HLS has proved us with todays amusement:
"OK, today's Fugly post is all about disciplines horses like to do and tolerate doing. She writes "I really don’t want to start a big discipline war here" and then proceeds to add "but I can’t imagine that a horse ever enjoys something like western pleasure or dressage the same way they enjoy, say, foxhunting or cutting or team penning." Of course, a ton of her followers immediately piled on the abuse for dressage. The disinformation she spreads on that site of hers. Ugh."
HLS also states:
"OK, but it's stuff like this that kills me. Fugly says: "Oh, I think mine definitely chooses to go slow – but I think that he’d prefer to go slow with his nose stuck out. I don’t know that collection, whether it’s for WP or dressage, is ever something a horse would naturally choose. I guess I always draw a distinction between things horses would do naturally in the pasture and things horses would NEVER do without a rider and training.""
A member pointed out that she thinks Fugs reads this blog. When she made comments about Fugs misinformation on ponies and dislike for them Fugs immediately followed up with an article about how great ponies are. I thought it was funny, but now I'm starting to question it.
I recently wrote an article on the vertical and collection for the Trooperandsarah blog which addressed what type of collection and vertical is healthy for your horse and what would your horse be comfortable with. Now Fugs comes out with a comment against my position. Hmm, very suspicious.
Firstly, a horse doesn't have a rider on it's back in the pasture so how can you relate that to riding. It's like comparing apples and oranges. Horses natural lean on their fore so once the horse is mounted the riders weight will shift to the horses fore. This isn't a very healthy way for a horse to move so collection is used to shift the weight of the rider to the horse's rear and the fore is lightened to it's natural state. There are so many things wrong with Fugs' article that I can't begin to list them all. I'm sure you'll do a better job then myself so list away.
I'm still trying to figure out the clicky thing. Until then I hope this helps:
http://trooperandsarah.blogspot.com
Fugs needs to go check out many well bred, naturally talented foals on the move in the pasture. Many not only have the movement, but already have a very good basic carriage to work with. Do things get tweaked with a rider? Yes, but does she think the same with people? Surely we don't run as well or like somebody who is in a marathon does?
ReplyDeleteHorses do have different personalities and enjoy different things. One horse may like the fast life in XC or cutting, but another may like the high life in stadium jumping, or the easy life of trails. Some may have a variety of disciplines they seem to adhere to, and it could be very different than what they are necessarily good at.
Also, are there bad practicies? Yes. They are in all disciplines. Dressage has the rollkur, western disciplines can have a plethora of nasty bits, gaited shows have the soring, etc. etc.
--
Also, bhm, I have discovered as the comments move down, the comment box messes up for me. I have no clue if it's isolated, but I am still trying to find a fix for it.
In the words of the queen hag herself "EPIC FAIL" *clappig loudly* Way to go Fug the last 3 blog posts make me question her sanity and sobriety Can she get anymore ignorant? Of course she reads this she is too vain not to.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that about her last three blogs as well.
ReplyDeleteThe comment about questioning whether horses would choose collection for themselves makes me wonder if she's ever had a chance to watch real horses loose in a pasture. Particularly if she's ever watched a stallion in a pasture breeding situation.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, I know, I know, nowadays pasture breeding automatically means you're a slack jawed yokel. But watching a stallion displaying for his mares, you see the piaffe, the passage, half passes, pirouettes, levade, courbette, all the movements of classical haute ecole.
(tangential note) I'm also willing to bet that most of the stallions labelled as shy breeders would come out of it if given a carefully selected band of, um, very willing mares to live with for a year in a pasture situation. Yes, it's a risk but if they want foals, it's a risk the owners should consider. Breeding in hand is so unnatural, it puts a fair number of stallions right off.
Dressage is based on movements that horses display naturally at times of excitement! It's that simple. Spanish horsemen didn't make up moves for their horses, they just learned how to get the moves they had already observed under saddle.
Granted, I can believe that there are horses that are such deadheads that they never display collection on their own because they never feel excitement. And I am sure there are plenty of people who prefer riding such horses.
But to extrapolate from there to the idea that there are no horses that collect naturally? Idiocy.
Oh, gosh, I'm blushing. And supremely happy that you addressed this issue BHM. I really could not believe my eyes when I read her latest post. It's like she's never been around horses at all.
ReplyDeleteAs Grainne Dhu says the movements we school in dressage are built off of natural movements one can find in the paddock. For example, my mare can do a perfectly collected and gorgeous piaffe at the fence when she thinks we've kept her in her paddock for one second longer than the situation warrants. Anyone who's seen this piaffe thinks she has dressage talent.
I wouldn't even mind that Fugly has ridiculous opinions. I wouldn't. Except she influences a lot of people with her craptacular ideas. Anyway, thanks for addressing this, and could you add the link to the Trooperandsarah blog for those of us who've never been to it?
She's reading this blog: "The HI column is scheduled to continue unless, you know, the people who hate me fire-bomb their offices. So if you enjoy the column, make sure to let them know!"
ReplyDeleteFugs is so self absorbed, it's stifling to witness it, and oh so sad. Maybe this blog will catch on even more than it already has and people will begin to see her for what she really is. As an additional treat, they will actually LEARN something about horses if they read here. What a concept.
