Showing posts with label Bad Conformation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bad Conformation. Show all posts

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Melissa Sawiki of Albion, Michigan - YOU ARE BUSTED!

Two days ago I got an email from a reader whom on request, will stay unnamed. She sent me an ad that just by itself, would result in me having an apocalyptic fit. 


Then she sent me more info. 


At the time of writing this (Wed evening) I currently have somewhere around 30 individual Chrome Tab pages open, all in 'researching' this .... person. 


Thats Melissa Sawiki, there with her tongue out trying to lick her fiancée. She's about 18 years old, engaged to the guy you see peeking out of the cropped picture there, lives in Albion, Michigan, and according to her twitter page, is horse obsessed!!!! mustang breeder!!! twilight/vampire obsessed.  The Mustang Breeder Part is a decent enough clue - though its like a very small hair in the bigger scope of the entire murder case. 


I am going to do my best to sort through all of this so it makes sense to you. I will also warn you, this may end up being very long - I will do my best to keep it from running into novel length, but there is TON of info I found, and want to share. 


The Craigslist ad (the text of which will be green) that was sent to me was a sale ad for three horses. The highlight was that the mare had just delivered, and she was already trying to sell the mare. I am not even sure If I can post a screenshot of the ad because the ad is HUGE. I'll copy the text over though. The entire mood of the ad was "get them the f**k out of here". Ya, that sounds like a horse obsessed!!!! person, doesn't it? But thats not where this story ends. 


Heck, it hasn't even started yet.


There are also Horseclicks.com ads, which will look like this.


This is Cyclone, one of the three. He's a black, (Now 5) but is currently being advertised as a 4 year old. He is of course, a BLM mustang stallion. 


To the left it shows him with a saddle and bridle. The tacked up picture was taken from the CL ad, and off of another ad.  The picture on the right was taken from here. In each ad, (there are several) the price is never the same. $500 in one, up to $700 for another.  


this wild mustang is gentle sweet and the fastest of the horses we have, he is only 4! he still needs to grow! but will make beautiful babies! for 150$ we do not ship bring your mare today! he is ready and raring to go! email for info, momoluv08@yahoo.com or call 517 - 1122, he is a BLM mustang, and you can see him here at http://www.myspace.com/mustangatstud also have a mare for sale! seen in other ad! you can ask for more pictures aswell, he does have a red tint in his hair, and a scar that turned red, but otherwise he is a black stallion!!! better yet a Mustang stallion!!! for those who would rather start a mustang baby from foal then a wild yearling!!! (these r alot harder to handle!) we have broodmares and we may sell babies, or except trades for breeding, or trade horses! ive got an adorable little bay mustang! that i could consider trade!!! I AM NOW SELLING CYCLONE FOR 500$ HE IS IN TRAINING AND GREEN BROKE. COME GET HIM NOW! 1ST 250$ DOWN PAYMENT TAKES HIM. price only goes up from here! HE THROWS BLUE ROAN FOALS!!!! OR will consider trade for gelding or mare thats broke to ride (horse or large pony) maybe green still. must meet requirements: 13'3plus hhs only. under the age of 16. NO 19plus years. may consider 16-18yr olds. depends. BIG PLUS! will trade both mustangs for a good decent kidsafe horse around 14'2-15hhs thanks!!! NO HALFINGERS NO ACCEPTIONS!!!! WE DO NOT LIKE THEM. THEY ARE WORK HORSES ONLY. MAKE ME AN OFFER!!!! BABIES NOT FOR SALE!!! must go within 2 weeks


I'm not even going to bother blocking out her email. That text was from the same link as the head shot above. I tried to edit that ad from horseclicks, but couldn't decide what to cut out, it was all equally nauseating.



Cyclone (cyclonic destruction)- black stud. blue roan genes. green broke. asking 500$ comes with his papers and possibly a halter. make me an offer!!! he is a proven stud and one of his babies is a blue roan! 
hes 14'2hhs and 4yrs old! very gentle not mean and my 8yr old niece and her friends are always leading him around and grooming him!!! not an aggressive stud! he must go within 2 weeks! or i take him to auction. 


