Because I was so intimately involved (for a period of about 15 years) buying at one point a 24 foot stock trailer load of horses sometimes as often as 3 times a week, Ive owned numbers of horses that most people cant even imagine, and I cant honestly give you an accurate number on. Just the personal "keepers" that Ive owned number ar least a couple of hundred over the years. We still own one now 14, and another 21 years later. So I think its safe to say Ive done my part for the unwanted horse.
I can also tell you first hand why there are "so many free, unwanted, not good for society horses out there in the world", the reasons are many, and here are just a few of the big ones.
1) Breeders... " Now offering my 3,4,5 yr olds for sale at a big discount to make room for this years babies" How many times have you read that? Did you ever wonder why they never seem to figure out that if they cant sell the ones they already produced in several years time that maybe just maybe there ought not be a new foal crop? Almost without exception these older horses would not be trained any further than to lead and quite often not even that. I ought to know, I bought a lot of them.
2) The "I can do it myself because________ JL,PP, CC, CA, ( fill in the blank with a TV cowboy) says I can now that I own his video library. The ones that buy an untrained "bargain" horse and at best get in over their head, at worst get hurt and get out of the horse business completely, In the last 10 years there was lots of those at sales and yes as someone else here pointed out most of the time they have to be "undone"
3) The "I want a horse all it eats is grass right?" type owners. These types have also contributed to a lot of sale barn bound horses. When these horses need something like dental work and as a result of the owners unwillingness to sink any money into the horse and it starts dangerously tossing its head they ship it pronto after the first bloody nose. I cant even tell you how many of those I bought, had their wolf teeth pulled and floated and they went to riding! I used to look for that tell tale head toss at the auction. Unlike the "I can do it myself" horses they were easy to fix.
4) Then there are the people that cause their horses to become a problem child out of sheer ignorance. Ill fitting, or.. saddles with broken tress and now the horse bucks them off, or...$2 stamped out grazing bits rubbing lips raw and now the horse rears. yada,yada, that list is way too long to tell all the many things Ive dealt with. Everything from sad tack to "precious the family pet" spoiled and obnoxious to the point of dangerous.
5) The blatant neglectors. They let feet over grow and split, either starve, or let founder and then don't treat, let their animals suffer from medical conditions to save the cost of a vet, and again I could go on and on but I don't think its necessary.
Now none of us can afford to gamble on them anymore because of the lack of a bottom dollar market, Now more horses than ever are falling through the cracks that would not have in the past. The ill advised "do gooders" have really made a mess of things for horses.
Karen G www.princesscarriage.com
--- On Mon, 2/15/10, rivervalleyph <rivervalleyph@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: rivervalleyph <rivervalleyph@yahoo.com>
Subject: [haflingerfriends] Re: Haflinger Breeders???
To: haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010, 4:54 PM
Hi Everyone,
Wow....I'd say we sure do get in deeper as we go, huh? My feelings about some of this is quit honestly, So. Other posts regarding this subject at times stir my emotions and make a much bigger response. However, we are yet left with the same ole question.... where are our haflinger breeders going and how do we keep moving forward with progress...not recession? I know we get off at times about other breeds and what they are doing or not doing. But don't forget that each and everyone of us on this chat are here for the same reason(s)! HAFLINGERS! They have brought us together and are what holds us together even throughout our agreeing to disagree times. So with that in mind I would like to ask everyone to keep that in your hearts and minds as you write and read what others have wrote.
I too understand the "over-population" and yes, I'm quit good at math. However, if everyone just quits breeding, everything, then what? Or how about this....you folks that have such big ideas against breeders that are being mindful, I have a serious question for you. Why than, if you seriously believe there are so many free, unwanted, not good for society horses out there in the world, why are you just sitting here? Reading....Writing comments.... Stand up! If you want to write..than write ideas..as comments generally don't have much affect. Are you the same folks that buy these unwanted critters, do you offer to feed them, doctor them, nurse them to health, train or retrain them, and all that goes with that? I know there are good "deals" here and there. I am not nieve. However, most of these unwanted horses I see, have a whole lot wrong with them too. They are either well spent in age, have huge costly health issues, are unproperly trained and handeled,
and so forth. So, if you folks are real about your concerns...than do something about it. Do you really want to help the breed? Or you just want to complain.
