Disturbing Sales Ads

[Shahrazade]

I don't want to get into the stallion debate on this thread- there's already a thread dedicated to that. However, I think you knew perfectly well what point was being made, and I feel that it was rather rude of you to 'laugh' at her. If you don't have anything constructive to add, don't add anything at all?

[Jumphigh83]

Yeah I heard those platitudes in school too..All I added was levity..not criticism..I find it amusing...sorry...The same ones who "socialize" their stallions prob "reason" with their two year olds (people) "now honey, it isnt nice to set fire to the cat...how does that make the cat FEEL??" Me, I would take the matches form the kid and smack his/her bottom..that is my version of "reasoning". sometimes touchy feely just doesnt cut it in the real world.

[Trails]

I hope the owner of that 2 year old isn't a member of this forum. Imagine how that person just might be feeling right now. They didn't ask for their ad to wind up posted and shreaded like this. Shame on some of you.

[PeriwinkleBlue]

Originally posted by BornToRide:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BeastieSlave:
I think the first ad is unfortunate. I don't think it's disturbing. Sure, the pony doesn't appear to be anything special, and should probably be gelded, but he's not heinous. He does seem to be a good little guy and he's got a cute face.

The devil-pony is priceless!

That's what I'm thinking too - what exactly do you find disturbing about the ad? Sure he's not a horse that necessarily should be a stud and perhaps he's misrepresented in the ad, but to me it's more important whether or not he's happy and healthy.

Why exactly are you disturbed? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, BeastieSlave said she WASN'T disturbed by the ad. Unfortunate, not disturbed.

And while yes, I think it's a little scary to put a young 'un on a young 'un, especially with no helmet to protect that little noggin, I agree that there's nothing heinous about that little horse. He needs muscling and conditioning, but he's going to be a cute little guy when he matures.

And the devil pony had me spitting grape juice all over my monitor!

[EqTrainer]

I would happily drive the 500 miles to take the little girl, but Duke will have to stay there.

To all of you who talk about putting small children on unbroke or barely broke horses, I will come get yours, too. Just send me the address and I'll Mapquest it and get right on my way.

We were recently starting a horse who gave us NO clue that ANYTHING was EVER going to bother him... I was in front walking him and when my working student asked him to trot he reared, came down, reared again and was going to go over backwards. I had to pull him over sideways to avoid it. Thank GOD she was not hurt.

PLEASE do not put your kids on anything but a dead-broke three legged lame 30 year old bombproof ex-show pony who needs a crop and spurs to make it move until they are ready. You DO NOT KNOW what is going to happen and when you put kids on unsuitable horses you stack the deck in favor of a tragedy happening.

Yes, this is my pet peeve. My farrier used to do things like that and has a story to tell that would scare you beyond belief but it's not my story to tell.. suffice to say he is a lot more careful now. Please for your childrens sake, don't do this.

[ESG]

The first pony is butt-assed ugly and needs to be gelded, pronto. Then this kid's parents need to be gelded/spayed pronto also, for putting her in that position. Oh, and as for the papers that I "just don't have with me right now"? Does anyone else think that they might possibly not exist?

And I want the second pony, too.

[ESG]

Originally posted by Trails:
I hope the owner of that 2 year old isn't a member of this forum. Imagine how that person just might be feeling right now. They didn't ask for their ad to wind up posted and shreaded like this. Shame on some of you.

No - shame on them for putting their kid on a 2 year old stud, and double shame for doing it without putting a helmet on the kid.

If stupidity were painful, this kid's parents would be comatose from it.

[ESG]

Originally posted by Gnalli:
Imagine the panic of waking at 6 am on Sunday morning, looking out your kitchen window and seeing your long yearling stud pony who had never been saddled before being ridden by your petite 11 yr old (maybe 70#) daughter in the paddock. 14 yr old was there as a "safety" and they had had the 6 yr old riding him before we woke up!! That was not smart.

No, but these are kids we're talking about - not adults, who presumably have enough horse sense (since they're "breeders") not to put a five year old on a yearling stud with no thought as to her safety. The kids can plead age as an excuse for their behaviour; the (chronological) adults have nothing like that as an excuse. Darwin was right.

[YankeeLawyer]

EqTrainer - Thank you. Well said.

I seriously have to wonder how much experience people have handling young horses when they think it is appropriate to put a child up on a long yearling. And IMO, kids should always wear hemets (I actually think everyone should, but at least people should instill in their kids a sense of safety-awareness, and making them wear a helmet is a gently reminder that around horses you have to act responsibly).

In any case, I think it's mean to criticize the pony, who seems to be a kind soul. I think 99.9% of colts should be gelded, but that's my opinion.

And btw, I have seen plenty of colts displaying full-on studdish behavior as weanlings.

[nightsong]

I don't think I'd want a thin pony that was ridden so much as a yearling (or before).