So, just between the two ads, you can see she can't really keep her stories straight. She's all over the place. She's got a third ad up for him here. In one he's listed as a 2006 foal, in another he's 2005? But she's got his papers!  


Oh, and for the record - being able to impregnate a whole 3 mares does NOT make him a 'proven stud'!!! Aeeyyyuppp.... cause what we really need is more fugly mustang and/or half mustang babies, right?


There is, buried deep within that horseclicks ad, a link to a myspace page. Myspace usually drives me insane, but I had to look on this one. If you don't wish to, I don't blame you. All of the text on the page is size 1 text. I of course copied it into a word document, and made it a much more readable size - oh, I really wish I hadn't. Its CYCLONE's Myspace page. This is what she put for his "about me".








·         interseted in making many pretty babies and carrying the legend on!!!
·         no time to see any,
·         ? whats television?,
·         i only read the things that our at our farm like the barn and such.
·         the BLM becuase with out them i wouldnt be here! for those who dont know: BLM stands for Burea of Land Management! they save wild mustangs!
·         Status: Single
·         Here for: Dating, Friends
·         Hometown: WILD
·         Orientation: Straight
·         Body type: 5' 0" / Body builder
·         Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
·         Children: Expecting
·         Occupation: Breeding
·         Income: Less than $30,000  (Ok, me in - why would a horse need an income?)


The Craigslist ad is disturbing though - the 'or I take him to auction' should be a huge, glaring, giant, massive red flag. This is Michigan, folks, a hop, skip, and a jump up to Canada - where Horse Slaughter IS legal. For some reason, I don't see Cyclone putting THAT on his Myspace page! I *wonder* why?

Another ad for the stallion:
i  have a black mustang at stud, his fee is 75$ for this limited time only. he can be seen athttp://www.myspace.com/mustangatstud and i can be contacted at that or at www.momoluv08@yahoo.com thnx!!! he is a all black mustang stud titled & papered to me he has red tints in his mane and tail. and has a scar on his shoulder from his captured days, its red. aswell. an lastly he has a perfect white cresant moon shaped marking on forehead (a star) he stands 14hh at 3yrs old. he is extremly fast for those barrel racers and hes very smart!!!! and has the cutest baby face with the sofest velvet fur!!! contact for more info!!! thnx so much ***located in Albion, MI*** may trade breedings for iteams wanted: driving buggy (for a 12hh donkey) harness set. wooden poles ( to extend corral) tack things, need bridals bits, saddles, blankets, saddle racks, brushes ext. thnx again!!!!


As crazy as the stud makes her sound - thats not even the WORST of this. Thats just the appetizer to the main course. 


I was sent a series of emails upon my request (thank you oodles for them, you ladies know who you are) and my jaw just completely dropped to the floor like it *NEVER* has before - and folks, I see a TON of crap in my in-box. Sometimes I think I should post 2x a day just to keep up with it all. 


So, fugly mustang half broke "proven stud" up there, who stands a very good chance of one day being dinner on somebody's plate overseas, was bred to the bay mare shown below. 



Twisted Ellegance-Twist- bay and white mare. very gentle will be an easy breaker. shes scared and shy of some people a man beat her so she cowers from men and likes children and young adults better then adult men. 14'3-15hhs tall and 4yrs old. does not come with halter, but comes with papers. she stays until she has her baby and then next day shes gone. im asking 300$ for her. please offer. she doesnt leave here until she foals and foal doesnt go with her! no acceptions.
it would be nice to get these guys good home together!!!! someone who wants to put a little mustang blood in there breeding programs. these guys are pure mustang! bought as yearlings.... 