ReplyDelete"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteShe's reading this blog: "The HI column is scheduled to continue unless, you know, the people who hate me fire-bomb their offices. So if you enjoy the column, make sure to let them know!"
Fugs, dear, you really are not important enough for the the match to light the flame. But you are great entertainment value so blog on!!!!!
GD said "Breeding in hand is so unnatural, it puts a fair number of stallions right off."
Or maybe those stallions have seen the internet pics of Fugs hoo hoo. I am sure that would put off most anything of the male species, except the scum that would spend time with her.
A lot of stallion problems can be addressed by putting them in with a band of mares. Slack jawed yokels who pasture breed have stallions who know how to woo a mare! Yes, it is a risk, but it''s also a test any stallion of mine must pass. He must also accept in hand breeding. Of course I raise horses that I expect to be versatile, so the temperaments that show up in pasture are evaluated carefully. No rank studs, no rank mares.
ReplyDeleteFoals are evaluated in the pasture to see what they naturally like best. Some will jump downed trees for the joy of it, some just have to outrun everyone else, some are flaming showoffs, and some are quiet and noncompetitive by nature. Watching the foals you will see full collection and every movement possible as they show off and navigate obstacles.
Can riders screw up the natural movements? Oh yes, but the best riders enhance what nature and careful breeding produces.
Since I've never thought much of HI it's a magazine that I didn't buy anyway. It's been a lightweight piece of fluff for years, geared to the clappy handed emoticons in my opinion. Fugly will not be the first contributor to the rag that I think is shallow and silly.
Such a thought provoking post from fugly...Bwahahahahahaha. Not real sure where she was going with her thought processes, but she seems rather torn between her animal-rights agenda and her desire to have a "show" horse.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find ridiculous is her presumtion that first her stallion "must" accomplish something and "then" she will go have fun on him...
WTH?
There is something seriously wrong with an event that is so stringent that the horses doing it cannot be allowed to do anything else for fear it will mess them up.
Damn Fugs banned Raybixler1 after he posted this
ReplyDelete"I honestly don’t know how anyone can justify spending 3000 and up on rehabbing a horse? There are just so many healthy horses out there that don’t need rehabbed. I say euthanize the sick horse, give a healthy horse a home and send difference in Spam to some kids in Hati. You think I jest."
I totally agree she saved that Hercules at the expense of many other horses that are not lame and useless. And Katie from SCR is pulling them right and left off the feedlot owners then begging for fosters because she is full. Fosters pay for the horses feed and care Katie gets credit for rescuing them. Her and Fugly must be in bed together.
Yesterday my old saddlebred did a perfect piaffe. Trotting along the long pass, came to a patch of mud, saw some of monstrous cows a quarter mile away. "You want ME to go forward, through that icky MUD, towards those horrible COWS? NO WAY! I'll just trot here in place, picking up my knees and hocks like you want me to." Back when I rode dressage, I would have died for a piaffe like that. Later that ride, the mare did a side pass around the mud.
ReplyDeleteThese are NOT moves most saddlebred show horses are trained to do. Show saddlebreds are chosen from birth on to have exaggerated movement. Those that don't love showing usually wash out of the show ring and are given something else to do.
Are there bad trainers and owners in the saddlebred world who used unspeakable methods? You bet. But there are bad apples everywhere.
I think a big problem amongst rescues is 2 things.
ReplyDelete1. Taking in horses that will never be able to be used
2. Taking in horses who can be used, and not making them marketable for a majority.
I've seen tons of ridable horses that are either foals, very hot and green, or just incredibly green with some bad habits in general. They all need a good rider or trainer to work through all these things, and let's be honest with ourselves, a majority of the population aren't these people.
So when a lame one that cannot be used comes up, it just piles on. Horses are expensive animals, why would somebody want to adopt a horse that will need special care all its life? Why would any rescue who often have to work with little to begin with take in a horse who needs vet bills like made? $300 would have solved Herc's problem just like that. Euthanize the poor hurting horse and bury him out back or let them take his body to the appropriate handling facility. If he was with an owner with the will to foot all these bills on their own, then fine. He'd get what he needed without a hand out waiting for somebody else to pay for it all. For all anyone knows, he may be beyond repair. Why risk that for what clearly is going to become pasture sound only if even that?
Fugs banned some voice of reason in Raybixer, which is incredibly pathetic. It's one thing when a horse needs weight, it's another when it needs x-rays, shots, and lord knows what else.
"If any accusations against Fugs based on incorrect information are on this blog they should be removed".
ReplyDeleteYou all remember this statement from awhile back on the comment section of this blog?
I thought then it was from Fugs, wearing her paralegal hat. By the by paralegals aren't trained as lawyers, more like fancy researchers/ secretaries. Paralegals aren't as well trained researchers as law librarians, most of who have a law degree and an MLS.
Now I like paralegals, they have saved me big bucks, but they aren't lawyers, any more than a PA is a MD.
From todays' Fugly Blog"
ReplyDelete"The first thing I want to say is that this farm has NO RELATIONSHIP to the one in Michigan of the same name, which appears to be a lovely facility. This farm is in MAINE.
