Ride A Baby Wed

So, I've decided to rename WTF Wed into Ride A Baby Wed for a while. 


Todays Ride A Baby Ad I honestly thought I already had. I recognized the pictures, but I have just searched through 3 months worth of emails and didn't find it, with the exception of the email that Celeste sent yesterday. So, if you sent me this one, and I just overlooked it, please forgive me :).


I also realized exactly how many ads I have in my email that I need to grab before they go down too. So, if you have sent me one, and haven't seen it here yet, that might be why. I"m about a week behind, and I don't always get a chance to email back and say thanks - so please DO NOT take it personally if you don't get a response. I get an average of 20-30 emails a day, and I'd be sitting here for hours if I answered every one lol. 


Throw in the business I'm trying to get off the ground, working part time, 2 kids - yeap. It adds up, doesn't it! (Plus, I have "Remember Me" Waiting in my computer's DVD player and I really want to see it before I go into work this afternoon! hehe.)


Off we go! 

Pony quarter mix - yearling 
1 yr and 4 months old. She is around 12.2 hh or (48inches)and has not grown much more. She is a good little girl that follows you around. She is good with the kids and other horses. I put a 6 yr. old girl on her and she was led around with no problem. She loves everything. I had her feet done and shots were done 3 months ago. Happy and healthy. This filly is going to be a med. to large pony and I was looking for a small pony or paint horse. I offer her as low as possible to get what I was looking for. She is a good pony but not what fits me now. 
Looking for a paint foal filly or colt with color. A 36 to 42 in pony. Also looking for a 17 in leather western saddle. So trades are welcome or sell is offered. 


Celeste (who is also "Dangerous" in the comments) wrote: It makes me sad because she looks super cute and smart and I'm sure she would make a great kid's pony if they would just not put anything on her back for another year!  And how much do you want to bet that 6 year old had no helmet on?

Because people that do this just don't think. They obviously realize what age the horse is, they mentioned YEARLING in the Ad's title, for everyone to see. 16 months old, she's 16 months old, and has already been asked to carry a rider. 


Will the morons ever stop being morons? Nope. But that doesn't mean we can't stop exposing them to the world!


________________________________________________________


One quick comment regarding Melissa and her post. Its still getting a ton of traffic for me, and I appreciate it. 


Please remember though, that she will NOT stop posting ads until those horses are either sold, or gone. By all means please keep posting them here, but it is what it is. She wants them sold that badly - then she'll do it when she wants to do it. I still encourage anyone in the area that wants to really help and go take one or both horses on. I'm sure that mare would make an incredible trail or children's mount with some work but someone needs to DO IT. 


Mom will continue to defend her daughter's actions, no matter what we say or do. Thats the nature of being a parent to some people. I personally can't stand the parents that pretend they have perfect angelic children that once backs are turned - turn into little devils. (hmm, actually, that part amuses me. Cause the kids are obviously smarter than the parents at that point to not get caught - and if they ever do - they KNOW nothing will happen.) 


I ask that you please keep the comments non-personal, no throwing neighborhood mud, and I won't have to turn the comments off, capiche? 

Like She Said, You Can't Ride A Mane!

Turn Heads on the Trail! - $3500

Four year old registered AQHA Palomino gelding. "Peanut" stands 15 hands, has gorgeous long mane, three white stockings and a white star, stripe and snip. He is being offered at a drastically reduced price due to being diagnosed with OCD (Osteochondrosis) in November. OCD is characterized by lesions in the joint that can form in fast growing young horses. Peanut's x-rays show no evidence of cysts or fragments in the joint, only slight flattening on the condoyles of the stifles which is likely to limit his career as a performance horse. Through his training, he has never shown any degree of lameness, but shows slight discomfort trotting off to flexion tests. For this reason, I am offering him for sale as a horse suitable for light riding. I bought Peanut as a long yearling from the breeder and have personally enjoyed every step of his development, while utilizing natural horsemanship methods. Because of the level of training already established, combined with Peanut's laid back nature, I feel confident that even at his age, he will easily step into a career as a recreational trail horse. Peanut has a fun, inquisitive personality, he enjoys people and is confident with it comes trying new things. He has never offered to buck and is great to get back on after lengthy periods of time off. He has a gorgeous long mane, combined with his rich dapple palomino color, he is a real head turner! Although it saddens me to say goodbye, I feel as though a shift in career is in Peanut’s best interest and will lend to his long term soundness and the happiness of someone looking for a special companion.
Click the following link to see a video of Peanut - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j34FvwhsVKw



O.M.G. 