Bay mare is called Twisted Elegance, or Twist. Cyclone is standing next to her, and the silver dapple pony on her other side I'll get to in a minute. Twist has had a bit of drama this week. If you look closely, you can see a bit of a large belly on her. Thats the baby from when Melissa decided that those two mustangs needed to make another mustang! YEA!!








This is usually the part where I would say 'lets hope that the foal doesn't inherit those front legs on the mare' - but you know what, I can't. 


When the same ladies that alerted me to this ad contacted Melissa, they got an answer back that nobody expected. 


The craigslist ad was posted 2010-06-14, 10:25AM EDT. Below is the series of emails back and forth between our readers and Melissa, who apparently goes by Momo? Please note that I am NOT editing out a single thing, save for emails and identities. Pay attention to the time stamps on the emails themselves. Red is Melissa, Blue is our Reader.

Folks, I am in the process of writing a novel in my 'spare time'. I couldn't Make This Stuff Up, even for the book!


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:24 PM
subjectRe: Mare for sale


foal is miscarred! and its her 1st foal wtf? u want her?


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:38 PM
subjectRe: Mare for sale
Your ad was posted as of 10.25AM today and is written as if the foal hasn't been born... So, the mare miscarried today??

dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:44 PM

no she must have sometime last week. were making her drop it here so we cant get sued. and she must go asap so she dont get pregnant again since no one wants either


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:45 PM

I am confused... If she miscarried last week, why did you state at 10.25AM today that she was pregnant?


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:50 PM

becuz she is! with a dead baby! wtf either u want her or ur wasting my god dam time


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:53 PM

Has a vet confirmed the foal is dead?


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:55 PM

yes


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:56 PM

Can I get the name of the vet so I can discuss what the mare will need? Its in my best interest to know what the situation is if I bring her home.


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 9:02 PM

no. ur wasting my time. im NOT GIVING HER A WAY. besides vet arent aloud to discuss that sort of thing with strangers and im not releasing u my info


dateMon, Jun 14, 2010 at 9:08 PM

Um, actually I never asked for her to be giving away to me. Now you're accusing. What I asked for is the ability to get a better understanding of the mare's medical condition, since having a dead foal inside is NOT healthy, so I know what kind of expense could be expected. And, yes, vets can discuss with the owners permission.


You obviously are more interested in the money than you are the welfare of the animal. Shame on you.


You know, sometimes is so much fun to a) have once been a skip-tracer,  b) know how to use google, c) have a husband who used to be a private investigator.


Melissa, you didn't NEED to give anyone your info, cause YOU FREAKING posted it everywhere on the net. It took me literally 30 minutes to find her phone number, address, what high school she went to, when she graduated, her cross country awards from high school, ads for 'rare beagles'(WTF?) here and here, more ads for show bunnies, her twitter page, already mentioned the boyfriend on myspace - I mean, seriously, shall I go on here? 


If you pull crap like what you are doing with this mare, you will get found out. 


What I am reading from that mess is simply that she wants to dump the mare on someone, without ANY questions being asked, to the first person that will take her. She's proven that if you ask questions that need to be asked, she will a) start throwing accusations and b) suddenly decide that you don't get the horse. 


This is NOT a responsible horse owner. This is as far away from a responsible horse owner as you can possibly get - and I think Antarctica is too close.