Well, it looks like some good has been done right there. Use to be Fugs wouldn't make an effort of distinguish between similarly named farms.
"For three years, some of the horse community has loved it and some of the horse community has bashed me as a meanie, unfair, nasty, sniping, “no right to judge” and so on... I must just be a bitter, unhappy person with no friends not to love them and their wonderful horses."
You all still think she doesn't read this blog?
Sounds like we hit a sore spot, the one where the truth finally hurts the person who has been hurting thousands of others with barely a snip of info to back her up other than an a very extreme opinion.
ReplyDeleteYou know what, let her read and expose herself. There are those out there who are happy, with friends, who love horses and don't live such a shallow existence based on hearing how wonderful she is to make herself feel better. There are people out there who do so many more wonderful things than she does, who don't even get so much as any recognition or a pat on the back for what they do. Maybe they don't want it because they truly do it for the animals, but she cannot tout herself as one of them. She knows somebody who tries to save a horse and needs the 'oh you're so wonderful' comments to go to her, lest she is unable to gain enough vanity to live another hundred years.
Just finished reading the comments of today's (2/13) fugly blog.
ReplyDeleteFugs is absolutely correct we can do what we choose to do with our money and time. So don't blast me if I choose to not retire my horse and put him down instead. Don't blast me, if I decide that I don't want a forever lame horse and put it down instead. Don't blast me when I choose not to rescue a horse and choose instead to buy a well bred, well trained horse. Don't blast me if I choose to spend my money on "expensive" near by boarding rather than cheaper far away boarding and send the difference to a rescue. Don't blast me if I choose to try for a well bred, home bred rather than spending the $8,000.00 stud fee on rescuing and rehabing one broken down horse.
I put up a cut and paste for the Trooper and Sarah blog. I can't find my link instructions, can anyone help?
ReplyDelete"If any accusations against Fugs based on incorrect information are on this blog they should be removed".
ReplyDeleteWhat is her favorite cop out when she is wrong or someone threatens to sue her? Oh yes, It is my opinion or something to that effect... So this is our opinions not misinformation. LOL And she was a paralegal for a minute just like her Petco job. She is a loser in all aspects IMHO
I don't grudge Hercules his chance at rescue. Just the thought of a 17 hand horse being crammed onto a double decker for days makes me shudder.
ReplyDeleteBut why is FHOTD, who is so vehement about rescues being on sound financial footing, rescues providing adequate medical care, rescues not asking for money to take care of routine expenses like hay, giving a pass to Second Chance Ranch?
Hercules is at risk for mechanical founder. That resected right front foot is going to be tender until it heals. There's nothing that can be done about that particular problem beyond good nutrition and regular hoof care (which I understand he is getting).
Why increase the risk by not giving him a shot of Legend in the rear fetlock with the ringbone? He's already compromised, if he's going to have a good chance of being sound enough for light work or even just pasture sound, he needs to have that ringbone treated.
The excuse? Second Chance Ranch had a $5K hay bill for the previous month.
Well, that's a "no duh!" expense. Winter comes once a year at a predictable time. Horses eat hay and they eat more when it is cold out. It is easy to predict that if you have X number of horses, you're going to need Y number of bales each winter month.
If Second Chance Ranch were any number of other rescues, FHOTD would be screaming about the proof of their evilness, that they are withholding necessary medical treatment from a horse due to lack of funds for routine expenses.
My bone with Fugs is still the same as when I first wrote on the board. Walk the walk. If she can write on her blog that folks are free to do with their own dollars what they please, then DON'T call someone out for doing just that.
ReplyDeleteI started reading Fugly when she was doing critiques of confirmation. Which while snarky, was interesting. I did learn about what a straight shoulder or a weak loin looked like on a live, less than ideally posed horse. Over the months it changed to the "beat up on folk I don't like" Lots of hate toward over weight women going on. Or poor folk, or non English speakers, or folks with less than optimal literacy, or or or.
Then the blog became about rescuing and don't be a BYB... How every thing that didn't meet her definition of "good" needed to be gelded or spayed. (why not just birth control? It is done for mustangs) You can always change your mind with birth control.
Then the blog changed again to seek out and find any training method, discipline or decision about what someone else was doing with their horse, money, kids or family, that Fugs doesn't understand or like and "expose the ass hats to the public via my blog" as "cruel" or "inhumane" or "dangerous".
I read her to keep an eye on her, much the same way good journalism keeps an eye on what our public officials are doing and keeps them honest by pointing out their hypocrisy.
BHM's other Blog
ReplyDeleteI stopped reading her. She makes my blood pressure soar.
Her blatant excuse for rescuing anything is "they ALL deserve it". Well, maybe they do. In this economy, the sad fact is, you just cannot save them all.
ESPECIALLY the horses with no use-able, foreseeable future, except a life of pain and vet bills.
Like Tash Gaia's rescue. Keeping a horse with a broken leg alive for a year, is abuse.
imo.
I feel sorry for the readers that don't get it.
I did not deserve to be labeled a crack-head, for requesting proof that my donated funds were actually going to an actual horse.