Where the hell do I start with this one? 


Lets start with the obvious. Osteochondrosis. I have heard of this, but only in passing. Google is our friend, so I search it out. 


The Merek Veterinary Manual online has a page for it. 

Osteochondrosis has a multifactorial etiology that includes rapid growth, overnutrition, mineral imbalance, and biomechanics (ie, trauma to cartilage). Genetics has been implicated in some breeds (eg, Standardbred and Swedish Warmblood). The condition mainly affects articular growth cartilage, but the metaphysis may also be involved. If the physeal metaphyseal cartilage is affected, bone contours and longitudinal growth are disturbed (see physitis, Physitis). Involvement of articular cartilage at the periphery of joint surfaces leads to regressive changes at the joint margins, dissecting lesions, and the formation of flaps (osteochondrosis). Central articular lesions, because of weight-bearing effects, involve focal retention of cartilage within the subchondral bone (see subchondral cysts, Subchondral Cystic Lesions). Axial skeletal involvement includes vertebral articular facets, and this may lead to stenosis of the vertebral canal and, ultimately, ataxia and proprioceptive deficits (ie, wobbler syndrome).


OK. Lots of big words there, huh! I do understand a great deal of it, so lets translate a bit.


Basically the disease has several different origins, which are based in overfeeding, growing way too fast, mineral imbalance (ie, lack of salt), and accidents. Genetics play a part in some breeds, but not others. It affects mostly cartilage, but other leg parts could also be involved. Sometimes the leg bones themselves are affected. 


Oh, this is the important part. IF the outside cartilage of the, say, knee, is affected, the joints get swollen, the spaces between the joint bones get smaller, and things grow where they shouldn't be growing in and on the cartilage. 


If the horse's ribs (for example) are affected, the blood vessels around the spine can shrink greatly, reducing blood flow, and causing all sorts of issues such as dead tissue and oh so fun  side effect diseases such as Wobbler's Syndrome! 


Doesn't this already just sound like a horse you want to spend $3500 on!? 


So, how is it discovered? 


A joint becomes distended (think bog spavin or the like) with little to no pain at the site of the distention. According to Merek, in horses greater than 6 months of age, "Often the first sign noted in foals is a tendency to spend more time lying down. This is accompanied frequently by joint swelling, stiffness, and difficulty keeping up with other animals in the paddock. An accompanying sign may be the development of upright conformation of the limbs, presumably as a result of rapid growth."


Horses of training age often begin to show signs of the disease once starting to be ridden. Hmm, sounds like that happened to our palomino up there!


Sounds like so much fun, doesn't it! 


So, how to treat? Is this horse really ridable?


Well, of course altering diet is mentioned, less food (HUH, Fancy that!), making sure the horse's minerals are balanced correctly, giving HA supplements (hyaluronic acid, found in most good joint supplements), surgery in the most severe cases, and joint injections to reduce swelling, fluid build up, and overall lubrication. 


These legions that form on the joints (the things that grow that shouldn't be there) can grow on any joint from in the hoof all the way up to the shoulder blades. 


Merek however does not mention anything about RIDING these horses at all. Darn. I was hoping for that one. Pain origins of the disease come mostly from shoulder lesions, but in the legs its difficult to pinpoint exactly where it hurts the worst, and lameness can be intermittent, and hard to spot. 


Hmmmm. So we have a horse that is going to be on longggggg term veterinary care. Expensive joint supplements the rest of his life, joint injections every so often, the disease has a probability of spreading, and if treated once, runs the risk of returning. He could be 'ouchie' for the rest of his life. 


And he's FOUR. 

Yea, thats a great mane all right. Still can't ride it!


1) Its absolutely insane for the owner to be asking $3500 for this horse. There is NO way he's ever going to be worth more than $1000 - and thats severely pushing it. The lifetime cost of vet bills this horse is going to rack up will surpass that tens of times. 


