Kinda OT-- Only me.

CaliannG · #1 10/27/12, 04:52 PM

So, I went out to the woods to encourage my goats to gorge on catclaw vine, when my thoroughbred, Truffles, comes up....and I notice something really, REALLY odd.

So I leave the goats to browsing, come into the house, and call my DH at work. Get him on the phone, and in my sweetest voice, say:

"Honey.....did you get another horse while I was in Kansas?"

To which he relies:

"NO! I don't know where it came from. Sorry, I was in a hurry this morning and forgot to mention that when I was out with the dog, I saw another horse in the pasture. I take it that you don't know anything about it? I think it is a filly."

"No, honey, that's a gelding. A young one, from the looks of him, I would guess a yearling. He has a halter on him, but he is skinny and looks scarred up. Fairly friendly; I could approach him and pet him. He didn't run. So you don't know where he came from? None of our neighbors has a horse like that. He didn't wander in on his own; all of our gates were shut."

"No, I have no idea where he came from. Do you think he was out loose and the Sheriff's deputy herded him in our pasture as a temp fix? Or do you think somebody dumped him?"

"I dunno. I'll ask the neighbors."

So, I go around and ask the neighbors. No one knows anything about him. Called S.O., and nope, no calls of loose livestock this morning.

What the fizzy?

At least he ignores the goats. Truffles seems to like having a friend. Looks like he is going to be about her size too, TALL boy.

~sighs~

Otter · #2 10/27/12, 05:10 PM

Yup, horse dumping happens a lot these days. No market, and no/expensive hay. Call the sheriff back and ask at what point he is considered abandoned and officially yours.

CaliannG · #3 10/27/12, 05:21 PM

~smiles~ It's 30 days, actually. I do know the laws around here, since my Mom was a deputy for 28 years. Couldn't help but absorb some knowledge on the subject.

Kind of surprised they didn't run him through the sale barn, though, as horse meat prices have been around $0.46 a pound. Unless they were the kind to hope that by dumping him in a pasture with another horse that looked to be taken care of, that the people there wouldn't sell him off for meat.

~sighs~ I did not WANT another horse. I did not WANT the one I *have*. ~mutters~

Minelson · #4 10/27/12, 05:21 PM

Never. A. Dull. Moment.

Minelson · #5 10/27/12, 05:23 PM

Since Truffles likes his new friend maybe you should keep him

CaliannG · #6 10/27/12, 05:27 PM

~laughs~ Michelle, are you going to come and ride the horses here? Truffles, for all that she is sweet, gentle, and broke to ride, is a pasture pet. I don't ride because I am getting easily broken, and Doug doesn't ride because he doesn't really know how. So, since Truffles is a pasture pet, although she is a sweet, ornamental pasture pet, I seriously doubt another horse would be anything more. And honestly, a gelding NEEDS to be trained to ride . If something happened to us, Truffles at least has value as a brood mare, but a gelding?

~grumbles~ You are correct. Never a dull moment.

If I had more money, I would buy another set of harness and a wagon or buggy, and send them both off to be trained as driving horses. I can still drive.

Otter · #7 10/27/12, 05:56 PM

At least it's only 30 days.
A neighbor of mine worked out a trade where someone put some training on the one horse and kept the second.
That might work out for you - get Truffles trained to drive and a new home for the gelding in one go.

BTW, I am SO relieved for you that he is gelded!!! Nothing is cut around here. Folks keep telling me it's too expensive. So I asked my vet. Ninety bucks, which includes the farm call. Cheapest of anywhere I've ever lived.

Backfourty,MI. · #8 10/27/12, 06:01 PM

Looks like you have a new horse & you can just start planning for their buggy/wagon pulling training now. Start saving for later. Might be kinda nice for you & hubby to go for a buggy ride with Truffles & her new friend.

Someone must have dropped him off knowing you would take good care of him.

Dreamgoat Annie · #9 10/27/12, 06:14 PM

The only (halfway decent) vet in the area who makes farm calls was here on Wednesday to issue health papers for the sheep who went to Oklahoma.

Last week a guy told him that due to the drought and hay prices he couldn't keep his horses (grades, trained to ride, in nice condition) so he took them to the horse sale. All horses sold in Arkansas must have a current Coggins--$35 each at the sale barn. The sale barn charges $20 per head to sell. One horse brought $40 and the other $70.

That's why they're being dumped in droves. Pretty scary stuff...

Sue

Alice In TX/MO · #10 10/27/12, 06:17 PM

Believe it or not, this has happened to us TWICE!! Once when my children were still young and at home, one of them says, "Mom, there's a horse outside my window."