She never produced any actual documented proof.
Kinda important to me.
"If any accusations against Fugs based on incorrect information are on this blog they should be removed".
ReplyDeleteYou all remember this statement from awhile back on the comment section of this blog?"
I said that, not Fugs and I said it because I don't want HER to have any ammunition with which to blast the owner(s) of this blog by saying that we are bashing her based on incorrect information. I had responded in the earlier posts on another blog entry that my only concern is that THIS blog's writers and commenters be sure that the criticism is based on content that was actually said/done by Fugs. It doesn't take a paralegal to use common sense and be sure that our responses and criticisms are accurate.
Kaede, I also started reading Fugly when the blog was more focused on conformation and responsible breeding.
ReplyDeleteHowever, even then, many of the commenters seemed to display unhealthy behavior. It seemed/seems to represent an outlet for people with previously quelled anti-social thoughts and desires to come forward and feel safe from the conventional societal mores that govern acceptable behavior. If everyone's doing it without repercussion, then it's now acceptable.
I always came away with conflicted emotions...on the one hand, there are some atrocities out there that need to be addressed, however on the other hand, bad behavior/practices on the part of the blog subject du jour does not excuse or exempt bad behavior/practices on the part of the commenters or fugly. And honestly, I think that some of the commenters couldn't have cared less if the topic were horses, gravitational fields, or toy manufacture, they had a forum for unhindered expressions of hate and aggression that would otherwise have been unacceptable.
My epiphany moment came when fugly posted a blog criticizing someone that she knew and who evidently was somewhat of a rival in the horse world (sorry can't remember exact topic/date). It was a blatant example of an attempt to use her power over her followers to exact revenge over someone whose only transgression was being a fugly rival.
I always came away with conflicted emotions...on the one hand, there are some atrocities out there that need to be addressed, however on the other hand, bad behavior/practices on the part of the blog subject du jour does not excuse or exempt bad behavior/practices on the part of the commenters or fugly.
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY!!!
I go through phases of reading FHOTD because I'm curious but then repelled by the expressions of hatred there.
I will not be surprised if some FHOTD reader does assault or murder someone featured on the blog because they have gotten the impression that it would be acceptable to do so by the outpouring of revenge fantasies there.
"I always came away with conflicted emotions...on the one hand, there are some atrocities out there that need to be addressed, however on the other hand, bad behavior/practices on the part of the blog subject du jour does not excuse or exempt bad behavior/practices on the part of the commenters or fugly. And honestly, I think that some of the commenters couldn't have cared less if the topic were horses, gravitational fields, or toy manufacture, they had a forum for unhindered expressions of hate and aggression that would otherwise have been unacceptable."
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree.
I also agree with your comment about Fugs going after her rivals. I think that this is her main motivation.
I agree with everyone. I followed FHOTD for a long time but quit about a year ago. It had gotten way too far away from the way it started. And, of course, over time, Fugly showed her true self, that is when I left.
ReplyDeleteKaede - I had a conversation with some friends yesterday about horse ownership and euthing instead of sending to auction. Things like the frequency with which you can expect a horse to change hands because people and horses change and the horse that was perfect for you three years ago just isn't today; the expense of keeping a pasture puff, etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't own a horse, don't ever expect to because owning a horse is a lifestyle that I have neither time nor money for (I do 1/2 lease one, though). If that ever changes and I can afford to keep a horse or two at a time, but don't have the resources to keep pensioners, any pasture puffs will be humanely euthed.
And not one penny of my money or hour of my time is going to a rescue that doesn't focus on saving and rehabilitating horses that are basically sound and just need a little help. Resources are finite, the supply of needy horses is not. It doesn't matter that they all deserve a chance, the horse rescue community doesn't have the resources to give them all that chance.
I love how fugs thinks she can throw rich hay (alfalfa) and suppliments at an elderly horse and expect it to be fat.
ReplyDeleteNot always the case and I've always just wanted to shout "Horses are like people! The obese woman in her forties probably weights less than 100 pounds in her 80's!"
Easier keepers get fat. Hard keepers not so much. But of course, fugs knows it all. /sarcasm.
Wonder if she has anymore people to fat bash? Wonder if she'll fat bash when her own metabolism gets screwy in her middle age and packs some junk in her trunk.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWonder if she has anymore people to fat bash? Wonder if she'll fat bash when her own metabolism gets screwy in her middle age and packs some junk in her trunk.
ReplyDeleteApparently, she was quite fat in the late 90s. She is, apparently, one of the 2% of all people who can lose a significant amount of weight and maintain that loss for 10 years or more (not sure if it has been quite 10 years yet, though).
Instead of being grateful that she is one who can beat the overwhelming odds on weight loss, she prefers to assume that since she did it, everyone can do it.
Some people's life experiences lead them towards compassion for others; other people with the same experience just use it as a boot to kick others with.
Fat bashing is twisted. All she needs is joint pain, she's heading into that age group now, and all the weight will pile on.
ReplyDeletePart 1 of 2:
ReplyDeleteI agree with this statement: "use common sense and be sure that our responses and criticisms are accurate." As much as it's interesting to read about the salacious stuff in Fugly's past/present, the real issue, to me, is the disinformation she spreads on her blog and her often contradictory statements that she puts out there for all to read.
