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Re: Re: Chris Paus and Max tragedy




----- Original Message -----
From: "Lif Strand" <fasterhorses@gilanet.com>


> At 02:04 AM 5/25/01, Karen wrote:
> >Why wasn't the seller handling and loading the horse?
>
> Last time I sent a horse out via commercial transport we had a near
> disaster with loading too

Again, I REALLY don't want to seem like I am critisizing here at all, it IS
just one of those tragic, freak accidents and horrible and absolutely no
pointing of fingers......but wanted to point out, in this case mentioned on
ridecamp, that the horse had not been hauled since it was a
foal......this, perhaps, might have been a red flag to the
BUYER..........and I am using this to open up discussion, NOT to critisize!

so, here comes my trailer tragedy story:

I bought an appy mare from a fellow that claimed the mare hauled fine.  I
DID specifically ask this before buying the mare!
She has been hauled in a two horse straight load, and when I showed up with
my old Miley, she walked right in.  But, the whole way home, she scrambled
badly.......later info from people who knew the horse said she had been
hauled in a trailer before with a bad floor, and had had several bad
falls......subsequently was a TERRIBLE hauler.  She scrambled, climbed the
walls, and would be drenched in sweat after a slow 10 minute trailer ride.

One day I hauled her out with friends to do a ride. It was very hot.
Nevertheless, after the ride she was eating and drinking well back at the
trailer.  It was a 30 minute ride home; she had a buddy horse along side.
That Miley had a full partition down to the floor.
Turning into my driveway, I heard a crash.  I pulled into the back, opened
the trailer door, and the mare was down in the left side stall.

I quickly unloaded the other mare, but the Appy was down, gasping for air,
and would NOT get to her feet. My husband and i both tried, and, to make a
long story short-she died right there on the floor of the trailer.  I was
devastated!!  I talked to the vet later, and his opinion was she had
suffered a major heart attack, possible a combination of the heat that day,
stress of the ride, and total panic of the hauling.......it was horrible.

I beat myself up pretty bad about that, but my husband told me it was
"normal" to put a horse in a trailer and take it for a ride.
Still, I was relaly careful after that when I bought horses, and it was much
better to go to a slant load.  Still, with the young horses; especially my
weanling; I had her hauling regularly several times a week.  I have six
currently, and all haul great.

But, I would NEVER buy a horse long distance that was not an experienced
hauler!  It is just too stressful ANYWAY,  for them.
And, bringing it back to ENDURANCE RIDING, it is too stressful to haul long
distances to endurance rides, without having them
comfortable with local and frequent hauling.  I do know people that have
access to trails and don't haul on a regular basis, that then trailer to
endurance rides, with frantic horses.  Seems like showing up with a big
disadvantage (horse nervous and probably dehydrarated to boot)

Just some thoughts,

Karen



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