I wish I would have been wiser (long)

[DTS]

About a year and a half ago, I was 19 and my parents told me I needed to get rid of my horses. My mother's motto towards animals is if you can't do anything with it put it down or get rid of it. After putting y elderly gelding down due to a minor teeth issue, that I couldn't pay for and she wouldn't he was put down. I had him 7 years. He told me since I was at college an only came on the weekends to visit and my sister lost interest we needed to get rid of the 2 remaining mares. I was picky about the new home... Or so I thought. 2 kids about my age came out an looked at them. An 17 y/o ex polo pony and. 14 y/o tb mare. The polo pony was Bomp proof I had her in parades, next to traffic, etc. The tb needed work. Kids said they would take them and I was skeptical. Googled there # found their address and found 3 other horses in a mud pit. I called them back and said no. A guy came out and looked at them. I had all the tack ready to go but he would rather ride them bareback.. Odd but okay. Said he would take them. He had 110 acres great pasture. A good pen and good income. I told the man if you can't handle them I will take them back. Gave him 2 bags of feed all saddles, briddles, bits, halters, feed buckets, etc..

Called to check on them he quit returning my calls and emails. Drove by his place but with so much land I couldnt see if they were there or not. Finally after 8 months he told me he got rid of them a week later and go 2 other more "safer horses" .
I was very upfront with this man. I was mislead with my gelding and I'm not one of those horse people. I tracked down both mares. Sadly my mare the polo pony was sent to a rescue and went to a 16 year old girl and was chased by a cougar into the highway and killed.
My sisters mare is working on her 3rd home. He girl he gave her to tried to sell her multiple times saying she was dead broke child safe horse. This tb is off the track and was retrained but needed more miles put on her. She tried selling her for 2500 then 800 and sold her to a lady for 450 a month ago. I contacted the lady before he picked play up and told her the horse needs an experienced rider even though the Girl selling her said anyone can ride. The girl got the horse for free mind you as I gave these horses away. The lady didn't believe me and is now rehoming the mare because she is too much horse. the girl also said she got the horse from the guy because he didn't want to deal with her skin allergy.
In the 2 years I had the horse she was the fattest of the herd and had no skin allergies. The girl kept her horses in a dirt lot with no hay with only wood to chew on. She was underweight and had a bad skin infection called rain rot all over her back.
The girl is also selling pit puppies from. 13 year old stud and a 9 month old bitch. She did have a 6 month old bitch she was going to Breed but decided to sell with the option of breeding to her stud.
She is also selling her 19 month old colt that she swears is child proof even though she just took him for his first ride yesterday. The colt isn't even two yet and he has a rider on his back and he's only 13.2 hands.
I just graduated with my AA degree and got into a cardiovascular technology program that starts in January. If I didn't I'd buy the mare back. But I'm my financially stable to keep a horse.
I hope the next home will be here last but who knows.
I wish I would I've written a contract or did something more than just doing a A small home check.
A friendly reminder that if you think your doing the right thing, things happen. There was a lot more I should have done o make sure my girls had good homes and now they are paying and paid the ultimate price for my negligence so when rehoming a pet, do a thorough check.. A real thorough check.
I'm so upset at myself.
Sorry for the rant.

[BlackPuppy]

I'm sorry your horses ended up in bad places. With this economy just finding any home for them is difficult. So sad.

[kiya]

Sorry to hear about your horses. I adopted a TB off the track thru a rescue back in 2000. Of course back then when he was half starved, skin & bones, he was kind as could be. I orignally ponied him with my Quarter horse before I retired my old guy. I was riding the TB almost everyday and over the years he was really doing good. He's filled out really nice and his whole demeanor changed. He likes to buck and he's so unpredictable. Then we got involved in a business and for about 3 years I was very limited as to what I could do with him. I tried rehoming him but nobody wanted him when there are so many safe good horses out there. So we are stuck together for now. I won't send him down the road because, like your horses I don't think it will turn out good. We put my old guy down over the summer so now he's alone. I feel so bad for him. I have some work to do, fix the fence & grade the paddock, but by spring I should be able to get a boarder in there so he'll have company. I also want to try to ride him in the Spring. I haven't been on him for 2 years now. At my age you try not to get hurt, I'm no spring chicken.
Sometimes the lessons we learn in life are very hard.

[BlackPuppy]

Originally Posted by kiya

He likes to buck and he's so unpredictable. I haven't been on him for 2 years now. At my age you try not to get hurt, I'm no spring chicken.
Sometimes the lessons we learn in life are very hard.

I don't know much about horses, but I loved the Buck Brannaman movie. Does the horse buck because he's being a brat and doesn't want to be ridden? I hear that animal communicators are really good at getting results with horses, or at least finding the root of the problem. (Possibly physical pain.)

[kiya]

[QUOTE=BlackPuppy;2341001) Does the horse buck because he's being a brat and doesn't want to be ridden? (Possibly physical pain.)[/QUOTE]

Oh he's definately a brat all right. No evidence of any physical pain. I never was afraid to ride NEVER, until I got him, he knows it. He's very flighty, spooks and spins around. If I'm not prepared off I go. He's the type of horse that needs to be ridden every day. In a ring he's a ***** cat out on the trails is a whole other story. I took the fence down after we put my old guy down this way I could try to ride in there but I need to have it graded the surface has a lot of ruts. I watch him rip around the ring bucking so high. He's going to be 12 so I hope he may mellow out a little soon.