The weirdest request you've ever received!

Here's a fun Friday topic!

The other night, my phone rang. It was this guy I vaguely know. I had tried to help him place his Arabian stallion. He ended up giving him to a friend.

"Cathy," said the guy. "How much do you weigh?"

There's a question every woman likes to be asked. It's right up there with "wow, you're really getting up there!" on your birthday. I was so surprised I answered.

"Great!" he said. "Can you ride my stallion in a race on Saturday?"

WTF whaaaaaaat? Well, as the conversation progressed, apparently he'd gotten the brilliant idea to try to get someone to ride his ex horse, the 14 year old Arab in some kind of unrecognized race with an $8000 purse this weekend. I honestly don't know if such a thing exists, or if the whole story swam out of a vodka bottle. I know that horse probably hasn't been ridden in years and I know is that I'm WAY too old and WAY too smart to offer to ride 14 year old Arabian stallions in races. You know, there probably isn't enough money in the world to make me think that would be a good idea.

So, I think this is a fun Friday topic! What is the craziest, most off the wall thing you've been asked by someone after they found out you ride/have horses/know a lot about horses? I don't mean the constant requests to ride your horses, we all know about that. I'm going for something a bit more extreme - whatcha got?

Some miscellaneous stuff...

Update on Buck, the horse with the terrible wounds that Habitat for Horses is helping.

Now is everybody ready for some AWESOME, fantastic news? Remember Im All Rite, the APHA Reserve World Champion halter gelding who wound up thin and lame at a rescue? Well, thanks to this blog, former owner Jamie Mehterian found out what happened to him. Jamie was horrified - she had been promised the horse would be returned to her if he didn't work out for the people she sold him to. Well, those idiots decided it was a good idea to jump a massive ex-halter horse - not exactly a recommended over-fences prospect - 'til he was lame, and then ditched him without contacting Jamie. Jamie quickly contacted the rescue and took him home to safety.

I said in the comments of that original post "I wonder if we're going to find a good person here who will be horrified to see where he wound up and who steps up to take care of him...or if we will discover we have a 100% asshat owner percentage in this poor boy's life." Well, we have our answer. He DID have a previous owner who loves him and was horrified and stepped up and now he's safe. Jamie, thank you for giving us all a reminder that the responsible owners are still out there - and best of luck to you and "Teddy."

Today's Friday Featured Rescue is a pair. Chance's Miniature Horse Rescue has these adorable boys up for adoption. Gorgeous flaxen chestnuts, they would make a lovely driving team for someone who loves minis. I am sure this rescue has their hands full as I have rarely seen any type of horse attract as many bad homes as minis. People think they are like big dogs and keep them in crappy conditions and constantly founder them because they have no idea how to feed them. These boys are young, sound, friendly and want to stay together. Located in Weimer, TX.

Look, ma! I'm a dumbass!

What more is there to say?

Oh wait. I'm a bad parent, too!

Blech. Another unimpressive, unaccomplished, who's-not-who-in-AQHA-bred nothing stallion who's clearly only got his balls because he's a pretty color.

Oh! And they're breeding grade horses, too.

No eye for quality. None at all.

Maybe she got dropped on her head one too many times trying to get that pic at left!

Since COTH is too skeered of lawsuits to let this be discussed...

Let's all talk about Norcrest Farm and how they had 70 horses seized by the SPCA!



Norcrest, aka Middle Creek Farm, is owned by Gerry Trupia and is located in Woodhull, New York. First off, if you had a mare there on lease or for breeding, you'd best contact the SPCA 'cause they've got your mare (assuming she is alive). I have seen some shocked posts by owners who had NO idea this was going on. Here's a thread from one poor lady who lost her mare. That is so sad. She checked refs and everything. WHY do people so often keep quiet about these bad situations? If this Trupia person had been "outed" here (or any other busy horse forum) a year ago, that mare would probably be alive!


I first heard about this when someone posted pictures on COTH of their broodmares, who had been returned from breeding in terrible condition. The owner was horrified but couldn't raise the roof yet as she needed to get another horse back from Trupia. I promised her I'd wait on this blog but at this point, all horses are out of Trupia's possession and it's open season. Here is one of this poor woman's mares the way it came back. WTF. THIS IS WHY people decide to just get their own stallion - because mares come back from allegedly reputable farms looking like this!




(Good topic, just that - I have seen mares come back with skull fractures, leg fractures, bad untreated wire cuts, proud flesh...why are SO many stallion owners not to be trusted with basic mare care? And I'm not talking from Joe Shithead's backyard breeding establishment. I'm talking about barns standing horses with impressive show records. What IS that about and why does it happen so often?)




Google cache of Norcrest Farm website. Trupia pulled it, of course! So the delusional bitch was going to have an open house on November 1st? Holy shit! Can you imagine? And over here, we have the ones we starved to death...

(What is with the hoarding epidemic? Why so many of them all of a sudden?)


