Q&A - Importance of registration papers

A conversation between a previous adopter and I sparked today's topic regarding registration papers for retired racehorses. This is not the first time this has come up and I'm sure it won't be the last. So below are a few questions I've seen over the past couple years. I hope you find them helpful.


Q) I need my adopted TB's Jockey Club papers so I can compete in horse shows.
A) Currently there are no breed specific shows for Thoroughbreds that would require JC papers in order to compete.

Q) Does the value of my retired racehorse decrease because I do not have JC papers?
A) No. If your horse has raced or has been in race training he or she has a tattoo. The tattoo is specific to that horse and is traceable via the Jockey Club website and is proof the horse is registered.

Q) I need to transfer ownership into my name. If I don't have the papers how is this possible?
A) The Jockey Club does not track ownership like other breed associations do. You don't send in a fee with the information and get the papers back in your name. If you do have JC papers on your horse, a signature on the back is all that is required.

Q) Why was I not given the registration papers when I adopted my retired racehorse?
A) Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project retains ownership of the horse for a period of six months. After that time, if we were provided papers they will be given to the adopter. Many times we are not given the papers as the trainers want to insure the horse is not raced again.

Q) If I really want a copy of my retired racehorse's Jockey Club papers how can I go about getting them?
A) You can request a copy of your horse's papers via the Jockey Club website. You will need a bill of sale or contract and will be required to pay a fee.

Q) When would I need my retired racehorse's Jockey Club papers?
A) You would need Jockey Club papers and a bill of sale in order to race or breed your horse.


So as you can see, registration papers for a retired racehorse adopted from us are obsolete. I too used to think a piece of paper made the horse more valuable, as you can track bloodlines, compete in breed shows etc. With the Jockey Club providing free tattoo research, proof the horse is registered is at your fingertips. If you are planning on selling it all boils down to educating the buyer.

Day 7...... I'm building an ark.

We are going on day 7 with no access to water via the pump in the barn. I found it broken upon my return from vacation and have been hauling buckets from the house ever since. The barn and the pastures are rented and luckily the house is currently unoccupied so I am able to use faucet in the bathroom tub to fill each bucket. There are two 100 gallon water tanks in the pastures along with the 40 gallon tank in the barn for the small critters. The house sits a good distance from the barn -  the driveway and yard, due to the alternating freezing and thawing, now resemble an Olympic size ice rink. This makes the journey to get water entertaining to say the least. On more than one occasion I've found myself flat on the ice covered in water. I'm fairly certain I can hear the horses laughing.

In addition, the barn is flooded. I've tried to keep up with the water and the ice but it's been a daunting task. Shoveling water into buckets and hauling them out of the barn is time consuming and tends to get a bit disheartening when the water seems to collect as fast as it is removed. When the ice and snow thaws, there is literally a river running through the back of the barn. A small crack in the foundation allows the water to continue into the pasture however if that gets clogged or freezes, the water backs up and floods the barn. In places it's a few inches deep. Our four stalls are now useless and the goat, donkey, and miniature horse are living in the isle. I cannot say I will be disappointed when our lease is up. In the mean time I'm seriously considering building an ark.

Ahhhh Vacation....

So sorry for slacking on the posts as of late. I was on a much needed vacation. Although I had grand plans of not seeing ONE horse while away, I ended up spending quite a bit of time with them and actually enjoying it. Seems I just cannot stay away from them no matter how hard I try. It is, however, much different when they are not your own and you don't have things to worry about like flooded barns, broken water pumps, frozen hoses, empty water tanks, hay shortages, and manure management. (I never expected to feel so refreshed not having to worry about horse poop).

For those who didn't know, I escaped the frozen tundra of Minnesota for seventy degree New Mexico. Albuquerque to be exact. It was a spur of the moment decision to visit someone I hadn't seen in many years. Although I missed my daughter and maybe Matilda the mini donkey, I must say I did not want to come back. It was sunny every day and I reluctantly returned sporting a killer farmer's tan. Albuquerque was amazing. I enjoyed nearly every minute, climbing around mountains, basking in the sunshine, and tossing rocks in the Rio Grande. I enjoyed the adobe architecture and the cultural history and I love the fact you can have horses in your own back yard.  Nothing like Scott County Minnesota's stuffy zoning restrictions. I could appreciate the  unique beauty of the desert combined with the towering Sandias Mountains. The company wasn't bad either.

