Is there anyone else that won't sell locally?

[Marty]

Had some people come by last night to visit as we were all outside picking up debris from the storm. They noted that Sonny was out in his field out front and said that everyone uses him as a "landmark" as to where to turn on the next road "past the big brown horse". I was asked if I ride him and I said "no, not anymore" and then asked why I don't get rid of him. I just said because I love him. They didn't understand that and said I should get rid of him because he must cost too much to feed.

I just can't sell my horses locally and I won't.

I don't like the way of thinking around here where animals are not treated as individuals with a heart and feelings.

It just seems to be a thing in these parts that yes, the people will come up with the money for the horse, but they don't keep them for any length of time. And yup, they will come up with the big bucks for a horse easily. May have their car re-poed or being chased down by bill collectors, but when it comes to buying a horse, they got they money.

This is Walking Horse country and it's BIG here, and it's buy and sell left and right. I don't know of one person here that has kept the same horse for any period of time. Everytime I go down the road, the horses in the pastures have changed. Seems the thing to do here is to buy it, use it up, and discard it to anyone, anywhere, even the public auction that is in inhumane horrible place. Just flat out dump it. It also seems to be the thing that horses are purchased in the spring for either trail riding or showing, and then dumped in the fall so they don't have to feed them in the winter. What's up with that?

I also have to start stocking up my medicine chest again for winter. I went into my med box and I am just out of everything. Where'd all my stuff go? I gave it to this one and that one because people just don't call the vet no matter what.

If there is one thing that bugs me is people that get into animals and then won't call a vet when needed. "My daddy don't want no vet bills" or "My husband won't pay for a vet"...........That gripes me.

 

[Margaret]

Marty you have a heart for horses, thats for sure. I too see other peoples horses and try to help them, only to find out that alot of the time they want to do the easiest,quickest, thing for the horse and not necessarily the best thing. The other day I saw some miniatures that were eating their hay on the sandy gravel with all kinds of little rocks and sand in it. I talked to her about them, to see what she wanted to do with them and she just wanted to sell them cheep, quickly, although she could wait and get their papers. ( I knew the origional owner) They will have a dismal future if she sells them without papers, but this did not seem to impress her, so I knew she would not care to hear anything about the dangers of horses ingesting sand and pea gravel in their systems.

If they were my horses they would have a different lifestyle, and future. Sometimes it hurts a little to see what others are doing.. huh?

 

[bevann]

I am another 1 of the Softies.I treat my animals like they are my 4 legged kids(which they are)I even ended up buying a 4 month old filly at an auction to save her from being ridden that day by 2 little Amish kids.Their father had bought it for the kids to ride&play with because she was so pretty. Long story about this filly.I traded mares with friends for the year.Their mare (which I kept all year)aborted so I got nothing except a free breeding to a stallion which they sold to a home which is about 700 miles from me.My mare which they had for the year, delivered this beautiful bay filly.They told me how much they liked this filly.They didn't tell me they were taking her to this auction when I saw them the week before to give them paperwork for registration.They weaned this baby on Mon&took her over 200 miles to the auction on Wed.Talk about stress for that baby. It was major stress for me too. I won't be doing any future business with them. The filly is in good hands.a friend of mine has taken her home until we get back from our much needed vacation in a few days.1st time both of us have been away together in over 7 years. 1 of us usually stays home to take care of the animals.

 

[Hosscrazy]

I hear you loud and clear, Marty.

Last year people were telling me to put my senior Misty down because she was useless as a broodmare and that I was wasting my money on her medicine (pergolide) because she was old and was going to die anyway.

Yes, my vet bills were high last year, but my horses are not disposable just because they are old, or sick.

 

[RebelsHope]

I know what you mean Marty. I was selling my TB, I didn't have time for him and he was a talented horse. SOmeone came out to look at him and it became quite apparent that they were not a good match. I started telling them all his bad points and waited until just finally agreed that he was not the right horse for them. I couldn't have sold him to them. He would have been miserable with them.

though. . . My family uses animals for lankmarks too. I keep telling them... Animals move they don't make good lankmarks. One day after we just moved we were trying to make our way to our new house and everyone got lost because the sheep were not in their normal pasture. lol

 

[Miniv]

Bless you Marty.