(link to full ad) Twisted Ellegance will not be ready until her baby is weaned (6months?) but is up for sale and i can give you a few numbers to great studs including a palomino piant stud. she is a blm mustang with a bad past. not broke. gorgoues coloration! 5yr old, very sweet, very timid. wants to learn but scared. very pretty mare would make nice trail horse or brood mare she is tri colored bay! (white, bay, and black) some brindel in her face and legs. she needs one on one time in a round pen or arena for about a week and i bet you could have her broke! or call me and ill come break her. her price is 400$ and will go up to 500$ if i re breed her! ill hold her for 250$ aswell. or may talk on just holding her for cheaper. come out and see this gal today! refrences and a home visit to your place required! i dont want her beat again. her old family beat her trying to break her. they killed the gelding she came with and she was near death when i bought her off them. shes back up to healthy wieght and never offered to kick or bite. very SWEET!!! will eat out of your hand. FAST FOR BARRELS! call or email today! 517 - 1122 or 517 - 0031 also another picture of her is on my studs add, he is also for sale, his name is Cyclone. price is OBO WILL TRADE FOR BROKE OR GREEN BROKE HORSE OR LARGE PONY. (13'3hh plus only) under 16yrs of age please!!! may consider slightly older NO 19plus years old!!! NO HALFINGERS NO ACCEPTIONS!!!! WE DO NOT LIKE THEM. THEY ARE WORK HORSES ONLY. SHE IS DUE IN 2 WEEKS! BABY STAYS. WE BOTTLE FEED! OFFER PLEASE WE NEED HER GONE!!! BABY NOT FOR SALE!!!!! 


Of course the baby's not for sale - cause the baby is freakin' DEAD!


Another email, not from the same woman that was in the above emails, but we'll call this lady a "concerned horse owner": 
















This is an email that was sent from the seller to a friend when she politely reminded her that all horses in MI have to sold with a halter.







Sent: Mon, June 14, 2010 10:50:56 AM Subject: Re: horses needs to go within 2 weeks!!! - $500 (Albion)
good luck getting a halter on that mare. ill have to kill her first. not joking. shes horse meat probably. since no one wants the damed horse. and the stud. hes a looker and green broke he has a chance and the pony definelty does. and i have been sold plenty of horses without a halter...








The mare in question is the same bay mustang mare that she HERSELF wrote "never offered to kick or bite" and "very SWEET!!! will eat out of your hand".

Seriously? Can you believe this? 

YET MORE ADS. This one has horses that she's not mentioned anywhere else - lets hope they got out! 

[Edit, on second glance, I don't think all of those horses listed are hers, just all from the same general area.]

There's so much more. I don't have all of the emails sent between her and some other potential buyers, but I have a pretty good idea that she was like this with just about everyone.


Silver-also i have a pony (kid safe) bombproof. 675$ firm. he is 12hhs tall and 13yrs old. silver dappled with flaxen mane and tail! he is been there done that show, trail, traffic, parade, therapy pony!!! the top notch pony and 5 stars for your kids safety! comes with bit bridle and red halter seen in pictures. he is a GELDING! NOT A MARE!!!! 









Of Course I have to post up this picture of the pony.... 

*sigh* 

Double, bareback, no helmets - at LEAST the pony is being led. Should read the horseclicks text though, more of the same idiotic promoting of her mustang stallion for sale. If you look through the pictures of the pony she has up - in one of them, in the background, if you look closely, you'll see she has a donkey as well. 

There's also Hurricane, the appaloosa gelding - who in one ad she wants to lease out - not sell, and another where *Surprise* he IS up for sale!  If you actually read them both, she keeps saying over and over that he really is 17hh tall - but won't come with papers, cause he's not registered - so "DON'T ASK"! She actually says just that in the ad for him. She doesn't have Hurricane listed on the Craigslist ad, but he's everywhere else she's got horses listed. Gods help the person that leases him and has to deal with HER daily (the lease requires him to stay on her ranch).

Oh, and we can't forget Mieko, the Paso Fino "Grade / No Papers" Gelding. Link. He's also the horse she pictures herself nuzzling up next to on her myspace page. 
STALLION MUST GO!!! SO MUST THE PONY! BRINGING IN ANOTHER PONY WHICH IS A MARE DON'T WANT BRED!!!! 

call 517 - 9790 asap to come see and check them all out. or email. pictures on horseclicks and on craigslist i have no more so please dont ask!
all horses in pictures are for sale! 
limited internet access. ask for melissa when you call please and leave your name and nuber and reasons for calling! or else i cant call you back!!!







There are so many things going on in these ads that I literally could NOT address everything. Training issues, saftey issues, flat out dumbshit stuff, and thats not even addressing HER ATTITUDE about the whole situation!

