My husband's black racking mare, Bell, developed a bone chip in her front knee.  We had it x-rayed and two different vets looked at the radiographs.  It was decided she could not longer be trail ridden and she should not carry a large rider. She should not go any faster than a walk under saddle with a light rider. She was my husband's first horse and very easy to work with. It was decided we would try to find a home where she would have a job to do. Some people contacted me about and I explained her situation and that if, after seeing and approving their place before the mare was brought over, she would be turned over to them on a trial basis. If she did not work out for them, I would be contacted and she would be returned to me. If it did work out long term, I would eventually sign her registration papers over to them. I am holding her registration papers currently. These people were over two hours one way from where we lived. They live in Ash Grove, MO. A friend of mine went over with me in the first or second week of December last year and met these people and saw their place. We spent around two hours with them and toured their home and facility. Their barn and ground seemed adequate and their other animals (horse included ) seemed healthy and with good weight. They explained that the man had been seriously ill but was recovering and wanted gentle horses to work with children with disabilities. They had a round pen and I was told they were applying for a grant for this project. They agreed, with my friend present, that if she did not work out for their purposes, the mare would come back to me. About a week later, in December of 2010, after the initial visit, my husband and myself brought the mare over to them. They had a stock trailer but it was low for a 16 hand horse so we transported her. We brought her grain, some anti-inflammatory medication for her injury and grazing muzzle as this mare is a very easy keeper and I have always watched her grass time. My husband and I spent two hours or more with these people and their children and explained her habits and needs. They were only going to walk her under saddle. These individuals claimed they were ex-law enforcement and my husband and I left thinking we had done our due diligence in checking these people out and we hoped she would work out for them. If she didn't suit their purposes, she would be returned to us. I called them several times that month and all seemed to be going well. After that, I called every 2-3 months and checked that the mare was doing ok. I viewed some pictures of her they had posted online. In April of 2011, this couple contacted me and said she was not working out for them. It seemed she was acting marish and a little aggressive with their kids. I agreed I would pick her up the following weekend as I lived quite a distance (over a four hour round trip). My trailer was hooked up and the people who had the mare called me the day before and told me their oldest daughter was riding this mare and seemed to be doing well with her. He advised me to wait and see how it was working out and wanted to make the mare this girl's responsibility. I agreed to this and again told him if it didn't work out, I would come get her. This occurred sometime around the end of April 2011. I checked back with him a few weeks later and everything seemed to be going fine. I then called him once in the summer of 2011 and again checked on the mare's welfare. I then attempted to call him around the end of October, first of November to check on Bell. I got his voice mail and left messages to call me. After a week of not hearing anything, I did manage to reach his wife and she informed me the horse has been transferred to someone else. I said I thought their daughter was working with the horse and she mumbled something about her daughter not working with the mare regularly and they sent her to a good home. Concerned about the horse's welfare as she had been transferred without my permission, I asked for the name and number of the people who now had the mare. She told me she would get it off her husband's phone and let me know right away. I asked when the horse had been transferred and she said a few months ago. She also said these people lived in Aurora, MO. Three or four days went by so I then contacted her husband through email stating I didn't know they had transferred the mare and wanted to know where she was so I could check on her. I again asked him to call me. He emailed me stating they had taken several horses over to these people and that they would welcome my visit. He stated they used natural remedies and the horse was completed rehabilitated. He had an injury to attend to and would get back with me shortly. Another week went by and I wasn't able to reach either the husband or the wife. They never answered their phone or returned any calls. I then went over to a friend of mine and used her phone because I thought they weren't answering me if they saw my number. The wife answered, seemed flustered, and said she get the number of the people who had the mare and call me back right away. She then texted me, not called, and said she would be in touch the moment she had these people's permission to pass their number along. After five days, I put a call into the husband and left a message stating I wanted to know where Bell was, I had been trying for over three weeks, told she had been transferred out of their care, and if I didn't hear back from him I would assume the mare had been stolen and take measures accordingly. He then did return my call after about 45 minutes and stated he had not gotten a hold of the people who had the mare. He also stated he had never met me before I had transported the mare to them. (Even though I had spent two hours with them with a friend of mine before I even brought the mare over to check out their place). He also stated the mare did not work out for their daughter and he had supposedly contacted me and I didn't respond to him. He said he had waited thirty days and I had not contacted him. THIS NEVER HAPPENED. I HAD THE TRAILED HOOKED UP AND READY TO GO. HE CALLED ME THE DAY BEFORE AND TOLD ME TO WAIT AS HIS DAUGHTER SEEMED TO BE DOING WELL WITH MARE. HE NEVER CALLED ME AGAIN AND TOLD ME THE MARE WAS NOT WORKING OUT. I CALLED HIM A FEW TIMES AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE. HE THEN MENTIONED PHONE HARASSMENT. I THEN HUNG UP. I SUSPECT THE MARE MIGHT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLY SOLD AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HER NOW MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF HER INJURY OR THE CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVED IN THEIR GETTING HER. THIS MARE WILL NEVER BE COMPLETELY SOUND. THIS IS DOCUMENTED THROUGH MY VET ON THE X-RAYS. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED FOR BELL’S SAFET Y AND ANYONE'S SAFETY WHO RIDES HER WITHOUT KNOWING HER HISTORY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE MARE IS AND SEE SHE IS BEING PROPERLY CARED FOR. IF SHE IS NOT BEING CARED FOR PROPERLY, I WOULD LIKE MY HORSE BACK. THE PEOPLE WHO ORIGINALLY TOOK HER HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY EVASIVE AND DISHONEST. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED FOR OUR HORSE. THIS SITUATION SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. THE MARE HAS A FREEZE BRAND OF DT ON HER LEFT HIP. THE BRAND IS REGISTERED TO ME AND MY HUSBAND. I AM ALSO HOLDING HER REGISTRATION PAPERS.