So, I have an update on the horse, who's name is now Dustin. I went with my friend to get him this morning and I think his former owner now hates me. I wasn't rude or anything like that, it's not how I was raised. I asked question after question as did my friend. If I forgot something, she remembered and asked. He got pretty mad at us and told us to take him and leave. (sheesh) The vet was at her house when we got there with Dustin and he checked him over, took blood and the like to test him for coggins and anything else he could have picked up or anything he may have had and the owner didn't know about. Dustin hasn't had any fractures or other problems that could turn bad in the long run. He's supposedly green-broke, but the guy wouldn't let me ride him there to find out. I guess he either thought I'd sue him if I got hurt or he had something to hide, but I was brave/stupid and saddled him up after the vet gave me the ok. (I will NOT ride a lame horse or one that's ever had a fracture/leg problems)
I know what Dustin's problem is now. It's not that he's dangerous really, he's just spirited. He needs training (which my friend has covered) and a firm hand. If she doesn't do this right he really could become a problem, but I think she can handle it. She doesn't take crap from anyone. He was at least taught the basics and he doesn't spook easy. He does get bored easily and chews on the bit, but that can be fix with another type of bit. (she had a curb bit on him) He didn't act crazy or too concerned when we loaded him. He's still got several more trials to go through, but so far he's done pretty good to just be green-broke. The trainer is going to take care of the rest though. She originally wanted me to train him, but I had to explain to her that I'm not a pro (or even close) so it's best to let the trainer do his job.
After all of that it was back home and off to the feed store with my dad. Once again they didn't have anything other than gold sex links. Great. My hatch chicks may be going to the feed store since Ideal is having such a hard time getting their orders out and the feed store is losing business over it.
Ok so I said I'd post a pic of StarBuck and our story, so here it is. Story first.
I rode Star for 4 years before I got him. He was the only horse that my 'friend' would let me ride when I came over. (with the exception of 2 other times. Once when she tried to tech me to barrel race and the other was when she tried to sell me a 2 year old stud that I doubt was 2) Back then his name was Mister and he never came when called. Two years went by and I didn't hear from her and one day she and her mom showed up and asked if I wanted to come stay with them for the weekend, which I did. I spent almost the whole weekend not realizing who the horse I petted every time I walked out into the yard was. It just did NOT look like Mister. I finally got up the nerve to ask where he was at and it was then that she told me everything that was going on. In short they were stuck with a horse and a pony they couldn't feed. (they were feeding them dog food) She then told me she'd sell him to me for $100 which her mom agreed to. Upon returning home at the end of the weekend I told my dad everything that was going on and that they'd give us the pony just to get rid of him. He said no. So for the next 2 days I kept on and on and on about how they were going to die if we do something and that this was the very same mustang they heard stories about when I came home.
My dad finally gave in and called one of our family friends and asked him if he could hitch his trailer and take us to get Star. Off we went the next morning to pick up at least the pony, since dad wasn't sure if I was telling the truth about how bad of shape Star was in. When we got I showed dad where the pony was and he got ready to load him. My dad literally had to pick the pony up off the ground. That just how far gone he was. I went in search of Star and found him in the side yard. He looked worst than he had a few days before. When my dad saw him he just shook his head and told me to load him up. When we got them home (after stopping a LOT to make sure they were ok) we got them off the trailer. My dad had to support the pony and I walked Star off. My mom first words to me were that he wasn't going to make it and we'd have to bury them both somehow. I laughed at her and told her that she didn't know Star like I did. I wasn't sure about the pony, but I knew Star well and I knew he would make it. A few days and a vet check later we found out they didn't have anything wrong other than starvation, rain rot on the pony, and cattle lice. They were bathed (I was bathed) and we had the lice gone in one washing.
We had to sell the pony a year later due to bullying, Mister was renamed StarBuck by me and my dad. September 15, 2005 is when I got him. It's almost been 7 years and I still have him and we'll never sell him. My dad loves him just as much as I do.
Here he is, almost 7 years after all the bad in his life ended. His hooves need to be trimmed again.
I won't lie, I cried while I typed.
I know what Dustin's problem is now. It's not that he's dangerous really, he's just spirited. He needs training (which my friend has covered) and a firm hand. If she doesn't do this right he really could become a problem, but I think she can handle it. She doesn't take crap from anyone. He was at least taught the basics and he doesn't spook easy. He does get bored easily and chews on the bit, but that can be fix with another type of bit. (she had a curb bit on him) He didn't act crazy or too concerned when we loaded him. He's still got several more trials to go through, but so far he's done pretty good to just be green-broke. The trainer is going to take care of the rest though. She originally wanted me to train him, but I had to explain to her that I'm not a pro (or even close) so it's best to let the trainer do his job.
After all of that it was back home and off to the feed store with my dad. Once again they didn't have anything other than gold sex links. Great. My hatch chicks may be going to the feed store since Ideal is having such a hard time getting their orders out and the feed store is losing business over it.
Ok so I said I'd post a pic of StarBuck and our story, so here it is. Story first.
I rode Star for 4 years before I got him. He was the only horse that my 'friend' would let me ride when I came over. (with the exception of 2 other times. Once when she tried to tech me to barrel race and the other was when she tried to sell me a 2 year old stud that I doubt was 2) Back then his name was Mister and he never came when called. Two years went by and I didn't hear from her and one day she and her mom showed up and asked if I wanted to come stay with them for the weekend, which I did. I spent almost the whole weekend not realizing who the horse I petted every time I walked out into the yard was. It just did NOT look like Mister. I finally got up the nerve to ask where he was at and it was then that she told me everything that was going on. In short they were stuck with a horse and a pony they couldn't feed. (they were feeding them dog food) She then told me she'd sell him to me for $100 which her mom agreed to. Upon returning home at the end of the weekend I told my dad everything that was going on and that they'd give us the pony just to get rid of him. He said no. So for the next 2 days I kept on and on and on about how they were going to die if we do something and that this was the very same mustang they heard stories about when I came home.
My dad finally gave in and called one of our family friends and asked him if he could hitch his trailer and take us to get Star. Off we went the next morning to pick up at least the pony, since dad wasn't sure if I was telling the truth about how bad of shape Star was in. When we got I showed dad where the pony was and he got ready to load him. My dad literally had to pick the pony up off the ground. That just how far gone he was. I went in search of Star and found him in the side yard. He looked worst than he had a few days before. When my dad saw him he just shook his head and told me to load him up. When we got them home (after stopping a LOT to make sure they were ok) we got them off the trailer. My dad had to support the pony and I walked Star off. My mom first words to me were that he wasn't going to make it and we'd have to bury them both somehow. I laughed at her and told her that she didn't know Star like I did. I wasn't sure about the pony, but I knew Star well and I knew he would make it. A few days and a vet check later we found out they didn't have anything wrong other than starvation, rain rot on the pony, and cattle lice. They were bathed (I was bathed) and we had the lice gone in one washing.
We had to sell the pony a year later due to bullying, Mister was renamed StarBuck by me and my dad. September 15, 2005 is when I got him. It's almost been 7 years and I still have him and we'll never sell him. My dad loves him just as much as I do.
Here he is, almost 7 years after all the bad in his life ended. His hooves need to be trimmed again.
