Several years ago, my sister and I decided to head out to the small local auction that takes place the first Saturday of every month. We didn't plan on buying anything, we were just bored and wanted to see what was going through.
Both my sister and I own geriatric horses, all Morgans. Mine is a 22 year old mare and she has a 22 and a 23 year old mare and gelding. My mare's back was starting to sway and it bothered her to ride her. The vet said that some nerves were probably getting pinched, so she is my beautiful pasture ornament now. She still loves to be pampered and she gets her daily dose of it every evening.
The auction didn't start until 7pm. My husband was working a late shift that day and warned me that I had better not take any money with me. I listened to him and left my purse at home.
That summer had been hot and dry in southeast Missouri. We were in the middle of a major drought and there was no hay to be had. It was now October and people were dumping horses left and right. What they couldn't sell either went to the auction or they were dumped along back roads like puppies.
That night, there were about 50 horses going through.... way more than usual. Usually you may get 10 or maybe 20 on a good night.
It was sad to see these undernorished, lame, sick and/or unwanted horses being run through the gates. No one was bidding. We sat there and watched as only 2 horses out of the first 30 or so were actually purchased by someone. All the rest went to the 'meat' man. I hated to see that.I felt so sorry for those poor horses, but there was no where else for them to go.
Then they brought in this copper red mare. She was in good flesh, had bright eyes and her ears where flicking this way and that as she took in everything around her. She was a good 15.2 hands tall and 8 years old.
The announcer said that she was a registered Quarter Horse. Her papers were all in order. She was double Impressive bred and HYPP/NN. She looked like an Impressive bred mare with a huge hip on her and a nice shoulder.
I just knew that someone would grab her up.
The auctioneer started the bid at $500. No one bid.
Then he dropped it to $400. Then to $300.
He then exclaimed that the mare was in foal to a Zan Parr Bar son. All the paperwork was in order and the foal would be able to be registered.
He pleaded with someone to bid on this mare!
The audience was quiet.
He then looked over to the 'meat' man and asked him if he wanted her for $200. The man shook his head yes !
I looked at my sister and my sister looked at me. We both got up and ran around to the back of the barn area to get a better look at this mare. They had ridden her into the ring and she was very responsive and calm. We found her and she came right up to us and laid her muzzle in our arms. The only thing we saw was a bit of an enlarged knee, not bad, but you could see where she had injured it at one time.
We found the 'meat' man and asked him what he would do with her. He was going to haul her to another auction with the rest of the stock he had bought and see if he could resell her. If not, she was headed to Mexico.
We asked if we could buy her. He said he didn't care, and that if we gave him $50 bucks, he would turn all the paperwork over to us and we could go pay for her and take her home. We did just that (my sister had her checkbook on her), and then found a neighbor who had his truck and trailer there and he hauled her home for us.
My husband wasn't shocked at all, he knows how I am when it comes to animals. If I could have, I would have saved them all. He fell in love with her and nicknamed her 'Lucy' because of her bright red hair.
She settled right in and after a few weeks of relaxation, I got on and rode her around the farm. She was wonderful. I had her knee checked out and the vet said it looked like it was an old kick injury. She is not lame on it at all.
The next spring, she presented me with a beautiful white faced filly. The filly is a character and is always getting herself into trouble. She is so curious that she will get herself caught up in a brush pile because she followed a rabbit. She is forever stealing brushes, halters, tools or whatever else you may have out in the barnyard with you. If you lay it down, she will pick it up and take off.
She grabbed a small blue tarp one time and took off with it almost running the other horses through the fence as she scared them all to death. They ran and she ran after them trying to catch up with them with this bright blue tarp hanging from her teeth. I have one of those white plastic chairs out by the barn and I will look out and she will be running off with it, taking it out to the middle of our 20 acre pasture.
Every time I turn around, I am yelling at her: "Darn It Scarlett". She is a red chestnut (sorrel) like her mom and we nicknamed her Scarlett. Well, the name stuck and her registered name is now "Darn It Scarlett".
She is a yearling this year and is really shaping up nice. She will be my future horse to ride the trails on and just to love and enjoy !
Here is 'Lucy' with 2 day old 'Scarlett'. You can't miss that white face !!
Here is 'Darn It Scarlett' at 4 months old.