Who cares if close-up photos of her crotch are circulating the Internet? (Shuddering with revulsion thinking about that.) Who cares if she has boinked or prefers to boink married men? (Another gigantic shudder at that one.) Or if she's vain and has had plastic surgery?
What matters is if she's committing outright fraud with the money she collects for rescues in her care. What also matters is if she libels (written defamation) the people she writes about. Does she spread disinformation that harms others? Has she been a party to a crime? Has she committed libel, harassment, the use of the Internet as a tool to harass others, the use of the Internet to perpetrate cons to gain money, etc.? Those, while not personal attacks on her, are much more interesting to the public at large.
Part 2a of 2:
ReplyDeleteIf she is as completely narcissistic and amoral as some anonymous posters would have us believe, then the answers are there. They are on her blog. They are in the comments she leaves under all her various users names. So, I say, let's focus on what she writes on her blog or on various forums. She's a minor celebrity, and as such, her life is open to scrutiny and comment.
Let the pure light of reporting shine on her activities. Be accurate. Be careful. Don't repeat idle gossip. Use her own words juxtaposed against the words of experts to make your case. Look at what BHM did in her Trooperandsarah post about horses being on the vertical. She cited some studies that we can find and read. She wants us to use our noggins and do some research if we care about the topic. You can do that too. Use that method to help build a case against the disinformation Fugly spreads on her blog.
If you need inspiration to do so, think about this: Does the world really need another dead lame celebrity rescue when there are literally hundreds of horses who are usable and worth saving going to auction?
Do you really want to see yet another 50-something Fugly follower who has never ridden or who hasn't ridden since she was 16 adopt a rank, not-worth-adopting "rescue" horse or a hotter than hot OTTB as her new pony? (Case in point: A person I love dearly at my current barn is thinking of getting a second horse, largely I think because the first "horse"/pony she adopted is unsuitable, and she's debating over whether she should take the freebie lesson horse that someone has offered her or if she should get another rescue because "the need is so great." Oh. My. Lord. As if there's a question!)
Do you really want to watch Fugly perpetrate her particular brand of online violence on strangers, children, the poor, the uninformed, the disadvantaged? She publishes phone numbers and email addresses and people's real names on the Internet and suggests that people follow up with calls or emails, attention that amounts to online harassment. She bashes people because of their poverty, body type, living situation, etc.
Part 2b of 2 (and sorry for the mega-post, but this has been swirling around in my head and needed to get the heck out into the light of day):
ReplyDeleteHere's a recent great example of Fugly's particular brand of thinking: "I do not share your particular belief that human beings are obligated to help their own kind before they help another species. We all go to work, earn our money and may freely choose which charities to donate to." This was her response to the man who said he can't see spending $3,000 on a lame rescue horse when so many healthy ones are going wanting and meanwhile in Haiti, people are eating DIRT because they are so hungry.
He writes: "I’m sorry, I love horses I do, but it eats at my conscious how much money we spend rescuing and rehabbing horses while people eat mud. Can you imagine that? Being so hungry that you were forced to eat mud."
Her response? She banned him because "You can disagree here all you want but you have to make SOME kind of logical sense and that didn’t make any." He seemed to make quite a lot of sense to me, but then I actually agree with his point.
The reason I'm here on this FHOTD review site is because I recognize that standing around and letting her do these things, when I know she does it, makes me feel like I'm party to the violence on some level. I can't live with that. She is the queen of her little fiefdom, so you can't take her head-on there; but BHM has given us a forum in which to discuss the issues she raises. Let's put this forum to good use!
And remember: Fugly represents the kind of thinking that most Americans now believe is acceptable--circular, self-referential, tinged with bigotry, awash in the feeling that the speaker is above any strictures, moral or otherwise. Go back and read some of the documents our Founding Fathers wrote, and you'll see why this trend bothers me so much.
The fact that Fugly uses the First Amendment as her excuse for targeting and hurting others makes me even sicker, so let's get that light of democracy shining on her pronto-quick. And let's do it in the most careful, well-researched way possible. Let's not stoop to her level.
Here are my thoughts on why she picks "dead lame celebrities" IE Champ and Hercules, These horses have great Heartstring attraction,and will open wallets faster than sound ones and they also have a shelf life .If you all recall Petersburg Knight,he was passed on to someone else faster than you can say Fugs is a Lunatard! But the wounded Ducks she hangs on to or attaches her self to indefinitely ,after all she herself will never have to actually ride and rehab them she can just collect $$$ until "sadly XX succumbs to his overwhelming health issues ,and has to be euthed"
ReplyDeleteAttacking children is just wrong, and I cannot believe fhotd has gotten away with that sort of despicable behavior for so long, I totally agree with you anon. Her rabid followers are a scary bunch, and are quite capable of insane attacks in my opinion.
ReplyDelete.The whole Champ drama was the final straw. A dead lame stallion, who should have been immediately euthanized 'rescued'. The dramatic pleas for cash to provide basic services, like boarding and vet care. The board bill was incredibly high, in my opinion, just for openers. A non profit that pays itself commercial rates with donated funds to indulge in rescue strikes me as wrong. When a person who donated money is attacked because they wanted to know where their money went... I get really suspicious.
