[QUOTE=Joanne;3406126]
She sounds like a fabulous mare. Why not be proud of her and share?[/QUOTE]
She is a fabulous mare. If I were Bellfleur, though, it would be a cold day in hell before I would name and/or post pictures of the horse here after some of the responses. Why, so half can say she is the most incredible creature they have laid eyes on, and the other half can question whether she is “all that”?
Well -GOOD- for you that you know who she is.
Regarding the Hanoverian auctions in Verden, does anyone know if they make DVDs of the foals and mares consigned to the upcoming auction?
Perhaps the OP could post a picture of the horse she bought in Germany and had such a wonderful time over there.
YL, you don’t have to be ugly about it, it is just a normal request!
[QUOTE=talloaks;3406390]
YL, you don’t have to be ugly about it, it is just a normal request![/QUOTE]
The way that the request was phrased made it seem a bit off.
In any event, I was not being ugly. I was being honest.
So far, bellfleur has not posted any personal information about herself so why should she start now . Identifying the horse identifies her. She probably should not be posting personal information about others as well but that’s up to her. If those people want to sue her they can but somehow I think they won’t.
Remember what happened to Oscar Wilde.
Bellfleur, I feel for you, and eventhough this turned out different then you expected, I hope you LOVE your mare regardless. I have only read your responses nobody elses, so forgive me if I’m redundant, but I would like to mention a few things.
Sound of limb often means the x-rays are ok. You sent them to your vet as well and he sort of agreed. I’m surprised he didn’t pick up on the pedeo-osteolitis either. 1 of the standard x-rays would pick that up. I had a horse come over and he reared and flipped in the plane. He developed a bruise & abscess a while later, and even more later it was discovered that he had the pedeo-osteolitis. I think he bruised/hit himself badly and that was the beginning of it. Not saying this happened ot your mare, but it may not have been see-able on those x-rays? I do read from the vet report that there are soft-tissue issues, but minor.
Another thing, from how I read your posts, is that the mare was in active competition training, then quarantined, probably without being ridden, then landed here, then quarantined again. Horses that so abruptly get out of training, and then ridden ‘on the buckle’, have a re-shifting’ of musculature (especially in the loin area when going from ‘deep’ to buckle) which causes extreme pain.
Good luck and enjoy your mare.
Both are open to personal interpretations!!:lol:
[QUOTE=egontoast;3406432]
So far, bellfleur has not posted any personal information about herself so why should she start now . Identifying the horse identifies her. [/QUOTE]
She has posted about the accomplishments of the horses she has bred. It is very easy to find out who she is based on the information she has provided.
She has posted about the accomplishments of the horses she has bred. It is very easy to find out who she is based on the information she has provided.
Then why does she need to post anything more?
and why would you say this then?
Well -GOOD- for you that you know who she is.
Keep digging.
[QUOTE=talloaks;3406443]
Both are open to personal interpretations!!:lol:[/QUOTE]
I really could care less what you think. Joanne requested that Bellfleur post photos of the mare GIVEN THAT the agent and vet (both accused of fraud) were named. Why would anyone interpret that request as being friendly curiosity about the horse? Or a request for an opportunity to admire her?
And as for my other point: it is a fact that when people post pictures here that others can be nasty. I don’t see how pointing that out makes me unpleasant. I always say NICE things about other people’s horses.
I don’t believe she was quarantined twice. Mares are only quarantined upon arrival in the U.S., not at both ends. She also was imported directly to Florida. She arrived in the US lame, day 1. Also, I have seen this horse’s back. Her issues have nothing to do with lack of fitness / loss of fitness, and Bellfleur has had a number of top vets here evaluate the horse and try to help her.
YL, open to personal interpretations once again!!:lol:
i don’t think it has anything to do with admiring the horse given the circumstances.
[QUOTE=YankeeLawyer;3406487]
I really could care less what you think. Joanne requested that Bellfleur post photos of the mare .[/QUOTE] No, I didn’t.
[QUOTE=Joanne;3402082]
The agent has been named in this thread and the vet who performed the PPE. What is the name of your mare, so that we can appreciate her accomplishments also?[/QUOTE]
Apologies. You asked for the mare’s name, given that the agent and vet --both accused of fraud – were named. It was Talloaks that asked for photos.
[QUOTE=YankeeLawyer;3406507]
I don’t believe she was quarantined twice. Mares are only quarantined upon arrival in the U.S., not at both ends. She also was imported directly to Florida. She arrived in the US lame, day 1. Also, I have seen this horse’s back. Her issues have nothing to do with lack of fitness / loss of fitness, and Bellfleur has had a number of top vets here evaluate the horse and try to help her.[/QUOTE]
Actually, most of the time as soon as the PPE is done, the horse goes ‘into a stall’, not to be touched. THis, in my opinion causes problems, so perhaps the ‘technical term’ wasn’t quarantine per se. So even though you ‘think’ she was in training till she got on the plane, she probably had not been for a bit. And that sudden lack of work DOES cause a lot of issues, including back problems. And to get a little deeper into the issue 
horses that are ridden deep often eventually have front end soft tissue injuries and loin issues. Which become apparent when they all of a sudden are ridden ‘correctly’ ;). I have seen this happen numerous times. Because the mare was in such a rigorous training (which she must have been if she was competing internationally), and then nothing, that is bad.
