25/12/2022
A warning to breeders!
STATEMENT
I would like to make a statement about recent “stories” that are making the rounds of the show horse world as well as warning fellow breeders about risks of leasing horses.
I have been breeding show horses for over thirty years and this is the worst situation I have ever endured.
Recently I asked for the return of a show horse that I own and loaned to ‘family friends’ only to be dared to come and try to get him.
here’s my story, bear with me…….
Over Ten years ago a generous friend loaned me an incredible thoroughbred broodmare. This was the type of mare that I could only ever dream of owning. I bred her to Dreamtime Xzibit and the progeny was as beautiful as I thought they would be.
In gratitude I promised her that he would be her riding horse after i had shown him.
I showed him as a youngster with success and his ridden career was extremely successful under the expert training of one of the country’s best professional show teams. He even qualified for EA Nationals.
Now because someone doesn’t want to return something that was loaned to them, my promise has been broken.
I have always tried to support junior riders and have sponsored many riders without incident.
So when a child of a family that were close friends had been riding a pony I owned, the child was ready to move to a bigger horse, I offered them the use of my horse as his next ride.
In preparation the professional team prepared and educated the horse ready for a child to ride. (This was all at my expense.)
This horse was never a gift to that family, the horse was for the use of the kid.
There was NEVER ever any mention of the horse being campaigned commercially for me and he was always shown in their name. $ was not discussed.
In the past whenever I have leased a horse, all costs associated with having the use of the animal is my responsibility. That is the usual procedure.
While this horse was with the professional stables the horse’s registration was put in that trainer’s name.
This is something I have done a few times in the past, however now I have terminal cancer and am not a member of the associations any more because of the membership renewal costs. (So the horse was transferred into the family’s name.)
Unfortunately the friendship soured and I asked for the horse to be returned to me, only to be refused and told that the horse was in their name and “dared” me to try and pick it up.!
Their intention is to keep the horse and they now believe they own him because they hold his EV & SHC regos.
Technically yes, the horse is in their name, it was for competition purposes to make entries etc easier.
While their name might be on the paperwork. It is morally wrong!
Wrong is wrong, they don’t have ownership.
I OWN THE HORSE AND THEY REFUSE TO RETURN HIM!
(Yes I’m a fool and far too trusting, I get more foolish though…….. they have two other young horses of mine that are there to be sold - that will be interesting!) I’ll wait for them to prove my suspicions wrong………
So we have been told that the horse won’t be returned, he’s in their name and they have “sought advice.”
Hmmm, Well my life is compromised, in whatever time I have left I have decided that I am not going to spend it fighting a legal battle that would chew up what’s left of my life or my family’s finances in no time.
(I bet that’s what they are banking on, or did they hope I’d die by now and they could keep them all? )
I can’t cope with that stress so I will have to leave the rest of it to karma to sort out. I am fighting for my life every day and this bu****it is hindering any progress I’m trying to make.
I have had many horses with professional trainers and have always paid my way! To be accused of having a horse with someone for four years without paying is ABSURD and I will never stand by quietly and allow blatant lies to be circulated so they can try to justify their actions.
I have done absolutely nothing wrong other than trusting the wrong people.
I have come across some questionable people in the horse world, but this latest scenario is much worse than anything I could have imagined and I will warn my fellow breeders.
I will not be silent about this!
If anyone reading this would like further details just send me a message. I have absolutely nothing to hide and no-one else should ever have to go through something like this.
I am a lot of things but I am not a liar and I am not a thief!
Never would I have expected this, heartbroken is an understatement.
And a reminder…… there are far more important things in life than a bloody ribbon!
Julie Conti
Dreamtime Park
