...meet Tex, the newest addition to the Raymo herd!


Tex is a 9 year old palomino Quarter Horse (AQHA/FQHA) gelding with a background in penning, sorting, heading, heeling, reining, barrel racing and trails! He even rides bridle-less! What more could a girl ask for?

My boys - Tex & George

SOUTHERN MICHIGAN 

QUARTER & PAINT HORSE AUCTION

February 25 & 26, 2011

QUARTER & PAINT HORSE AUCTION

Saturday, February 26 @ 10:00 a.m.

REINING & WORKING COW HORSE AUCTION

Saturday, February 26 @ 7:00 p.m.

Check out the Sale Horse Catalog Here!

SHOME MOORE MONEY OPEN HORSE SHOW

February 27 @ 8:00 a.m.

SALE LOCATION

Michigan State University Pavilion

4301 Farm Lane - East Lansing, Michigan

Please excuse my temporary delay in blog posts. I have recently been dealing with a bit of unexpected horse drama....

For years I've dreamed of finding my next George - a horse that would steal my heart and help me recreate the magical moments of my childhood with my little pony. And after months and months of searching for "the one", I thought I'd finally found him last month.

The ad bragged of everything I wanted, everything I need at this point in my life. A horse that is level-headed and low maintenance, safe enough to throw my less experienced husband on yet well trained and fun for the experienced rider, and absolutely loves attention. Sounds perfect, right?

Well after putting up with an unnecessarily complicated appointment process to meet the horse (had to be available at the drop of a hat for the owner, only to be made to wait by other prospective new owners that just happened to come at our appointment time - unexpectedly), we were "chosen" as the new owners. 

Our deposit receipt was then written on the back of a scrap piece of paper that I scrounged from the bottom of my purse, as I awkwardly had to correct the seller's accidental $500 overcharge on the "Amount Due Upon Pick-Up" portion of the "receipt". And despite the dozens of red flags, I still continued with the purchase.

Very shortly after we brought the new horse home, more red flags started to pop up. First, the horse who "never kicked", began kicking at me during feeding time and showing several other signs of food aggression. I attributed the supposedly uncharacteristic behavior to switching from free feeding to twice-a-day, even though we were feeding him a more than adequate amount. So we tried to work through it. And just as it started to look like it was getting better (about one week into having him home), one of his "uncharacteristic" kicks caught the back of my arm, chipping two bones and taking a huge chunk out of my patience (and my wallet!). 

After giving the horse that week to settle in, I took him out for a couple of rides around our property and in the arena area, and that was when the horse that "never spooked" began to spook. And not only did he spook, but he also began showing signs of barn sour, and would bolt at the first sign of the way home. After another week of working with the horse daily, trying every food aggression, barn sour, and bolting remedy I could think of, I hit my breaking point. I should also mention that I eliminated pain or discomfort as a cause by purchasing all new tack specially fitted to the horse and watching for any signs of discomfort prior to taking him out on the trail.

So I decided to take him out on a short trail ride with one of the other horses to see if the comfort of a companion would eliminate the spooking and bolting. Didn't work. In fact, about halfway through the ride, a leaf rustled in the woods and the horse that "never spooked" went nuts.  As he turned to bolt toward home I tried everything I could to calm him down - I turned him in tight circles, I "whoa-ed", I see-sawed, and the more I tried to stop him, the worse it got. He bucked, jumped and spun until I was on the ground. And the first thing I thought when I hit the ground? "THANK GOD I ASKED FOR A TRIAL PERIOD!"

I can only hope that my experience will encourage others to insist on a trial period and save someone else from the heartache I experienced. Though many of us consider our horses a part of our families, they are still animals and will at times be unpredictable. And even if the seller takes great care of their animals and seems to be pretty honest, would you be willing to bet the sale price on it?

Just a few examples from my recent journeys....

- The ex-show horse that was to be sold for trail riding and flatwork only (just not suitable for hard training) that was actually showing very clear signs of lameness and should not have been ridden at all. 

- The 3 year old "bombproof" trail horse that spooked within 3 minutes of the seller getting on his back and would not walk down the driveway. 

- The "mouthy" Morgan that needs an experienced rider and sometimes nips a bit but is not dangerous.....re-listed 2 months later from same seller as "FREE TO ANYONE WHO CAN HANDLE HIM" because he is displaying dangerous aggressive behavior.  Hmmmm.....

So the moral of this story? 

INSIST ON A TRIAL PERIOD!

Mark your calendars! 


On Friday, October 22nd, the Fall Draft Horse Auction will be hosted at the Lake Odessa Livestock Auction Hall. New & used tack at 9:00 a.m. and horses at Noon. Draft Horses, Driving horses and Halflingers.


The Fall Saddle Horse Auction is Saturday, October 23rd. New & Used tack auction starts at 9:00 a.m. and horses & ponies at 1:00 p.m.


