Old. Old Competition Owner Being Gaget....Why Do You Think?

Elsbells

Elsbells

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I have had Ellie for over a year now. To begin with she wasn't my choice and she has cost me heaps in therapies and time etc and she very nearly ended up with the meat man. I wanted a nice hack, which I thought she might be, but it appears that she was once a very talented and serious competition horse who has done it all and done it well.

I have managed to track her owner of 5 years who was the one to move her through the rankings. I would like to know more about Ellies past because at just 8 yrs old, she came to me from a dealers yard, thin and stressed with nothing of her own other than an horendous and dangerous attitude to life and people. Although the old owner in intrested in my facebook page and presumably he is looking for the jumping pics, she won't however correspond and I'm left feeling that I have done something wrong, when really, I have saved the horse???
I'm feeling quite mad about it now as she is being very unfair and uncareing. Ellie had been through 8 dealers yards in the 6 months before I bought her and she had a terrible bad back, bad teeth, girth galls, ulcers and I believe was going through a nervous breakdown. It's not like I want to send her back as she's going nowwhere....ever. So why would these people be so cagey and not want to fill me in on silly things like history, or at least send me a piccy? I don't for one minute believe they were cruel to Ellie as this maybe happened later, but I suspect something happened that they don't want made public?? We believe Ellie has been rapped as she has a real fear of touching poles.

I am an old overweight happy hacker and not a big competition chaser, maybe that is why they don't want to associate?

Well, Ellie doesnt care that I'm not, in fact we have a lot of fun together and I should think she's very, very releived;)
Should I push the point and start getting stroppy instead of being so nice and obliging??
Looking at the girls facebook page, Els has been replaced by another big comp horse who is taking her to HOYS and scope etc and it seems Ellie never exsisted?:confused:
 
I can see why you are annoyed but i wouldn't get stroppy, that would not help anything.
Not wishing to say anything would make me suspect something but as the person will not spill the beans i would look to the future.
This horse was lucky to have found you - very lucky as many people would shout 'pts'
If it were me i would put it behind me and carry on loving and caring for the horse and having fun. Hard sometimes i know. It is good to know a horses past when obviously it has turned bad at somepoint but it is not always possible.
Have a wonderful time together.
 
I am not too sure there is much you can do or much you can complain about. The old owner sold the horse, this could be for many reasons, e.g. she had been injured and could no longer compete, she had been outgrown, she needed the money, etc. At the end of the day the horse is no longer her responsibility and she may be finding it sad or upseting to hear about her. She may also be worried that you could use the information she gives you to claim that you were not informed about the mare's temperament or previous injuries, you never know nowadays.
 
elsbells said:
I know that's probably what I should do.....I'm so soft and think people care:confused:
They don't do they:(
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Some people don't care but many do. This horse was unfortunate to be in a home for a time with an owner that may not have cared.
The horse is now in a loving home where you realy do care. A fantastic combination and again a lucky horse. It is no longer there for winning ribbons, it is there to be cared for and loved no matter what the cost.
 
Booboos said:
I am not too sure there is much you can do or much you can complain about. The old owner sold the horse, this could be for many reasons, e.g. she had been injured and could no longer compete, she had been outgrown, she needed the money, etc. At the end of the day the horse is no longer her responsibility and she may be finding it sad or upseting to hear about her. She may also be worried that you could use the information she gives you to claim that you were not informed about the mare's temperament or previous injuries, you never know nowadays.
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A very good point of view.
 
Far better to use your energy to enjoy what you have now - you sound as though you've done a great job and that Ellie was lucky to have found you.
Also as the problems may well have stemmed from any of the yards she had been through, it could well be that whatever information you receive from the previous owner is worthless.
 
elsbells said:
but I suspect something happened that they don't want made public??
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I think your right on the money there! A similar thing happened to me and we are dealing with it atm, but he only went through 2 dealers yards and the people were partners, I also then managed to track down the old owners who also bought him off the same dealers before me (well they found me but thats a long story!) but was fortunate enough that they were happy to tell me everything, including that when they sent him back it was with vet papers confirming he has kissing spine and a collapsed hock!! The girl who found me (wasnt the owner but a groom) was also interested in his jumping pics, simply because she knew he was never meant to be jumped again.

