For Breeders Who Really Care

[Jackie]

http://www.horsereunions.com/welcome.html

This is a link to a site for breeders who are being responsible and taking back horses they have bred over the years when people can't keep them anymore. It's a great idea, and hopefully will prevent many from going to auction/slaughter. And it's the right thing to do!

Please cross post on other lists!

Jackie

CHMR Michigan Foster Home

 

[Connie P]

Thanks for posting Jackie! This is a wonderful way to help both owner and horse should the need arise.

 

[joylee123]

[SIZE=12pt]Awesome site thanks for posting![/SIZE]

Joy

 

[Nathan Luszcz]

That's great if you only breed one or two a year, or don't sell to make a living... Its a good idea but I don't think it'll make that big of a dent in the problem.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

It's a great idea. Even if only a handful of horses get a second chance because their breeder takes them back then it's worth it. I'm on the list.

 

[Leeana]

I signed up too...it cant hurt to try..

 

[Suzie]

I agree with Nathan. Good idea but there is a flip side to this. Since we have been breeding for a while now, we have changed our contracts to read "all sales are final". Not because we breed inferior stock, not at all. It is self-protection.

We have "bought back" before. We had sold perfectly healthy animals with great pedigrees and great temperaments. We ended up getting back half starved animals, no vet care since they left us, hooves grown out, no handling, horrible ground manners, bred to whatever came along.....and to boot these people now wanted twice what they paid to "rescue" their animals. We did buy back for a while for the sake of the animals but not anymore. And to top it off, once we got the animals back in shape, these same pervious owners now wanted the animals back "because they were attached!!" Give me a break. Over my dead body will these horses go back in those situations.

We tried every time to place our animals in good homes. Some of these people got in over their heads, some were just stupid. In a time where people move out of their homes and leave their animals behind (and I am talking dogs and cats here), you can't afford to "take back" every animal you breed.

It is not the responsibility of the breeder to have to rescue the animals. It is the owner's responsibility to manage the animal they buy. I don't own more animals than I can care for properly. I don't breed more animals than I can care for. Most years we only breed to replace the horses we sell. This year we have sold only a couple horses because I just can't face placing my horses in a home that might be unstable and in this economy "unstable" is a major keyword. I would rather hold on to them a bit longer and wait for the perfect home to come along. Yes, I would like to sell, but not to just anyone.

I know this is not the popular view and probably not the "polictically correct view" but I think more responsibility lies with the buyer than ever before. I am not Walmart or Rent a Center. I can't give a full refund just because the buyer has a run of bad luck or poor planning.

If you only have 1-2 sales a year- perhaps it will work for you. I sincerely hope you get back the animal you bred and sold and not the problems that other people just don't want to have to deal with because of their own lack of responsibility.

 

[Jill]

I signed up. H and I would do whatever we could to help horses we've bred, and also those that we didn't breed but owned and sold. I don't know how many we could help, but we would surely do our best. As of now, I haven't sold that many (10 or so) but I do know where each is as of today. That's important to me.

 

[Leeana]

I agree with Nathan. Good idea but there is a flip side to this. Since we have been breeding for a while now, we have changed our contracts to read "all sales are final". Not because we breed inferior stock, not at all. It is self-protection.
We have "bought back" before. We had sold perfectly healthy animals with great pedigrees and great temperaments. We ended up getting back half starved animals, no vet care since they left us, hooves grown out, no handling, horrible ground manners, bred to whatever came along.....and to boot these people now wanted twice what they paid to "rescue" their animals. We did buy back for a while for the sake of the animals but not anymore. And to top it off, once we got the animals back in shape, these same pervious owners now wanted the animals back "because they were attached!!" Give me a break. Over my dead body will these horses go back in those situations.

We tried every time to place our animals in good homes. Some of these people got in over their heads, some were just stupid. In a time where people move out of their homes and leave their animals behind (and I am talking dogs and cats here), you can't afford to "take back" every animal you breed.

It is not the responsibility of the breeder to have to rescue the animals. It is the owner's responsibility to manage the animal they buy. I don't own more animals than I can care for properly. I don't breed more animals than I can care for. Most years we only breed to replace the horses we sell. This year we have sold only a couple horses because I just can't face placing my horses in a home that might be unstable and in this economy "unstable" is a major keyword. I would rather hold on to them a bit longer and wait for the perfect home to come along. Yes, I would like to sell, but not to just anyone.

I know this is not the popular view and probably not the "polictically correct view" but I think more responsibility lies with the buyer than ever before. I am not Walmart or Rent a Center. I can't give a full refund just because the buyer has a run of bad luck or poor planning.