Unfortunately, horse rescue is losing it's reputation. Fugs herself loudly attacks other rescue operations, rightly or wrongly, and then wonders why legitimate rescues run from her.
Rescues that spend incredible amounts of money on horses that will never be useable are guaranteed to alienate most true horsemen. That leaves the horses in the hands of hysterical amateurs, who pass damaged and dangerous horses on to the public like the most crooked of 'horse traders', all the while salving their consciences with their good intentions.
Where are we going with all of this information? There are at least several persons who have a good case. Probably more.
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe that there are alot of northwesterners, myself included, who have had unpleasant personal interactions with Fugs. She's shown her true colors to so many of us. Mine was during a first, worst, and I hope an only, meeting. She was belittling a blog reader, who dared to criticize her equitation and it was clear to me that Fugly couldn't handle being told she wasn't a very good rider. She called the woman a 'c**t, and yeah, right in front of my young daughter. How mature, eh?
ReplyDeleteI see we're complimenting rescues today instead of throwing them on the ground on the ole fugly blog. Interesting as she doesn't have a thing to do with any of them, and speaking of how Voodoo was "obviously perking up every day I was there with him" sounds juuuust enough as if she were actually doing anything hands on with the rescue, but more than enough to make it sound like she can get credit for "every day I was there with him"
ReplyDeleteAnd no, the woman can't ride. She needs serious lessons.
Ooohhh-That was her little trip to Nebraska.
ReplyDeleteFunny how she spent a good deal of time bashing "cowboys" until all those rescuers found out they actually needed real, life cowboys(and cowgirls) to get all of those starving mustangs rounded up off the range and then needed their help and equipment to get them all processed and taken care of-LMAO.
I heard here there was a lot of bitching that no one(woe is me) thought about all of the vegans and vegatarians when they supplied food to all of the volunteers.
Heeellloooooo...It's Western Nebraska!!...Where the vast majority of people make a living off of BEEF!
I also heard that Cathy was in the way more often than not. Of course that is all rumor and 2nd hand info. My "opinion" is...Doesn't surprise me a bit-;) LOL
Is it just me? When I clicked on the side shot of VooDoo, and then clicked on it again to make it larger, what I saw was a horse with a body score of 3 or maybe 3.5.
ReplyDeleteHis spine is still clearly protruding without enough flesh coverage on his back, his hip bones are sticking out and clearly visible and under that (dirty) winter coat there's a trace of ribs.
Sure, he's got quite a belly on him but it looks more like a parasite belly than a hay belly to me.
And his sheath looks like it may be swollen. He was apparently gelded after he left the death ranch but that usually creates a need for regular sheath cleaning.
If they're not doing it because no one has gotten him to the point where he can be handled yet, why not? That rescue was nearly a year ago, they've had plenty of time to put at least some good ground manners on him.
And if he does have ground manners, why aren't they grooming him, etc?
That side shot is not the "happily ever after" picture I'd hoped to see. I'd hoped to see a horse in good weight, with flesh covering his back and hipbones. With at least a halter on and clearly enjoying being petted, if not actually ridden.
It sounds like Habitat for Horses is planning to keep him for life but man proposes and the ghods dispose. What are they doing to make sure that horse is placeable if, for some reason, they cannot keep him any longer?
As FHOTD has rightly pointed out in the past, there's only one market for unbroke, unhandleable horses. Most of the people looking for riding horses are looking for well trained, calm horses. What is HfH doing to move VooDoo closer to that very attainable goal?
"Sure, he's got quite a belly on him but it looks more like a parasite belly than a hay belly to me."
ReplyDeleteHoly cow, unless that horse has a hernia, that's definitely a wormy belly. My horse has a hay belly, that horse has worms! My god, is it really so hard to pay 60 bucks to do the stupid worming program that's generally used in horses not wormed in a long time? Good golly.
I can't believe I'm the only commenter so far to remark on VooDoo's overall poor present condition.
ReplyDeleteAnd FHOTD then gave out all the excuses she derides when used by others. He's an "aged" horse, hard to put and keep weight on... even though she's shown photographic proof on her blog of horses twice VooDoo's age that were as emaciated as he was and back in good flesh in less than six months.
it's winter and cold... yeah, down near Houston, Texas, I suppose this passes for winter. It's not nearly cold enough to cause any sort of cold stress in horses.
I'd just love to see some proof that VooDoo is halterbroke (in case of emergency evacuation), gets regular hoof care, has enough handling that routine vet care like deworming is not a major trauma for him.
GRRRRRRH!
There's reasons why a horse would have a swollen penis; One is castration. Also, the trees in the background have green on them and Texas went through a winter storm this last week, if I am correct, so the trees would not have leaves on them at this time of the year. I bet that pic was taken last year when he was castrated and they are passing it off as a current picture because they do not want to admit that the horse may, in fact, be dead. This would also explain why the horse is still thin in the picture, etc. I won't believe anything that Jerry Finch or Fugly says because they have too much to lose by telling the truth about that horse and they know it.