Melissa - You are seriously one of the most heartless, ignorant, uneducated morons I've seen in a LONG time. You graduated high school yet you still write like a 2nd grader with 2nd grade spelling and grammar? There is NO excuse for that, NONE whatsoever. 

You claim to care for your horses, but all I can see is someone who really doesn't give one rats ass about them. Your statement about sending your PRIZE mustang stallion through the auction sealed that nail down into your coffin for me. They are all crappy, fugly, conformational TRAIN WRECKS that should NEVER, EVER BE BRED. 

Your idiotic statement about not wanting another horse bred? 

Have you heard of something called a FENCE? You claim to have vets that will come see your horses, have you ever considered something called GELDING? Gelding's don't care about breeding mares. Oh, some of them will still give it the old college try, but after a few minutes they usually tend to give up and opt instead for a good mutual grooming session with said mare. You have created YOUR OWN Problem here, one that you resort to threatening to DUMP your horses for meat prices to solve. 

You know EXACTLY where they will end up, as evidenced by your own words. Your mare, whom on one hand you call sweet, BUT on the other hand to even get a halter on her at all, you'd have to KILL HER, is evidence enough for anyone with eyes. You, and others like you, are the very reason that we have the issues in this country that we do in just simply trying to KEEP our horses from becoming dinner.

I am sending this blog link to everyone I know, asking them to read it and re-post it. Your lack of honesty, your lack of caring (uh, dead stillborn foal still in its mothers belly that you are still claiming is ALIVE in some emails? Yep, they exist...), and your general attitude will come back on you threefold, and karma really is the BIGGEST Bitch of all, and she shows NO mercy. 

So which is it on the foal? Is the foal dead or not? Has the foal been delivered or not? When? Why won't you simply tell the truth on the matter? Why won't you give your vet's information to potential buyers - so you can get rid of the mare like you say you need to over and over again? What exactly are you trying to hide here? There's proof that you have given multiple answers to multiple people on these very questions. 

Do you even realize how difficult it is to bottle feed a foal? Have you ever done it before? Do you realize what a training NIGHTMARE bottle fed foals usually are? They rarely, if ever, respect boundaries of space, pressure, and think humans are horses to play with, bite, rear up on, and kick out at. Is this what you want your foal to become - IF IT ACTUALLY LIVES?

Oh, and btw, just exactly what the hell is your problem with Haflingers? They are NOT JUST working horses, and I can dig up an entire mess of people that will argue to the death otherwise. "Haffies" are some of the sweetest, gentlest, kindest, and honest little horses on earth. Not only are they GREAT with kids, they are strong enough for most adults to ride too!

You know what, never mind on the Haflinger thing. They wouldn't want YOU as an owner anyways, for fear they'd become a sandwich!



The reader's intention in sending this all to me was that hopefully someone out there will be able to get these poor horses out of her hands before they all follow the 'wyld black stallion' to Canada!


In her words, as a final comment to this total disaster of a train wreck waiting to happen, after getting even more conflicting emails on whether the foal was born, alive or not, and when it was supposedly born:



Hi,
If you're willing sell the mare in foal as of the 5th of of having foaled,
you're ignorant and have not business keeping horses. If you want to be sure
the foal receives not only proper nutrition but also upbringing and learning
how to be a horse, then you will either keep the mare until the foal is of
proper age to be weaned, or sell together. Please reconsider your ad and
save face with your horse and fellow horse people.



____________________________________________________________________


I want to add this on to the post. Edited 7pm Mountain Standard Time.


