‘What a beautiful horse! Why would someone auction or sell to slaughter such a ‘gorgeous‘ horse?!
~ Frequently asked Question
The short answer is :
‘Because most people DO NOT WANT THEM.’
Let me tell you a little story that may answer this oft proposed inquiry.
Meet ‘Longmire’
Stunning, is he not?
Young, handsome……..
Unhandled. ‘Maybe a gelding, maybe a stallion.’
‘Maybe ridden, maybe not.’
Maybe a mustang, maybe not.’
‘Maybe rank, but who knows.’
Hell of a way to sell a horse, right?
Here is his story.
Purchased from auction March 2021 ( By me, personally) he came in the ring ‘Loose Lot’. ( For those unfamiliar with the term it is when a hose is run through auction with no handler.
No halter, no bridle, no saddle, nothing. Horses that go through ‘loose lot‘ usually go FAR cheaper because of this.)
He came in the ring , GLORIOUSLY handsome and terrified. I’ve seen this many, MANY times and more often than not…..horses like this are either A. Purchased on looks ALONE ( SO pretty!) with high hopes or B. Purchased by Kill Buyers ( again, ‘So pretty!’ ) and marketed VERY falsely . ( IE~ ‘He rides’ et cetera. This is yet another VERY serious problem that I will undoubtedly address soon. )
He was described as a ‘Seven year old gelding that was probably ridden in the past but the (current) owner ‘had not tried to ride him.’ ‘
( Uh, huh.)
(What he ACTUALLY is is an completely unhandled, untrained stallion. )
And thus, knowing what I was most likely dealing with, I bought him for $1150 dollars.
‘Why so much if no one touched or rode him’?!? you may ask.
The answer is……
Beauty.
Color.
Possibilites.
Crazy , right?
People in the horse world LOVE ‘oddly colored’ or flashy colored horses and yes, even I have paid the ‘price’ for that beauty. In this instance, it was not about that.
The PROBLEM is………Many people either do not know HOW to handle such a horse, or where to even begin.
Many THINK they are getting something entirely different and once they realize ‘Uh, oh….this isn’t what I thought I was getting’……… it is back to the drawing board for many the horse.
Some just do not have the desire or the time to put the time in to completely training a horse and prefer one already ‘Bombproof’.
‘Why in God’s name did you do such a thing knowing all this for an untrained horse’?
FIRST and most importantly, to end his cycle of ‘Auction to kill pen to auction’ . That has been his life thus far, and would QUITE likely continue to be as most people either do not know enough to start a horse from square one themselves, or once they realize they have purchased an untrained , rank horse ……
They do not want to deal with it.
Secondly because I KNOW that we can provide what he needs, and give him whatever time he needs to settle and be trained well.
Third…….Hello? He IS gorgeous.
‘Pretty’ is not always such a blessing.
The point here is………..
This horse is a PRIME example of how ‘Pretty Horses’ become ‘unwanted’, thrown away, stuck in the ‘auction cycle’ or slaughter pipeline. There are FAR too many like him that do not meet such a kind ending.
I’d like to bring awareness to that and help OTHERS to help ones like him.
He has been offered AS IS , publicly to a knowledgeable and approved home……..
No takers.
Speaks volumes, yes?
What will happen to him now?
He will be gelded, trained, and offered available at some point in the future.
Til then……….
Be smart.
Research.
Get in with GOOD horse people.
Read.
Ask questions.
And take a gander at the ( Oooh, pretty!) handsome ‘Longmire’ ~
(He’s rough, tough, and ready. C’mon , it was a great show!)
Now a Soul Horse!
Longmire moves so eloquently.