“Wanted: riding helmet and saddle
We are fostering a horse and need an inexpensive riding helmet for a child and a saddle that can hold 2 riders. 319-232-####”
What rescue allowed these people to foster a horse?! Assuming, of course, that they’re using the term in the common vernacular.
“a saddle that can hold 2 riders”?! Are you serious? Please someone tell me this is a joke! [Surely you can't be serious. I am serious and don't call me Shirley.]
The lovely reader who went this ad in also pointed out “You want a cheap helmet for your child?? You get what your pay for remember that when they are in the ER.”
And I think that about sums it up. That is a crapton of stupid in one little sentence. Congrats advertiser. Well done, you.
25 Comments
I wish Darwin’s Law had come into force and the cheap helmet had done its job on the adult, but unfortunately, it’s the kid that will be taken off the “moron gene” ladder. Then the idiot parents will have another child, thus making sure their stupidity lives on in another human.
I’m honestly amazed they are using a helmet at all (cheap or otherwise). I wonder if this is a case of a family thinking how fun it would be to foster a horse but working with a questionable rescue.
The family simply sounds uneducated about the whole thing. It’s the “rescue” I’m really questioning in this situation.
Somtimes fostering a horse simply means they are taking care of it for a time while their friends are not able to (travelling, hospitalized, moving, etc.).
“Inexpensive” means different things to different people. I get my kids “inexpensive” safety gear compared to what some people spend on it – doesn’t make me a bad mom. That said, I wouldn’t buy a used helmet.
Saddle that holds two people – I’m assuming this means they have seen something like this somewhere:
http://www.onestopequineshop.com/Leather-Childs-Tandem-Saddle_p_7460.html
So I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that they are complete morons from this add.
I shudder to think what that saddle can possibly be made of to cost
$92.64 O_o
Love the airplane reference
Going to go out on a limb here and defend the “rescue,” or at least present an alternate possibility before anyone gets too excited.
This time of the year, it’s quite possible that this is a “camp horse” and not necessarily a fostered rescue. Girlscout camps, church camps, any kids camp that has a riding program generally lease the horses over the summer. The Horse Owner Company then winds up with 200+ horses that they have to feed over the winter. So, they advertise “Free Horses Until June” to anyone who wants one. The new private lease-er provides all care for the horse from September thru June, then the horse goes back to camp from June thru August. No background checks, no site checks, no references necessary. Show up with a trailer and take one home, or they’ll deliver for you! No tack? No problem! For $50 they’ll rent you equipment for the winter, too!
It can actually be a good way to get your feet wet in horse ownership without having to make a committment, assuming you know the basics of horse care.
It can also be disastrous if you don’t know what you’re doing and don’t have anyone to go to for advise; many of the horses have behavior “quirks” from being ridden solely by raw beginners all summer long.
Oops: *advice not advise…
The thought that they’re possibly considering a used helmet purchase for their child does make me cringe
I worked for a horse camp that did leases like this, but only to families of kids who attended the camp and that we were comfortable with the level of horsemanship of the family, passed reference checks, etc. I find it very sad that places would send their horses out without basic checks.
And re: helmets… there are $30 – $50 models that meet all the safety standards, and I’d consider that pretty damn affordable (so far as horsey expenses go!). I fully understand why someone wouldn’t want to pay $200 or more for a show-quality helmet to toodle around the backyard, but there are plenty of reasonably priced helmets on the market brand new. A bit scary to think of what other corners might be cut by someone who feels the need to go even cheaper. The most favourable intention I can give them is that they have the idea that riding helmets must be very expensive because those fancy show people wear them – which means they must not have bothered to even do a quick internet search or check their local store.
Yeah – around here, mostly the horses aren’t actually owned by the camps and the horse owners “foster” them out to private families over the winter. Like I said, it can be a great opportunity for a horse-crazed teen with several years of lessons under her belt to convince her parents to give her a shot at horse ownership (insert innocent look here) but it’s definitely a little scary to think about the trouble that I’m sure some of the horses and fosters got into.
Sorry I kind of missed from your post that it wasn’t the *camps* handing out horses willy-nilly, but the places that the camps get the horses from. The camp I worked for owned about half of its own horses and leased others for the summer from colleges with equine programs that only run during the school year (which works out really well for both parties). But as I think about it, we did get a few horses to fill the gaps on short-term leases from some sketchy kind of horse-dealer place and I hate to say, I never thought before now about what happened to those horses when we gave them back at the end of the summer.