The problem is in this culture of "sueing" anyone could get done for slander so we are now having to approach things carefully, no names etc until there is a resolution! Not saying this is at all the same with your mare, but mine did "pass (currently being disputed)" a 5 stage vetting with Xrays of all joints in the legs! We have since taken him to the vet and had these diagnoses confirmed so the woman was telling the truth, and she has given full permission for us to access the files from her vets as well!
 
Mmmmmmmmm, maybe I should just drop it and move on as this seems to be the best advice.

She lives a completely different life now anyway. I took her back to barefoot to give her feet a rest as they were falling apart. Removed all rugs and chucked her out with a few mates in a huge field for all of last summer. I got her back sorted(friend does it often). Then had all her tack made to fit, including the v expensive well known comfort bridle! I didn't do any rideing work with her until all the groundwork and trust was there and not till she was ready. She's been massaged, primped, pampered and loved and is now a wonderful mare who despite all the tears I shead in frustration has become confident and giving, the kind horse I couldn't of bought.

Ellie that was called Pushy in her prev life, no longer lives to work, she will work......occationaly LOL!
 
Sometimes, in a competition environment, the horses are "assets" and when they are no longer capable of going any further they are "chucked away" and sold. Quite often they have had a lot thrown at them from a young age before this, so their heads get messed up. This could result in them being hard to rehome, and therefore multiple sales...

When I was doing my BHSAI, many moons ago, the college were given an ex-badminton horse on loan. They jumped at the chance. The horse arrived in such poor condition that it had to be on a sling. It was a hat rack. Once its competitive life was over, and it returned to its owner from the rider's yard, they just flung it out on their farm and forgot about it. The previous summer I'd done work experience for their rider, and he had another of their horses at his yard. They were all over it, and loved following it to events. For them it was all about the glory of owning a top horse..

I think you just have to accept that the old owners don't want to know anymore. You tried. Now you just have to move on, and enjoy giving this horse a great future...xx
 
Sorry to hear that Ellies old owner doesn't want to know. Perhaps she could be a bit jealous that you have done something with Ellie that she couldn't but either way it sounds as if Ellie has fallen on her feet, well done!
The same sort of thing happened to me. I bought my horse from a local dealer. Not long after I had bought him the dealer organised a ride out from his yard. As I was tacking up a friend came and told me that my horses old owner had bought her new horse on the ride. 'Great' I thought perhaps she could explain some of his many quirks!! Anyway didn't get chance to talk to her before we set off so I made a point of catching her up. I trotted alongside her and said something like ' you don't know me but I bought Charlie and just wanted to talk to you about him' She said that is never Charlie!! But he still moves well??? Odd comment? She then cantered off. Didn't see her again till the end of ride. She would not talk to me and she wouldn't even make eye contact?? If it were me that had just met the owner of my old horse I would be over the moonand want to talk about him to help the new owner. Just find it very strang that some people can pass a horse on and not ever worry about it again? Hope everything keeps going well for you and I would forget old owner and enjoy your lovely horse x
 
Thankyou, all of you for your kind and as always, the back to earth sensible comments and stories.

I do feel very lucky to have my Els and for us to of come so far in such a short time. Just looking at her makes me want to cry and our bond is unbreakable. She is push button, well schooled and is teaching me everything which is a lot more than I ever dared to hope. She looks stunning, is fit, strong and happy and has an army of admirers. As far as I'm concerned, it's that girls loss which is definately my gain and it's going to stay that way.

We are doing more and more every day together and I have become kind of well,.... adventurous:rolleyes:. From the frightened little mare I grudgingly bought, who'd thrown in the jumping towel, she's turned into a keen to get on with it friend who wants to have some fun with me too and I know I couldn't of done it without her.
So I'm not going to bother any more about her past, I'm going to plan her a wonderful future instead.

That kind of connection you cannot just buy can you?:D:D:D
 
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