Shelter Twist
I had something very specific in mind when I began looking for a horse of my own. Since I am a small person (I’m barely 5’ and weigh 100 lbs), I wanted a medium to large pony. I prefer gaited horses and intended to do some trail riding and perhaps a few shows. Mostly, I wanted an equine buddy on which I could lavish affection and attention, enjoy riding, and own for many years.
I saw a classified listing for “Rascal” and admit I was a little skeptical at first because the asking price was fairly low for such a well-trained and pretty animal. The ad read:
8 year-old Tennessee Walker/Welsh pony gelding. 13.3 hands, super broke, safe and sound. No vices. Just dewormed and vaccinated, current Coggins. Gaits well, smooth and consistent. Participated in two parades this summer and did great. Call for details.
The photo in the ad showed a handsome light roan with a cobby build and nice head.
I knew that most kids didn’t want gaited ponies and he was too small for most adults. Maybe the flooded horse market, depressed economy, and Rascal’s small stature explained his low price, although the amount was still at my upper limit for buying a horse.
I called the phone number in the ad and spoke to a woman named Barbara, who had nothing but positive things to say about the horse. I made the two-hour drive to meet Rascal the following day. Rascal was a lovely, polite pony. He was quiet in his stall and stood patiently in the crossties. He didn't object to my examining and poking one bit and had good ground manners. I asked Barbara to ride Rascal first, which she did. Her teenage son rode him also and he seemed to be a very nice mount. I rode next and he was quiet and very smooth. He did what I asked with no rearing or bucking- he just went right along. I was impressed. I spent almost two hours with Barbara and Rascal and I fell in love with his calm demeanor. He seemed to enjoy my presence, and I, his. I appreciated his personality a lot, as it seemed to fit well with what I wanted in a horse.
I did observe that his living conditions weren’t perfect. It seemed to me that Barbara could have tried a little harder to keep his stall clean, and his food off the ground. His coat was also filthy and his mane and tail were a tangled mess but I knew how to fix that. He was a little underweight, evident even under his shaggy winter coat, and his teeth needed to be floated, but I saw nothing that would affect his soundness. After many detailed questions from me, Barbara still denied any vices. I asked specifically about kicking, rearing, riding, leading, cribbing, aggressiveness, his behavior with other horses, his behavior while being trailered…on and on. I informed her I had a child who was often at the barn with me. Also, the barn’s owner would be taking him outside during the day so it was very important to know beforehand of any vices. Again, she only had positive things to say about Rascal. After a little mental battle, I decided to purchase him. He was a nice guy and I thought he deserved a chance. I was looking for was a long-term equine friend and he seemed to fit the bill.
During the ride home, Rascal pawed in the trailer; not badly - but he was doing it. I assumed maybe he was accustomed to short trailer rides, but two hours was just a little more than he was used to. By the time we arrived home, it was after midnight. He walked quietly into his new (much larger and cleaner) stall.
The next morning, he was the same steady fellow. The barn’s vet happened to be out, so I asked him to take a look. The vet suggested I repeat a dewormer and make an appointment to have his teeth floated, but otherwise thought Rascal looked like a healthy pony. He was easy to halter and led quietly to the pasture for turnout. I enjoyed spending an hour or so just brushing and talking to him. I even came back to the barn on my lunch break just to peek in and make sure he was doing okay. We seemed to be off to a great start.
By the third day, something was different. That morning Rascal refused to let the barn owner halter him to go out to pasture. He reared and struck at her with his front hooves. When I left work that evening, the first thing I did was go out to the barn to see him. Instead of coming right to me as I opened the stall door, Rascal spun his butt around at me in what I understood as a threat to kick me. A fellow boarder agreed he was like a different horse and wondered aloud if he’d been drugged. She suggested I work with him and felt he was just trying to adjust to his new home and people, so we gave him the benefit of the doubt. It was that night that we also discovered he is a cribber, which is something I specifically asked Barbara and which she denied several times.