ReplyDeleteGo on and call me crazy but that is my suspicion.
Also, another cause of a swollen penis could very well be the result of toxic poisoning. Isn't that what Meduna was clammoring about?
ReplyDeleteAlso, why was Finch not forthcoming on providing updates on VooDoo, even though people were posting away asking about the horse? He chooses now to let Fugs do his updating for him? Is it because he is reluctant to come forward himself because he knows the truth about VooDoo and wants someone else to take the fall for advertising on the net that the horse is alive just in case a lawsuit ensues if it turns out he's been lying all along?
ReplyDeleteHey, people will do anything to protect themselves and we all know how sue-happy the public has become over the years.
Sorry, but there is something about this whole VooDoo update thing that does not sit right with me. I can't quite put my finger on it.
"And she was a paralegal for a minute just like her Petco job." LMAO! And that's only because she was well, screwing an attorney while still married. He still practices only 30 minutes from where I live. Sorry, to get so catty, but she just aggravates the piss out of me........on every level for a long time.....You can remove this comment.....It is catty. And off topic, sorry.
ReplyDeleteWait, Fugs dishing out excuses for a poor condition? Isn't she the one who blasts people who cannot get weight on their horses for anything? The same woman who said that any horse can gain wait if you give it magical orchard grass and some soaked pellets? Oh, but it's ok when she feeds her spoonful of crap to us, but when somebody asks a legitimate question, everything she tells us doesn't apply to her.
ReplyDeleteTo The Multi-Point Anon. Thank you. Exactly.
ReplyDeleteIt's getting weirder...
A year between pictures? Horse looks rough.
CS, if VooDoo were an Arab or a TB, I might be willing to buy that they've been trying to put weight on him and failing.
ReplyDeleteHe's not an Arab or TB, though, he's a mustang. The biggest problem people who adopt mustangs normally face? Super fat, insulin resistant horse. Even on just plain grass hay.
In fact, I know of at least one ongoing research project breeding low non-structural carb grasses (low sugar content) in part to sell to mustang owners!
And to say that his low body weight is due to winter is just idiotic. Has FHOTD even set foot in south Texas? Yes, it gets cooler during the winter there but it almost never even gets down as low as 40 F! That is not cold enough to cause cold stress in any normal horse.
Now she's claiming a veterinarian friend of hers has looked at the photo of VooDoo and says he's not thin. Uh huh.
What flavour IS the kool-aid, anyway?
These horses have great Heartstring attraction,and will open wallets faster than sound ones and they also have a shelf life ... after all she herself will never have to actually ride and rehab them she can just collect $$$ until "sadly XX succumbs to his overwhelming health issues ,and has to be euthed
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more....
I am just now posting here, did not want to be part of the fugly's hay day. I personally know Wendy the previous owner of Tiny or "Hercules". I haven't spoken to her about this whole ordeal, but what I can speak on is that in the time I worked with her professionally with horses she was a fantastic client. Always paid on time in cash (at my preference) her horses are always in top condition, well fed, groomed, and her stallion has the BEST behavior I have ever seen (Wendy did all the goundwork and started him herself) along with being a fantastic mover, and at age 5 he is already miles ahead of the VLC. Plus he has been meticulously picked apart by one of the oldest warmblood registries in history and they gave the thumbs up and want him in their studbook.
I was so disgusted to see them shred her apart and bring her family life and even the death of a child into it. There were so many false comments thrown around by commenters and Fugs just let it run wild. Because it's not your fault is others spread lies. Unfortunately many trainers and breeders names got thrown into the mix. On herc's facebook somebody even posts a picture of Wendy's horse's sire claiming it to be Wendy and her horse and a link to the breeders website. And now they are wrongly associated with this, and they show up in the google searches.
She is a wonderful mother kids always in toe at the barn and taught how to safely interact with the horses. The ones I interacted with were learning sign language.
ReplyDeleteNot that it matters at all but Wendy is a natural blonde as in soft shiny thin hair with no roots and very pretty, but the bottle blond comments are so kyoooot tee hee. When you have no ground to stand on you will reach for anything huh.
Like I said I haven't spoken to Wendy in a while so I don't know ANYTHING on Tiny. I do tend to give people the benefit of the doubt.
I sit there reading the comments about Wendy's equitation..... having seen her ride in real life with a balanced seat, shoulders back and quiet hands with horse quietly working correctly on the bit, I wonder how many of the keyboard jockey "re-riders" have finally mastered their fears of trotting alone or getting on without lunging for 2 hours, or if Cathy has learned to stop pinching and pivoting at the knee with rolled shoulders (perfect set up to get launched my Fuggles just FYI.)
I got very confused when the Herc story went from, we will be riding Herc in no time, to PLEASE send as much money as possible so we can fix this guy. Wait.... what? So maybe there were sound riding horses at the auction that weren't tall and pretty (good poster boys) so you let them load on up? Adios Caballos, if only you had been a LAME TB....hmmm Maybe there is a market for them after all?!! I digress.