She has posted another ad up today, I will post the screenshot, because her words are 'better' than mine. The link was posted in the comments, and I think it bears putting up here. 
Here is the link to respond to the ad - sale-tqqhz-1796876220@craigslist.org






horses going to auction buy now! mustangs and kidsafe pony - $500

black mustang papered stud. 14'2hhs 4yrs old green broke. blue roan genes. 400$ obo 
must go asap!!!! 

bay with chrome mare with papers. 14'3hhs 4yrs old? not broke. great mom. 325$ was a rescue. 

will sell together for 500$ 
going to auction the 26th if not bought.           

kid safe pony 
12hhs 13yrs 
bombproof 
autism kids on lead line. 
4-14yrs old individual rides. 
double 
bareback 
English / western 
jumps and drives 

675 FIRM!!!!! 
if not sold by 24th will be kept. 

call 517 499 9790 for more info and day to set up a time to meet and buy! 
bring money please! 
serious buyers please!!! no 10yr old little girls wishing and wanting! 



Does anyone know where this auction is that she's referring to? I mentioned this in the comments, but I can't seem to find any info on google... the only auctions I can find in MI on the 26th are for property and fine art. IF any of you out there can manage to grab these horses before she trailers to whatever auction she's planning on going to, PLEASE by all means do. If they end up going and sell to the KB, then well thats what happens, but since I can't be there to pull them out myself, I'm doin' what I can do. 


______________________________________________________
2nd Update of the night: 


New ad. http://jxn.craigslist.org/grd/1797300917.html  Says now that the mare is gone, and only has the stallion and the pony left with no other horses for sale?


Oh, and its been "confirmed' that the foal lived, was delivered, but is now with a surrogate dam? Emails were sent and were posted in the comments.... 

copying just the email text. 


Reader: Does she come with her foal?? The ad isnt clear. Are you planning on taking her baby from her? Is the foal going to be able to be registered? Is the mare up to date on her shots, has she ever foundered? Thanks, Jennifer
 HER: no foal. no health issues.


Reader: Is she agressive with a foal on her? Is she not a good mom? What are the reasons you will not let her raise her baby?
 HER: shes wild and uncontrolable. and her sack wont fill. and we cant keep her seprete from stud and other horses. the foal is going to a qh mare who lost her foal prematurely. it wil get 1st feedings if twist wil provide.


And now apparently the mare is gone? Or just no longer for sale? I'm *SO* confused!


black 4yr old papers. 14'2hhs greenbroke 200. firm

bay mare no longer for sale.

no other horses for sale. 1 pony for sale

1 horse for lease at our farm.

pony kid safe. 
12hhs
13yrs
600 firm. 

call 517 - 9790
can be veiwed and taken today! bring your trailers.

downsizing to 5 horses





_______________________________________________________


And UPDATE #3 for the night! I can't go to bed yet, this is insane! 


I'm trying to find, or fix, the link the very last anon posted listed to the ad where the pony went up in value, and came across this: 


http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/grd/1796742334.html


I *MYSELF* have now become an ad on craigslist! This just cracks me up to NO end. 


I would love to know who posted that on my behalf, can email me directly, no need to out yourself publically, but still would like to thank you personally! 



Thursday, May 27, 2010

Long Back or Club Foot?

I decided to leave Tuesday's post up as the top post for an extra day so that hopefully a few more people could see it and maybe one or two more eyes would be opened up to the Big Lick Industry. I had typed up a big ol long reply for what Kat and CNJ said, and then I went to post it, and realized I was logged into gmail under the wrong email address... when I tried to log out and log back in under the correct gmail, blogger ate my post. I really didn't feel like retyping it out again, but the gist of it was that Kat, you are ok to correct anything I ever say on here about soring and the BL industry if I'm wrong and simply that its the 'good ol' boy' club that needs to be seriously broken up permanently within that upper echelon of the Tennessee Walker Club in regards to the Celebration Show for any serious changes to happen. I loved what happened with the Celebration where all but (correct me again please Kat if I'm wrong! :) ) I want to say 2 or 3 horses were DQ'd out of the Saturday Night Championship Big Lick Class, with some seriously BNT being told they couldn't compete that night for the Ultimate Big Lick Title. 


I'd love to see more of that, as would a lot of other people. 


