More horses for me?

[ccb_love]

I got a call from my dad about a week ago which is unusual. Apparently he knows someone we'll call Fred in a town close to me that has allowed his neighbors horses to live and graze in his yard for the past few years. With the housing market down though, these neighbors have sold their house and are buying some HUGE house over in the rich part of

Comments

[blythechild]

So, I'm reading this entry thinking: "This old coot doesn't have the foggiest clue how much this is gonna cost just to have a 'friend' in the backyard...", and then you said at the end that money wasn't an issue for him. Well, fine then! Does he want to buy some nice Fell/Arab crosses? We've got some dandy ones that would like nothing better than a life of grazing, lounging and the occassional walk in the woods :)

My Mum and I used to to rescue PMU foals but it's hard to find homes for things without papers, let alone unknown lineages.

I hope that you can help out the 7 year old. It always kinda irks me that people allow scares/accidents become an insurmountable 'issue' for their horse. And I also don't understand the logic of NOT handling a foal from Day 1 - it just makes for sooooo much less work down the road. Anyway, please take pictures of the new tenants and post them so I can see who you are spending yer time with!

[ccb_love]

We actually went to go look at the 7 y.o. today. I took a look at her in the stall, and she seemed fat and lazy but in overall good health so I had Fred sign the papers saying we would take her as soon as we have the last touches done on the new set up. I was told she was broke to ride, but that they couldn't lead her to the ring so she hadn't been ridden since last winter. Since the papers were signed I asked if they would mind if I tried her out anyway. They didn't care so I got her all ready and just walked out of the barn with her without looking back. I just brought her (OMG moldy!) bridle with me and stuck her on a lounge line on her halter in case she tried to get away from me, but it wasn't needed. She jumped sideways at one point but then very definitely tried to cow kick at me. Ah HA! Faker! hehe

[blythechild]

I don't mind the horse rants ;) I don't get much interaction with horsey people anymore, and when my mother and I talk about them we can finish each other's sentences we are of such a similar mind...

Clearly, the folks with the 7 year old aren't responsible for training her if she is as pleasant under saddle as you say. 15 hh is around my ideal height (I'm only 5'3"), but I could see a younger girl being intimidated by something that height with a will of her own. My first horse was an 15.5 hh Arab/Hackney cross who was positively crazed and took off with me at every opportunity. As a result, I learned to stay on very well and not take guff from something bigger than me.

As for backyard breeders, there's just no excuse for that. My Mum's Fells field breed (we find it more conducive to successful conception and a happy stallion), but the breeding is always controlled and purposeful - the stud doesn't run rampant amongst the mares year-round. And surely the breeder ventures out to the field now and again! Could they not attempt to

[ccb_love]

Yea, the colt is more what I'm concerned about. I don't know who trained the mare, but whoever it was knew who they were doing. She was very willing to do some 3rd and 4th level movements, but I didn't want to push it and see what she was really capable of because shes anything but fit and I didn't want to make her sore. I think a little refresher course in manners is all she is going to need.

I also found out yesterday that the colts breeder and I share the same vet, so I called and asked her what she thought. She said the horses were usually in good health, but that they were so wild it was hard to tell. When one mare had retained her placenta it went un-noticed because her birth was unmonitored. The mare almost died, but was saved in the end.

[kryss_labryn]

Hey, that is really, really cool! Awesome! And yes, pics please when ya got 'em! :-)

[ccb_love]

You bet! As soon as everyone is settled there will be pictures a plenty.