Saturday, May 13, 2006

Now I don't want to sell Ruby

Four years ago we rescued Ruby. Now she has grown into a big strong horse and we have just started riding her. By the way that is not me riding, that is my friend Manny, he is a really cool rider.

Anyway we have far too many horses so we have to sell some. But today some people came to see Rubes and I just thought NO, she deserves the best and that means she has to stay here. Of course I know I will have to sell her but I so, so want her to go to a good home.

I find it really difficult to sell horses because I just know that there are so few people out there that know how to be with horses to make them feel good. You know, if you breed a foal or if you have owned a horse for a long time, when you sell them they have to get used to a whole new way that some other humans behave, and some of those people are just crazy when it comes to horses.

It's a bit like when you have to send your kids to school when all they have been used to is rational human beings with sound values, and then all of a sudden they have to deal with a whole load of crazy stuff like competition, success and failure, and ego, and power trips and all the bollocks that goes to make up our society. I really didn't want to send my kids to school but then I decided that they might as well get stuck in - sooner or later they would have to learn about the way people behave.

With horses it's a bit different - they can go their whole lives living in quite a small world. They can go from birth to death and never even realise that there are mad people out there. I know I'm sounding a bit self-righteous here, and obviously I could be completely wrong, but I'm pretty sure I know a happy horse when I see one - that's my job.

13 comments:

  1. Yay! I'm first!

    I wish everyone was as responsible and caring as you are towards animals.

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  2. I couldn't fit a horse in my dog kennel, even if it is remarkably large and well-equipped, so there's no fear of one of your lovingly-reared animals finding its way to this neck of the woods but I could do with some well-rotted horse manure for the garden.

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  3. Ruby is lucky to know you!

    Can't you just have an interview and inspection process? People have to have certain facilitie and demonstrate a particular level of knowledge before you'll send one of your horses to their home?

    The breeder we bought our dog from was like that. She wasn't selling any of her dogs to some dumb smucks that would abuse or under appreciate them. I kind of like that.

    Geez, maybe if we had a qualificatin process before people were allowed to procreate we might get somewhere with improving the world eh? deep thoughts from the lady with the tan carpet.

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  4. The problem with an interview process is that most people will look perfectly nice, sane and considerate during the interview, then revert afterwards to their psycho behavior, so that would not help.
    I understand your feelings or responsibility towards Ruby and your children. The world is a hard place especially for kids and animals accustomed to sanity, love and fairness. There is no way to prepare anybody for the real world.

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  5. I never want to let my children out of the house either. I guess I'll just have to shoot any bastard that tries to make their life a misery.

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  6. He doesn't feel that way about his children - he tried to swap 2 of them for my autographed Adam Faith LP.

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  7. Thank you Vicus for injecting some seriousness back into this discussion. If I had managed to persuade you to accept my offer I would be quids in by now.

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  8. hey, tom:
    thought i'd stick my nose in and see whats up.
    I like it here!
    good for you for rescuing horses. thats a big commitment and a bit expense to go to just to do the right thing. way to go.

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  9. You sound like a very nice animal-loving kind of person, Tom. I'd elaborate on this except I don't know the first thing about horses.

    Apart from you have to lie very very still when you fall off one.

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  10. What a beautiful animal! And how lucky she is to have you to care for her.

    I know what you mean about not wanting them to leave. (Animals or children) I've just had to give away kittens and it felt like I was giving away a small part of myself. I wish there were more people out there that cared for animals as you do.

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  11. Thank you all for your kind comments about me! I promise you that is not what I was after when I wrote the post. I've still got Ruby and we have decide to ride her on a bit ourselves before we sell her (for even more money!).

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  12. I had horses around me from about 8 or 9 as my sister has always had them. She's got 3 at the moment, still at my Mum and Dad's. I can ride but I haven't for about 25 years because I don't really agree with riding to be honest - why should we burden that animal with our weight directly onto its back? I love horses though, they're beautiful animals.

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  13. I don't much like horses. I've no idea why because I generally love animals but I think it's because they're bigger than me so make me feel intimidated. I don't mind big dogs because they're not actually bigger than me, although I think I'd be a bit wary of a lion, even if it's smaller than me so bang goes that theory. I wouldn't hurt a horse, though. Nor any other animal. I don't even like killing snails and ants and things. I'd much rather rid the garden of 'pests' by encouraging other animals into the garden.

    Oh well... not a lot about horses there but what the hell. It's my comment and I can say what I want.

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