Different Kind of Journey - Wrapping Up Loose Ends
This Story Begins Here
Before I get onto the next story which is mainly the time frame from the situation that led to the lawsuit and beyond, there are some loose ends that need to be addressed.
The day did come that I tried to talk to YW about Vee. She dismissed me with the statement she'd had a "meltdown " and walked away. I didn't even get one word out about the mare's condition because YW was already gone at the mention of the Vee's name.
Her attitude very much spoke to the fact she thought her personal issues made whatever happened to Vee understandable and maybe even acceptable. I can't even reconcile this kind of thinking coming from someone who claims to love horses but evidently YW can and not just YW because HM doesn't think it matters what happened since it's in the past.
I'm not really sure about the timing but after maybe a year with YW, both geldings went to another trainer. YW worked for that trainer as a groom and from what I'm told was not allowed to ride either horse. Before you think that trainer helped either horse, let me explain her fix for their issues was draw reins. Draw reins cannot fix a horse that has it's natural impulsion depressed by working the horse off the face before the horse ever really learned the cue for impulsion. Things did not get better.
I don't believe the bay gelding belonging to YW was shown during that time. His canter had been totally ruined because his impulsion was now up and down instead of forward making him both look and feel rough. YW described it as being like a jack hammer and it certainly looked like that but she blamed it on his breeding and took no responsibility for causing that horrid gait.
The mahogany bay gelding was shown in costume, show hack and some in hunter pleasure and halter while he was in the other trainer's barn. The horse won a top five in costume in Region 4. I didn't get to see the horse shown or hear directly anything about how he was doing. All I know is the Sweepstakes check I got with two or three small payments from placings he had earned. Nothing that spoke to the quality or talent of this horse however.
The next time I actually saw the horse, I was watching the Scottsdale show streaming on my computer. An english sidesaddle class was entering the ring when I saw a horse enter I thought I recognized. Looking closer, it really was the mahogany horse although I was pretty sure he wasn't trained enough to be carrying anyone side saddle.
There were only three horses in the class but the guest commentator had just remarked on the great quality of all three horses (that was nice to hear) when a riderless horse came charging across the screen. There was my boy running for the high hills. I can only guess what happened because it was off screen. However, I rest my case, the horse was not ready to be a side saddle horse.
The next I heard the mahogany bay gelding was back in training with YW. He was back to his career as a western horse only now he needed to be shown in the full bridle. I didn't ever see the horse actually shown that way but I did see him in a schooling arena. That was enough for me.
Without the proper fundamentals this horse didn't have a shot. I knew he could probably make it into the ribbons and even get qualified for regionals but from there, he just wasn't going to be solid enough to win. Sad for such a beautiful horse with such talent.
Not long after this I heard that both horses were for sale. My daughter and granddaughter tried to buy the bay gelding that YW bought from me. At the last minute YW changed her mind and refused to sell them the horse saying it just wasn't a good fit. I might add her sales contract required her to offer the horse first to me if she ever decided to sell so she really had no legal right not to sell the horse to my daughter, as my representative, but that's what she did. Eventually she traded the horse towards the purchase of another horse.
To be continued........................
The Final Loose Ends for Me
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We had one litter of puppies and placing them with strangers was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to see a horse you've raised mishandled.
ReplyDeleteYou have an award waiting for you on my blog. Hope that's okay.
Sigh,it just keeps getting worse, looking at it in hindsight it seems much more clear, but dealing with moment by moment it must have been so confusing .After all you had seen the good in these people initially , the downhill slide must have been so weird to watch and live
ReplyDeleteMM, it's definitely hard. As for the award. Thanks for thinking of me. BECG mentioned when she got one this week that it's been a long time since we had awards making their way around the horse blogs and she though it was nice to see one again. I must agree.
ReplyDeleteBut that reminded me that someone else gave me an award sometime last week and I haven't acknowledged it. I'm going to have to do some searching to figure out who that was. OH too much on my mind is not good.
fern, you couldn't have described it better. It's just so much more obvious looking back than it was at the time. But then the telling is much more condensed than the actual living so that helps some with the clearer look. Either way this is small potatoes compared to what comes next.
"Either way this is small potatoes compared to what comes next."
ReplyDeleteOh, the stress of that statement....I just keep thinking, "How could it get any worse?" And I am really afraid to find the answer to that question...
I can't imagine how you made it through all of this thus far with your dream and sanity intact!!
That's so true--hindsight changes everything. That really ticks me off--if your contract said you had buy-back rights--you should have been able to buy him back--or your daughter. Urgh!!!!
ReplyDeleteNikker, I should qualify that statement because when I refer to next, it's not the next post about YW but the next situation I got myself into. There is just one more post to finish wrapping up and then I will be posting about the big nightmare from its beginning before I knew what I was getting myself and my horses into.
ReplyDeleteThe thing to remember is it is ALL OVER NOW. These things are in the past. While there's plenty to learn from them, they can't hurt me or my horses anymore. I am breathing a big sigh of relief over that.
That had to have been so frustrating to be so close to getting that horse away from her.
ReplyDeleteA meltdown?
OMG-This gal would not like to see ME have a 'meltdown'. ;-) I was raised on the Rez after all. My sophistication (tongue in cheek) is only a veneer. Heeheehee
I'm sorry but this girl sounds very confused and rude. No one should ever treat a horse the way she treated Vee and then not even give an explanation why. What she said about that situation is not acceptable.
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for the horses who have suffered at the hands of these people. And what a _itch to not let your daughter buy the horse back, going against the contract. She's a real nut case in my opinion.
Linda, it really ticks me off too but what I've learned from that is you not only have to have the clause you have to include what consequences if they don't stick by it. Who knew??
ReplyDeleteBECG, OK, you made me really laugh there with your rez remark. I can picture you "melting down" for YW.
Arlene, I agree with you. There are a lot of things I could say about YW but for now I'm going to stick with unprofessional. The things I would like to say I will just mumble under my breath.
Oh my goodness....I can only hope that the new owners were an improvement. You're a great story teller, by the way :) !!
ReplyDeleteShe didn't want to sell to your daughter because she didn't think they'd be a good fit? Oh the irony. Not to mention the legal infraction.
ReplyDeleteThis YW is a piece of work, a #$@#$ piece of work. She needed a HUGE dose of karma to come her way. I hope she got it.
Oooh she just infuriates me more. The more I hear about this YW the worse she is, I think unproffesional is just the start. The worst part is its your horses who could be so much better and dont get the chance.
ReplyDeleteIn all fairness, I was a person present at that Scottsdale show, and the issue had in the sidesaddle class had nothing to do with the horse's level of training, the person riding, or the trainer. Just making sure that statement is out there.
ReplyDeleteJJ, I sure wish I knew the specifics for both horses.
ReplyDeletesmazourek, I too think there is some irony there.
Crystal, obviously this issue is personal for me. I wish I could roll the clock back to the point none of this happened.
Justacowgirl, I don't know how the horse ended up riderless but unless it was an issue of tack, it at least had something to do with this horse. Whether it had anything to do with the rider or the trainer at the time is beyond what I know and I won't presume to guess.
What I do know is that the early training issues with this horse would be a continuing concern until they are finally fixed. His foundation for carrying a rider properly were compromised. There's not way to fix that without going back and reteaching the fundamentals. If that has happened or not, I have no clue but I certainly hope that it has for the horse's sake.
Thanks for your comment.