That is really interesting, and can see both the good and the bad of such situations.
What happens if the horse gets injured over the winter while in foster care, do you know?
Responsibility of the foster family to provide all vet and ferrier care. A statement from a vet is required if an animal dies, and permission is required for a euthanasia request (one of ours was an oldster – we had had him repeatedly for 3 or 4 winters before we lost him to a bad bout of colic.)
I’ve seen loads of people put their child in the saddle with them… in front when they are tiny and behind when they are old enough to hold on. Not saying that it’s safe….but it’s done a lot. Inexpensive helmet is better than no helmet.
Nowhere do I see their request for a “used” helmet. My first helmets were Riders International helmets…cheap as hell compared to GPA’s or Samshields…but they protect the noodle just as efficiently. You can get a Troxel even cheaper. Again, safety approved, but affordable.
Very true. It’s the safety rating that matters, not the price tag.
I think the fact that they are putting an add online looking for a helmet, means that the responses will be from people who are looking to sell a helmet. Therefor, the helmet will be used.
I have no problem with the cheap, but safety approved helmets. Amazon.com has the Troxel Sport for $22! So did these people not even *look* to see how cheap you can get a helmet for…. My fear is that they want something even *cheaper* than the cheapest helmet you can buy new.
I get calls nearly every day for people wanting to buy a “cheap” horse for their kids. Of course, they want to know my bottom dollar before even seeing or trying the horse in person. The conversation usually goes like this. ” Hello. I am looking for a kid safe horse for my 8 year old. She will use it in 4-H, some local shows, move up to breed shows in a few years, with hopes of showing at the nationals after that. In a certain size and color and would also like to breed it in a few years. But, we can’t afford to spend very much.” Then, they show up in flip flops, shorts, and if with a helmet at all, it’s a bicycle helmet they bought at a yard sale.
When I was eight my two older sisters and I convinced out parents to buy us a pony which over the years turned into horses, shows, competitive trail riding, etc. When we were starting out in horse ownership we knew very little, but fortunately people were willing to be generous with advice and guidance. I am sure we were very much like the people who call and ask you for rock bottom prices and show up with all the wrong gear/attire. When clueless people call up and ask silly questions the best thing one can do is be patient and willing to impart invaluable knowledge. Those flip flop wearing kids may be the next generation to embrace horse ownership and keep the industry, and animals, alive and well. They need mentoring. We gain nothing by writing off people just because they weren’t born with spurs attached to their feet.
Yes! FINALLY!! A use for this ingenious saddle!!!
http://tackytackoftheday.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-hate-monday.html
*head-desk – headdesk – headdesk*
But at least they are ASKING for a helmet. We are on the right track here. They may be very nice and responsible people. And they are asking for a helmet – so are we seeing evolution of the species in progress??
Are you kidding? We’ve got two shitty rescues here in Southern MD who would see nothing whatsover wrong with this. I once watched the “owner” of one of the rescues offload a pony from a hay and sawdust filled trailer with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. Oh, and don’t forget the empty cooler that held a 6-pack when the trip started on the front floor. She then proceeded to tell my 170-pound friend that her new 10-hh hackney pony could carry her and her friends with no problem. So, yeah, I really could see a “rescue” not only condoning, but encouraging this idiocy.
Which rescues? I live in central MD and very curious if one of these is a “rescue” that I’m thinking it is.
A 10 hand Hackney? Thats 44 inches….about shetland size. The shetland my daughter used to ride in 4H “sticked” in at that height and was classified as small pony. Hackneys are bigger than that (12 to 14 hands usually) so it’s either an “American Show Shetland”, or she’s got a mini/hackney cross. Still, too damn small for any rider over 10 years old!
Hmmmm…maybe they are looking for a saddle that can fit two different people, not two people at the same time. Also, I don’t bash people for trying to find inexpensive equipment, especially if they are helping out a rescue by lightening the burden of horses to care for. Having a horse is costly and it makes sense to find ways to save money. At least they are looking to put a helmet on their child instead of letting the child go without, like a lot of parents do. Children grow quickly and most people of can’t afford to buy brand new gear. In our barn boots, helmets, show suits, saddles, etc are all passed down as the kids grow.
A saddle that can hold 2 riders? What the holly fuck?? *facepalm*