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Convincing someone to sell their horse

3K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  timmythenarwhal 
#1 ·
I'm not positive where to put this, but I am trying desperately to convince my uncle to sell his horses. They are the only horses I am really able to ride, so it's not for personal gain, I simply feel he takes horrible care of them and now that I am aware I cannot simply walk away without trying to help them. I've done everything I can for them, they've been vaccinated for the first time in years, I treated their thrush, gotten their hooves gradually trimmed back to a healthy length, I am getting his overweight one back in shape and his hard keeper to gain some, and generally worked with them (they love the trails and getting out of the pasture!) But there is so much I can't help with. There are scraps of metal all over their pasture that are too heavy for me to move, their pasture is 80% mud and weeds (they both have horrible hay belly from having such low quality forage year round), and I'll only be around for another year to ride them and take care of them as much as I can, then I'm off to college. After that they'll go back to being pasture ornaments until they die (he refuses to even put down a horse, he let his last one starve himself to death).
In his defense, he is a full time farmer with a phobia of being bucked off a horse; as the last several times he's ridden he's been too rough on his very sensitive horses mouth and essentially pulled him over backwards. Also, I'm his kid niece whose been working with his horses for less than a year. I do understand why he doesn't listen to me, I just am hoping for some advice to convince him! Or atleast keep him from going back to not vaccinating or trimming them as soon as I leave...
 
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#2 ·
If he never rides, maybe you could make him an offer -- you fix up and market the horses and get a 10% -20% commission on what you make on each sale.

If you present it as business opportunity for him and a way for you to earn some cash, he might see it differently.
 
#9 ·
I can see your point. But as an old man that has not ridden in a few years due to health, I can also see his point. I do try to take care of mine. I do watch their feet and vaccines are given. I also agree that they need to be wormed once in a while. Twice a year would be great.
I hope if I get to the point that I can not take care of mine, that I have someone like you to help me. But they are his horses. Try to work on one at a time. If you can get him to do something about one that is not his favorite, maybe more later.
Unless they are being abused, I would not call animal control. He is your uncle. Not giving vaccines is not abuse. Not feeding is abuse.
Good luck with your efforts.
 
#10 ·
Funny, GF and I talked a little about this topic on our Saturday ride.

It'll be a sad day for me when I can't ride anymore. It'll even be a sadder day when I can't care for my horses anymore either.....

I suspect he feels much the same way....as I don't really want to know when I've made my last ride.

He's holding on to hope.....and hope is one of the three greatest things in the world. (1 Corinthians 13:13) Don't crush an old man's dream....he might not have many others....

That said, dreams come in many forms.....get on those horses and ride....who knows...he might just decide to ride with you....maybe he's waiting on just the right time.....
 
#11 · (Edited)
I agree with mred, I would not call animal control. Unless he is physically abusing them and there is zero forage, animal control won't do much. (I had to call them once about some horses that had absolutely nothing to eat and were stripping the bark off fence posts, all they did was get the owner to put hay out).

You have a year to soften him up on proper horse care and maintenance for when you leave. Worming them would be a good idea.

And here is the hard lesson: not everyone takes care of their horses, dogs, pets, or kids as well as what we would do. Or even keep them around for the same reason we would. He is getting some pleasure out of them and as awful as the metal filled pasture is, they seem to know to avoid it. You should have seen how horses are kept on the Mexican border and Mexico, where I've lived. There comes a point where you just accept what is, and while there, with kindness and love do what you can. Maybe when you are gone your parents (his brother or sister?) can visit and keep an eye out on them. Or, and here is a cool idea, find another young person, who is horse crazy, who would be willing to fill your shoes when you go. Other than taking care of the horses it fosters a youngster/elder relationship that our society is sorely lacking these days. I learned to ride many a cantankerous horse by doing just that as a kid and I got to hear stories about times past first hand.
 
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