William, 16-hand bay TB gelding with lip tattoo, was going on a "trial" retirement to a youth ranch in Russellville, Ala. If he fit in with the herd, and the program, we would sign the horse over and take the tax write-off. I have been told he is now living in the Florence area with his new owners (a little girl and her father). No names. No phone number. No address. We never signed the horse over. We took enough feed with us when we dropped him off to last the horse a little while, until the person I made the arrangements with could get a good "feel" for him. The woman running the facility said that when she ran out of feed, she claimed we were unreachable, and quickly got rid of the horse. I have had the same number for twelve years. I called every month or so for the first year, only to be lied to several times by employees. The horse was doing "great" they said. She never had permission to do anything with the horse. We made a verbal agreement to try it out, and even if we signed him over, she would ALWAYS send him back if anything changed. But we didn't make it that far. He was gone as soon as she ran out of feed. I want the horse back, no questions asked. His working days should have been over a long time ago, and I can't guarantee his health unless he is close to me. My vet strongly recommended the horse retire. I think that's the best decision for now. His life was horrible before I got him, and I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I would let him retire peacefully on my farm. If I absolutely had to buy him back, I would. I did learn that after William left the facility, a cowboy and his daughter-in-law took William on for two and a half years. The daughters rode him in speed events during that time, and they claim to really love the horse. After they had no use for him anymore, they sold William to a woman who kept him for a little over a year, doing the same thing, then had no use for the horse anymore. There was no bill of sale or paperwork signing the horse over. There have been no attempts to transfer ownership via the Jockey Club.