And I’m not attacking, I’m only speaking in my experience of what I have seen. I’m also not calling it lack of fitness nor loss of fitness, I would call it unwinding. Like a massage loosening the muscles. Now perhaps the previous rider/trainer/etc, believed to have ridden ‘marvelously’ and her exceptional quality of character made her perform. And I believe you when you say she was lame from day 1, I read the vet report. But when a horse gets ridden on the buckle, it uses the longitudal muscle so differently, it’s gotta hurt, when you come from a GP and/or deep frame. It’s gotta. Anybody who knows anything about the horse’s musclature and training methods MUST realize that. I’m just trying to create understanding for the mare.
I know how it feels to be the trusting one, and to be cheated out of way to much money. It makes you bitter. It is always the truthful ones that get taken.
I have no idea precisely how much downtime the mare had. But she was brought to Florida directly with the intention of showing her at Wellington, and presumably the plan was not to have her sitting around for ages in between the PPE and release from quarantine. In any event, I am telling you, there were things indicating the cause of the back issues were something other than what you describe. It is not my place to go into detail. But the vets who actually saw the horse did not conclude that the cause was as you suggest – though I am sure that is possible in some cases.
Ok Guys I said I would not be reading any more of this post since I think we have dragged the issue into the ground.
BUT Everyone whether they actually know the circumstances or not has now formed an opinion. Arguments from any side are clearly not going to change anyones already made up mind. I do think that YL has the closest look on the situation since she personally knows the mare, me, and the legal situation. She also has the training together with the legal and equine experience to know what many don’t.
I also realize that this is a free country think what you want. It would be pretty boring if we all agreed.
I wanted to caution people about buying in Germany (or other non english speaking country). Not cause hate and discontent. I do think at least most people here will think twice about who to trust and who not to when purchasing a horse now. I think there were tons of great points brought up on all the varied side and views. I do think my post whether everyone understood how this could have happened or not served its purpose.
It does not matter how famous or knowledgeable someone is, check 3 or 4 times before you believe. Then get your own trusted source to look at everything.
I am in no way bitter! I am hurt that my trust was so badly abused. I am hurt when I look at this fabulous mare and know I can never ride her again.
Talking about it, is what will eventually solve the problem and the problem does exist.
Trust me when I let you all know that this mare has paid her dues and no matter what anyone thinks she is incredibly special and will be treated like the royalty for the rest of our lives. Her presence alone in my life is an incredible gift. None of you have ridden her, very few have ever met her so would have no grounds to comment on her in any way. I know that would not stop many of you.
I have had some of this countries top professionals and some of Germany’s best tell me this was an incredible mare with tons of potential that was never really realized due to the way she way ridden.
I have met some of, and am friends with some of the best in the business because of this mare. I met one of the best vets in the world in FL all because of her. Stayed at a phenomenal quarantine station in Wellington (they fly in and you can continue to ride them!), probably the best in the country where the care was first rate. Made good friends with the barn owner where I stayed that first season in FL with this mare. She was so knowledgeable and kind and always there for this mare and me. I learned so much that first year. I now know one of the best riders in the country and get to lesson with him (when I can get there that is. 
) All these things are positives that came out of a horrible situation.
No one knows what will come of all of these new connections in my life. Maybe the next part of my life I will really need one of these people or they will really need me.
My lifestyle and outlook on life has no time for bitter or angry. All ancient history now! I cannot change it, so why look back. I am looking forward to what will come next in both our lives and how to make that a positive experience for us both. When I was going through all of this, I was mostly devastated that my mare had gone through so much and there wasn’t much more I could do to make her comfortable.
I have gained tons of experience and made many new friends. In 18 months I will have 3 world class foals to start and ride. All with stunning movement, looks, fire and minds. I will have a matched set and a good friend of mine has a 4th. Can you see the faces on the judges at Dressage at Devon when we dress the riders alike and I buy them matching bling and then see the judge try to figure out which horse is which when we ride them all in the 3 yr old materiale class? Tons of laughs from that one coming up!! I will love every minute of the future with them.
My mare is comfortable and happy. She carried a foal of her own and then when she was in the field with the other mare and foal she nursed the other mares foal also even though the other mare was also nursing her foal. She loves being a Mom.
I still am wistful sometimes for what could have / should have been, but love what she is now and the gifts she continues to bring to my life. Someday I will canter one of her daughters down centerline.
Thank you Bellfleur for sharing your story of this special mare. Sometimes things don’t work out as we plan, but turn into something even more special and amazing than we could imagine.
I am sure you will be cantering down centerline with one your mare’s daughters who will have inherited all of her special qualities and talents!
Bellfleur, more power to you. Because I"M the one that is bitter. Of my adult life I have lived 10 years in Europe, and 10 years on this side of the pond, and more american horse-owners owe me money then europeans. I gave lots of people the benefit of the doubt, only to loose a lot of money. Hopefully I can be as graceful as you in a while, but at the moment, it has been a hard lesson.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