Fortunately our local area isn't as bad as your's, but we also have a vet bill to pay off because of someone else's horse that they couldn't afford to have put down from colic. We couldn't bare to see the filly suffer.

And we also have to re-vamp our medicine cabinet for exactly the same reason as your's. We constantly have people in the area calling us to see if we have this drug or that medical supply because THEY don't keep themselves stocked and don't want to go to a vet!

I'm beginning to start feeling cold-hearted just because we can't afford to support OTHER people's animals any more! The only thing I can think of doing to charging them for the stuff they take. Otherwise, it's going to compromise my OWN animals!!!!

Okay.....I sounded tough in the previous paragraph -- Right? Well, big old tough MA just allowed an acquaintance to drop off 4 horses and 4 miniature donkeys here because she lost her lease on their pasture. They've been here about a week with her promising to come back with hay to feed them....... HAVE NOT SEEN HER SINCE. She's called and promised again to come....... So, I'm watering them and feeding them and we are using up our hay much faster than we calculated. AAARRRGGGG!!! HOW DO I GET MYSELF INTO THESE MESSES!!!!

MA

 

[Cathy_H]

Bad uncaring buyers are long distance just the same as local. We've sold 5 horses locally. Three went to a wonderful home & one is leaving shortly to another caring family...................... I did sell one a few years back. I had told the buyer to let me know if she could not keep him anymore & she did. We picked him up, put some weight on him & placed him back into a wonderful loving home........ I have had people stop in looking for $300 horses (all they can afford). I feel if that is all they can afford then they can not & will not pay for vet care, probably not proper grain/feed either.

 

[disneyhorse]

Fortunately I live in an area where people care quite a bit about animals and spend a lot of money on vets... and we have good vets.

My vet, for instance, is SUPER expensive (mostly because he is a surgeon) but he is GOOD... and worth it...

I try to pay off my vet bills... as soon as I get it manageable it somehow either creeps up to a huge one again or something happens.

That is part of owning animals though!

Andrea

 

[RAPfrosty]

I know exactly what you mean, I'm one of those people that buys and animal and keeps it for life.

 

[shminifancier]

Well I will say this At prices that gas is and no end in sight if you want to sell horses you may just have to sell locally or not sell at all with the cost of transporting them at a far distance..For the most part does it make any sens to buy an animal and the shipping is way more then the animal costs... People have to get a realization on just what People will pay or will not pay This Storm will change our Country Just like the 9/11 has for many many years to come...And you will see many horses now being dumped unto the market~!! Costs to buy hay costs to haul to shows...Think of the Long picture in here.. I will be at the Sale in Eau Claire in a few weeks to see just how low these prices will be and or How many No Sales there will be..

 

[Jacquee']

Wow, Marty. If I were one of your neighbors, or lived near you, I would be feeling pretty hurt.

Maybe you don't mean it this way, I sure hope not, but it sounds like you are making a blanket statement - "None of my neighbors care about their animals." This would be like saying, "All white people are thieves and liars." Now, SOME white people are thieves and liars, but certainly not all of them!!!!! I'll bet there are some very decent and nice people that live near you too, some who care a lot about their animals, and you simply have not met them yet. But please don't tar them all with the same brush!!!!! Give them a chance on an individual basis.

There are many of my neighbors who don't care about their animals, and there are also very many who care very much indeed! (Otherwise there would not be 4 vets working more than full time in this tiny area!) I had to seek them out but they are there. EVERYWHERE in the country, there are people who don't care about animals, who are unkind or even cruel, who would rather just stand around and watch an animal die than take it to the vet. BUT there are also many very kind, wonderful, caring and considerate people out there too. Just LOOK at all the wonderful people that have responded here, people who would do anything for their animals. These people, every last one of them, are SOMEONE'S neighbors, and they show that if you give people a chance, you can meet some pretty great people.