Here's proof that even the most "Bomb-Proof" horses have their quirks...

I stumbled upon an ad today titled "For Sale: Dumbest Paint Horse Ever"
Thinking it was a joke, I clicked on the link to see what crazy antics those Craigslist-ers were up to today. And to my surprise, it was an actual listing from someone trying to sell a horse they'd deemed to be the dumbest paint horse ever! And likely targeting the dumbest buyer ever.


That's not to say that $600 is a huge amount to pay for a horse, but for the "dumbest paint horse ever"? I can find plenty of dumb horses on the market for free or close to it.  As a matter of fact, there are probably a few horse owners out there that would pay me to take their dumb horses. 


But I do appreciate the honesty of this seller and genuinely feel sorry for her situation. 
So let's see what you think. The ad is below (my thoughts are in red)...

This isn't Rocky, but possibly a distant relative?

"(I am going to write this ad as honestly as possible {how refreshing}, so forgive my bluntness please, but I want this guy to end up in the most suitable home possible for him.)
Rocky (APHA Name: Scenic Rocket Bar) is an 11 year old APHA registered gelding who is possibly the dumbest horse I've ever owned (through no fault of his own) {possibly? That doesn't say much for your background}. Currently stands 15.3h (with an official stick, on concrete, this is not an eyeball estimate) and is essentially a golden retriever with hooves. His previous owner passed away due to brain cancer, and Rocky was his pasture pet, so he essentially never had to do anything except be loved on and stand around looking pretty for 10 years (which he is extremely good at). He has WONDERFUL ground manners, is a doll for the farrier and vet, and couldn't be any sweeter, but under saddle, he's dumb as a stone. There isn't a mean bone in his body {that he can remember}, but he genuinely needs to be taught to use his brain as he currently has the retention capabilities of a brick. He will lunge no problem, walk, trot, whoa, back, etc without a problem under saddle (runs into his canter, but its there), but you need to be very clear and basically treat him like a 3 year old since he tends to forget everything you taught him the day before. He's just very reliant on his owner/rider for direction and instruction, and as I do only barrel racing & pole bending, I need a horse with something between his ears other than dust and cobwebs. He lives up to the phrase "Nice house, nobody home" and he's a wonderful horse to have around the barn  {if you're not counting that he is the dumbest horse ever} (no bad habits, easy to get along with, low man on the totem pole), but my horses have to be able to work for me, and asking him to run a pole pattern (with 12+ flying changes) is a monumental task that I think would end with him needing a psychotherapist. His ideal situation would be a teenager {yes, let's suggest a 1,000 pound animal with training issues to a child. Good thinking!} that wants her own (cheap), pretty gelding that will love on him and mess with him on a daily basis and eventually take him to 4H or open shows or make him into a playday horse. He is UTD on shots, worming, 2010 Coggins etc, had his teeth floated in May and had a Power Pac done at the same time. He IS low man on the totem pole (definitely a gentle giant) and the other horses pick on him {wouldn't you?} (he would rather run away and go off by himself than hang with the herd), so he's a little thin right now {probably forgets to eat}(compared to the pictures from Feb), but he's gaining weight steadily. He has nice hard feet {matches his hard head nicely} and will most likely never need shoes. Price on this guy is $600. That's what I paid for him in Feb {I'm sorry for your loss}, with no vet work, etc, so I have a LOT more into him than that, but he's doing nothing here except being a lawn ornament and while he does it very well, its not fitting into my program. Phone calls only please, I can be reached anytime at (248)XXX-XXXX, please leave a voicemail if no answer {because they will be very busy taking calls from prospective buyers}."

Cowboy Logic of the Day

"It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep"

Ummmm....OUCH!

Anybody want a car-riage ride?

Looks like somebody needs to lay off the sweet feed.

The only race this horse is winning is the race to the feed bucket.

That's the last time Fido will make a joke about using horse meat for dog food.

This one has bad idea written all over it. I can't decide which is worse -

having the kid unsupervised on a pony with no saddle or reins, or....

nope that's definitely the worst part.

Just can't get enough of those unsupervised children

handling unnaturally large animals!

