Cradilo, a 20-year-old Irish Draught, was nursed back to health and trained by Amy Hunter, a Viroqua woman who lost the horse in a court battle with his wealthy owner.
Cradilo, a 20-year-old Irish Draught, was nursed back to health and trained by Amy Hunter, a Viroqua woman who lost the horse in a court battle with his wealthy owner.
Irish Draught horse at heart of dispute between trainer and owner in Wisconsin.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
Hunter feels like she got ripped off. I'm not sure I see it that way. But I'm not a horse guy.
Thanks for posting this. I just sent it to my wife and daughter. My daughter has a good equestrian career starting and has already been involved in a contract dispute as an assistant trainer. I’m really proud of her because she’s been taking the dispute to the courts and winning. She’s learned the importance of iron-clad contracts already.
That’s a great shot of Ms. Hunter and Cradilo going over the double oxer.
This is a valid point. 20 years is the maximum age to insure the life and health of a horse, and by that time any remaining market value lies in their ability to breed. If I owned this horse, I'd retire him to stud.
I think this situation was summed up best by Rachel Cox, cited in the story as a Pennsylvania horse farm owner and board member of the Irish Draught Horse Association of North America. "I've seen this so many times," Cox said, referring to misunderstandings among owners, breeders and trainers of expensive horses. She said owners underestimate the effort trainers put in, trainers can get very attached to specific animals, and friends frequently don't execute the proper paperwork. "You really need to cross the T's and dot the I's."
If it's not written in a binding contract, someone else is going to decide. This bitter dispute could and should have been avoided by confirming all agreements in writing.
Meh. I don’t understand it, this love of big, useless, expensive animals, but I live on ‘Horse Row’ as I call it, and the barns and stables and training areas keep expanding and expanding and expanding!
I read yesterday that Americans spent $62 BILLION on their HOUSEPETS (cats, dogs, etc.) this past year. $21 billion in food and medical bills, and the rest in grooming, toys and frilly-dillies.
Give me a herd of milk cows, any day. I’ll even settle for sheep. More chickens! God’s most USEFUL creature, IMHO.
But no goats. I hate goats. :)
The author is way off here. The horse was originally a dressage horse, but suddenly becomes a Grand Prix jumper at the age of 20.
That is not a Grand Prix class oxer, it's probably around 3' max.
As others have said, she should have gotten it in writing. Bottom line, the horse at the age of 20 is not worth much even as a sire. No one in the US is interested in plow horses for dressage or jumping.
I have extensive experience in the dressage and hunter/jumper field in Wisconsin.
She should be able to keep the horse. Former owner gave it her and she earned it.
If you seek justice, stay as far as effin' possible from the "Judicial" System... as they are the Cattle Rustlers in this story.