I would have more respect if she had just said, "Hey he is safe, let's find him a pasture home" or "Hey this horse is in pain and may not even be comfortable in a pasture, save your donations we are just going to nicely euthanize him" (with the money I can make selling my stallion's fake tail).
Even better why hasn't she organized one of these Euthanasia clinics she brags on and help all the old lame craigslist horses out there.I don't think HI would be gung ho to sponsor that event though eh? plus it's not terribly heroic and doesn't open wallets as quickly I suppose, and those cats need their E-BAY SWEATERS dammit or they are conna start throwing bloody cola all over again in a tantrum.
ReplyDeleteI also wonder with all the regulars shelling out cash and Herc's 100's of facebook friends, where were they all when the horse was on craigslist trying to be placed for free? "OH no no no we can't save him, or I don't need another LAME horse but SOMEBODY has to save him!. Donate the money, give yourself a big pat and then head off to starbucks and enjoy your day because he's not your responsibility.
But in reality when they keep supporting this saving of unfixable horses you are enabling this horse to be kept alive so everyone that donated better make sure they keep donating until the day he dies of natural causes or is euthanized. Because he is now 'your' horse too. Just make sure you get a receipt =)
My advice... donate to reputable rescues that are training and rehoming SOUND,SANE horses a few at a time. This will encourage them to keep it up. Do not send your money to rescues and bloggers that collect cash cows.
They all bitched about Wendy's wealth etc. And yes I agree he should have been Euthed IF IF IF she was the one that sent him there. But chapter 4 verse 6 of the holy fugly says....It's her money that she makes and she can spend any way she damn well wants? or wait no that's only if your name is Cathy. My apologies. Didn't read the footnote!
My question now is could there be ramifications for this libel? Since Wendy runs a stable and stands a stud if she loses business over this and the information was not 100% correct what does that mean? Or should her husband lose dental clients?
Also suppose Wendy had been contemplating advertising her stallion in Horse Illustrated but now will not because Cathy works for them. Isn't Cathy costing her company money? Just brain farting out loud. For that matter what if every subscriber to HI she ever blasted cancelled their subscription and let the company know why.
CRAPthy, my dear, you aspire to be Perez Hilton (also a slime), but he doesn't walk around shit talking his followers on the web, he worships them because he knows they made him and they keep his piggy face round.
Every empire falls and when yours does, oh lord every friend you thought you had will be running mach 10 the other direction.
Anonymous said: "My question now is could there be ramifications for this libel? Since Wendy runs a stable and stands a stud if she loses business over this and the information was not 100% correct what does that mean? Or should her husband lose dental clients?"
ReplyDeleteIf Wendy can prove that she has experienced a loss of business and income due to what Fugly wrote on her blog, then, yes, Wendy might have an actionable libel case. Libel is extremely difficult to prove, but it's not impossible.
Normally Fugly chooses to write about people who have few financial resources and who will not be able to fight back legally. I have come to believe that is why she's not afraid to go after people. It sounds like Wendy and her husband have some wealth, and if Wendy has suffered repercussions from this event, she would do well to speak to her attorney.
More importantly, even if Wendy did send Hercules to auction instead of putting him down, her actions are not illegal. Some may believe her actions are morally repugnant, but they are not illegal.
To the person who pointed out that Fugly has gone after Wendy and her husband for the way that they choose to spend their money while stating that she can spend her cash any way she pleases, brava. Keep digging because those inconsistencies are exactly what we're looking for here.
Wendy has an excellent case and I hope she follows through with it.
ReplyDeleteIn the picture they shredded her riding over, you can clearly see she is schooling and watching the horses tuck. I do not jump and yet I saw that. But w/ so many expert riders like Fugly over there.... LOL
They are crying for donations on Facebook to care for him and breaking every rule fug touts WTF? The whole thing makes me vomit in my mouth a bit.
Hercules has 1000+ fans now on his Facebook page. Cathy is suggesting every one of them send in $5.oo a month to sponsor him. This will add up to, let's see... $5,000 a month or $60,000 a year.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the link for Hercules' facebook page?
ReplyDeleteYep 1000 fans and 5.00 each is EXACTLY why Fugs likes the celebrity rescues....In Hercules case she made him the celebrity but still it shows she is all about the money.
ReplyDeleteOT, but fugs has a new post on the VLC.
ReplyDeleteshe'll be keeping info on him from her readers unless they buy the HI rag.
And notice the crappy riding style on her new vlc post *SNORT*
ReplyDeleteHoly crap: "Hercules has 1000+ fans now on his Facebook page. Cathy is suggesting every one of them send in $5.oo a month to sponsor him. This will add up to, let's see... $5,000 a month or $60,000 a year."
ReplyDeleteNO horse that's just a pasture puff costs $60K a year to maintain, right? Even a horse with big problems can't cost that much. What will she do with the excess money she collects?
BHM, you have to write about this. Please? Pretty please? Can you provide us with average stats on what it will cost to keep a horse like Hercules to compare it with the expected revenue his Facebook site could rake in?
Wow. Just wow.
Anyone that thinks horses don't like dressage needs to come to the barn I work at. http://www.leatherdalefarms.com/index.html You'll never see horses more humanely treated or happier to do their jobs.
ReplyDelete