Horse Haulers from Hell "Wellington Equine Express"

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

[QUOTE=mvp;7787930]
Well now that we have been yelled at and your credentials established as one who “know better”-- didn’t it occur to you that this buyer/HO was being naive? After all, he decided to find a long-distance hauler via U-ship or similar instead of going with one of the established haulers, No red flag there, or where you not worried about his doing due diligence because it was his horse at that point?

This was not a low cost haul. This was 'bait and switch" if you read the whole thread I have explained that the buyer had a must do out of country trip planned and this hauler was also a “full week late” which put serious backs to the wall. Hind sight is 20-20 vision. I learned in HIND SIGHT, the buyer is naïve about haulers and so was I! He is a serious horse person and the nicest person I have had the pleasure to do business with recently. Many of the posters here learned by experience…If you cannot even imagine something, you cannot protect yourself from it. That is why I started this thread. And I repeat, I have had small companies haul that were very good to excellent.

Look, I get it that it’s not your horse. I get that your intention is to write a helpful PSA. But you come across as letting the rest of us know that were are all sitting ducks since someone as experienced as you had no possible sign that this would happen. If I read the details right (or read between the lines when you called the buyer/HO naive), yeah, you did have a sign.

I, too, have been doing this awhile and I have high standards for care. IME, now that I’m old, if you see people cutting corners…. chances are that they really are doing that and will continue to do so if they don’t know better or can’t afford better. But you can usually see the signs of standards that are lower than your own.[/QUOTE]

This was not a low cost haul. This was a three rig and drivers 'bait and switch". If you read the whole thread I have explained that the buyer had a must do out of country trip planned and this hauler was also a “full week late” which put serious backs to the wall. Hind sight is 20-20 vision. I learned in HIND SIGHT, the buyer is naïve about haulers and so was I! He is a serious horse person and the nicest person I have had the pleasure to do business with recently. Many of the posters here learned by experience…If you cannot even imagine something, you cannot protect yourself from it. That is why I started this thread. And I repeat, I have had small companies haul that were very good to excellent.

As for all of feeling like sitting ducks. I said, my new contract is that any hauler has to send 48 hours in advance, a pic of the actual rig coming and bios of the drivers to get onto my place. Lets face it, who does not have a cell phone that cannot take a quick pic.

If the hauler knows they have to meet that simple criteria they will agree and do it. If they are ‘shysters’ they will bow out early.

[Shahrazade]

[QUOTE=Kwill;7787690]
Getting a thumbs up for not lying doesn’t seem like a very solid endorsement.[/QUOTE]

LOL true enough!!! I just hate to having nothing good to say about someone.

[Kwill]

When we did horse judging eons ago, we could comment on “foxy ears” if the horse was otherwise a conformational trainwreck.

[ReSomething]

[QUOTE=Gayle in Oregon;7788492]
. . .
As for all of feeling like sitting ducks. I said, my new contract is that any hauler has to send 48 hours in advance, a pic of the actual rig coming and bios of the drivers to get onto my place. Lets face it, who does not have a cell phone that cannot take a quick pic.

If the hauler knows they have to meet that simple criteria they will agree and do it. If they are ‘shysters’ they will bow out early. . . [/QUOTE]

Excuse me while I make a detour to the KHP or the backside at one of the tracks around here to pick out a pretty rig to take a picture of.

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

[QUOTE=ReSomething;7789117]
Excuse me while I make a detour to the KHP or the backside at one of the tracks around here to pick out a pretty rig to take a picture of.[/QUOTE]

Dear Excuse me. Not many are THAT crooked and ballsie AND IF they show up in a different rig with different drivers I have the clear ‘pre-stated’ written right (in my contract) to send them packing, if I don’t approve the substitute. They wont do it…its too expensive/time/fuel consuming for them to come and then leave empty. And if one should try it I would laugh all night about it. Really, I would probably start laughing as soon as they try to pull in

[GoshenNY]

Took a look at the Wellington equine express ,that air ride they mention and have interior photos of,seems to look like brook ledge
http://www.brookledge.com/gallery.php
Thieves !
I’ve seen this before,so many gypsy wannabes
Regards,
J

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

[QUOTE=GoshenNY;7789249]
Took a look at the Wellington equine express ,that air ride they mention and have interior photos of,seems to look like brook ledge
http://www.brookledge.com/gallery.php
Thieves !
I’ve seen this before,so many gypsy wannabes
Regards,
J[/QUOTE]

I looked, too. What joke.