Rascal had quickly turned from a sweet, pleasant little pony to an unpredictable, rearing, kicking, ear-pinning menace. It was like someone had switched him out with another horse, he was so different. I wondered where my sweet buddy had gone. I consulted a professional trainer who was extremely experienced and well recommended. I explained that I’d recently purchased a horse that was now displaying some troubling behavior but did not mention our suspicion that Rascal had been drugged. After his evaluation, he commented that he thought drugging was likely. He said that Rascal had some dangerous behaviors that would require frequent and consistent work to correct. I agreed to hire him to help train me on appropriate ways to resolve Rascal’s problems, although we’re not sure we’ll be successful.
By that time, I was very concerned. I tried to reach Barbara many times by phone and email to ask her for more information about Rascal’s history. After all, I’d already bought and paid for the horse; surely she would be willing to help. She never returned my calls or emails.
While more closely examining the paperwork I received when I bought Rascal, I came across a vet receipt billed to a horse rescue organization. I called the rescue and they knew Rascal by name. They explained that they had adopted Rascal (at no cost) to a man named Jim six weeks before. Jim had signed their contract, which specified that the horse would be returned to the rescue if Jim could no longer keep him. Rascal was not to be given away, sold, or auctioned. According to the rescue, Barbara owned the property where Jim boarded Rascal.
My immediate fear was that Barbara had sold Rascal without Jim’s knowledge. The rescue organization called Jim right away and Jim told them he still had the horse. The rescue sent an agent to Barbara’s farm to verify that Rascal wasn’t there. When the agent confronted Jim with his lie, he admitted he no longer wanted the horse and had asked Barbara to sell it, which was, of course, in direct violation of his adoption contract. He also told the rescue he didn’t know where the horse had gone.
Legally, Rascal should go back to the rescue. However, I paid a significant amount to purchase Rascal and more for transportation, board, veterinary care, and a professional trainer. If I return him to the rescue, I guess I will lose all the money I spent. The rescue agent told me I could submit an adoption application and perhaps keep the horse. They are now in the process of making a decision. If I do adopt Rascal, I won’t be able to sell or rehome him either, even if I could find someone who wanted him. He is not a safe horse. We’ve tried to be careful around him, but he’s wily. He’s already hit both myself and the morning barn employee in the head while rearing. He is not the same pony I bought.
I wish I knew whether Jim and Barbara had done this sort of thing before. I suspect they have. It’s fraud, isn’t it? Barbara knew where Jim got Rascal and Jim knew the adoption contract prohibited a sale. If I surrender Rascal to the rescue, I won’t be able to afford another horse, not for a long time. Barbara won’t contact me. I don’t know how hard the rescue will try to reach Jim, or reprimand him, especially if I return Rascal. I am very discouraged and don’t feel this will end well. But I’ll let you know.
Here's an update to Rascal's story:
Rascal is still here. I have since put almost 100lbs on him, had his teeth done, farrier work (transitioned him to barefoot), he looks really good now. However, his behavior still leaves something to be desired. His stall manners have improved, he no longer turns his butt to you, but he needs work on the ground - very impatient while grooming or standing for the farrier. His behavior under saddle here has never been what it was the day I tried him out. He bucks, unfortunately, and often times doesn't stand for mounting. You literally have to lay down the law for him before you can comfortably ride or work him. After you go through ground exercises he eventually comes around and you can ride. I would just much rather be able to go out and tack up and hack out. He's not spooky or nervous, just seems to be disrespectful. We have worked with trainers, but he seems to have the same behavior pattern with them.
Honestly, he is still not the horse I bought, and likely won't be without the aid of whatever speculated supplement/medication they gave him to make the sale. He isn't the horse for me. I am trying to train him and using highly regarded trainers - but it's with minimal progress. (Keep in mind this has been ongoing for many months.) It's very discouraging.
The rescue didn't seem to have the ability to take him back, although I'm sure they would have had I pushed the issue. I have often thought of giving him away or selling him on, but I am concerned about his fate. Behavior problems, bucking, cribbing - he will surely end up at an auction or slaughter and I can't live with that. I bought him and I am taking responsibility for my decision and doing the best I can for him. Even though, sadly, I wish I had not purchased him at all. I really don't know what to do. If you have any advice it would be appreciated.....