For more info: call 616-374-8213 or 616-490-6742
Lake Odessa Livestock Auction
3675 Tupper Lake Road
Lake Odessa, MI 48849

Meet Bella! She's a 2 year old Friesian Sporthorse mare with a puppy dog personality and is the newest addition to my herd. 

When looking for our new horse, it was important to find one that my husband really connected with. I looked for several months to find the perfect horse; one that would make him share my love for all things equine. And just as I was beginning to think we'd never find the right horse, along came Bella.


She was the wrong age, the wrong gender, the wrong color, the wrong name (our Rottweiler's name is already Bella) and out of our original budget, but there was just something about her. 


So stay tuned to see how Bella grows and Mark works to learn the love of horses!

One of the things I've come across repeatedly in my horse shopping ventures are the different perceptions of a horse's training and levels of "broke".

Many sellers will even state that the horse has had 30, 60, 90, or 120 days professional horse training in their ads to help clarify its level of "broke". But what does it all mean?

Training can vary by trainer and riding discipline, so 30 days with one trainer could bring a different result than 30 days with another. The amount of training in a 30 day period usually ranges from 3 days per week to every day. So you could see how a horse that goes through 3 day per week training (12 days total in a month) would vary from a horse that is worked every day in a 30 day period.

Also, different riding disciplines and some horse breeds may require different types of training, which can affect the overall training timeline. For example, gaited horse training is different from a non-gaited horse and a dressage horse training schedule would vary from western horse training. 

So if you're in the market for a horse, make sure to ask specific questions about the horse's training to get a better idea of exactly what you're working with. How much training? What type of training (ground, riding, driving, etc.)? Did they use natural horsemanship training techniques? How often has the horse been worked since it returned from training? What challenges did they come across? (And if you're looking to sell, don't forget to check out my tips on How to Sell a Horse Online!)

And if you're looking to send your horse off for training, it is important to look beyond just the cost of training when comparing potential trainers. Find out how often your horse will be worked and what part you will play in your horse's training. Most importantly, start by setting reasonable expectations with your trainer so you can measure the end result.

(Click Here to see how the Rymar Ranch in Florida defines expectations for 30, 60 or 90 days of professional training.)

Cowboy Logic of the Day

"There's a lot more to ridin' a horse than just sittin'

in the saddle and lettin' yer feet hang down."

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"

     At 12 years old I began my first job as a birthday party pony walker. For a varying rate of $1.75 - $5.00 per hour, I walked ponies in circles as gaggles of screaming children pulled at their manes and kicked at their sides to make them, “Giddy-up pony!” And it was a dream. I spent my weekends surrounded by the things I loved most, just waiting for the day that I could make one my own.  

     He came into the farm on an auction buy. Thrown into the overpopulated pen with a couple of other nameless newbies and the dozens of regulars, he immediately stood out. Though he was larger than most, he was kicked, nipped, and chased by all of the other ponies.

     That first day I watched him from across the pen as he watched the other ponies eat and play, tears streaming down his sad little face (I later found out that the “crying” was from a chronic eye infection that has since required regular care and ointment). That was the moment I knew that I would someday make him mine.

     A couple of months later I learned that George and several of the other ponies had been shipped back to the horse auction for sale. By this point, the relentless mud and dust of the pony pen had inflamed his eye infection and caused a smelly black fungus (thrush) to develop in his hooves. I knew that a trip to the auction for George most likely meant the kill pen.

     So I cried and begged my parents to take me to the auction that night to save George, completely unaware that they had already purchased and had him shipped back to the farm to wait for me. And for ten years he was my partner in crime. Together we learned our way around every "No Trespassing" sign in the area, swam together in the local lakes, chased deer through open fields and jumped over every obstacle we came across. 

     But every time we'd ride by another horse he would insist on stopping to whinny and snort until they replied, and then we could continue.  I knew that George still longed to be a part of the herd.

     The day we finally brought his mare home, George's eyes lit up like Christmas morning. Despite the fact that she steals his food and nips at his behind, he wants nothing more than to stand by her side. And in the rare moment that Lyric thinks no one else is looking and nuzzles him back, I know that George is truly happy.

     There are a lot of interpretations of what it is to "rescue" a horse, but I believe that we rescued George that day at the auction. And sometimes I think he rescued me too.

Cowboy Logic of the Day

"It's rare to find a horse that everyone agrees is the best in the herd."

When I was a kid, the only thing more entertaining than a “Saved by the Bell” marathon was the Saturday night Michigan Horse Auction. Each week I would carefully pick out my outfit to look as “cowgirl” as possible and then nudge my parents out the door early to get a seat close to the auction floor.

Every week we’d start with the tack and barn items, sometimes picking up a feed bucket here or a bridle there, just waiting for the moment they would clear the “arena” to prepare for the horses. And each week I would beg and plead with my father to prove that this next horse is really “the one”.

