A Carnival For July; "They Won't Last Long".... How True!

So, some while back while cruising through different blogs, I came across a very, very unique blog called Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch (metta horsemanship). This blog I think is unlike any other blog out there but I'll let you head on over there and let her explain what the whole deal is. The link will go to the page describing the Carnival, btw.


She also created something called the Carnival of the Horses - a gathering of different blog entries from various blogs all horse related thats posted every month by a different host. I am going to be hosting July's Carnival - I should receive the info today sometime and I will put it up at midnight my time. So If you get a few extra minutes today, head over there and see what she's all about - you'll be there for quite a while reading, I assure you! 

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Lets get back on track with the ads, shall we? (Well, as long as this half pound stinker stops walking all over my keyboard while I'M trying to type! I guess the clicking of the keys is too much for one ratty little kitten to resist! Oh, its amazing what a few feedings of wet cat food have done to this starving little ragamuffin...)               

The ad features 3 paint horses up for sale. They are all in very poor shape, but the way the add is written they could be ALL be your next world champion. Uh huh. 

1 Paint Mare, 2 Paint Stallions - $1 (NW Colorado) 

I'm selling these horses for a friend on mine 

First Photo: Striker is 9-10 years old. Sired by reigning champions, this special guy produces nothing but painted babies even on solid mares. Owner thinks he is possibly homozygous for the tobiano gene, though he has not been tested for it. He is very calm for a stallion, and a very pretty color that looks like cherry glazed chocolate. Could make a nice competing stallion with the right training. He has been ridden a few times a few years ago, so he sells green and untrained. He is a good solid 14.3h, and could build some massive muscle with some nice green grass to chomp on instead of just hay. $800 

Seriously folks, there's hay, but if the horses are still looking that rough, there's something else going on here. He might have been sired by "

reigning champions", but he himself will not be that unless a freaking miracle happens. Why they are breeding him I will NEVER understand, because he's a crappy stallion. And its not just because of his weight. Geld him, and turn him into a great pleasure horse, do gymkhana's on him, mounted shooting, roping, heck whatever. Just stop breeding him, and for heaven's sake, a power pack from Panacur would do wonders here!

Second Photo: Silver Lady is a 4-5 year old grey mare. She is out of a APHA Paint stallion and an Arabian mare. She has the height and build of her sire, but is a bit on the skinny side after this winter and could use some nice green grass. She can be registered with PtHA, and I am looking into the possiblity of more from her pedigree. She has lived in the pasture most of her life and thus is a bit wild. She is starting to be halter broke, and learning to lead. She will soon start saddle training in the next month. Get her and finish her your way before training raises her price. Could make a nice trail or endurance horse. $600 

This I think is one of the saddest mare's I've ever seen. Literally. The expression on her face - this is I believe one of the worst pictures I've seen on craigslist yet. If she could talk, I really think she'd be saying "just kill me now". With some TLC, this mare could be absolutely jaw dropping gorgeous. Look at her mane! 

I think that the person writing up this ad probably got these horses dumped on them. Three half wild, mature horses that will barely lead, much less anything else is a pretty huge problem. I applaud the halter training (thats the long leads you see). Its a trick with mustangs to get them to teach themselves to give to pressure... they step on the lead and can't lift their head, the only way out of it is to back off and take a step backwards, thus releasing the pressure. Its actually a very humane way to halter break an older horse, once you can get the halter on them, that is. Its also an easier way to catch them if need be out in the pasture. 

What I DON'T agree with is the saddle training in just a month. This mare will need much much more time than just 3 weeks before a saddle goes on her back. Thats rushing the job, and it will cause more harm than good in the long run when you have a horse that was half wild, a saddle thrown on its back, and so many holes in the training you can stick a car in it.

What "MY WAY" Would be is to keep working with her daily, get her weight up, and when she doesn't have her hips sticking out like that - THEN consider putting a saddle on her back. But my way would take several MONTHS to do that, not weeks. 

This mare is still way too skinny for a saddle anyways. She needs at least another 100 pounds before I personally would feel comfortable putting a saddle on her without running a high risk of saddle sores.

The ad suggests you can register her with the Pinto Registry - well right now the Pinto registry is accepting just about any horse you want to throw at them! 

Third Photo: Buster is roughly 5 years old, and 14.2h's. Sire is about right about 14.3h's, and dam was 14.2h's. Sire is a sorrel paint (paint listed above) and dam was a black paint. He is being sold as untrained, and he has never been saddled, though he is being halter broke. He is stout and could make an incredible show horse, but could use some nice green grass to really build up those muscles. He's grandsire is a World Champion Reining Show Stallion. Buster is still a stallion, but can be gelded before pick up. He could be homozygous for the tobiano gene but isn't guarenteed. His sire produces nothing but paints even on solid mares. I will provide more information on pedigree and registering him, once he's paperwork is located by owner. His sire is registered with APHA, so Buster can be registered with PtHA right now. $600 

And again we have to ask, why is this horse a stallion? Because whomever owned them threw them in to a pasture and pretty much let them live out there unattended, thats why - for a very, very long time. This is the son of the FIRST stallion above - and they figure Jr here is about 5 years old.

I could go track down how much it would cost to register a 5 year old stallion with Paint - though I'm sure its several thousand dollars. It might be easier just to let his registration go at this point, or get him registered Pinto.

This whole ad is just one big screwed up CF, really. 3 Underweight, untrained, mature horses that barely know what a halter is? Yet this is what is everywhere. 

The ad ends with the phrase "They Won't Last Long" - I have to ask what would have happened to them all had they stayed with the owner for another year - I seriously doubt they would have lasted that long. 

They would make awesome project horses, I can promise that. The prices are actually decent at least - enough above meat prices to discourage those buyers, but not so high that its ridiculous. 

I have the reply link if anyone in the area is interested, just mention it in the comments and I'll send it to you. 

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The next week will continue to be a bit unusual in terms of posts. Not a normal week by any means. The Carnival will be tomorrow, then Friday will mark the 100th post. I have the update you have all be asking about - so make sure you come back and read the next two days for sure, you won't want to miss it!

KohKoh who has been 'helping' type this entire time, has made creating this post about 3 times longer than normal with all the backspacing, is now totally passed out on the top of her crate. It is totally and completely adorable. Yes, I crate train my cats, makes life so much easier when it comes to moving them. She has taken to domesticated life with a zest and energy that quite frankly, is wearing ME out. Or maybe its those 1 am and 4 am checks to make sure she uses the litter box if needed, and is fed if hungry......I forgot to mention she's only about 5 weeks old, and not nearly quite big enough to go roaming about the house at night by herself yet. Yes, I am a very nervous kitty mommy, and I would much rather her be safe in her extra large comfy crate on the floor next to the bed than worry about what peice of furniture she's gotten stuck behind!

Anyways, life is a bit more entertaining now, thats for sure!