How damned sad ...

[TrueColours]

We all take a large leap of faith when we send our mares out for breeding and pray for their safe and healthy return. Especially if we are out of State / Province and cannot see the farm in question and simply rely on internet pictures, promotional information and a "gut feeling" before sending our mares away to foal and/or be bred

This thread was started on the COTH forum:

http://chronicleforums.com/Forum/showth ... p?t=161483

All I can say is the condition of those poor mares is absolutely pathetic and heart wrenchingly sad. How anyone, in good conscience, could look out at those mares each and every day, and accept day money for their care, and not feed them properly is totally beyond me.

I have always made it a point to return ANY mare that comes to me for breeding in the same, or hopefully better condition than when she arrived. We had one mare with us for a few weeks and she came quite thin and ribby (the owners had just purchased her a week before and were quite apologetic on her condition). I was SO proud that when she left, even though she was still thin, you had to really squint and LOOK to see her ribs - they werent in your face obvious any longer

How horribly appalling. The original poster is also very open to disclosing who the farm is that did this to her mares if you email or PM her ...

[majxmom]

That is a farm increasing their profit margins by saving on hay. Any nincompoop can see that those horses needed more food a long time ago. And I'll bet that there was one fat bossy mare in that herd that ate all of what little was fed.

I have 22 horses in three pastures. I always feed several more flakes than there are horses in each pasture, and spread them way apart across hundreds of feet. Hey, people complain that their racehorses come back from my place too fat, but only half-heartedly. Most of the time, people on the racetrack exclaim when returning horses are unloaded out of the trailer about how great they look. But a single horse that comes back in poor condition will cost you 20 clients, from bad word of mouth.

[summerhorse]

I know so many people who got horses back in similar condition and/or sick or injured (mare or foal). It's enough to make you want to quit. It helped the real estate market though, at least two of them went out and bought their own farms!

[color]

Such was the reason why I started my own stud farm several years ago, I could not understand how paying a lot of keep fees would return my valuable mares in starved condition.

I take much care of returning the mares that come in for being bred live cover in the same or better condition.

[haemju]

Unfortunatly, times are tight, and some poeple will do what they have to in order to survive. I think this is a terrible situation all around. Those poor horses. The scary part, this is a breeder that frequents this board that many of us have conversed with. So, always be careful who you allow to care for your animals. Desperate times can change people and cause bad things to happen.

[summerhorse]

That is so true. Remember the AR debacle with Wild Syn and others after the owner got cancer and OOPS, forgot to get someone to feed the horses because he (and his healthier wife) supposedly couldn't?

[summerhorse]

The farm owner I mean!

[witherbee]

This has nothing to do with "doing what is needed to survice" during "tight" times! This is hoarding and abuse and IMO mental illness. This person had paying boarders and had 70 or 80 horses and was continuing to "rescue" additional horses. Look at the shape they were in and she never called the owners to ask for more money or tell them to come get their horses. She FINALLY started to try to disperse her herd at $500 and up! Any responsible owner would have #1) not gotten so overloaded with horses, #2) kept her boarders horses fed and informed to come get them if she could not feed them #3) asked for help WAY before it got to this point #4) got some counselling for her hoarding problem IMO.

Sometimes in our industry it is too easy to lose track of how mares that are away in other states. I always send updated photos to my owners in other states to show them how well their horses are doing. If I buy a new halter, I take a picture of them in it, if they get and injury I take a picture of it and email it (post them to a photobucket album that I have for wach owner/horse) and itemize all bills. Have the vet's info in the contract and it's up to the owner whether they get billed by the vet or by me.

There is NO REASON this should ever happen to a horse (unless we are attacked by aliens or the owner and all of the neighbors mysteriously die or disappear). People with excuses and a ton of drama about how this happened under their watch or how this happens every time they send a horse out (not pointing to anyone here, but some folks on other lists are so disallusioned because stuff like this always happens to them - get a clue and be extra vigilent so that it CAN'T happen to your horses) - tehse people are full of excuses and lack of accountability for their laziness/selfishness/incompetence.

The victims here are the horses and the owners who were/are taken in by people with this particular mental illness (hoarding).

[cng]

Unfortunatly, times are tight, and some poeple will do what they have to in order to survive. I think this is a terrible situation all around. Those poor horses. The scary part, this is a breeder that frequents this board that many of us have conversed with. So, always be careful who you allow to care for your animals. Desperate times can change people and cause bad things to happen.

I'll bet the women involved haven't missed any meals.

[Hold Your Peace]

They've got a long list of items needed for the care of these horses at:

http://www.fingerlakesspca.org/

I just arranged to have a case of Krud Zapper sent to them which is a great product for rain rot and a lot of other things. Products to treat rain rot is one of the things they were requesting.

Their address for items or cash donations is:

Finger Lakes SPCA
Attn: Large Horse Seizure 8-08
7315 State Route 54
Bath, NY 14810

[TrueColours]

If anyone had a horse with Gerry, or has been to the farm and was directly involved with her or her operation, Rob Price at 607-776-2121 or [email protected] is interested in hearing from you ...

[Diane]

http://www.uship.com/profile/legessi/

This is a link to a transport site where Gerry had a profile with comments by people who used her. Most of the comments are positive and reflect the Gerry "we" knew. Something must have happened (snapped) for this horrible nightmare to ensue. There is more to the story and I hope this reporter gets the whole scoop. So very sad.

[Sylvie Hebert]

this is the thing about internet similar to the world known problem with children abusers and children porno.If you are going to deal with anyone and trust them with your animals or children GO VISIT THEM and preferably unnanounced.Don't take anyones word or accept any references just go there and inspect yourself.And don't leave a horse at a trainers barn for months without checking on them,go often,at all different times and days not with appointment,lots of horses only get cleaned and taken to the track on days the owner is there(saturdays being favourite)YOU are responsible of this animal wellbeing not only of paying your bill...

[haemju]

Diane, I am wondering and thinking the same thing also but, that is no excuse. Hell has a special place for people like this.

[Diane]

B/C I have a vivid imagination and personally live with someone who can be quite the bully my mind sometimes looks for those kinds of cues. For example G said they were moving b/c her Mom got a new job...I thought G was a grown independent woman? Could this be a Mommie Dearest? Could it be someone who withholds crucial monies for punishment? Yes the normal person would ask for help? Another cue that somebody was not normal. Battered people don't all ask for help do they? Was this an evil act by someone in the background? That's how far I hope this reporter digs that's all. Yes, I agree no excuse.