But you know what I really miss about the auctions? I miss the stick thin cowboys with small jeans and big hats. I miss the crazy-haired youngsters dying to dig their hands into the mane of an auction pony. I miss the soggy polish sausage and half-flat diet cokes. And most of all, I miss that lively ol’ auctioneer that would let me slip a bid in every once in a while if my Dad wasn’t raising his card fast enough.

 

“Who’ll gimme a hundred dollars? One hundred dolla bid, now two, now two. Will ya gimme two? Two hundre’dolla bid, now three, now three. Three? Three an’ a half? Three fifty, fifty, three fifty, fifty, SOLD!”

 
With the increased popularity of Craigslist and other web-based horse and tack sale options, it seems that traditional horse auctions have become few and far between. But if you still crave that hat-tippin’, boot kickin’, chaw spittin’ good time, here are a couple of the Michigan Horse Auctions still going:

• Tom Moore Sales Horse & Tack Auction first Saturday of every month 

• Lake Odessa Horse and Tack Auction
  

If you know of any other upcoming horse auctions, please send me a comment or email with the details and I’ll add it to the list.

Cowboy Logic of the Day

“No matter where you go or what you do, keep your saddle

and chaps and always know where you can get a good ride.”

So I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Craigslist. Most of the time I love it, but there are just some days that I could do without. Let’s say, for example, when the chronic flagoholics are having my post removed unnecessarily for the third consecutive time or when someone posts an item for sale, but isn’t actually prepared to sell it for another 6 weeks and then you drive 150 miles only to find that the actual pile of rust for sale is not the beautifully pictured item you were sold on a month and a half ago (you know who you are). Those are the moments I could go without.

But like I said, most of my Craigslist experiences are positive, which explains my unhealthy addiction.  Most days I check my Craigslist notifications shortly after I wake up, at least a dozen times throughout the day, and (of course) once before bed. It is like a sort of drug that causes you to spend money on things you would never, ever think to buy otherwise.

If not for my husband’s interference, I might have impulse purchased an incubator (I don’t even have any animals that lay eggs), a draft horse too tall to even fit into our trailer to come home, and a baby camel (c’mon, really?). But, if you can successfully weed through all of the scams and garbage, there really are a lot of good deals on Craigslist.

In fact, I’m building my new horse barn & pasture almost entirely from Craigslist postings.  The actual barn is being supplied & installed by a lumberyard that I found on a Craigslist posting. The stall mats, pasture fence (including all gates), and at least one of the horses that will inhabit the barn were all found on Craigslist.

For the bargain savvy equestrian, you can buy or sell just about anything horse related. There are varieties of economy to luxury new and used tack, barn supplies (even entire barns for sale), local boarding and lesson specials, and horses of all sizes and colors from free to far-from-it!

  

So if you have a pretty good BS meter and enough self restraint to keep from impulse buying a camel (and aren’t offended by the occasional f-bomb), I say check it out!

Cowboy logic of the day

“The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.”

Whether you keep your horses at home, board, lease or take lessons on a school horse, the love of horses is by no means cheap. And in a poor economy, pet ownership tends to be one of the early luxuries to go. Pet rescues become overwhelmed with animals, breeders drop their prices to practically compete with rescues, and free animal listings seem to pop up everywhere. But a free horse?  

In the past, a free horse to me meant a twenty-something nag with a club foot and a blind eye...until I met Lyric. ‘Twas a chance encounter on Craigslist Detroit that brought me to her; a sad but hopeful listing from a college student who had lost her job and could no longer afford to pay her board. “Free Tennessee Walker/Arabian mare, come and get her.”  I called within 20 minutes of the posting, met her that night, and had her home by the weekend.

What I’ve since found is that a free horse does not come without cost. Lyric’s specially fitted tack (including the pieces that she destroyed out of spite), riding lessons, and the “Great Trailer Debate of 2010” (more to come on that later), all probably exceed the cost of a well broke, well bred and well mannered replacement…Plus, I’m fairly certain that she’s tried to kill me on a few occasions, so we can add my future medical bills to the mix.

  

So is a free horse a bad investment? Not necessarily. But is any free horse right for just anyone? Certainly not!

If you are considering taking in a free horse, here are a few things to consider:

• What is the primary purpose of the horse? Will it be for riding or a pasture mate for another animal?  If it will be a riding horse, it's a good idea to get a full vet check before making the commitment. Though I like to give most people the benefit of the doubt, tight funds are not the only reason that people will offer up a "free horse".  If it is for a pasture buddy, request all vet and vaccination records (and it's still not a bad idea to have a full vet check performed). 
• What are the conditions of the "adoption"? Someone who truly cares about their horse will require an adoption agreement before placing the animal to ensure that it does not end up in a slaughter house. Adoption agreements (see example below) will often include any restrictions (breeding or commercial use), "first right of refusal" to the previous owner, and a commitment to care (regular vaccinations, vet care and daily turnout). If the person does not care to make up an adoption contract, that is all the more reason to get a full vet check before bringing the animal home. 

Cowboy Logic of the Day 

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.”

Adoption Contract