Me, "Yeah, right."

Child, "Really. There's a horse in the yard."

I was flabbergasted.

Happened again years later.

Then, there was the time a small buck whitetail came up on the porch and looked in the screen door. Hubby went out, caught him, tied him to a tree, and called animal control.

Alice In TX/MO · #11 10/27/12, 06:18 PM

Caliann, do you know someone in our part of Texas who will train driving horses????

CaliannG · #12 10/27/12, 06:38 PM

KINDA in our part of Texas. There is a school in Waco for it.

I really wish there were more trainers of driving horses. I know how to drive a horse, or two; I worked as a carriage driver in Denver for some time, so if I had a horse trained to it, and the equipment, I would have no problem hitching them up and driving around.

But I have never trained a horse to drive and I am not one to pretend that just anyone can do it from a book.

So I really, REALLY wish there were more trainers in the area. It sure would be nice for those of us who love horses, and would like them to be useful (so as to have an excuse to keep them), but no longer feel up to getting on top of one.

farmmom · #13 10/27/12, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliannG

~smiles~ It's 30 days, actually. I do know the laws around here, since my Mom was a deputy for 28 years. Couldn't help but absorb some knowledge on the subject.

Kind of surprised they didn't run him through the sale barn, though, as horse meat prices have been around $0.46 a pound. Unless they were the kind to hope that by dumping him in a pasture with another horse that looked to be taken care of, that the people there wouldn't sell him off for meat.

~sighs~ I did not WANT another horse. I did not WANT the one I *have*. ~mutters~

There was an announcement made here that the borders of Mexico and Canada had been closed for meat horses from the US. Unless that's changed, that may be why he was dumped.

CaliannG · #14 10/27/12, 06:47 PM

Oh holy heck, Alice, I didn't look well enough.

Tom O'Carroll
Good Hands Training Center
7368 FM-2
Navasota, TX 77868

He trains horses and drivers. Prices are more than I can afford ($900 for a month of boarding and training per horse), but he is nearby and there.

Now, needing that Lotto money.

CaliannG · #15 10/27/12, 06:48 PM

Thank you, farmmom! I will look that up!

Otter · #16 10/27/12, 07:04 PM

To look for trainers, ask your farrier.
They know who has horses that are used, and horses who are well-behaved.

Alice In TX/MO · #17 10/27/12, 07:06 PM

That's just over 100 miles from my house. I'll contact him when I get home. I have a mare that needs trained.

I've been learning to drive Percherons here in Missouri. They are REALLY too big for me, but I have the rookie basics down.

Otter · #18 10/27/12, 07:18 PM

Alice, you should take that knowledge and apply it to a nice cart wether

Alice In TX/MO · #19 10/27/12, 07:20 PM

This is the first year I've kept a wether! He'll have to grow some.

CaliannG · #20 10/27/12, 08:16 PM

~laughs~ Percherons are big sweeties, I love them.

Alice, you know those big, four wheeled carriages that they use for "romance rides" in cities? That is what I used to drive. It was amusing when the animal rights nutcases would attempt to accost me!

"How can you be SO CRUEL as to make that poor horse drag that HUGE CARRIAGE around with you in it?!? You are horrible!"

"Lady, that horse weighs 2000lbs. I weigh 120lbs. *I* pull this "huge", and by the way, light aluminium, carriage clear across an 20,000 sq ft warehouse twice every day to hitch it and un-hitch it. I promise you that if I can pull it without even panting, he isn't having a problem."

"But...but...you have all of this leather stuff on him and you are forcing him to work for you! It's not right!"

~sighing heavily~ "Ma'am, this horse is 18 and a half hands at the withers. His head, when he holds it normally, is out of my reach. He has to help me get the hames and bridle on him. If he didn't LIKE his job, and didn't WANT to do it, all he would have to do is stand perfectly still. I need to have his active and willing HELP to get the harness on him at all. And as for all of this leather stuff? Do you notice that it is padded with with *velvet*? *MY* seat is vinyl, HE gets velvet. And he gets the rubber soled shoes for traction and comfort. AND he is very obviously well fed."

"Well...uhhh, he should be wild and free! With a band of mares to love! To watch his children grow wild and free!"

~sighs again~ "He's a gelding. And the only thing he is "wild" about is his grain."

"Oh...ummm..." ~nut walks off~

~giggles~

I really enjoyed driving. I wish I had the money to buy the proper buggy and such, as well as have my horse trained, to do it again.

Maybe come income tax time.