I saw a classified listing for “Rascal” and admit I was a little skeptical at first because the asking price was fairly low for such a well-trained and pretty animal. The ad read:
8 year-old Tennessee Walker/Welsh pony gelding. 13.3 hands, super broke, safe and sound. No vices. Just dewormed and vaccinated, current Coggins. Gaits well, smooth and consistent. Participated in two parades this summer and did great. Call for details.
The photo in the ad showed a handsome light roan with a cobby build and nice head.
I knew that most kids didn’t want gaited ponies and he was too small for most adults. Maybe the flooded horse market, depressed economy, and Rascal’s small stature explained his low price, although the amount was still at my upper limit for buying a horse.
I called the phone number in the ad and spoke to a woman named Barbara, who had nothing but positive things to say about the horse. I made the two-hour drive to meet Rascal the following day. Rascal was a lovely, polite pony. He was quiet in his stall and stood patiently in the crossties. He didn't object to my examining and poking one bit and had good ground manners. I asked Barbara to ride Rascal first, which she did. Her teenage son rode him also and he seemed to be a very nice mount. I rode next and he was quiet and very smooth. He did what I asked with no rearing or bucking- he just went right along. I was impressed. I spent almost two hours with Barbara and Rascal and I fell in love with his calm demeanor. He seemed to enjoy my presence, and I, his. I appreciated his personality a lot, as it seemed to fit well with what I wanted in a horse.
I did observe that his living conditions weren’t perfect. It seemed to me that Barbara could have tried a little harder to keep his stall clean, and his food off the ground. His coat was also filthy and his mane and tail were a tangled mess but I knew how to fix that. He was a little underweight, evident even under his shaggy winter coat, and his teeth needed to be floated, but I saw nothing that would affect his soundness. After many detailed questions from me, Barbara still denied any vices. I asked specifically about kicking, rearing, riding, leading, cribbing, aggressiveness, his behavior with other horses, his behavior while being trailered…on and on. I informed her I had a child who was often at the barn with me. Also, the barn’s owner would be taking him outside during the day so it was very important to know beforehand of any vices. Again, she only had positive things to say about Rascal. After a little mental battle, I decided to purchase him. He was a nice guy and I thought he deserved a chance. I was looking for was a long-term equine friend and he seemed to fit the bill.
During the ride home, Rascal pawed in the trailer; not badly - but he was doing it. I assumed maybe he was accustomed to short trailer rides, but two hours was just a little more than he was used to. By the time we arrived home, it was after midnight. He walked quietly into his new (much larger and cleaner) stall.
The next morning, he was the same steady fellow. The barn’s vet happened to be out, so I asked him to take a look. The vet suggested I repeat a dewormer and make an appointment to have his teeth floated, but otherwise thought Rascal looked like a healthy pony. He was easy to halter and led quietly to the pasture for turnout. I enjoyed spending an hour or so just brushing and talking to him. I even came back to the barn on my lunch break just to peek in and make sure he was doing okay. We seemed to be off to a great start.
By the third day, something was different. That morning Rascal refused to let the barn owner halter him to go out to pasture. He reared and struck at her with his front hooves. When I left work that evening, the first thing I did was go out to the barn to see him. Instead of coming right to me as I opened the stall door, Rascal spun his butt around at me in what I understood as a threat to kick me. A fellow boarder agreed he was like a different horse and wondered aloud if he’d been drugged. She suggested I work with him and felt he was just trying to adjust to his new home and people, so we gave him the benefit of the doubt. It was that night that we also discovered he is a cribber, which is something I specifically asked Barbara and which she denied several times.