That posting also had the very small distinction of being post number 70 for me on here! I should do something fun or snazzy for post 100, I just don't know what yet. 


I also have a very awesome update, that I've been dying to put up here too, I think after the nastiness of that photo, we need some goodness here, yes? 


I'm sure all of you will remember this little donkey from the "Can't You Hear Him Braying Ouch!" posting. 







He was rescued out of that dump and here's his story! 

One of my borders did decide to go and buy him.  Of course we got about 4-5 stories from the owner of how long he had had Donkey and where he got him, so we are really not sure of his background.  He was still intact, so our first matter of business (after his feet, of course!) was gelding him.  He has been a trooper right along.  He has been beaten in his past (was VERY scared to be hand grazes at first), but he is amazing with my 3 year old daughter, just melts for her.  His feet are MUCH better.  Our farrier did a great first trim and Donkey cantered off after and moves soundly!  All of our horses are scared of him, and now he is starting to be scared of horses because of their reaction!  He is fun to have around.






The Barn Owner that sent me that email also gave me a link to a facebook album with a few more pics of him. She also included pictures of his gelding surgery, so there is some blood, but its not terribly bad. Those are his feet from before - I'm thinking the top is front, the bottom is hind, from the angles of the legs. Either way, no animal should ever have to walk around like this.




There's a few more pictures in there than what I can show here, but I have to include this one. I just LOVE donkey faces! This guy sure looks TONS happier now.



And AFTER the first trim... loads better. The farrier has estimated about 6 months of trims to get his feet back to normal but he will get there.



There are also some really adorable pictures of him with the BO's daughter... like most donks, he's got a soft spot for kids.  They named him Otie! LOL.

Thank you so much Francine for sharing that and allowing me to put it up. We need more good stories like Otie's! 

I am still periodically checking up on Comet and Valora, I'll try to get an update on them soon as well.

Ok, shall we move on with the icky stuff? Today's not to bad, I promise. Just mild ickyness. 

I named today's post "Long Back or Club Foot" because one of the ads features a very long backed horse, and one of them has a club foot... but do very similar jobs. The price point between them is substantial, and while I'm very sure the vast majority of us will agree that one of the price points is more than outrageous, I'm interested in the question of what conformational faults would you be willing to overlook if everything else about the horse is spot on. 

Rope Horse/Kids Horse/Trail Horse Bay Gelding $1000 FIRM (Maricopa)

Finished Bay Head and Heel quarter horse for sale. "Doc" is a sound 1990 model that loves to be ridden and roped off of. He has been on vacation for the last few years and I just can't stand to let him sit in the pen and go to waste any longer. He shoes quiet, hauls well (he should know because he has been to all corners of the southwest). He would be a great horse for a #3 roper or better. I have hauled him to anything from USTRC ropings to rodeos to local jackpots. I have made quite a bit of money off of him roping. He is a wonderful horse all the way around. I am the second only owner of this horse which means he hasn't been passed back and forth from one ranch to another. "Doc" has blood lines from Doc Bar and Hancock. He is not current on registration papers but everything is in line to be set up. I bought him from a horse breeder in Colorado that produces pristine looking horses. He won a reigning title as a 2 yr old. I am comfortable putting my kids on him and not having to worry about them. Doc would make a good kids horse too if that is what your looking for. He is one that knows the difference in experienced and non experienced riders - A good babysitter! . No bad habits and loves to be taken care of. Current on West Nile Shots. Doc has also been around cattle in the pasture and on the mountain. He is sure footed when it comes to ridding on hills and trails. "Doc" has also been on a few hunting trips and knows how to pony and pack. I hate to get rid of him but knowing that he will live out his life doing what he loves means more. Please call Jessica 480---0969. 
p.s. that is a fly tag around his neck.



So before I post the picture of this guy, let me point out a few things. He's older, (19) which can be a double edged sword. He's an ex-roping horse - which means he really might have that 'seen it done it all' attitude. Most of these old rope horses really are as close to 'bombproof' as one can get... though as always, there are exceptions. One thing that concerns me is the 'reigning title as a 2 yr old'... that means he was broke way early, and combine that with the roping life... soundness would be a serious consideration with this guy. 