OK, well, that might have sparked a little fire in some of you, if so, thats the intent. However, I do not know of many folks that want to do this. To go buy, or get that unwanted spent horse that is 30 and crippled is not what most folks want, however, many of those horses in that catagory are how the breed as a whole is getting labeled. I do say that with sincerity. I do breed. You bet I do. I have not shut down the whole operation here just to appease folks that think it is ludicris. What is ludicris however, is that people that have bred, have owned, currently have, ect. are wanting to just bail out an leave someone else to blame for what they or cannot do. Many of these unwanted horses are horses that need to be put down in todays economy, not to say there aren't good folks to care for some of these types of horses, but the fact is that our laws have been changed by people that don't know or understand the true meaning of caring for these horses.
Our slaughter houses have diminished, the numbers have then increased, however....here we are. Take on the responsibility if you dare to go get these horses...fix them, put them down, whatever it is they need. Then come back and chat a while. However, as some of you are peering down the side of your nose as you read this, remember this, if ANY of those horses are horses from my farm, you'd better be the first to call me!
You ask why do I continue to breed I know. But here is the facts. While many of you have huge issues selling your horses, or do not want to raise them, or whatever the case may be, here at Rivervalley striving for the best is what we do, guaranteeing our horses and customers success is also what we do, even when the guarantee is out-dated, we offer to buy back our horses. Honestly I don't phone calls wanting us to buy back our horses, however, I do get phone calls wanting to buy our horses, and many times have called clients that have bought horses from us and tried to buy them back or tried see if they wanted to sell them as I had someone else looking for just what they have and guess what? Nobody ever wants to sell me my horses back for some reason. Even when clients are having a rough spell, as one of mine is right now....do you know that I am boarding my horse, free, while this particular person gets their personal life sorted out. I have offered to
take the horse back, and I got not just a no, but heck no! So, that is another reason why I continue to breed here. I did indeed cut back, however, I will not cut off my nose to spite my face.
And, those of you wondering... .I have owned many horses that needed rehabilitating. Some turned out great...a few didn't make it I am sad to say. But I do put the effort out there. I do know the amount of work that involves and the heart ache that can occur. However, I do feel that if you can not take care of your horses, and you can't find someone who will, then it is your responsibility to take the next step if needed. Now, I am not a horse killer. Those of you that know me know I am a very soft hearted person who believes in love, care, miracles, and doing whatever I can to help my horses through things. But the facts are simple I know. This is doing what is right in my mind and it is also in my mind that when I see all these unwanted horses, I want to call these owners up and tell them to take responsibility for what they have!
If you think me breeding my horses is bad right now, so be it. But until I don't have folks wanting my horses, or I can know longer do it finacially or physically, I will keep on keeping on. I love this breed too much to let a few dictate what I should or should not do! I will breed what I want for a haflinger... .something I like, and I am sure that as the future is based on the past, my phone will still ring!
Just my FYI for the day....
Sincerely,
Dawn
Rivervalley Ranch
--- In haflingerfriends@ yahoogroups. com, K Garriott <kagarriott@ ...> wrote:
>
>   No way the glut of unwanted horses is her fault at all. However...for ANY of us to add to it is just about criminal under the current circumstances. Are people just not getting it? We have no viable way to deal with the already unmanageable excesses, and the well funded AR groups are doing all they can to choke off what little outlet is left as well.
>
> Â
>   Do you all not read what the industry experts are saying? the sad but very real phenomena that is upon us all? Beside the fact that there is no longer any viable place to take the culls, cripples, and rogues we now have the baby boomer generation reaching the age of 60 to the tune of about 7,000 -10,000 A DAY! Our generation is THREE times the size of the up and coming generation, and we have been by far the largest segment of the horse owning population. We are fast getting too old to want to own horses, and even starting to die off. Is anyone here good at math?
> Â
>   Then there is this...the much smaller ( approx 1/3 the size) up and coming generation is far more interested in riding a horse ( and even cleaning its stall) via a video game rather than actually owning a real live, pooping horse. Childhood obesity is on a frightening rise as a result, as is juvenile diabetes and other obesity related problems. Are these the kids you think your going to be raising horses for???? What big demand for more horses than we currently have do any of you see for the next 30 or so years? Please share if you do, because I don't see a hint of one.
> Â
>   Every breeder has contributed to this current mess. The much fewer but large scale breeder as well as the millions of back yard breeders. I'm not laying any blame here, I don't think anyone thought that we would ever see dumped, abandoned, free, and for all practical purposes worthless horses. We used to always have a bottom dollar value, but that's just not so anymore.
> Â
>  I did not read the persons post about Jennifer so much as a personal attack on her par say,as much as an attack on her idea of producing cross-breds to register in yet another obscure registry. Â
> Â
> Â Karen G www.princesscarriag e.com
>
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