Can You Guess What I'm Thinking?

The readers of this blog seem on my level in terms of wanting to see horses well cared for, sold in a sensible, responsible manner etc. So let me ask a question, and I bet you guys jump to the same conclusion as I have. Why would you put up a sales photo of a horse wearing a rug that looks like this?:

Got your answer?




Here's mine- because what's under the rug looks even worse than the rug itself.

As soon as I saw this picture I thought- I bet that mare looks seriously poor under that. And the advert content seems to support this logic:

UNBROKEN BUT QUIET,OUT WINTERED AND NEEDS TLC AND GRASS.

Quiet- I'll bet, probably using all her energy just to stay alive! And for TLC and Grass read- NEEDS FOOD!!

As if further proof were needed: Exhibit A.

Yep, different horse but same place, same seller, another motheaten old rug (possibly a too tight headcollar as well for good measure) and another comment:

OUT WINTERED SO NEEDS A BIT OF TLC PRICED LIKEWISE

Look how thin her neck is. I can imagine we've got a bony spine, hip bones and ribs under that rug.

These are Irish ads, and yes, Ireland's had it tough, the economy's in the toilet and horse after horse has been slaughtered because people can't afford to keep them and can't find anyone to buy them. Some might say at least these mares are still alive, but to me, there's never any justification for neglect.

I suspect the owner decided to hang on and try and sell these two in spring as he'd have a better chance with the traditionally better horse buying weather coming in. Horses don't tend to sell as easily in winter. But horses don't sell when it's going to take a substantial amount of money in feed or vet attention to get them right either. A winter left to their own devices in a field probably hasn't helped these girls at all.

Still we can hope that they get a happy ending. If anyone is interested in them please click on those links!