# Weanlings locked up. Cruelty or not?



## cherish (May 12, 2012)

Hi Horse friends. I have a small property 5 acres and advertised agistment for a few horses, three being my limit. A very nice old gentleman answered my ad asking if he could put in three yearling thoroughbreds plus a nanny horse. I agreed to the four as he said the nanny would only be here for a few weeks while the three settled. As we also have a closed in stable and feed shed I told him he could also use them for the horses. I have said to him several times since that the nanny will have to go as the feed is getting scarce. Five weeks ago the man came and asked if he could use the lock up stable to wean a couple of babies. I said that would be fine as long as the others go somewhere else trying to enforce my three horse rule. He bought the babies and locked them in the stable and has not taken the others. I now have six! There is very little feed for the older ones though he has supplied plenty of feed and comes most twice days to feed the babies, sometimes only once and mostly a very quick visit of ten minutes. He tried to break the babies to lead in the small yard off the stable for about a week but I have a feeling they are a bit too much for him to handle. They did get loose on him once and they got in with the older horses and the nanny tried to kill them. We had to round them up after they went through several of our wire fences and hunt them back into the stable. I am still shaking from that one. I told him that the babies cannot be let out in our paddock as the fences are obviously not strong enough to contain them and we are on a very busy road and it would be tragic if they got onto the road. If they got into a neighbours paddock they would cause mayhem and injury to other horses. They just seem to go through fences like they are not there. They have now been locked up for five weeks with only an few minutes out in a small yard here and there. I can’t see any answers for them. It is making me not sleep I am so worried about the poor little things and what it would be doing to them. I worry about the older ones too as they are very wormy. I am a horse lover but certainly no expert. Any answers for me? Am I worrying about nothing? Is this all ok? I know it is common practice to lock babies up in the racing industry but these are under my nose on my property and I don’t like it. Looking forward to your comments. Cherish.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I personally would not keep weanlings in the stables.. I would want them out and about. But that's just me.. :/

5 acres with 3 horses is pushing it.. let alone 6! Is this guy going to keep them there cause your land is going to get all eaten up.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Why haven't you booted him off your property? He's already broken your agreement of only having 3 horses on the premises.

Stop putting up with him walking all over you, and tell him to adhere to the original agreement or ALL of them have to go.


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## cherish (May 12, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. I would want them out and about too but in a safe environment. Our property is not safe for them. I also agree with you Speedracer that I should have told him to bug off well before now. I am quite angry at myself for letting this happen. I have to just be firm with him like you say. I am still very worried about the babies. I just dont know what is giong to become of them.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Unfortunately that's not your problem. They will go wherever the owner takes them. You could gently encourage him to sell them to good homes, but that's about it since you don't have the space for them.


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## cherish (May 12, 2012)

I know it is not my problem and if they were to be taken away I would disengage from the whole thing but while they are here it is doing my head in. Yes good idea, I might suggest that he sell them if he cant rehouse them and I will have to be firm. If I can solve this I will never agist horses again. I am too easily walked on. I have to stop being nice and take charge.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yeah :/ not everyone out there is as lovely as you. There are some really sketchy people, and unfortunately even in our lovely horse community. 

Wish you the best!


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I have no idea if this is true where you live, but in the US, if it is on your property, YOU can be found responsible to some extent if they get out, get hit and someone gets hurt, or if they are being abused of neglected (ie locked up and not fed properly.) Perhaps This would motivate you enough to do something about it. You stand to lose everything, at least if you were here in some of the states.......and this guy is risking YOUR home. That should PI$$ you off, if sure would if it were me! Tell him he has to take his horses and GO! YESTERDAY!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Completely agree with Frank. It will be on you if his horses get out and damage something or injure someone. I'm fairly certain he knows this already, so is deliberately putting you at risk to be sued and lose everything.

It's not your problem what happens to his horses when they leave your property, but it IS your problem while they're there.

I have to wonder how many other places he's worn out his welcome, because it's apparent this isn't his first time at trying to take advantage of a good hearted person.


