Venting Session

I think I just need to vent for a couple minutes. If you don't want to read my rants, just ignore me and wait for another post.


I'm frustrated, angry, and disappointed. Awhile ago I was contacted about taking in two older warriors. With my health at the time and my current state of health now, I knew that I couldn't take on any more. I know I lamented over not being able to take them and was afraid for them. Just the other day I saw that at least one of the warriors the owner is keeping (at least until this fall), while the other is being offered for sale.


I always keep an eye on the classifieds to see what prices are like and what types of horses are being offered for sale. I realize I can't save them all (and at this point save any of them). But at least I'm staying abreast of prices and horses for sale. I refuse to stick my head in the sand and ignore the facts.

A few weeks ago, I saw an ad for an older mare that deserved a good retirement. She wasn't far from us and I contemplated contacting the owners even knowing that it would be beyond difficult for us to bring her in. But she tugged at the heartstrings. When I went back to find the ad, it had been pulled. I kept my fingers crossed that she'd found a good retirement home.

Much to my dismay, she didn't.

Instead, the person that contacted me to take those two warriors was the one who took this horse. It's not a permanent home. She'll be used up and then tossed aside like so many others. It angers me right down to my core. Why are you dumping these other horses and yet going and picking up more. They dont' fit your program?!? Then fix the issue with the horse instead of dumping them. It's called an education. If you don't know how do to something, you learn. And for horses, you have someone some in. Sure it'll cost money, but then you're fixing the problem, not causing more problems.

I expect that this poor horse will work one season at this location and then be swiftly dumped this fall because who wants to feed an old horse over the winter. I remember seeing something very similar last year. A horse was given away for free and was picked up by this same person. Within less than six months, the horse disappeared. Makes me wonder if the old owners know what happened. I'm sure they were given a song and dance about how the horse will have a permenent home. My bet is that the poor horse will be tossed around and at some point dumped into the auction circuit and then the slaughter pipeline.

Anger doesn't begin to describe my hatred right now.

A horse is a luxury. A horse is expensive. A horse lives for a long time. Where is the long-term commitment that they deserve?

I'm sorry. I could vent more and get really angry but instead I'll just go. These are the types of people that make me appreciate my horses more.