PA/MD - 3 days left for elder mare

We don't post every senior that needs a home (if we did, that's all this blog would contain) but this one is a little disturbing.

"This horse is free. I am moving to Kansas this weekend and have found out that I cannot get a hitch put on my truck (they are on back order and nobody has the type that I need). I cannot take her with me."

Really? Moving from Maryland to Kansas and you didn't know, until four days before the move, that you didn't have the right hitch? That's why you can't take this mare with you? Borrow a trailer. Rent a trailer. Hire a professional hauler. Pay a month's board somewhere till the htich comes in, then come back and get her. There a dozen ways around this problem if you are interested in finding a solution. (You must have a plan to get her to an auction without the hitch you need.)

We've heard a lot of endings to the sentence "I can't keep this old horse because......" but this is a new one.

Please if you can offer a home or know of someone who can, contact this ol' gal's owner by following the link to the ad itself (below)

Visit the posting at http://baltimore.craigslist.org/grd/1386581481.html to contact the person who posted this.

Free trail horse/broodmare. Date: 2009-09-22, 9:57AM16.2 hand sturdy chestnut TB mare. Blaze and socks, with some black in her tail. She has been used for beginning dressage, lessons, trails, lead line, and breeding. Kids can groom her, and can ride her on a lead line. For independent riding, she requires an intermediate rider who has good hands and legs, because she is sensitive to the aids. She has never spooked, reared, bucked, kicked, bitten, shied, etc in the ring or on the trail. She's a good girl, and likes to go (she'll go as fast as you allow), and slows down or stops when asked. She does prance, but she quits if you are consistent with her. She uses a loose ring snaffle bit and goes english (she doesn't neck rein). She loads, clips, cross ties, trailers, and is calm in the wash stall. The farriers and vets say she acts like a quarter horse...totally quiet during vetting and shoeing. She has NO VICES whatsoever, NO HEALTH ISSUES, and is a very easy keeper. She is good in the pasture with other horses. She does have a small bump on her knee from an a very old injury, but it does not effect the way she moves under saddle. Her trot and canter are very smooth and easy to ride, which is unusual for her size. She loves to be groomed. She foaled a beautiful Hanoverian cross 3 years ago. She throws big, beautiful foals. You can see this 3 year old beautiful 16.3 hand gelding at this farm. She is an easy breeder (bred without hormone treatment), and takes on the first try. She has not been ridden for a year, because we have been working with the foal. You could get on her and she would behave, because I've given her a year off before, and she was great the first time I got on her. Her back muscles need a little excersize before putting a saddle on her, though, so whoever takes her should lunge her for a few days to build up her back first. This horse is free. I am moving to Kansas this weekend and have found out that I cannot get a hitch put on my truck (they are on back order and nobody has the type that I need). I cannot take her with me. Please take her so that I don't have to sell her at the auction. She is a better horse, even at 22 years of age, and does not deserve to be an auction horse. She has a good 8 years of riding left in her, as she has been very well cared for.

(And yes, "equineelders" is a little miffed.)