They still have ads on EquineNow...the horses look rough but not horrible in the pics. Just getting there. Pics appear to be from last winter.

Oh hell even better...crazy bitch's message board is still up! You can read her own words! Read how she was trying to get more mares in February - of course she was. HOARDER, HOARDER, HOARDER! Oh, look, here's a stallion she bought for $500 in May! HOARDER, HOARDER, HOARDER!

So, what have we learned? Don't EVER buy or give a horse to Gerry Trupia or her mother, Mary Blazejewski. Like most hoarders, they will probably resurface in some other part of the country and begin reassembling their "collection." Don't let that happen. If a buyer ever gives you a weird vibe, remember that Google is your friend. These blog posts can and do come up on Google and if one horse is saved due to someone reading a hoarder's name here, it will make it all worthwhile!

P.S. I read one post from Trupia's former barn help who apparently turned tail, ran and didn't do shit. You are just as guilty, sunshine. You employees need to start outing these people when you see abuse and neglect. It is NOT going to prevent you from getting a job witha GOOD barn if you do that. A GOOD barn will be impressed that you did that.

Today's PSA...

I hate stories like this.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008155565_webhorses03m.html

Glad no humans were killed but a tragedy for the horses, and certainly upsetting for the driver. Remember, you are legally liable if your livestock get out and are hit. Someone could be killed or badly injured - it's not just the livestock at risk.

Take some time on the weekend and walk or ride your fenceline, as appropriate. You don't want this story to be about you.

Skinny Belgian, seats four!

You know, if you line up enough kids on his back, it hides his ribs! It's no wonder that Sunny has (shockingly!) failed to fetch $1650 since this ad was originally sent to me...in April. It's still up there!

"Sunny is very patient with the kids. He takes a lot if "kid abuse". He is great on the trails and is always easy to catch. He takes a "cat nap" every time his legs stop moving. When the kids get off from him, he stays in the same spot and does not wonder away. Sunny would be a fun and gentle horse to have around the farm. "

But hey, you know the asshattery doesn't stop here. They also have a two year old who "rides like a ten year old." Probably has the joints of a twenty year old, too! Check it out, we all know it's a great idea to have your kid ride a two year old over a tarp sitting behind the saddle. Marketing genius!








Then there's Cash. Cash looks pissed in every single picture they have of him, and I can't honestly say I blame him.

And look, there's video! I particularly like the "ponying the foal with the rope so long it looks like it's going to go under momma's tail" video. At least the horses are looking good in the videos. When you're too cheap to feed, they sure do look better in August than in April, don't they?

I kind of want to upgrade the horses and the kid in this one. She has a nice natural seat and rides soft. Wouldn't she be cute if someone would put her into lessons and set her up with a nice, properly fed show or gaming horse? Instead, she is growing up being used as a prop by a low end horse dealer. It's like the olden days, when people had kids so they had more help in the fields!

And we can't blame the South for this one - this is in Michigan!

Is this like when mommy tells you you're the prettiest girl in the world?

Several people told me I had to go see this Pinto Arabian breeder's web site. I mean, there's some interesting stuff on there. There's an orphan stud colt they are trying really hard to sell on payments so that they can "get their sleep," for example. WTF. If you want to sleep, I SUGGEST NOT BREEDING. Orphans happen and yes they are a PITA, I helped feed mine last year and it is a hassle but this is the risk you take when you breed. Sheesh.

But then I got to the part with their senior stallion and the amazing claim that "To date, he has more Champion and Reserve Champion get and grand-get than any other stallion in the world...and his potential has not even been tapped."

Whaaaaaaat? Than any other stallion in the world?

I admit I am not an expert on the Pinto Arabian, or Pintabian as they seem to call them. But what I see here is a rather underweight spotted Ay-rab I've never heard of. It's hard to imagine he has sired more Champion get than, say, Obvious Conclusion or Barlink Macho Man or Dreamfinder or Magnum Psyche...well, you get my drift. I mean, I can say I'm a fairy princess, but it doesn't mean if I wave my longe whip, money will fall from the sky. Why put these completely off-the-wall statements in your ads? I mean, for all I know, he is the top siring Pintabian stallion. But that's not what they said.

And his breeding fee is $7500 to other Pintabians? For real, are people paying that?

P.S. They also have genuine horse skulls for sale for $250. I don't even wanna know...sounds like a solution for those solid foals that is actually a money-maker as opposed to what they auction for these days!

Normally, I encourage sharing...

I will never complain if parts of this blog are republished elsewhere or crossposted. I think it's great. Spread the word, have a blast.

However, actually making money off it? COME ON. While I am not going to pursue legal action over your projected $25 in CafePress earnings, this is pretty fucking tacky.

http://www.cafepress.com/hideozygous

The whole world knows that's mine (thank you Horse & Rider - You guys rock and I always appreciate the mention!)

Seriously, clean a couple stalls for the money you'll make doing this...you will get some exercise and won't look like such a twit.