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Re: [RC] New to all of this - Wendy HoppingSue, That sounds great *smiles* Here is a couple stories of my first horses. One would think it would have steered me in a different direction. But Nah.. I love my animals too much *smiles* My very first horse which I actually owned was a very abused Crabbet Egyptian Arab named Dusty. About 4 years old.. The story behind him and the other Arabs who were with him was this.. I had been working for a group home for the mentally handicapped when I heard that one of the house directors had leased some land which had a barn and a couple stalls in it.. Then put out an ad in the newspaper asking for donations from people to make this land and barn into a petting zoo and a theraputic riding program for people with mental and physical handicaps.. Well, he got donations all right.. One he got an Bay Arab Stallion, a Bay Mare in foal, and Dusty.. All of them yearned for attention.. but riding them was out of the picture for one.. and the director of this knew nothing about horses, and couldn't tell that they had been badly abused... They also got a pot bellied pig which his hooves were so over grown that they curled under and into his foot, of course causing much pain as well as a very bad temperment.. it was a bad situation all around.. One of the women who had got involved in this, and worked at my home, told me about the program and asked if I could come out and help in any way possible.. Now, Up till this point, I hadn't owned any horses.. as my families finances could never afford it.. but I had been riding and learning on every horse I was allowed to get near since I was 5. So I did have experience, but I never called myself anything more than well schooled heh . I fell in love with Dusty as soon as I saw him.. he was gorgeous and his gaits were incredible.. I really wish I had kept him.. if only to have him as a liberty horse. Anyhow.. these poor horses were hardly fed.. I brought in grain and supplements for the mare in foal, and then later paid to have hay brought out.. What made me so mad was the very fact that each time I called the ASPCA he got tipped off and fixed things before they got there.. *growls* Then things got worse.. The mare foaled out in the field.. and no one was around.. so she never got imprinted at all.. in fact I couldn't get near her which was heartbreaking.. I offered the director $400.00 for Dusty if he promised to use it on hay and grain, or a vet in which I would see to personally, and he agreed.. but just before I was about to take him off the property, I had come out to visit him and found the filly dead.. They had seperated her from her mother at not even 3 months.. and the little filly had broke her neck on the metal gate trying to get to her mother.. and still.. even then I called and they did nothing about it.. as the evidence had been buried before they got out there.. Personally I got Dusty out of there immediatly following.. and he was an awesome horse.. but..only as a pet as he had been whip abused and I am sure worse by the prior owner... and then nearly starved to death here at this place.. Luckily after so many complaints, the land owner revoked the lease and the animals were sold.. and Dusty was now in my hands very spoiled. *smiles* Ack ya know what, I take that back, he was my second horse I owned. lol My first was a TB/Arab I saved in Oceanside California..named Roja.. A beautiful bay which stood 16'2 hands big girl.. extremely high withers with a notch clipped out.. I have to say, I am one for abused horse rescues, which I of course don't mind at all.. at least I know they get taken care of. This lass was underweight.. mangy.. poor thing only had a 12X12 corral and nothing else.. did I mention it was commonly all mud up to her fetlocks.. yea.. talk about thrush.. gah.. Sadly after I got weight on her, and conditioned.. I had to sell her.. because I was moving to Oregon. But, come to find out she had been trained for English, and was later shown in very high standings.. So I was very proud of her. Dusty I had to sell when I was 9 months pregnant at the demands of my husband because he was too unpredictable... he had to have attention daily.. or else he became unruly.. and I didn't have the funds to send him to a trainer who could work out his issues.. But he also went to a good home. So there is the two stories, Sad but had happy endings none the less. *smiles* It sounds like you have a very good match, and if you have the heart for it.. you and he will go many miles, and perhaps Dakota and I will be able to join you on a few of them as well *smiles* Wendy Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
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