I once had a little white (not grey, she was white like a snowball!) curly mare. She was from the Demele foundation stock of curlies.
I had seen her at several barns over a period of a year. The last barn she was at I inquired about her as I was very very curious about curlies at that time, and was wondering why I was always seeing the same mare. Turned out a new owner that had bought her eventually never showed up to care for her at the barn anymore; and w/o a word just stopped paying board. She was basically abandoned. She was so cute and curious. Her stall was a mess..nobody would ever clean it. I had to try to do something.
So I got her. When we tried her out she was dead sided and had been ridden in a twisted snaffle. Seemed to eventually ignore who ever it was trying to ride her.
My daughter and I worked a little bit w/her and did what we could (we weren't professionals) and it helped a bit.
Unfortunately, we were moving and I wanted to find a place where she could have land to run on(she was always boarded in a stall) and a pond. I thought that would be real nice for her. So I search for a buyer w/land. Thought I'd found the perfect home for her. The person had 20 acres and two ponds. Since she loved water I thought that was perfect. It was up here in Lincoln which I also thought was great because we were moving to Auburn.
Well, after I sold her and once we moved, I would check in on her now and then and visit to say hi. At first she was fine. Then later, 3 years later, there were signs the gal I'd sold her to was a horse horder. I hadn't seen that at first getting to know her. And...she had promised to ride her and take good care of her.
She ended up being just put out to pasture and basically forgotten w/many others. No riding, no care. I was so upset. I wanted her back at that time as I had put a buy back clause in there, but at this time when this occurred my husband had been in a bad wreck, lost 2 years wages and other complications, and unforutnately I could not afford to buy her back. I wanted to badly.
A few months later and I got a call that this lady wanted to sell or give her to a young 12 y/o who she knew. I went out there and met him, liked the boy and thought my curly liked him to. I was relieved. They took her and she was happy. Nice family, good care..what a relief....but only ended up being for 6 months...then things turned bad again. Not because of this family though. They loved her..spoiled her actually. She was happy there and well cared for.
Then, the lady who knew this family talked them into putting a horse of hers over there as it had a leg injury and needed a shelter/barn to heal. So the mare came back to her...was supposed to be temporary. She promised them she'd take care of this mare while her's was recovering at their place. They basically traded places.
Well, she didn't. And not only that but somehow the curly mare was also pregnant (turns out BEFORE she was given to this little boy and she claims to have not known).
Well, with her not knowing the mare was pregnant there was not special care ever even. Not even trims. She went into labor, crashed and died. The foal was saved. All this gal could think about was how cute the foal was. She left the mare out in the pasture dead for 3 days. We had to go out there ourselves and find someone to bury her. So she could at least have dignity. I've never spoken to this woman again. I have often worried about the foal too. But I was so upset I never went back there again.
That day this happened, I was there shortly after simply by accident. I had been at a local vet clinic getting shots for my horses, and heard a distress call w/the address that I'd sold my mare to. So when they hung up, I inquired. It was the same place and I had a horrible gut feeling it was the curly mare. I got home quick as I could and sure enough she had called me, just out of the blue that the mare was crashing...
When I got there my beautiful mare that I thought I'd found the perfect home for lay there dead. The gal just left w/the foal in a happy euphoria that there was a foal. Not one word or tear for this mare!!! I was livid. I was horrified. I cried my eyes out. I got down on my knees beside her, this beautiful curly, crying, I told her how sorry I was for even letting her go. I was so sorry. I felt beyond awful. It still gets me upset to even type this to this day and it was about 10 years ago even.
I've never sold a horse that came my way to my property since. After that I just have a difficult time believing people will keep their word because most don't. It was a hard lesson.
I dont' know how she did not know the mare was pregnant. She'd bred horses. She had way to many mares and foals after awhile. It was an eye opener. I didn't know her as well as I thought so I take responsibility for some of this. I should have investigated the person further. She had told me she was a trainer, and wanted to bred curlies, train them and place them. But she didn't. She ended up letting them pasture breed, blaming pregancies on a "neighbor" who would come over when she wasn't home and open the gates (mares to stallions). I believed her at the time..now I don't. I think instead she had a sickness.
Anyway, on a better note, they are indeed really really neat horses. The mare I had could have possibly done some endurance eventually. She had a great trot and loved to follow bicycles in Santa Teresa Park in SJ...was funny. That's how we got her used to bikes..we'd follow them. Pretty soon it was a game.
She was very friendly and would love to go down the barn isle where I kept her and visit w/all the other horses while I would clean her stall. I'd just let her out and she'd saunter down the isle visiting...She was very "talky" and was really starting to show her personality. Id had her hooves trimmed, shots, my daughter and I cleaned her up.
My main reason for getting her was because she had been abandoned and to get her taken care of and find a great home. I failed and I have regretted it ever since.
But, they are a great and unusual breed. Unusual looking too. Some more curly than others. The stallions usually have wonderful temperments. I used to have my kids and I walk around in a herd w/several stallions and geldings that were together because they were very very gentle. I did teach my kids safety around horses...but that's how gentle they can be. They are smart, learn fast and are extremely hardy. All body types and heights, and colors.
Some are "straight" curlies which look like a normal haired horse. They can have split manes w/cork screw curls or just wavy. The prettiest to me were the bays and palaminos, as well as the tobianos. they can be pony sized to draft sized and very versatle.
Sparticus is/was a well-known curlie in dressage from years back. (I think that was his name)
As well, a now older endurance gal named Pat McKendry had a curly/appalossa/arab? named named Peanut I believe. A photo of him is in an endurance book. I think possibly Lew Hollanders. She lived in the bay area. Don't know if she still does.
I had looked her up, called her and asked if I could see him because I just had to see one for real!! She was gracious and invited our family over. I think Peanut was about 20 then...not sure.
MaryBen, you probably know her and Peanut?...he may have passed on by now..
Anyway, give them a look see..they are very interesting horses...I loved that little mare for the short time I had her. I should have kept her but a mute point now. Just a very heartbreaking memory now...
Also, it is true about their hair. It is great for people/kids w/allergies..they can be around curlies..
kathie
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