Unbelievable! From FHI to slaughter rescue!!

[BeverlyAStrauss]

Just when I thought I had seen it all- last Monday we made our regular rescue trip to New Holland. We did not have any room at MidAtlantic Horse Rescue but a farm we work with in NY, Akindale, could take a load. When I first arrived, there was a good looking big dark TB in the ring. They asked who had brought him, no one stepped forward, so they sold him as is. He sold to kill. I went back to the pen and went over him. He was in good flesh and well shod, about 8-9 yrs old. We typically only buy TBs right off the track- the ones that have been started in a new career worry me bc they could have major behavioral or soundness issues. At any rate, I kept him in mind but was not going to have any room for him. At the end of the day there were so many TBs, we decided to send two trailer loads to Akindale (Thankfully they made room!) I went back in the kill pen and had to make a decision between this gelding and a younger barren broodmare. After a lot of agonizing, I decided to take the gelding. I left a friend there with him so they would not put the kill sticker on and went to find Don Nickerson. Don agreed to sell him to me, and we pulled him from the pen and took him home. On Tues I got a call from Martha Grace, our massage therapist. She told me she heard through the grapevine that I bought this horse, and that he had been at FHI starter trials on Saturday. He had a lovely dressage test but was eliminated - he balked and wouldn’t jump around. His owner was so fed up she threatened to sell him at New Holland on Monday. An acquaintance offered to buy him but no one took this lady seriously- but that is what she did- she dumped him at the sale, with no note or info, giving him no chance of finding a home. Can you imagine, sending your horse to slaughter bc of your own inadequacies as a rider??? He is now safe up at Akindale and for adoption. He is a beautiful mover, sound, very quiet and sensible, and a good jumper. This was only his second event, and as most know, FHI has substantial courses for the levels. There should be some sort of repercussion for this woman though, but I guess there isnt.

Bev Strauss
MidAtlantic Horse Rescue
www.MidAtlanticHorseRescue.org

[_Freedom]

Looks like you made the right decision between him and the barren mare. Glad it worked out for you and him.

[petesperson]

How Awful!

Bev, I always admire your website (and one day hope to have room for one of your rescues) - and am so glad you saved this poor horse. It’s truly shockiing that someone would do such a thing… too bad she can’t be banned from owning any more horses… though one could hope at least that word will get round about her… Let’s hope the horse will go to someone patient and competent this time… Gosh!!

[annikak]

is he on your site? what a shame…:no:
I am so glad you were there for him…

[BeverlyAStrauss]

No, he is available through Akindale Farm- if you are interested, PM me and I will send Kate’s number. I just wish we did not have to choose between horses- it worked out for him, but not the mare, and she was no less deserving…when will slaughter end???

[Kementari]

I have occasionally told my horses that if they didn’t shape up they were going to be Alpo…but I never MEANT it! :eek:

Why not just keep a gun in the trailer - then every time she gets eliminated she can just shoot the horse on the spot, and cut out the middle man. :no: :no:

[Sabovee]

This is just sickening.

I hope she has problems sleeping at night.
Shameful.

[magnolia73]

so sad. To have a horse well enough trained that you take him to a competition - then dump him… just sad and sounds like a poorly adjusted person. I know of a whole lot of people who had disastarous first shows. :no: and kept working and ended up with nice horses. If you hate him that much, give the horse to some kid…

Sounds like a nice horse and hopefully someone will snatch him up and go beat his old owner every weekend! :yes:

[Reynard_Ridge]

Such an odd story. It really doesn’t make any sense. Even if you had more money than you knew what to do with, there are other ways to rid yourself quickly of a horse that was being difficult (for you) than to send them to auction.

I would frankly be inclined to wonder about the mental health of someone who would take action like that. I mean, donating a horse to a college will net a larger tax deduction than meat prices at auction and most colleges with equine programs in the area would SNAP at a nice horse like that.

Interesting to see where this one goes. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is more to this story.

[enjoytheride]

Stanley has been threatened with being taken to Rushville and sold by the pound when we trotted into the stadium arena at a show, and then spent the next 5 minutes spinning in circles, snorting, and running backwards because the sand was “scary”. I think we set some sort of record for getting Ed before crossing the start flags.

