hes taking possum back...NOOOOOO!!

Some of you know and some of you don't but I have a tb mare on lease that I got in poor, poor condition about 18 months ago. I fattened her up and fixed her all up and have been showing with her this year. The owner rarely contacted me to see how she was doing and it was easy to fall into a comfort zone where I thought he was never going to want her back.

Then today I got the call he is going to be taking her back in the new year!! I don't think I've stopped crying since I got off the phone to him. He doesnt even deserve her. Its his fault she was in the condition she was in to start with and now I have to go and put her back in that environment

Legally I don't think I have a leg to stand on because he is the legal owner. Theres nothing I can do which makes it all even worse.

Im devastated

Oh Jazzy, that's so sad.

But maybe, if you can, offer to buy Possum if you love him that much. I don't know of that's an option or not, but I hope something works out.

If I don't remember, didn't you offer to buy her in the past? I vaguely remember the stories you told us about this man, but he is no good! Even though it is out of your control, maybe you can have a sit down with him and tell him about how he was caring for her was wrong, and that if he doesn't believe you , just look at her now! Hopefully, he will take what you say into consideration. IF you can manage it, make up a list of all her likes and dislikes and schedule (feeding and work) and make sure he gets it......it really might help her life in the long run. I'm so sorry you have to go through this.....it's ok to cry and be sad. Let's just hope that things don't go downhill for her. Good luck :(

(((HUGS)))

Wanderlust - unfortunately he doesnt want to sell her. God knows why. Apparently he just loves her too much which is so evident by the condition she was in when I got her *note: sarcasm* :)

Free - yeah that's the guy. He's no good with the horses. We bought our warmblood off of him too who was in nearly as poor condition as possum but he is much bigger so had more weight to lose.

I've spoken to the owner since I posted this and I am allowed to keep her long enough to get a foal on the ground from her which makes me a lot happier. Seems I have her for at least another 15-16 months now. We just have to take her to him when the foal is weaned which is a 600km drive but hey, if it means I get her for a bit longer then so be it :)

OH WELL that's great news! Who knows what will happen in that amount of time.... maybe a meteor will fall down on his head, ya know...who knows :) lol

Any chance you can get some ASPCA involved? You have the pictures of her when you got her. I remember them. And you obviously proved that she was in that condition because of lack of food! This guy doesn't deserve her at all.

((huge hugs))

If you need to talk Emily, I'm here :)

Lol if only a meteor would fall down on his silly head. Sadly though I don't like my chances.

Appy - a good friend of mines sister is a police officer and she is going to ask her where I stand on all this. He does have her papers and can prove ownership but im hoping that there will be a legal loop hole somewhere that will allow me to fight for her with a decent chance of winning. Last time she spoke to her sister it was all very unofficial and she didnt tell her the full story. At that point she said we should just move and not tell him where we are. She said the police would more than likely not have the time nor concern to follow it up and would basically just say 'sort it out between yourselves'. That's a little dishonest to me though and I can just imagine we would get the one cop who would be all by the book and throw our butts in jail for horse theft or something lol

Thanks for everyones replies

((((hugs))))

I was going to suggest moving and not having any contact with him, but thought it could get you into more trouble.

There are people all the time that are the owners of horses or just animals in general, that have their papers yet starve or kill their animals because of neglect.

I don't think it should matter that she's not in his possesion right now. If you have a written contract that you are leasing her, maybe see if there are any loop holes you can use with that to keep her.

What I don't get is, he won't part with Possum a (please don't take offense to this) regular tb, yet Jarred, a warmblood, a Trakhner none the less, he sold.

It is great that you are keeping her until she foals. Will you get to pick the stud or will he? Are you going to get to keep the foal?

Oh, wanted to add, not sure how your lease is set up, but you should smack him with a huge bill for everything you've done with/for her. All the feeds, the blankets, the vets visits, the farrier visits, the chiro, the show entries, every single thing! Make him pay half, or all of it if need me. That might sway him to let you keep her.

(Sorry that was all over the place. It's late and my brain has been turned off)