"I bought him from a horse breeder in Colorado that produces pristine looking horses." 
This sentence by itself would make me stop and wonder what a 'pristine looking horse' is, but I think I'll throw out the picture for you all now... 








E-YOW! Gotta wonder what some people are thinking when they write these ads. Why this chick chose to use the words "pristine horse" to describe this guy I have NO clue. I've seen swaybacked horses before, I've had them here on the blog before. You'd think though, that she'd SAY SOMETHING about his back in the ad - instead of trying to pass him off as "pristine" - whatever the hell that means. Sway backed horses most of the time can be ridden, but good saddle fit is a very high priority here. 

Honestly though for him at this point, pasture life with a few 'pony rides' for the grandkids might not be a bad life for him; add in some Light trail work to keep his mind active and sound... but he's not going to hold up to hard work - that back will simply give out on him one of these days. She's only asking for $1000 - which I think is a great price for him, considering that his personality/mental soundness will be well worth that price. 


He's obviously the 'long back' for this post lol. Let's move on to our club foot, shall we?

!!^MADE BARREL HORSE READY FOR ANY LEVEL RIDER!!! - $20000 (East Tucson) 
Creek is an amzing horse she has beat the odds! she is not registered and has a clubfoot but yet she places at the top of the 1D consistantly when she is in shape unfortunetly my ground is too hard for me to work her and i dont want to take the chances. She is automatic and is quiet at the gate she is automatic enough for a little girl to start on or high school rodeo. I only want to take one horse to college with me and that is also why i am selling her i am negotiable on the price depending on the home, because she is out of shape. She can do so much but we dont get along as well as i would like i ahve seen her go so much faster with other people so come try her!! she is you next money earner!! 

please call or text 520--1184 

Yea, I told you that one of the price points was outrageous. *Dissection knife at the ready*

1st of all... a club foot isn't a work death sentence. The sorrel mare you see on the side bar had a mild club foot, and while she wasn't that comfortable to ride (the worst jackhammer trot and canter you've EVER been on), it didn't affect her that much. I have no idea why the hardness of the ground would affect the mare...unless there's other soundness issues going on with her as well? What I want to know is do you work your OTHER horse on that same ground...

2nd ... This mare is NOT registered. I will never say unregistered or grade horses aren't worth buying. But when have you ever heard of a grade horse going for $20,000 WITH a club foot? 

3rd... its ok to admit that you are going off to college and can only afford one horse. Most people will understand that. However, admitting that the two of you didn't get along is not the best selling point! 

4th... I get the feeling here that she's looking at this mare as the possible start to her college fund... I mean come on. $20,000 for this mare? In NO WAY will she ever get that close to that price. She claims she's negotiable on the price to the right home, and I can see her maybe using the uuber high price to turn unsavory people away. But how far exactly is she willing to come down from that mountain top? What is negotiable for her? $5,000? $10,000? Would YOU be willing to drop the price by TEN GRAND if you were heading off to college? Why set it THAT high to start with? $10,000 is plenty high enough to scare away those same types of people and still give you some negotiating room without making yourself feel like you just got robbed. 

I *think* just by looking at the picture the left hind might be the club foot, but It might also be the shadow crossing over the hoof too. Since you can't see the right fore, it might very well be that one too.


Can't tell from the action shot as well. She had two other pictures of her barrel racing, but they were covered with "Proof" watermarks, and I wasn't about to repost those. 

So back to my original question. Here we have two similar backgrounded, but different horses that did similar jobs. They both have pretty serious conformational defaults. Neither being one you want to pass on. The gelding, at least there's no possibility of that happening... but with the mare, there's a very GOOD chance she'll be bred, if she hasn't been already. 

Out of the two, which is the lesser of the two evils?