2) I'm no vet. I just study a lot of vet books. And I am going to wager a guess that while he might be ok for light, light use for the next few years (Heck, it might even be helpful to keep him moving some), his long term outlook is not so good. Eventually he'll have to be downgraded to pasture puff. Lets hope he gets that owner that cares more about HIM, than the ribbons she can win. 


3) Looks, breeding, and all the money in the world ain't going to cure this guy. He's stuck with this forever. 


4) Finding a 'loving' home for him at this point, while bordering on the scummy side of horse ownership by dumping him on craigslist - will be iffy. Chances are that the person she sells him to will think they can handle the disease, and quickly find out that the cost of the maintenance on this horse will be a LOT more $$$ than they expected. Anyone out there know if this disease requires special shoes or not? Would barefoot be better maybe? I don't know. I know just what Mr. Merek tells me. 


What bothers me is even though she has fully disclosed the diagnosis, she's going about it a bit in the wrong light. He's NOT going to be ok for a light riding horse for the rest of his life - depending on how bad the legions are in his joints, WHERE they are, and the number of them, may or may not mean the end of his riding days ALREADY. 


And Vet opinions differ, as we all know. One Vet might say go ahead and saddle him up for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week. Another might say hand walking only. Yet a third could say Nope, Sorry, Pasture Puff ONLY. 


Who'd want to ride a horse with Wobbler's or Degenerative Disk Disease anyways? Seems to me that would just be putting the horse under more stress and pain that is necessary. 


If this lady wants another horse to go get ribbons in, there's certainly nothing stopping her from doing that. However, asking $3500? As a friend has said on here, "Step away from the crack pipe" (or something very close to that :D ). 

Thanks Sue!

_______________________________________________________________________________
I normally don't post stuff like this but If requested I certainly will. 


A local horse woman I have not yet met, but have spoken to many times via email included me in an email she sent out earlier today. 


"Please pass this on to all horse owners in Arizona you know.  Perhaps someone has seen her.  I have also heard that she may have had pink saddlebags on the saddle as well."

Attached is the picture of Trixie, my 10 year old paint mare.  She was last seen at Payoff Springs, trail 384, at Groom Creek on Sunday, June 13th at about noon.  She had on a new Hilason full leather saddle, bridle, blue rope halter with green lead rope, and a hornbag.  I appreciate any help you can offer, and if you need anything else from me, please call.  Please forward this as you feel appropriate.

Thanks,

Karen Leonard

623-693-8907

Those of you that live in the 4 corner states, please pay particular attention to her, if you show and frequently go to horsey events. From here in Phoenix it literally takes just 8 hours to get to the 4 corner area if you don't stop for any length of time. In the 3 days since this mare was stolen, she very easily could have been moved into Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Mexico (shudder), California, or Nevada. Even Texas is a 2 day drive to most parts. 


I KNOW most of you that read this blog don't post, and aren't listed as followers. Totally cool by me. But if you DO read on a semi-regular basis, if you could PLEASE maybe print out her picture, with the email in Blue from her upset, distraught, worried, freaked out MOM, and just hang it in your tack room? That's not too much to ask, is it? If it were my horse that was taken like that, I would want her picture on every single tack room wall in the entire nation. I think most of you would feel the same, yes? 

WTF Wed: Did They REALLY Say That?

I can't come up with any kind of good introduction to this ad without using words that are inappropriate. While I have a non-censored view of this blog, I don't really like spewing f-bombs all over the place. Distracts from the message I'm usually trying to get across. I'll just let you read this one, and YOU all can cuss away... 


Also, I normally take care to edit the reply email on these ads, because 1)While I don't really care if some of these ad writers find out that their ad is being torn apart and laughed at on a national basis, I don't like trolls. So I tend to keep that part out of my post; 2) The idea that hordes of people will suddenly bombard the ad writer with hate mail all because the ad was on here really disturbs me. This is just about the ads, and while sometimes the people behind the ad really need a good wake up call, I'm not really the type to do that. 


HOWEVER, having just said all that - you can bombard this person all you want. I'm not editing it out today. 


Here's the ad. It was posted on the 12th, 7 days ago? The ad, as of time of writing, is still active.

Reply To: sale-kefmc-1737409463@craigslist.org
so i have three horses that are grade horse that i really need to get rid of im moving at the end of summer and cant take them with me sad i know well none of them are broke to ride but i have a gelding a mare and a stud colt all different ages so please let me no if you could help me out and take themin if not they will be going to the auction next month


This type of shit just pisses me off to NO end. 