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## cherish (May 12, 2012)

Good hearted but stupid headed!! We did have an agreement drawn up that states clearly we are not responsible for the horses or any damage to them or property or the owner while on our property. I also demanded their vets number and the right to ring if her if I felt the horses need urgent attention and could not get on to the owner. I thought I was clever at the time and had it all covered. We also have huge house insurance but I bet if it came to the crunch the insurance company would not pay up as you see many times here in Aus. This weanling problem was not in the plan and I am kicking myself. I have weaned my own foals here many many years ago in our normal plain wire fenced paddocks and I don’t remember a problem. I will tell him they must go now and if that does not get rid of him I will tell him we are selling the property and the horse must go ---YESTERDAY Frank  ! He has been a nice friendly old bloke, the horses have been fed reasonably well and agistment money paid within the time frame. It would be easier for me to spit the dummy if he hadn’t but I have to stop worrying about being nice and get firm and in charge. Yes Speed I too wonder how many other places he has been kicked out of for making his own rules and then being very hard to get rid of. I should have listend to the little voice on my shoulder saying NO DONT DO THIS . Will grab him this arvo when he comes to see to them and tell him to move on. It is just too risky here.Thanks for your thoughts on this. Cherish


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Good on you Cherish-get rid of him and move on. 

Happy you had the agreement, but......in the states, if they get out and hurt someone else-your agreement with him is not worth the paper it is written on from what I know, and sadly we have such a litigious society-everyone is looking for a quick buck it seems.

Anyway-he has taken total advantage of you and you need to let him know you are not his doormat. Go get' em! Don't make me come over there! lol (altho I would LOVE the excuse......;-) )


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## cherish (May 12, 2012)

He he ha lol , I would love to have you come over and help me get rid of him Frank but I am a bit concerned you would move into my spare bed room and I would have to sell my house to get rid of you. :wink:  Seriously, things like this make a person very untrusting of everyone. I will ditch the doormat, puff myself up and go out there later. Let you know how I go. J


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

No worries-I love to travel, but love my own home just as much.....and would miss my horses......lol:wink:


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## cherish (May 12, 2012)

WELL he came early so I thought I would get out there while all your thoughts are still in my head. I told him that the babies have to go right now. I told him that I am a wreck over them being locked up but under no circumstances are they to be let out into our paddock as they will run through the fences and we will be sued from every angle and I won’t allow that to happen and I won’t allow them to remain locked up on my property as I see it as being cruel no matter what the racing industry thinks. He looked a bit bruised but assured me he will find somewhere else for them. I won’t back down. I will keep at him and at him till they are gone. I also told him the nanny must go immediately. If he does follow MY ORDERS I will consider keeping the other three here for a bit longer. If it drags on I will throw a total tanty (will practice that in the meantime) and he will run with his tail between his legs happy to be away from me. I have to stop thinking about where these lovely horses will end up. I have become attached to one in particular silly me. I will let go.--- I hope. Thanks everyone. 

Cherish


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Good job, but......next time you see him let him know he has until......XX/XX/XXXX period. After that, your board fees triple to cover the liability. lol Hang tough, even if they are cute and sweet.


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## Rascaholic (Oct 4, 2010)

Have you considered purchasing the one you have grown attached to?:lol: 
Yes I know, I'm no help at all :rofl: Good luck with this situation. You seem to have your head back on level and handling it nicely.


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## cherish (May 12, 2012)

Don’t laugh Rasca, the thought has crossed my mind. My daughter worked for years in the racing industry and now has several horses she became attached to in her paddocks. This could be an inherited affliction. My avatar picture is of my pony Bob. He was thirty seven years old when I had him put down last year L, and for the first time since I was twelve, I am horseless so I am a bit vulnerable. I have a feeling this guy will try to drag this on a bit though. I might have to get a bit nasty. Not really me but I do have to think of my own welfare.
*16*


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## cherish (May 12, 2012)

Update on this all. I ended up getting farm insurance as I rang my home insurance co and they said we were not covered for agisting animals and it was classed as a business. EEEKKK. It works out to around $15 per week. I then told him I was adding this insurance to the agistment fees which he agreed to. I then issued him with a written letter stating that if the horses were not removed within a month of the date of the letter they would be classed as abandoned and handed over to authorities. I am sure he would have realised that that would have meant he would be in big trouble. IT WORKED !!! Yesterday with three weeks to go he came and took the weanlings and has taken them to a local horse agistment facility which will cost him $20 a day each. No wonder he was trying to stall me and string me on . I only charged him $20 a week per horse. It’s so sad that you have to come down heavy on people before they take you seriously. I am not holding my breath about the others leaving but at the very least the poor little weanlings are out of confinement and in a paddock with other weanlings, where they can at least have a run around and stretch their little legs. Ahhh I can sleep at last. I would not recommend agisting to anybody. Never again but good outcome for now.


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