Would I ever do it? Nope! Although at the time I did feel like beating him into little 1lb packages of Stanley meat I did spend 30 minutes yesterday washing, conditioning, brushing, and braiding his tail.

[merrygoround]

If there is a way of verifying this info-she should be outted, but i would be careful and assure myself of accuracy.

Find him a good home.

[War_Admiral]

Agreed, this one could get interesting & I hope someone follows up.

[luveventing]

I know this happens more than any of you would lke to think. A few years ago I met a girl that rode and was complaining about her horse being “crazy” she was giving him 2 weeks at a sale barn and if he didnt sell he was going to auction. when I saw him- I just about dropped dead. just need a little work, but was phenomonal. luckily I talked her out of it and he has gone on to be VERY successful in the ring. why dont people seek the help of trainers on these horses instead of making such a rash and selfish decision??

[Lori_T]

Some people just make me sick. Sometimes I think that people should be required to pass a test before owning a horse (or having kids )
God Bless you for rescuing him.

Lori
www.calypsofarm.piczo.com

[BeverlyAStrauss]

So many people just dont know what to do, but sending a horse to slaughter is the absolute last straw. If she had only given a note of some sort to go with him he might have gone to a dealer, not the meat guy. I have heard from several fellow eventers, and people from the barn where he was kept, and all verified the story.

We had several rescues at FHI that day- Ft Monmouth (1st), Stormy Pixie, Just a Tad (Dinner Cider), and Flora (KJs Rose) were all there with their new owners. Pixie’s owner ran into someone who knew her old owner. They proceeded to tell her how they had gotten two off the track, how nutty Pixie had been, etc, etc and they ended up getting rid of her. She ended up at the sale in the kill pen, and we bought her- We got her started on the right track but all credit goes to her owner Daretta- this mare is blossoming- Daretta figures they got rid of the wrong horse, as Pixie was third at the end of the day and ready to move up a level—and they had multiple problems in all three phases with the one they kept!

It just goes to show there are horses for riders and riders for horses, and trainers for all- but in the end, sending a horse to the sale is the wrong way out.

[alysheba]

Holy crap! Not to go off topic Tex, but this pic is amazing!

http://www.horsephotoguy.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=27&pos=3

I get a nose bleed just looking at it!

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I think I know who that is and who the horse is. If he is the horse that I think he is (and I’m pretty sure he is)…given a bit a decompression and re-schooling he is going to make someone a VERY nice horse…lovely jump and good mover (and had a decent mind at one point)–I really liked him…has one of those canters that you look for in a jumping horse…just with the wrong owner. Hope he lands in a good home–H/J people will really like him as well as event riders…he just needs to be given the chance with the right person and I bet he will come around quickly.

sorry they all couldn’t be saved…what is very frustrating with that gelding is that there was more than one person who would have taken him in a heart beat.

[Reynard_Ridge]

Nice horse, wrong owner. Sounds familiar. I knew a VERY nice horse that was with the most wrongest type of person. Nice man, not a great rider, horse all wrong, wrong, wrong for him. Man got so fed up he threatened to send the horse for meat. My then trainer bought him at meat price.

Horse was ridden by trainer thru Prelim, then sold and new owner competed him at Rolex. Like I said, VERY nice horse.

Interesting to hear the sad tale verified and very glad the horse is safe. I do hope that someone with some patience can help him detox and give him a new life.

[pwynnnorman]

Gee, she could have jsut called up the nearest Pony Club DC and found some deserving PC’er to give him to. Or a college or something.

If this is all accurate, it makes so little sense! Oh, unless she didn’t WANT to see someone else do better than she with the horse? Still, give him away to some place out of the area then, y’know?

[Fred]

it is unbelievable. I am sitting here just feeling sick that someone would do that. I am so glad that you were able to rescue him, but with the chain of action it meant that the poor mare went to the kill pen. So that thoughtless owner who shipped the gelding is partly responsible for her death too.
I don’t know how people live with themselves, how they face themselves in the mirror.
If the person is known, I think everyone in her area should confront her with this. Don’t let her just walk away from what she has done.
Meanwhile, would this boy be safe for an aged lady to ride? Do you have a link to the site where he is?
thanks!