This brought tears to my eyes, I'm not kidding. I have been in this circumstance with others a few times. It is so so hard. I have always said something, in a kind way. I have understood sometimes, they were taking bad vet advice or worried themselves, grasping at straws trying to figure it out. I have gone thru it myself with jaspar, turned out it was his teeth, to the tune of three different teeth jobs that cost a lot and all three did a lousy job etc.
But I have had people lie to me, and say "I lost my pasture lease" and then found out they never had a pasture lease. I have always tried to help if they were people I knew and cared about. But when they lie and make crazy excuses I end up just losing all respect and walking away, trying to find good homes for horses when I can. But ironically usually people like this wont sell a horse cheap, oh no, they want top dollar for a starved lame sick horse, its just unreal. I have a friend with a paso. She is very very goey mare. She took her on a 50 mile endurance ride without any prep in the least. The mare was in enough condition from trail riding all the time that she passed vet checks. but she blew a tendon and is totally worthless now. I saw the woman last week. She says she doesnt have a horse anymore, are any of mine for sale. I told her no, they are like my children, and she says, get this "oh, I see you just like to spend all your money feeding horses." That infuriated me. How dare she judge me for having too many horses, all of them well tended as can be, its my money, and what would she have said if I had blurted back "If I sold a horse it would be to someone who didnt ride them into the dirt and then dump them crippled at auction" which she has done twice now. But everyone talks about them all the time, these people, and they get turned in, turned on by other decent horse people etc... sigh. I promise you this Mic, wont hurt anything at all for you to tell her how you feel in no uncertain terms because when its all said and done she'll remember at least you tried to be decent about it and you know she knows she is not doing the right thing! There is an old saying, "ask yourself three questions when you want to open your mouth and say something---1. is it true? 2. Is it kind? 3. Is it necessary?" janice-- even good horses have bad days sometimes.
