Third Time's The Charm....Maybe....

Ah, the end of the school year approaches, and with that comes the Arizona summer heat - and end of the year class swimming parties. Since I spent 10 years on a local swim team when I was younger, and spent lots of time learning water rescues, I volunteer to attend/chaperone twice each year; one for my 1st grader, and one for my 4th grader. The 1st grade class had their party today, and while watching nearly 90 7-8 year olds swim is entertaining, its also exhausting. Spending the whole day out in the sun, even at just 95 degrees, can be draining, so thank you to whomever invented sunbrellas. :) The 4th grade class is next Monday - they should be a lot more rough and tumble than the little ones were today.


As if the giant pool party wasn't fun enough, we also had a one day special election to determine whether or not a very small (less than one cent per dollar) tax will be added onto local retail sales to help fund a shrinking educational budget for next year. If it doesn't pass today, then next year the school district my children attend will loose their art, music, and media education for the next two years. My son started playing the violin this year, and was very upset over the thought of not continuing to play next year... so I hauled my tired butt to my voting station and put in my duty as a citizen of the school district to vote yes. 


We'll see how it ends up. Now the rest of my day will be filled with getting todays blog post finished, getting ready for a closing shift at the retail store I call hell work, and then, by 11pm, I should be home. What fun, eh? 


Moving right along, I promised yesterday an ad that changed - at least three times. IF she changed it more than that, we didn't catch it. 


Its interesting to see the progression of the three ads - and the thought process behind the words. 


Since she used the same four pictures each ad, I'll share those first. 

Average Arab mare. Decently pretty head, obviously not done shedding out yet. Can't help but wonder (as did Niki, who sent me of this ad, and the paso chestnut pinto gelding ad) why exactly she's being pictured on the back porch. There doesn't seem to be any barn around... does this horse literally live in the back yard? I see a storage type shed, and another building that has the architecture of a house... but no barn. There is the distinct possibility that it might be behind the picture taker, but really, your guess is as good as mine. 


Alright. Here we go. 


Ad #1. Posted May 15th, around 12 noon. 




"shes pretty here and feeling out nicely.needs more saddle work and ground work di=one. 14.3 hands five years old.worth alot more then im asking.hurry im about to change my mind and keeper. 360---0534."


If Niki hadn't  gotten the screen shot of this one, this wonderful bit of word play would have been lost forever to the cemetery of dead Craigslist ads. I just love the di=one (done?), feeling (filling), and the best of all keeper (keep her). And here I am voting to PAY MORE tax to help keep the fundamentals of my children's education going smoothly. 

"shes pretty here , and is getting the prettiest wavy mane. 2people comming to see her tonight so if your thinking aabout this mare..HURRY. I will say I love her and want her to get a good home that will love her and keep her along time ..if not id like to have the first chanch to buy her back at same price.however im going to the auction next month to save a horse and hoping to find one just right for me.if not atleast I will have  made sure it didnt turn out at the wrong places.and try and find it a good home if not.shes 14.2 to 14.3 needs trimmed and getting it done at 11am tomorrow. 5 years old.good at letting me clean her hooves.completely sound...shes worth alot more but I really want someone to get her and train her more and just be good to her.360---0534.. thanks for looking." 

Ok, really? We really need to know that you are selling her because you want to rescue another animal? That in itself is noble and great. DUMPING your perfectly fine horse on Craigslist JUST to get another stinks of a bit of bad taste. At the very least DON'T MENTION it during your ad to sell your OTHER horse. The one that at 5 years old, has the best notable quality that her feet can be handled! I'm so happy that you will say that you love her. You are still trying to dump her for $200. Lets hear MORE about her - and not this other one that (and I can't even decipher this, the grammar is so horrible) she's " hoping to find one just right for me.if not atleast I will have  made sure it didnt turn out at the wrong places.and try and find it a good home if not."


Those of you that have been to auctions, and bought a rescue, have you ever gone out there with the intent in mind to find the right horse for you out there? I've personally never gone through that route before, but if you have, and you've FOUND that 'right' horse out of the auction herd, then please let me know.


Posted 2 days later... I guess those two people she was so excited to tell the world about either fell through, or saw something on this mare that they didn't like. 

"she is 14.3 hands and needs someone to take her out on the trails with other horses so she can know whats expected well I have noone to ride with and no trailor so im looking to sell her to a good home.she will be five in june.is started in saddle.Ibve rode her about 30 times . call 360---0534 I just trimmed her hooves yesterday and she has strong hooves,takes 5-10 minutes to load in a horse trailor."


I'm not sure if this is better or worse - leaning toward worse - no, better - I can't decide. 


We learn a bit more about the mare, she has strong hooves, and is started in saddle.  I've never heard of a horse started "in saddle". Is that similar to, I dunno, Early American Modern? Like the house was started in "early american modern"? 


Ok, I'm pushing things here... but you get my drift. I have a serious feeling that this horse has been started by the writer, and why do I think she pretty much just threw the saddle on this horse's back and got on and that was it? There is NO mention of training, other than the trail riding bit where the other horses will teach her what to do. Ok. So NOW horses are training each other apparently. Wow. Wonder if they can teach this mare to load up faster than the 10 minutes the owner is bragging about? 


I just have one more question - if she didn't have a 'trailor' - how was she going to rescue a horse from the auction?