If you only have 1-2 sales a year- perhaps it will work for you. I sincerely hope you get back the animal you bred and sold and not the problems that other people just don't want to have to deal with because of their own lack of responsibility.

All of my horses are sold with a contract stating terms of final sale, BUT if it came down to where they HAD to get rid of the horse...i would take them back in a heart beat. Also...maybe the horse is 2 or 3 owners down the road...and that owner needs to let the horses go, the "final sale terms" were between you and the buyer you sold to, not the people 3 or 4 owners down the road. The happyness of my animals (that ive bred, or just owned for a time) is #1 to me.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I can see where it wouldn't always be possible to take back every single horse you'd bred or sold. But I do emphasize to my buyers the need to contact me should they find themselves in over their head. I'm not committing to buying back every horse I've sold, but I will certainly take them back, fix them up, and re-home if that's what was needed. I've only sold 8-10 horses and only have a few foals each year. If I bred 50 foals each year I probably couldn't offer this. But I REALLY don't want to see a Star Ridge Acres horse going through some two bit auction. The world sale, mare stare-produced online auctions or the Reece family sale - those are different. Those are quality sales where even though it's possible, the likelyhood of your horse going to a bad home is much less.

I'm not saying this is going to change the world, but if I can even get one horse back that is in a bad situation because of my name being listed on this site, then it was worth it.

 

[Minimor]

Ugh, if you actually read what is written on the site you will see that it specifically states that the breeders are not saying they will BUY BACK the horses, this is a resource for rescues and such that need to find a place for horses they take in--the breeders contact list can give them a place for a horse to go until it can be placed in a new home. It's right there in the second paragraph on the main page!

Nathan says this won't make a dent in the problem; maybe not, but it might help a small number of horses. It's kind of like asking what good is it to rescue one dog, because there are so many others out there that needs rescuing, and you can't save them all. Well, it still makes a huge difference to that one dog that you rescue, and that in itself is something.

 

[tagalong]

I think this is a great idea - many responsible dog breeders do that already and have done so for years. You could always phrase it as the right of first refusal... as in if said horse is going to be sold or given away, the owner should contact the breeder first.

 

[twister]

I haven't sold any horses yet but I think it is a great idea, we already do this with the golden retrievers we have bred. I will take any dog that I have bred back no matter when. I have taken an 8 year old golden back and he lived to be 16 and just passed over the bridge last spring. The foals did not ask to be born, we made the decision to bring them into the world and if they fall on hard times I think it is our responsibility to give them a helping hand. This site doesn't say you have to buy them back just give them a helping hand until they can be rehomed.

Yvonne

 

[susanne]

Even if it makes just a small dent, this is very important, as it gives recognition to breeders of integrity.

I can see where BUYING back could possibly set a bad precedent and would need to be handled with caution, but you are the one who has brought this animal into the world, and you are indeed responsible for them for the rest of their lives, NO MATTER HOW MANY YOU BREED, and should be ready to take them back as a rescue if needed.

Anyone who breeds should first consider whether or not they can take this living being back in if necessary. If you cannot, then don't breed.

I would hope that everyone considering a new purchase would check this list and look first for those breeders with integrity.

 

[Marty]

We have a little saying over at CMHR "saving one horse at a time"

And we think it does make a difference, even though we cannot rescue in multitude proportions.

Just ask that "one" horse.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I think it is a brilliant idea.

I've been breeding horses for over forty years and every one is sold with "first refusal" on them.

I will and always have take back any animal I have bred.....I cannot afford to buy them back, but I will always take them back, up to and including the kittens I rehome.

If you can't, don't breed them.

Simple, really!!

 

[Jill]

It may not make a dent in the over all problem, but I can't tell you how relieved I'd feel to take back a WFM horse that might have ended up in a bad place. Might only be one horse, but it would be one that meant something to me.

 

[Suzie]

My experience with "rescues" must be totally different here than most. I have yet to have a horse of mine offered back to me for free. The ones I have gotten back out of bad situations have always cost me more than I sold them for originally. However we did pay it for the sake of the horse.

If one of my horses was offered back free, of course I would take it back. But that is just not been our experience in the past.

 

[Magic]

Does it take some time to be listed on the site? I've signed up but don't see my name on the list...

 

[Katiean]

I have always told people with any kind of animal I have sold or given away that if they can no longer keep the animal or if they do not work out in their home to bring them back to me. I have taken back rabbits, kittens and dogs. I have never had someone bring back a horse.