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Discussion on Tough problem to sell--advice?
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 5:03 pm:
Hi. I'm desperate. I have a big beautiful DrOp-dead five-year-old mule that I'm trying to sell. Besides needing more finishing work, she has an odd fear that I'm unable to help her overcome due to, well, it's odd nature. Millie is afraid of bold colored Appaloosas. The two times we've run across them in the three years I've owned her, she's kicked at them from about 20 feet away. She's never made contact, and I believe that is her intent (to miss) as she's pleasantly assertive but not aggressive with her pasture mates. At the second encounter, Millie also bolted about 30 feet. As soon as I tell buyers about this fear, I never hear from them again. I'm can hardly blame them. I've been able to get Millie over past fears easily. THe problem here is exposing her to enough Aps in enough new locations to be sure she's over her fear. Does anyone have an idea of what I might do to find a new home for this molly? I can't in good conscience sell her without revealing what I know about her. I'm also leary about selling her cheap to someone who would just peddle her again without sharing the truth about her. Millie is so friendly and mellow otherwise, it'd be a shame to just put her down. 
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 5:41 pm:
I don't believe putting her down for that fear is even an option.
Have you considered pasturing her nextdoor to some Holsteins?
I have a very good neighbor here who LOVES mules, LOVES mollys, and he might be interested . . . and look at what I'm bringing home tomorrow!
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Member:
Sjeys
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 5:55 pm:
Obviously, very few vets (thank god) will kill a horse just because its kicks out when it sees a particular color or type of horse. My huge TB is terrified of minis but so what...every equine is probably spooky around something. Besides most people who own horses understand that they spook at things. Its like a horse that kicks, just let people know its something you've noticed off hand but since its only happened twice, there is NO WAY you can even begin to call it a pattern.
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 6:52 pm:
I really don't think putting her down is an option, either. She's too sweet, and besides I've got about two grand invested in her. My first choice is to sell her reasonably to someone has the know-how and resources to deal with her. They would need to know that she kicks out high. While she has yet to make contact with another horse, I'd feel terrible if someone got caught in the crossfire. Her bolting isn't so bad except that I usually ride with my kids or others' kids, and that might cause a wreck.
Frankly, she's a VERY easy mule to get over shying; I just don't have the right tools to make it happen. Holsteins won't work, as she's not afraid of "patches" so much as "spots."
Holly, your Ap is beautiful! If your neighbor is at interested and an honorable person, post again and we'll see if we can work something out.
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Member:
Dtranch
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 7:17 pm:
Holly .. I think I have seen a picture of that horse before. You actually went and done it .. huh.
DT
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 7:24 pm:
I need to requote that amount. I have OVER two grand invested in Millie counting purchase price and training fees. I've owned her for three years now, and she's quite the pet as well as a laidback trail mount (except where spots are concerned). Please know that I am willing to take a loss to ensure Millie goes to a good home.
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 7:30 pm:
Yep, Denny, I did . . .
He's nice on trail. Hope he will be good in the arena. Has only ever had a mechanical hackamore on so I'll be introducing him to the bit, but I don't think it will be a problem.
Heidi, I printed the picture of your molly and your post, and took it out to our neighbor who is helping to cut and remove the cattle pens and loading shute we have here . . . First of all, he wanted to know if she was a hinny because her ears don't look very long. Secondly, he said, "Well, I won't be going to Minnesota," and thirdly, he really wants a dapple gray mule and is trying to get my husband to agree to breed his dapple gray QH to his Jack. Not gonna happen.
How 'bout if you spray paint little black spots everywhere in her stall? Do you have a gray horse? If so, how about drawing polka dots on it with a dark grease pencil? There must be a way that she can be desinsitized to spots. Maybe hang a spotted sheet up over her feed bowl? . . . Only ride her in a spotted clown suit? Maybe you can get really creative and break her of her phobia.
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 8:19 pm:
Millie isn't a hinny, but she does have a more horse-like head. A lot of people consider that desirable. She is stout and strong but has no draft blood.