Rascal had quickly turned from a sweet, pleasant little pony to an unpredictable, rearing, kicking, ear-pinning menace. It was like someone had switched him out with another horse, he was so different. I wondered where my sweet buddy had gone. I consulted a professional trainer who was extremely experienced and well recommended. I explained that I’d recently purchased a horse that was now displaying some troubling behavior but did not mention our suspicion that Rascal had been drugged. After his evaluation, he commented that he thought drugging was likely. He said that Rascal had some dangerous behaviors that would require frequent and consistent work to correct. I agreed to hire him to help train me on appropriate ways to resolve Rascal’s problems, although we’re not sure we’ll be successful.
By that time, I was very concerned. I tried to reach Barbara many times by phone and email to ask her for more information about Rascal’s history. After all, I’d already bought and paid for the horse; surely she would be willing to help. She never returned my calls or emails.
While more closely examining the paperwork I received when I bought Rascal, I came across a vet receipt billed to a horse rescue organization. I called the rescue and they knew Rascal by name. They explained that they had adopted Rascal (at no cost) to a man named Jim six weeks before. Jim had signed their contract, which specified that the horse would be returned to the rescue if Jim could no longer keep him. Rascal was not to be given away, sold, or auctioned. According to the rescue, Barbara owned the property where Jim boarded Rascal.
My immediate fear was that Barbara had sold Rascal without Jim’s knowledge. The rescue organization called Jim right away and Jim told them he still had the horse. The rescue sent an agent to Barbara’s farm to verify that Rascal wasn’t there. When the agent confronted Jim with his lie, he admitted he no longer wanted the horse and had asked Barbara to sell it, which was, of course, in direct violation of his adoption contract. He also told the rescue he didn’t know where the horse had gone.
Legally, Rascal should go back to the rescue. However, I paid a significant amount to purchase Rascal and more for transportation, board, veterinary care, and a professional trainer. If I return him to the rescue, I guess I will lose all the money I spent. The rescue agent told me I could submit an adoption application and perhaps keep the horse. They are now in the process of making a decision. If I do adopt Rascal, I won’t be able to sell or rehome him either, even if I could find someone who wanted him. He is not a safe horse. We’ve tried to be careful around him, but he’s wily. He’s already hit both myself and the morning barn employee in the head while rearing. He is not the same pony I bought.
I wish I knew whether Jim and Barbara had done this sort of thing before. I suspect they have. It’s fraud, isn’t it? Barbara knew where Jim got Rascal and Jim knew the adoption contract prohibited a sale. If I surrender Rascal to the rescue, I won’t be able to afford another horse, not for a long time. Barbara won’t contact me. I don’t know how hard the rescue will try to reach Jim, or reprimand him, especially if I return Rascal. I am very discouraged and don’t feel this will end well. But I’ll let you know.
Here's an update to Rascal's story:
Rascal is still here. I have since put almost 100lbs on him, had his teeth done, farrier work (transitioned him to barefoot), he looks really good now. However, his behavior still leaves something to be desired. His stall manners have improved, he no longer turns his butt to you, but he needs work on the ground - very impatient while grooming or standing for the farrier. His behavior under saddle here has never been what it was the day I tried him out. He bucks, unfortunately, and often times doesn't stand for mounting. You literally have to lay down the law for him before you can comfortably ride or work him. After you go through ground exercises he eventually comes around and you can ride. I would just much rather be able to go out and tack up and hack out. He's not spooky or nervous, just seems to be disrespectful. We have worked with trainers, but he seems to have the same behavior pattern with them.
Honestly, he is still not the horse I bought, and likely won't be without the aid of whatever speculated supplement/medication they gave him to make the sale. He isn't the horse for me. I am trying to train him and using highly regarded trainers - but it's with minimal progress. (Keep in mind this has been ongoing for many months.) It's very discouraging.
The rescue didn't seem to have the ability to take him back, although I'm sure they would have had I pushed the issue. I have often thought of giving him away or selling him on, but I am concerned about his fate. Behavior problems, bucking, cribbing - he will surely end up at an auction or slaughter and I can't live with that. I bought him and I am taking responsibility for my decision and doing the best I can for him. Even though, sadly, I wish I had not purchased him at all. I really don't know what to do. If you have any advice it would be appreciated.....
For the next story, click here- When Appearances Deceive
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