WTF Wed: Someone Stop Her NOW Please!

So Sorry for the late post today, but its for a good reason. I have been sitting here for most of the morning and taking screenshots of ads that were sent to my email, finding a few others, and generally trying to catch up on things. I've also been working on cleaning up the screenshots that will be shown further down.


I was sent an ad in my email Saturday, 4-24 by a reader whose email started with "neonbrat". (Tori - love that email, by the way!) I flagged the email for follow up so I wouldn't loose it, per my habit, and had moved on to the next email without reading it twice. I always look at the ad once I open the email, just to see what it is, get an idea of when I might use it, and this one didn't seem any worse or better than usual. I did know that I would save it for today, and man, were my instincts on the money!


Tori - I don't think you had any idea what was behind that ad you sent! But neither did I...


Before I continue, I will warn you that this will be a long post, with lots of pictures... so if you are checking in quick-like, or have a computer that loads slowly, you might want to save some time to read it in full. 


Here's the ad that Tori sent to me, and I present it here with my usual disgust at the lack of grammar and spelling - but absolutely horrified at the ad itself. I think my eyes just shot blood out at my computer screen when reading: 

AD Text: wanted horses (lodi stockten) im looking for studs stud colts fillies and broodmares or mares that are broke that would make good breeders ill only take them if they are a fair price and an attractive horse i dont want them any younger than 5 and no older than 19 it dosent matter what they look like or what they are if there wat im looking for ill take them in a instent papers would be better too but i am also looking for unpapered to prove out a stud i have im also looking for a min stud dosent matter how old he is as long as hes old enought to breed and not to old to breed so if you think you have the right horse or have any horse for sale give me a call and offer me a good price or what ever you think is fair and will work something out call renagade ranch at 209 --- 8785 and ask for the ranch manager molly 

This one ad in and of itself is bad enough. We have a 'ranch manager' who obviously doesn't have a friggin clue about responsible breeding. She's looking for any horse with a set of balls, and any mare with an open uterus. Disgusting. 

So, I started searching google and the local craigslist, thinking that I might find this 'renagade ranch'. 

OH MY GOD. You will NOT BELIEVE what I found, just from the phone number.

I'll start out with just a screen shot of the GOOGLE results. 

Thats just page one!

I went through them and while some of them have been removed or flagged, I was able to find enough of them still active to get a pretty good idea of what this Molly is doing. 

Are you ready for this? 

She's put out ad after ad looking for stallions (and mares, really) of any condition, type, age, breed - basically whatever she can get her hands on. The ads listed above are pretty clear that she doesn't give a DAMN about what kinds of horses she can get her hands on. All she's interested in is making more, more, more, more, more horses.

Here's a few more of her recent ad posts. In this one, she is looking for a gypsy vanner. 

ever sence i saw gypsy vanners iv wanted a gypsy badly and will do anything to get one id prefer a stud but if not a mare is just fine im also looking for one witha far price i have a bigg passtion for big drafty horses i have a two year old clyde i love with all my heart so if you have a half gypsy or even a gypsy give me a call at 209----8785 and ask for molly thanks 

In this one she is attempting to sell a peruvian paso thats not hers, its a friends... gods, who would be friends with someone like this? I don't get it!  Hasn't anyone stood up to her and tried to get it through her skull that what she is doing is helping the ENTIRE FUCKING HORSE INDUSTRY GO DOWN THE DRAIN??? This is the type of thing that makes most of us responsible horse owners want to go absolutely bloody freaking postal on everyone else!!! 

my friend has a peruvian paso gelding thats a great horse even better for kids great under saddle and hes 13.5 hands giver or take a few and there asking for 500 there still doing some more taining on him for peraids and stuff. when my friends first moved in a long time ago i first saw this horse and he never bucked he dose great just everyone out here is so big and they dont have any more kids out to ride him anymore. hes a nice light brown beutful golden brow main and long tail that tips on the ground he stands for his hooves to be done and ties and is nice with other horses such as mares and other geldings hes a big baby and loves to be scrached and padded down he loves his hair to be bradded and brushed so hes a great kids horse im putting this add up on cregslist cuz i want to help my friends and get tucker a good home so if intrested please call molly at 209---8785 and ill let them know thank you 

