in addition to the nine mustangs, i also have 9 adopted equine (7 horses, 2 mules) from a rescue org. Gotta admit, it is kinda strange dealing with rescue organizations… They are…‘odd’ and have as many, if not more, quirks than their horses do. They tend to oversell…so let the adopter beware! Of the 9, only five turned out to be sound enough to be riding horses/mules. And one of those, the mule, is quite prone to abscesses. The non-rideables, i pretty much knew going-in that they were coming here to have a good rest-of-their-life and just be beautiful friends for me. But three of them were rather a sad surprise health-wise. I just kept going back to the well until i finally got four good ones. And they are great! The others are not ‘baggage’ because we have a very large farm with plenty of pastures to be grazed, so no biggie. But, if i were to recommend a source to get good, cheap, HEALTHY and sound horses, i’d look no further than the american mustang. I’m thinking of getting two or three more next year.
I like the variety of horses that Bowie has had. Some types that I don’t see in my area for sure
This. If you’re doling out $$$ for shipping across the country…
I think it all boils down to how you like to waste your money on horses. 
Sometimes I want to spend that money on a pedigree and perhaps a show season.
Other times I want to spend that money on shipping and a Craigslist or Bowie kill pen special.
I have done both and even combined the four. 
There is a group on FB that is trying to get shipping to the northeast organized for the recent dump of Andalusian crosses that have shown up at Bowie. The FB group is “Iberian Horse Rescue Network”. It’s breaking my heart to see those horses just dumped there. I have enough hay to get my own little herd through the winter and I just paid my taxes - I just don’t have the funds to take another horse on. My last two ponies have been rescues and I plan to continue investing in either rescues or BLM in the future. While I would loffff a purpose-bred warmblood, too many poor souls will find themselves dumped at auction as inflation skyrockets and the costs of feeding spiral out of control.
I love seeing you guys helping these victims of sucky humans even if it’s supporting a racket. It’s not the horses’ fault. They deserve better while we sort it out!
That’s kinda where i’m at too.
Gosh, the moderator or whatever you want to call them is a piece of work. She tried to connect a bunch of people to organize shipping/qt, I enthusiastically replied that I was so glad that someone else scooped up the two horses I might have been interested in, and she privately tried to guilt me into taking another one. Good grief. Horse shopping is stressful enough as it is.
I bought from Bowie a month and a half ago, similar timeline as Mulligan, we are located in Central California and I was definitely worried about Bowie’s transport. I ended up getting connected with All Seated in a Barn (from the National Geo article, I have seen their facility and now met them, not hoarders, just a VERY emotionally invested group of people who work really hard to give horses a second chance at life or a peaceful ending). They put me in contact with a local quarantine facility where our little guy could do a 2 week quarantine before making the journey. He gained some weight, got antibiotics for a snotty nose and then that same rescue shipped him to California with their next load of QT horses. Maybe reach out to any rescues in your area that have trucks going to and from Bowie? It was much cheaper than the hauler quotes I got, and the money benefited a rescue…
Shame on you! How dare you say money on horses is wasted!
This thread has inspired me to update my adoption application with BLM. I think overall, the mustangs i’ve gotten are structurally much more sound than the rescues i’ve adopted. And, they are quite beautiful and athletic animals. Now that i’m on a couple of them it’s pretty amazing how…gentle and concerned they are. Almost like a very good mule can be.
A friend just bought a kill pen warmblood from Georgia/Mississippi? A big one down there, big guy in horrible shape but appears to be a kind, gentle soul. He was even microchipped although that has been a dead end. She picked up 2 although I haven’t seen the other. Only time will tell. I’m sure there are nice kind horses in kill pens. You just have to wade through with caution.
Well, I finally bought a horse! I saw a 20 year old paint gelding posted on a fb group and it turns out I am acquaintances with the owner as we live quite close. I trust her not to misrepresent him and she was thrilled to sell him to someone she knows. He is beautiful, sound, big, tons of trail experience, but the one “downside” is that he is a lot of horse- fast walker, can jig in large groups, so can intimidate beginners or the timid. The owner is in her mid 70s now and wants a smaller quieter horse. I rode him and liked him and bought him. I think he will work out well as my hubby, while not a super experienced rider, is a big guy who is not afraid. Or he could ride my horse and I could ride this guy. I paid only $1500 which seemed like a decent price to me when I started horse shopping but is wayyyyyyyy below what people are asking for around here.
So we’ll see how it goes. I did come away from this whole thing with a desire to “rescue” a “kill pen” horse and it’s definitely on my list. Just will be saved for when I have more money and time!
People don’t register the microchips. However, always check it against a USEF search, just in case it showed at some point. (I assume your friend did this, more a PSA.)
I have bought eight horses from Bowie Texas Livestock Auction over the years - one just recently.Given current economic challenges, some really quite nice horses are finding themselves without a home. Bowie will buy from a struggling farm or pull horses with potential straight off a kill truck. They run a private rescue to assist the most stressed of these. Then, and this just floors me, they will ride with only a halter those that are ride-able. They provide an honest and fair video with comments on what they are seeing and the prices are more than reasonable. Are these horses ready to enter grand prix competition - no. Will brining one of these horses along make you a better horseman - absolutly yes.
They are honest folks and do more for the rescue community than meets the eye.
Bowie is not a rescue. They are horse dealers.
Another cute Andy cross just showed up. There’s a neat Dutch Harness mare too…
If anyone likes that type of variety, might want to take a look.
Bumping this just to share this poor guy I came across in a Facebook post 
It looks like he is 18 and in desperate need of a landing spot after being savaged by a stallion? I would not normally “support” this kind of place by sharing but he’s really pulling at my heartstrings and I’m unfortunately not in a position to help right now, but with the recent successes of dear Bo and Mulligan I thought maybe someone out there was looking for their very own COTH miracle, or at worst a soft landing spot to know he was loved.
Poor bub. He looks pretty rough, and did they seriously spray blu-kote all over his eyelids? That stuff is not supposed to go in the eyes, maybe that’s why he can’t see. 
I hope someone helps him but I am always totally floored at the crazy prices they put on the hard luck ones. $880 to buy and you’re probably going to need to haul him straight to a hospital.
He’s listed as “out of stock” so I think he may have sold… hopefully to somewhere good.
I hope he went somewhere good.
I gotta stop reading these at work. I got all teary-eyed just looking at him.
If you can’t tell I’m a schmoo for a grey. And I love the oldies.
I have to keep telling myself that I need a reliable vehicle to get to work not an injured horse. Even if he is cute and a sad case.