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

Creeping up on 9,000 Views. Nice going COTHers!!! When I google ‘Wellington Equine Express’ our forum comes up 3rd and before them at 4th or lower. Tee Heee.

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

I am not endorsing this but it looks interesting and a way to find a hauler. The administrator says she/he screened all haulers.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/700804619938705/

[angela38]

we tried leasing onto Wellington Equine Express about 2 weeks ago, we quickly found out that they are crooks, having us load horses and not tell us what they are paying, changing our route mid stream, not giving us the info we need as sub contractors, keeping horses on the trailer for 5 days, these are not good people to work with even worse if you have a horse hauled through them, they hire sub contractors like us to too do the hauling without even meeting us so that shows there is no regard for who is picking up these horses. they still owe us for two deliveries and refusing to pay us yet they got paid for them, they are trying to spread nasty rumors about us that we abandoned our route yet they didn’t send us the info so after we unloaded in Tx we called them yet again but nobody would tell us what we were being paid so we headed home with our own truck and trailer, which is brand new not some rusty bucket of bolts…please spread the word about how this company does business and protect your horses

[uphill]

Wellington Equine Express’ registered address is in Lantana, FL…not Wellington. The property is a single family home in small lot residential area. Property is not owned by Kenneth Koch (registered owner of Wellington Equine Express), it is owned by someone else…and I believe that person has a painting contract business registered there.

So, was the rig pictured on their website not the rig that picked up the colt? Interesting, because the business only has one registered truck and one trailer.

I think it’s not uncommon to sub contract…but that should be disclosed IMO.

I’ve had a bad shipping experience with a well established company. Unprofessional to arrive 12hrs late, at midnight with a “washed out” shocky horse , and not call or answer my calls. Little Rock , Ark. to Sarasota, FL area. IMO it was probably a sub contracted situation.I was too distressed about this newly purchased horse, at a new to me boarding barn everyone asleep and I didn’t know any local vet to call. It took several days , she was ok…thank goodness she wasn’t in competition! Cox transported her with 2 mini donkeys…who would think to ask about that???

[BasqueMom]

Saw a Brookledge rig in Kansas at a truck stop several weeks ago when driving back from Colorado. Two drivers, rig was fairly open like they had been watering,
feeding, double checking. One guy came out of the truck stop and button everything up and down the road they went. Whipped out the phone and took a pic just because it was such a lovely rig…horses were probably riding more comfortably than I was.

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

[QUOTE=angela38;7800928]
we tried leasing onto Wellington Equine Express about 2 weeks ago, we quickly found out that they are crooks, having us load horses and not tell us what they are paying, changing our route mid stream, not giving us the info we need as sub contractors, keeping horses on the trailer for 5 days, these are not good people to work with even worse if you have a horse hauled through them, they hire sub contractors like us to too do the hauling without even meeting us so that shows there is no regard for who is picking up these horses. they still owe us for two deliveries and refusing to pay us yet they got paid for them, they are trying to spread nasty rumors about us that we abandoned our route yet they didn’t send us the info so after we unloaded in Tx we called them yet again but nobody would tell us what we were being paid so we headed home with our own truck and trailer, which is brand new not some rusty bucket of bolts…please spread the word about how this company does business and protect your horses[/QUOTE]

When “they” arrived at my place I specifically questioned them about where they were going next and what horse was next to be picke up as the ‘rig’ was empty. The answer was “We don’t know”. They went on to say they had not been in contact with “DAWN” the ‘dispatcher’ and they would do that AFTER they loaded my horses…!! My assistant found them on the side of the road an hour later smoking and figuring out the route I guess. I never heard of such a thing and it was NOT what “DAWN” had promised. It was the early part of a long nightmare. To call them ‘fly by night’ is a complement.

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

Creeping up to 11,000 Views…! Great job COTHers.

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

Keeping the drive alive.

OVER 11,000 Views…! Great job COTHers.

[mistydvhorsetranspor]

Hi My name is Misty Neal with Deer Horn Valley Horse Transport. I would like to set some things straight:

1. We are not now nor were we ever brokers in any way shape or form.
2. KJ and Mr. Koch are the same person.
3. He and Dawn no longer work for us for good reason.
4. We have been doing everything in our power to stop them.
5. And yes we are looking for drivers, who will have to sign a contract with us in order to drive for us.
   I do believe this covers it, however if you have further questions or comments please feel free to e-mail me mistydvhorsetransport@gmail.com.
   Thank you

[Irideon]

Wellington Equine Express NIGHTMARE!!!