Thanks for checking with your neighbor, Holly. I already painted white barrels with spots. I don't have a gray horse. I've considered the sheet idea, and then sewing them into "pajamas" for my other horses/mules to wear around the pasture. Since she knows and likes them, she might warm up to the spots more easily. Wearing the sheet myself sounds a little dangerous. In the back of my mind is the concern that all this won't really make a difference because she's really tuned into unfamiliar horses with spots. The only way for me to find that out is to try, I guess.
If anyone else has had success in breaking a horse or mule of his particular fear, I would enjoy hearing from them. So far, I've only encountered people who've said, "Yep, I had a horse that hated spots, too." Nothing personal, Holly.
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 8:46 pm:
 No offense taken, Heidi. Personally, I like plaid myself, but those Plaidaloosas are really hard to find.
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Member:
Shanson
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 11:06 pm:
Heidi, you could save yourself the trouble and expense of putting her down by just giving her to me!
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Friday, Oct 13, 2006 - 11:47 pm:
Thanks for the offer, Sharon. I've had several opportunities to date to sell Millie for $2500. The sales fell apart as soon as I shared Millie's fear, a fear the buyers would never have known about had I not revealed it to them. I chose not to take advantage of their ignorance, and I'm looking for someone to buy Millie who will not take advantage of my integrity. I'm willing to lose on my original investment. But give her away? I don't think so. Even more than that, I'm a great believer in the phrase "Easy come, easy go." The one and only horse I ever gave away ended up being sold to pay his boarding bill. Never again.
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 - 9:00 am:
I'm willing to take $1250 for Millie. I do believe someone out there can work her through her fear. Once they do that and get her softer on the bit, Millie will be worth $3500-4500. I base these prices on quotes from two mule dealers who thought an awful lot of her size, good looks and disposition. They did not buy her because one was retired and one had his hands full fixing up his recently purchased dude ranch.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 - 9:54 am:
Heidi, do you have a situation where you can bring in an App or two and place them several fences away and then slowly move them closer and closer until they share a sturdy fence line?
DrO
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 14, 2006 - 10:10 am:
No, I only have side-by-side pastures with electric fences. It's also hard to convince people to let me borrow their Aps for such an experiment. To date, Millie has never made contact. Can I guarantee that she won't ever? I think not.
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Member:
Lynnea
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Posted on Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 - 12:38 am:
Just a thought...is it possible Millie needs an eye examination? I always look for a physical problem and try to explore every avenue. Perhaps there is something unusual within her vision that causes that reaction. It is worth a try.
I have a mare who was wonderful to ride until one day she leaped through the air when my friend was getting on her. Several months before that my daughter had the same experience with her. It did not happen every time we got on and she really wasn't ridden a lot. I couldn't figure it out. My Vet she had a small cataract, but shouldn't be a problem. I called an equine eye specialist and found that the cataract was causing a problem when light hit her eye a certain way. I honestly can't explain all the details, because it was intricate..but, the bottom line was it was as if she was seeing something strange out of the corner of her eye and that made her reaction totally out of character...
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Member:
Shanson
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Posted on Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 - 5:14 pm:
My apologies, Heidi. In hindsight, I see that my "tongue-in-cheek" offer could easily be misinterpreted as serious. I agree with you that your mule has value and that you should not give her away just because of this behavior.
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 8:46 am:
No hard feelings, Sharon. Your "smiley" should have tipped me off, but I wanted to head off potential slaughter buyers, too. I do have a man interested in Millie at this time. He seems a good match. I'll let you all know how it goes.
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New Member:
Peggyr1
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 11:32 am:
Heidi have you thought about introducing a spotted donkey? Same coloring but different equine type might help!
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 1:17 pm:
Finding someone to loan a spotted donkey would prove challenging. Thanks for the idea, though.
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 2:48 pm:
Good news! Millie sold to a knowledgable trail riding family in Iowa. They appreciated knowing the facts about her, and agreed to touch back so we could see how she's doing. What a great feeling!
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Member:
Heidim
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 3:45 pm:
Lynne, I really don't think Millie has an eye condition. It just doesn't synch with how she acts and reacts. However, I will tuck that bit of wisdom away for another day/equine.
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New Member:
Peggyr1
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 4:14 pm:
Glad you found a home for Millie!
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