Reiner full Bio

I finally posted Reiner's adoption ad on BAEN, two people have inquired so far both wanted more info so I put a Bio together for him.

Reiner Bio September 2008

Thank you for inquiring about Reiner – I decided to make a general info sheet on his background.

I raised Reiner from a 6 month old baby, but actually I saw him from day one. I have a special bond with him that makes it difficult to let him go, but my finances have changed so I can not care for him any more.

Reiner was not started until he was four, then after a brief training period I tried to continue on my own but he was more horse then I was use to ( at 16.3 he was very different then my 15 hand gelding). Long story short, I was never able to stick with him, and gave up, partly because I did not have funds for full time training.

After a couple of years, a friend helped get him going; his working student was riding him in the video. The working student left and there was no one to ride Reiner when he got difficult so it was 1 ½ yr lay off again.

That basically bring us to this year in March 2008. I had an ad for him in BAEN, two people wanted him, a teenage girl and a school in Watsonville. I decided to go with the young girl as her personality blended with him and she had a sometimes difficult horse.

At the last minute, the girl backed out because she did not like the adoption terms so he went with the school.

When I let him go to the school, I was heartbroken for a very long time. I went down after two months, and found him very “in” to being part of the barn. I was dismayed as a lot of the day he was confined to a box stall, some turn out but not always daily. Also, I found out they only fed hay cubes, that was hard for me to accept but he looked great. However the second day of my visit, I walked up to his stall while he was eating his hay cubes from a bucket. Before he realized it was me, he raised his head with ears pinned threatening me. I was stunned, he never ever ever did that before, I asked the trainer about that behavior, she replied saying “oh, there’s a mare in the barn that has taught everyone to do that”. In retrospect, I know it must have been the traumatic change in his feeding and environment.

The trainer at the school was very patient and methodical, and I thought she would work well with him. They were very successful, it took awhile but she had 2 of her advanced students riding him. Reiner went to one show entering in 3 classes, two flat, and one small rails. He did pretty well, the trainer said he was a little wobbly going over the course, but did his job. The trainer said she thought he loved the kids, but would not be a general school horse. She told me he was doing a 2.6’ course, looking expensive and fancy.

Then in the beginning of July, I got an email saying he was not working out and come get him. The story I got was he had crossed the three strikes and out rule.

Bite the Trainer’s 5 year old daughter during an evacuation at the local fairgrounds

Kicked the trainer during a trailer loading drama – Tried loading him with a whip ( I told them never do that as he only fights), he refused to go in for an hour. Husband came along; he walked right in for him, but for whatever reason he backed out breaking his rope 2 xs. Then trainer bent over to pick up the whip and Reiner kicked her. ( They attributed that accident as more their fault then his)

Lastly, he bite the 17 year old girl who rode him on the side breaking skin.

There is no excuse for biting, but in all fairness to Reiner I think the change in environment was too stressful for him and he was not happy. He was always mouthy because I hand fed him, but he was not malicious. Prior to going to the school, he shared an acre pasture with my old gelding with three hay feedings a day. I think the confinement and lack of chewable hay during his down time made him crabby.

He is at Santa Rosa Equestrian Center doing some R & R. I am happy to say he has retuned to his sweetness, and is turned out with a group of horses in the morning for most of the day. Since coming home, he has been ridden by two different people, basic flat work and did well without the old resistance. For that I thank the trainer at the school. But I thought he moved funny on his right side, a problem area where he always seems to need frequent adjustments.

Then we tried to jump him but he was off in the warm up, I gave him rest for a week, then slow lunging. He seemed fine.

I had someone try riding him a week ago Monday but he was still lame. On Sept 16, Jackie Becker, did body work on him, she found tenderness in his right front ankle and recommend rest. She also found his hip was out, she said it could come from pulling back in the trailer, she said it happens easily to a lot of horses.

Last year, I had a full set of xray’s on his right hip, hock, ankle. The Vets said his bones were exceptional so it’s a muscular issue that will require body work periodically. He’s a big horse.

There is no adoption fee, if you want him vetted it will be at your expense. The adoption terms are simple: I must know where he is kept always, he can not be moved from the original location without notifying me. He can not be sold or given away. If you can not keep him or it does not work out, I must be contacted and have first rights to him back again. If I can not take him back, I have first right to find him another adoption. His expenses including vetting, shoes, standard medical care and stabling will be your responsibility.

There will be a written agreement for the adoption, and I have visitation rights.

Reiner is my equine child, I know even the best situations sometimes change, it did for me. I don’t want him to end up in a feed lot or abused. My goal is only for him to have a home where he can thrive and be loved. It’s not important to me that he is competed ( although he is a huge talent), I would not care if he was only someone’s backyard horse as long as he was happy.

If you are interested in meeting him, please email me.