[Huntertwo]

Nightsong, correct. If you look at the date in the pictures, this horse was ridden before he was even two!! And if he is broke at this age, when was he really started??

[appaloosalady]

OMG people! The ad doesn't say he is "broke", he is just shy of two, and he is a working QH, NOT A WARMBLOOD!! I don't start my youngsters before late 2 yr or 3, but come on... do you think all of these horses winning 2 yr old futurities weren't ridden (and ridden hard BTW)until after they were well past their second birthday?!!? Again, I am NOT saying I agree with riding horses that young, but I hardly think he has been "worked" and really, who's business is it if he has?!? Go tell all of the pros out there winning $$$$$$ on their $$$$$ 2 yr olds that they shouldn't be riding those poor horses!

[dressagediosa]

"Devil Pony Toppo's Horse Characteristics:
In competition: yeah right"

Haha!

This is fabulous. I wonder if it's a joke?

[khorsem]

As another one of those kids that hopped on anything with four legs back in the day, broke or not - I'll have to say the same thing that I used to tell my non horse parents when they freaked out at me (if only they knew ANYTHING about horses, they would've had WAY more to freak out about because in retrospect I did some REALLY REALLY dumb things that should've gotten me killed!)
Anyways - the worst I was ever injured was on a 20 year old bombproof schoolie, who suddenly had a schizophrenic episode during a lesson and almost killed me (cracked helmet, blood on my brain, lots of time in the hospital)- NOT one of the slew of 2 y/o unbroke Arabs that I'd hop on out in the field and just let them run around wherever they would take me... without a helmet. (If anyone would've known that I did this, it wouldn't have happened, but seeing as it's 20odd years later, I'm pretty confident that I won't get in trouble now!)

ANY horse can hurt a kid, that's the risk we take being around them in the first place - but that little kid, on the little colt, without her helmet, I'd be willing to bet has a lot more horse sense than some grown ups you see dressed to the nines in your local h/j barn buying or leasing their horse because they can afford to, and that's the cool thing to do.

[Vandy]

Originally posted by khorsem:
ANY horse can hurt a kid, that's the risk we take being around them in the first place - but that little kid, on the little colt, without her helmet, I'd be willing to bet has a lot more horse sense than some grown ups you see dressed to the nines in your local h/j barn buying or leasing their horse because they can afford to, and that's the cool thing to do.

Oh man, I'm sure I am beating a dead horse here by replying. I can probably argue until I'm blue in the face, but I won't be able to convince any of the folks who think this is just fine to think any differently.

Ok, this kid is FIVE!!! I know from teaching many 5-year-olds that they simply don't have good motor control, strength, reaction time, balance, etc yet. Would you give this kid alcohol? A driver's licence? Please, adults can choose whether or not to ride, wear a helmet, get on a young horse - and reach that decision with, we would hope, at least some modicum of wisdom. This is a little kid here. And FWIW, the well-dressed adults at my H/J farm are required at least to wear helmets, and don't ride 2-year-old studs. I recognize that all horse activity has risks, but I do my best to minimize those risks, as would any good horseman. That, to me, is good horse sense.

I will now stop beating my head against the wall, for all the good it's doing.

[Karla]

this is an ad that broke my heart.

http://agdirect.com/scripts/hrsdetl.exe?1138304332&0

Karla

[mustangrider]

What about the ad made you sad? The owner sounds like he's taking good care of him trying to put weight on. I would love to have a horse like this. Looks like he's got personality plus.

[Shahrazade]

I think maybe she was referring to the concern that in TX, with a low price, there's a chance of someone talking a good story about buying him and giving him a good home, then taking him right to Cavel?

[ESG]

With hay being as expensive as it is, I doubt that's a concern. You'd be spending the $200 necessary to buy this horse to be feeding what you have, not to be wasting gas/money/time taking something to a feedlot, hoping to GET $200!

[JSwan]

I read all 5 pages to try and understand where people are coming from on this one. Seems like there's a lot of folks calling the sellers rednecks and bad parents.

I'll let you in on a little secret. In many places in America, horses actually work for a living. Ranch work. They are well fed, well treated and have a job. And kids do things like chores before breakfast. And after school. Summer vacations are spent on the tractor - not at the beach. Free time is often spent on a horse - just pick one out of the field and hop on without benefit of a "trainer", fancy tack, or a desire to compete.

For those posters who live different lives - probably very urban/suburban from what I can tell - this is nothing but abuse or neglect or bad parenting. You're entitled to your opinion.

Many people who post on this BB are actual farmers, ranchers, breeders of working stock, etc. Just because our hands are callused doesn't make us rednecks. Or child abusers. And many of us have kids that are subjected to horrors like - milking cows before school! Or snapping beans! Haying! Some even ride their horse bareback to get the mail because the mailbox is a mile from the house!