While on vacation, I also took the time to drive up to Denver for a couple days to visit friends. We rented horses and plodded along through the Garden of the Gods. It was relaxing to hop on an old, deadbroke trail horse and not have to worry about what was hiding behind the next rock waiting to eat him. A refreshing break, and quite the difference from riding off-the-track Thoroughbreds. 

So now I'm back to the snow and cold, broken water pumps, frozen hoses, flooded barns, empty water tanks, hay shortages, and yes.... poop.

Welcome home!

  

Enchanting Colors....



Enchanting Colors Nov 2010



We currently have a really nice mare available for adoption. We've had her since November and we found her in the kill pen at a local auction. She was emaciated and about a 2 on the Henneke scale. You could easily see her hip bones, ribs and spine. We outbid the kill buyer, took her home and fattened her up.  We researched her tattoo and found her name to be Enchanting Colors a 12 year old Thoroughbred mare. She raced twice, winning a $132 then retired to be a broodmare. We were told by the previous owner that there was something seriously wrong with the mare because she just couldn't gain weight. She was kept around for the sake of her foal, then discarded at the auction. There was absolutely nothing wrong with this mare. She ate well and gained weight fairly fast. Within a couple months she started to look like a horse again. We did nothing special with her, other than in the beginning she was fed three small meals daily. She's now borderline fat and thrives on a round bale and one graining per day. We aren't here to pass judgement, we are here to help the horses. Sometimes it's difficult, as I am a very opinionated person and I get tired of hearing the excuses and watching the horses suffer.



Enchanting Colors Feb 2011



The mare, affectionately named Leia, is 100% sound, healthy, and ready for a new home. She is extremely sweet and easy to handle. She has great ground manners and loves to be brushed and doted over. She stands great in cross ties and stands quiet for saddling, bridling and mounting. She lunges well and we've had her under saddle a few times now. Leia will need an experienced rider/trainer to continue her progress. She's a sensitive mare but will be easy to re-train.  She has lovely movement and could excel as a hunter. She stands about 15.2h and has a really nice build. Her placement fee is $400.

If you are interested, or know anyone who is, please contact us at 612-384-6908. This mare deserves her own, loving owner where she can be spoiled and have a job. It really is such a waste for a horse of her potential to just sit idle in our pasture.

Enchanting Colors under saddle

Enchanting Colors

Photo Thursday...

Since yesterday's blog left me in tears, I thought I'd share some recent photos from around the farm. These animals always make me smile, no matter how bad things seem to be. I'm so blessed to have them in my life and if I can give them back a fraction of the happiness they have given me, my job has been done.

Enjoy....




Enchanting Colors "Leia"







River and Daria Snoozing in the sunshine





Matilda the miniature donkey and Sox



Impress Cache and Solitary River



Distel Dancer with cat crew and Bailey the goat





Clo Jo "Noelle" with Sox the cat



Impress Cache enjoying a roll

Goodbye is never easy.....

Today we said goodbye to Fella's Flash, a 20 year old Standardbred we found at the feedlot. We never got a chance to get to know Fella. Apart from our brief meeting at the lot, glancing at his tattoo, admiring the knee that was the size of his head, and giving him a few pats,  that was the extent of it. It was heartbreaking to watch him limp around. It was obvious he was in pain. We talked amongst ourselves, wishing we had enough money to buy him and have him humanely euthanized. It didn't seem there was anything we could do for the sweet 17+ hand giant of a horse except say a little prayer. Having just made a plea to help raise funds for the old TB broodmare, we didn't feel it was appropriate to ask again for the Standardbred. Luckily a few individuals were touched by his story and donated to his cause. At twenty cents per pound, the cost to spring his 1290 pound body was going to exhaust our budget even with the few donations we received. After all, not only did we have to pay his bail, we also had to consider the cost of euthanasia and disposal.