And another where it doesn't matter what the breed is...she'll take ANY STUD... 

i need a stud for my mare im breeding im trying to find a wight and black appy cuz it looks like her breeding is appy but right now im not picky wat i breed her to its for my little brother whos just getting into horses and we got him his own and shes to old to ride and the vet sayed i could get one more baby out of her and we just got her and she has papers but i dont care if hes papered or not im just looking for a live baby id prefer to pay for the stud fee of a studd that throws mostly fillies but like ii sayed im not picky i just need a stud to get my horse pregnent so if you have any kind of srudd dosent mater wheather hes papered or not call molly at 209 --- 8785 or text me at that number im avalabe any time at all and if it goes to voice mail just tell me wo you are and why your calling and leave me a way to get back to you cuz im most likley working with a horse even if you know someone with a studd that might do it give me a call thanks 

If you can actually manage to make it through that ad with all the horrendous spelling and lack of grammar (wight = white!!!!???) you'll see that all she cares about is getting the mare pregnant. 

I want to know who this vet is that says they can breed that mare thats too old to ride one more time. Does this vet have a freaking clue whats going on? Or as long as the bill gets paid, they don't give two shits? 

Can we all run away screaming now???? 

I see others have picked up on these ads too.... 

http://members.boardhost.com/horsepals/thread/1269898570.html

Oh, and SHE HERSELF IS PREGNANT TOO?? Get this - in that ad posted on 3-28, she says her doctor put her on bed rest. I guess she doesn't listen to her doctor either, because in the ad looking for a stud for the mare posted on 4-26 she clearly states that if you call and don't get a answer, shes probably out working a horse? WTF??? That sounds like a woman who really cares about the health of her unborn child, doesn't it! 

You will have noticed up on the screen shot of the google search that there were also ads for German Shepperd and Pit Bull pups. She also had up ads for goats, birds, and several others for car parts. 

That made me stop short. She's obviously got some sort of nasty breeding operation going on for horses, dogs, and other assorted farm animals, but the car parts didn't make sense. 

Until I found THIS. 

http://www.wix.com/EandLcustomautos/e-and-la-custom-autos/contact

Its a very poorly made website for a custom auto shop that has that same phone number on it. There are no pictures, no business information other than their phone number and an email address. Molly isn't listed on the website either, but I'm willing to bet its the same family. 

I normally do my best to try not to make public personal information about the people who's ads I post... You'll have probably noticed I always edit out phone numbers, email addresses, and part of the contact email Craigslist posts on the ad. I'm at the mindset that I almost WANT to post the phone number of this - ignorant stupid asshat  - and be done with it. 

However, I do not want to be sued for slander and or libel (haha - like there isn't enough of what I've written so far today for that) and so I will not publish that information directly on this blog. What you all do on your free time is your responsibility, and I believe you all are adults, and responsible for your own actions. I bring this up only because I am publishing the link to the website, and their phone and email is on the website. I trust you all to use proper judgement and NOT slam these people with email and phone calls. 

I don't know about whats going on behind that website. There are just as many ads for car parts and cars for sale as there are ones begging for everyones horses. The words 'chop shop' keep coming to mind, but with just a website, who the hell knows whats really going on. 

In all this crap, all the google searches, and in all the ads, never once was I able to find a picture of one of these horses she's got, or any website for a 'renAgade ranch'. When typed into google, the search engine immediately wants to change the spelling to 'renEgade ranch', but also brings up results for an Andalusian farm with the same name in Michigan. Since this is California that we are dealing with, thats obviously not the same place. 

If anyone out there knows who this person is, or knows of a website for the correct 'RenAgade Ranch', please let us know. If the horses are in good condition, fed, have shade, water, and are generally taken care of - then while the ads for breeding are infuriating, there's not much one can do with it. IF she wants to create more horses that will end up being unwanted horses - as much as I may foam at the mouth with anger over it, unfortunately there's not much anyone can do. 

BUT - if her horses and animals are in filthy, uncared for, abusive and starving conditions... thats another story altogether. Its been proven time and time again that people that don't care what they breed, often don't care about the animals they are breeding either. Always exceptions to the rule - but very few. 

All I know is that this chick needs to have one hell of a wake up call to what she is doing to the horse industry.