumpers and no money for a third horse). I finally found a nice guy, a fairly new rider but someone who seemed to listen and liked the boy. So, for $500, Bones had a new owner and a new life.
6 months later, I looked in on Bones. His stall had a wire mesh on the top and a sign saying "Dangerous, don't enter". He made a face at me when I came up to his stall. I said, "Bones, stop it". He stopped, gave a low "whuffle" noise and put his head under my arm for protection. After 15 minutes of talking to him, I was out looking for blood. This idiot guy had listened to everyone at how to ride Bones. He so traumatized this poor horse, you could see scars on Bone's side and some saddle sores from poor care. I ran into Bone's new owner and said I wanted to buy him back for what I sold him for. "Oh no, he's too valuable now with all his training", you can have him for $2,500. I sure wish this was one guy who's body someone might find in a year or two in the woods...but that was just a pleasant fantasy. I sold one of my jumpers to buy Bone's back, he deserved it.
I had Bones for 20 years, he was never ever mistreated. One day, an old lady friend of mien (well, she was 75) stopped by to give Bones a carrot and was talking about her grandkids and that she'd always wanted a horse but her husband (recently deceased) had always said they were a waste of money. I had checked her fences (nice fancy wood) and her run-in shed (it came with the property and just held a mower for her 4 acres)...2 days later, I trailered Bones over with all his stuff and handed her "the keys" to her new horse now named Fossil since he was one now.
I kept Bones looked after for vet stuff and blacksmithing....and something neat happened...the grandkids came by. Now that Grandma had a horse (Bones loved kids, they had candy), they wanted to visit. She had company and had a house full of youngin's. She and Bones had 2 years together... died a month after Bones. He was a good horse who was my friend.