No sarcastic remarks here. This one is just plain cute!

In last Saturday's post about a local equine liability lawsuit, I included a poll which posed the question "Should a person be held responsible for an injury that another incurs while interacting with their horses?" Here are your responses: 

• 45.45% of you believe that the horse owner SHOULD NOT be liable.
• 4.55% of you believe that the horse owner SHOULD be liable.
• 50.00% of you believe that the liability DEPENDS on the situation.

As a self-proclaimed control freak, it is easy for me to lean toward the SHOULD NOT category, since I know the somewhat obsessive care I take to keep others safe around my animals. But there are always exceptions and I realize that not every horse owner breaks into a sweat each time a stranger's grass-filled hand reaches out to their horse's willing mouth or installs electric fence to keep other people out of their pasture rather than to keep their horses in. There are always exceptions. 
 
For example, in 2000 a Darwin Award (The Human Hitching Post) was awarded to a Nevada woman who tied her skittish Arabian to her waist to prevent it from tossing its head away from the bridle. After being dragged around the pasture and trampled for about 10 minutes, the woman died from the severe internal injuries and head trauma. 

Like I said before, there are ALWAYS exceptions.

Cowboy Logic of the Day

"Trust everybody in the game, but always cut the cards."

In light of the upcoming May 11th hearing for Beattie v Mickalich, I'd like to touch on the topic of equine liability. In this particular case, the exact details of the event seem to vary from witness to witness (big surprise!), but here is a broad summary of the highlights:

  

• Beattie is injured after she falls to the ground when her neighbor's (Mickalich) horse spooks and rears.

• Beattie is suing Mickalich for her injury, alleging that this is an exception to the limitations on liability provided by the EALA based on Mickalich's "negligence".

• According to the Amicus Curiae Brief of Michigan Horse Council, Beattie was not only a previous horse owner herself (proof that she should have been aware of the inherent risks associated with horses), but had also ridden several of Mickalich's horses in the past. Beattie also admitted to having had a "couple" beers before going to Mickalich's house.

It seems the arguments in this case rely upon the interpretation of the Michigan Equine Activity Liability Act  and....the use of crossties??  

Beattie and her supporters argue that it was Mickalich's responsibility to properly secure his horse with crossties and his failure to do so ("negligence") makes Mickalich liable for her injury. 

Really?!

While scanning through the court materials, I got a little giggle out of each mention of "cross-ties", and here is why I have such a problem with this:

1. As a previous horse owner, Beattie should have been aware of the "inherent risks" of any equine activity, and if she really believed that the horse should have been cross-tied, then she shouldn't have accepted the lead rope in the first place or at least voiced her concerns at that point.
2. Cross-ties are not the ultimate answer here. In fact, many horses will have a stronger reaction with the cross ties than being held by a simple lead rope. When a horse that is cross-tied spooks and pulls back, the cross-ties pull back at the horse, causing the natural flight reaction (see above image of a cross-tied horse from eHOW.com) to go into effect. 
3. Cross-ties cannot prevent many of the other horse-related risks, such as biting or kicking. Must we now tie down, muzzle, hobble and sedate our horses every time a visitor wants to approach? Just as with sex and alcohol, there is only one way to ensure your safety around these powerful and sometimes unpredictable animals - ABSTINENCE!

What do you think?  

Should a person be held responsible for an injury that another incurs while interacting with their horses?

• Heck No!
• Absolutely!
• It Depends...

View Results

Create a Blog Poll

 Cowboy Logic of the Day 

"There's more ways to skin a cat than stickin' his head in a boot jack and jerkin' on his tail."

 Big Jake is a 9 year old Belgian gelding that currently holds the record for world's tallest horse at 20.2-1/4 hands high (that's almost 7 feet tall at the shoulder!) and 2,600 lbs!

Einstein is possibly the world's smallest horse at only 14" high and 6lbs (born April 22nd, 2010). It would take approximately 433 little Einsteins to make one Big Jake!

You'll need audio for this one.



See? Even horse farts are funny...Have a great Friday everybody!

Cowboy Logic of the Day

"Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day."