After making a few calls, Dr. Jen informed us the Pony Club graciously offered to donate the cost of the euthanasia. In return, Dr. Jen was going to use Fella's legs for educational purposes. A win-win situation. We decided it was important for Fella to have a dignified death. After winning his owners money on the track, providing a lifetime of service to humans (he still had a nail in his overgrown hoof) and ultimately being tossed in the trash, this gelding needed to know someone cared enough to at least give him that.



Fella enjoying his last meal



We picked Fella up at the feedlot this afternoon and went straight to the clinic. Kate gave him a delicious mash filled with yummy treats and we gave him lots of pats, scratches and hugs. As he was given a sedative, we told him what a good boy he was and how beautiful he was going to look once he crossed over the rainbow bridge. Dr. Jen administered the injection and he peacefully slipped away surrounded by people who loved him. Fella would never have to feel pain again. Although he briefly touched our lives, I know I will never forget him. After it was all over, I cut a lock of his tail and after braiding, it will hang in a shadowbox at the barn with his picture and a plaque that reads:

Fella's Flash

 Standardbred Gelding

8/16/91 - 2/16/11

Goodbye sweet Fella - may you soar on wings of eagles.



There are no coincidences...

Yesterday I posted about taking chances and about how we sadly had to pass on an older TB mare at the auction due to budget constraints. Who knew this mare would keep resurfacing?

Jen Selvig, our Vice President, Consulting Vet, and accomplished three day eventer,  has always dreamed of having a beautiful grey Arabian for trail riding. Although she will probably smack me for outing her,  that's really where the story of this mare continues. As it happened, the most beautiful grey Arabian I had ever seen was run through that same auction and was picked up by the same dealer as the TB mare. I couldn't stop thinking of this grey Arab and thought he'd be perfect for Jen. So after some convincing, we took a chance and headed to the feedlot on Sunday in attempt to track him down.  While at the feedlot I recognized the TB mare from the auction, took some photos and gave her a few treats. We trotted her for soundness and glanced her over. We took note of her posty back legs and her thin and unconditioned coat. We wrote down her tattoo number in attempt to see who she was, even knowing at that point, really there was nothing we could do. Our funding is so limited and we had just taken in the grey.





TB mare loaded in the trailer

As we pondered the grey Arab, we shuffled around the barn and watched the activities. A large triple axle stock trailer backed up to the barn and they began weighing and loading horses. Oklahoma bound first, then Mexico we were told. We were also given a lesson on how market horses, also known as slaughter horses, were rated. Much like cattle they have different grades. We were told stock breeds were most desirable, followed by lighter breeds, then Thoroughbred types and finally drafts. We then watched as the TB mare was loaded along with many, many others. We watched her slip on the scale and nearly go down as they were yelling for the others to keep loading.  I could see the mare's head in the trailer, recognizable by her star and blue halter. I walked up to the trailer, scratched her forehead, told her I was sorry and wished her luck. I said a small prayer for her and walked away. Jen and I posted bail for the grey Arabian and left. My 12 year old daughter had tears in her eyes.

Monday afternoon we had planned on picking up the grey. Colleen Foley, our Secretary and friend Kate Jensen joined us. Upon our arrival we were amazed to find nearly all of the horses were gone. I never got a head count, but I would guess there was at least 40-50 horses the day before. In the east pen, in a cluster of about 10 horses was the mare - same star, same blue halter, same hip number. For whatever reason she had been unloaded, along with a couple other horses I had seen head up the ramp and into the trailer. Why was this mare still there? Why was her life spared when she was already loaded and ready to head south? Call me crazy, I do believe in signs and I do believe there are no coincidences in life. Everything happens for a reason and you are exactly where you are supposed to be - when you are supposed to be there. Were we brought back to this mare for a reason? I can see missing out on her once (the auction),  maybe twice (Sunday at the feedlot) but three times?

There are no coincidences. Perhaps even though it is financially draining on us to have a collection of old broodmares, that is what we are meant to do at this point in time.