I would like to share with you all the nightmare transport service I experienced with Wellington Equine Express. As detailed in the images I was quoted a price for shipping of one horse from Deland, Florida to Davie the “week of the 27th”. I was often in communication with Dawn, a dispatcher who seemed quite kind and convincing and even eased my fears of a terrible review I read of the company. Which at this point I am convinced is true. Let’s start from the beginning:

1. I was informed the 26th that a DIRECT nonstop trip would be available for my horse (of which I shared expressive concern for the amount of time he would be on the round) on the 27th of October of which pickup would occur after 12:00pm. SEE IMAGE OF MESSAGE

2. the horse was not picked up by a supposed “KJ” and en route to south Florida until 8:21 pm. At which time I was told that the driver would not be able to make the full drive to Davie an had to stop and sleep. He advised that the six horse trailer would be “opened up” and horse would have some "extra space. At this point I was livid, however did not express it because they had my horse.

3. I sent a concerned email (HAVE images) that evening, and promptly received a phone call from “Dawn” “reassuring” that he would be checked in in hourly and horse would “ARRIVE BY 6:00 AM BECAUSE DRIVER HAD TO PICK UP DAUGHTER FROM FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT”

4. I’m panicking at this point but still remaining in good position. I called driver ( HAVE images) seven times when 6:00 am rolled around and then called Dawn. Who proceeded to tell me that I was “Crazy for expecting a man to drive 18 hours with no sleep and if I had a problem to call Florida Highway Patrol”

5. I called the police and informed Dawn that I did so at 6:30am (HAVE images) who disregarded me and told me she would call because I called her all morning.*** UHH DUH! My horse was due in at 11:00 pm, you all are giving me every Whig excuse, and now next morning, no horse!!!

6. finally driver answers, Dawn is on three way. I kindly requested that they give me a location of where the horse was and I would call off police. Dawn barks to driver “drop off the horse at a horse motel, I’m done with this shit” and hangs up. I was hysterical. This horse is my world. Driver gives me address (WHICH HE HAD SLEPT IN A PARKING LOT LESS THAN 20 MILES OUT) and I immediately run out the door and track down he and my horse. My horse is standing in the 6 horse with partitions intact, with NO shavings, and had clearly not been allowed to stretch in the trailer because everything around him was dry.

7. NOW. I am NOT leaving my horse period. So driver tells me before he can drop off my horse (that has now been standing in a trailer for 12 hours) he has to GO TO THE AIRPORT WITH MY HORSE IN THE TRAILER TO PICK UP HIS DAUGHTER. (Seem images!!!)

8. Finally, we arrive, horse steps off the trailer at 8:30 am, 13 hours on the trailer. Horse is in good condition, however driver must have had a drink, and had a faint smell of alcohol.

Anyone even considering them. Take it from someone who ignored the red flags and went with it. A four hour drive turned into a 13 hour ordeal.

Additionally I HIGHLY recommend you look up the backgrounds conduct a public search) of the owners at the palm beach county clerk of courts. You can gain their information by looking up the business at sunbiz.org

All that information considered prior and I was still coerced into working with them.

STAY AWAY

[wishnwell]

I’m so thankful I came across this thread. I’ve actually been in contact with them and was almost ready to sign the contract to haul my daughters horses to Virginia. My daughter and myself would be devastated if something went wrong, even just the slightest! Ugh. I wish I didn’t sell my trailer!!! So any suggestions who to call? From western upstate NY to Richmond Va?

[Gayle_in_Oregon]

Update-Surgery

A valuable colt that was transported by Wellington Express will likely have to have surgery to remove scar tissue from a wound inflicted in transport caused by careless handling.

[ejm]

[QUOTE=wishnwell;7834352]
I’m so thankful I came across this thread. I’ve actually been in contact with them and was almost ready to sign the contract to haul my daughters horses to Virginia. My daughter and myself would be devastated if something went wrong, even just the slightest! Ugh. I wish I didn’t sell my trailer!!! So any suggestions who to call? From western upstate NY to Richmond Va?[/QUOTE]

You have a PM.