July 9, 2013

Misty's History - 6 owners in 6 months



Two days after Misty arrived, I received her Coggins report in the mail.  I was glad the kid followed through and mailed it to me...  The report was dated 5-8-13 and listed Daniel S. as her owner.  It said her name was Cheyenne and listed her age as 17.   If there was ever any doubt, now I was totally sure...  Isaac (the kid I bought her from) was a horse broker.  He'd had her less than a month... and told me she was 15 and that her name was Misty.   Wow, maybe this wasn't even her report?  Determined to find out more, I called Daniel S....

Daniel answered the phone and seemed happy to answer my questions about Misty.  Of course my first question was, "So when did you sell the horse to Isaac?"  His answer.... "Who's Isaac?"

My heart sank.  Then Daniel went on to explain that he sold her to some sort of sales barn or auction house.  And he sold her for just a couple hundred dollars...   When I told him about Isaac and how much I paid for her, Daniel said he felt bad that I got so ripped off.   I told him I had no regrets, but was just sad about her poor condition and her history of obvious neglect.  And I told him that I loved her.

So I asked Daniel to tell me everything... I had so many questions.  Why did he sell her?  Where did he get her? Who named her Cheyenne?  Was he sure of her age?  What was her training and experience?  Medical history? How did her face get like that?  Her mane, tail, the scars, etc.?

I took notes as Daniel told me all he knew....      He told me that he named her Cheyenne and wasn't sure of her age or medical history.  He sold her because she was too fast and rough... riding her was hard on his back.  When describing her, he used the word "spirited".  He also said that she had a hard time getting along with other horses... that she was always the dominant one and would fight other horses off.  He said that was probably why they kept her all alone in a small pen at the sales barn.  By the way she looks, I wondered what else they had done to her at that sales barn...

As for Misty's history...   I was shocked to learn that Daniel had only owned her for  4 months before selling her to the sales barn who sold her to Isaac.  The guy he bought her from didn't know her name or her age and had "rescued" her from some other sales house (although I thought he said slaughter house...  and looking back, maybe he did) just a month earlier...   at that point, Misty was very very thin and in bad shape.  He also mentioned something about her and another horses being sold as a pair for $400... both underweight, etc. 

Though I was taking notes, I couldn't believe what I was writing and confirmed it with Daniel.

-  6 months ago,  Misty was starving & thin and owned by some sales barn / auction house (owner 1)
-  Some guy bought her and another thin horse as a pair and kept her for a month (owner #2)
-  Daniel S. then purchased her and kept her for 4 months (owner #3)
-  Daniel sold her to another sales barn / auction house where she stayed  for two weeks (owner #4)
-  Isaac bought her, kept her for a couple weeks and then listed her on Craigslist (owner #5)
-  And of course just this week, I bought her from Isaac (Lucky owner #6 who will keep her forever)

Amazing how many times one horse can change hands in a matter of months...  And I thought of  the story of "Black Beauty"...

Martha and Dr. Kimmons think Misty is 12.  Isaac said 15...  no one really knows I guess....   but if she could have 6 owners in 6 months... how many times did she change hands before that?   We all agree that she has surely been "cowboyed" pretty harshly in the past....  and I know that Isaac did a little barrel racing with her.  But I still wondered how she got her scars and why her face looked so battered....  why she was missing half her mane and if her tail had ever been brushed.  So I asked Daniel about her condition and obvious neglect.

Daniel seemed shocked and told me that he had taken good care of her...  he declared that he was never going to use that "sales barn" again.  I texted him a couple photos of Misty....  and this was his reply:

"I can't believe her face and tail.  My wife didn't like her back then but she even feels sorry for her now."

And that made me cry.  And I wondered.... is this the first time in her life that Misty is being loved?

30 comments:

  1. Thank god you found her so she can finally have a loving permanent home. How sad.

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  2. I'm so glad you saved her.
    Maybe now she can feel what she has been missing, love.

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  3. She may have had a hard life in the past,but she sure will have a beautiful future now. I can't wait to see her photos to see the improvement your love will bring to her.

    Karen Proulx

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  4. That is so sad! As horrible as her history is, I am glad that you were able to get some details. How is she adjusting to your other horses? I am not a horse person, but if her recent history stated she was underweight, is she underweight now? Thank you for sharing her story!

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    1. No she isn't thank goodness... the last guy who had her turned her loose on a big pasture... :)

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  5. I think she is incredibly beautiful!

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  6. I want to hug you ... You're such an amazing person. I know Willow led you to her and it brings tears to my eyes knowing that she now has a loving and forever home. She is GORGEOUS by the way!

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    1. You are so so sweet.... (hugs) back to you!

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  7. Wow! So glad you found her!!! You are so inspiring, Shana!

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  8. "And I wondered.... is this the first time in her life that Misty is being loved?"

    How sad is just the thought of this being the first time she feels love? But, I am confident that you will be making up for lost time! She is a beautiful horse!

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  9. Look at those long eyelashes and the kindness in her eyes. So beautiful. Yes, she's gone through way too many hard times in her life and poor treatment should never be excused... but maybe, just maybe, she had to experience such difficulty in order to get to you. She's going to know nothing but love, happiness and sunshine for the rest of her life, and I have no doubt that she'll return it all to you tenfold. So glad you found each other. Susan

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  10. She reminds me so much of the first horse I ever owned, a big Appaloosa named Apple. She had been turned out in a huge pasture for year and neglected, never ridden. The owner then sold her to us (I was 13). She was a handful. Difficult for me, but when my younger brother rode her she was sweet as pie, she knew she could act up with me and I'd be okay, but if she did it with my brother she knew he might be hurt. She was a great horse.

    So happy for Misty (I've always loved that name, ever since reading "Misty of Chincoteague" ♥) All your horses are so blessed to have someone as caring and loving as you! I can't wait to see how Misty thrives surrounded by so much love :D

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  11. so many tragedies in these beautiful creatures' lives. thank god for people like you who are able to save them from further cruelty and to provide them with unconditional love and support. she's beautiful.

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  12. This makes makes me so happy Shana! Its endorphin releasing!! You are an angel.

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  13. Erin in Ohio7/9/13, 9:35 PM

    So thankful that you found her and rescued her! I have a quote that I put with a photo I took of my daughter with one of the horses she rides: "Every horse deserves, at least once in it's life, to be loved by a little girl." That's true, even if that little girl is all grown up! Misty will finally feel the love she deserves!

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  14. Love everyone's comments! Hearing about Misty Blue's past life made me so sad for her. I can't believe how people can buy and sell horses so easily.

    I don't know much about horses - will Misty's tail and mane grow back?
    Reading that she didn't get along with other horses - I hope the love you have for her and the love you will show her, will give her a sense of peace she has never experienced before which will allow her to be good with all your horses.

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  15. Awww...I'm in tears. We love Misty too!!!!!!

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  16. Aaaaah I am so glad she found you. She will live with love as the beautiful princess she is!

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  17. She is gorgeous! There needs to be more people like you in this world!

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  18. Well there you go again making me want to cry tears of sadness for what this poor horse has been through and tears of happiness for the gift that you have been given and the love she will receive from you and all of us who adoringly follow you . It just amazes me how people can be so cruel and then you have to realize maybe they don't know what love and compassion is so we are truly blessed

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  19. just so sickening. How must she feel, of course I'm sure she just thinks this is how life is. The wonderful old pony we have will live with us forever, I never want any of our horses to have that sort of life. Mine started her's with it, on her way to slaughter when I rescued her. I would never want to come back as an animal, humans are too thoughtless and cruel.

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  20. We had a mare that would rub her mane out. When she was stressed or worried she would rub her neck along the fence line and rub it out. My guess is she rubbed it while at the last sale barn. Has she been wormed? Some horse rub their tails out if they have worms. Our pregnant mares would rub their tails because their "womanly" parts would get irritated.

    She is beautiful and I am so glad she has found a forever home!

    Shannon

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    1. in hind sight this is a very telling comment :)

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  21. I keep stalking your page. Miss seeing your beautiful pictures and reading about your adventures =) Hope all is well, and you are enjoying your summer!

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  22. Hope you are enjoying your summer! I keep stalking your page, I miss seeing your beautiful pictures and reading about your adventures, take care!

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  23. just catching up on your blog now. I so enjoy these little glimpses into your love for your animals (especially your horses). I cried so much while I was following Willo's story. Yes, it is true that we can love our animals/pets just as much as if they were "humans". You are such an inspiration! :)

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