Complaint Review: Marge Spencer - C.M. Mules-N-More - CM Equine Products

February 16th, 2003: I drove from AZ to CA to purchase the Spencer Acre's Bred mule JC. I had seen both JC's sister Angelina and JC advertised online on Blue Mountain Donkey website, and had inquired at the CMspencer website, about Angelina. I was told that for my stated purposes -- a first-time equine owner who wanted to do search & rescue (SAR) with a mule -- that the mule JC would be much more appropriate for my needs than Angelina. Subsequent emails about JC led to my asking how much he would cost.



Marge Spencer quoted $3500 for the unbroke 4 year old 13+H mule. (I have since learned this this is an outrageous figure for so small a mule, and an unbroke mule, no matter what his breeding). I wrote a return email thanking her for her time, but that was out of my budget, and she dropped the price to $2500 -- still 10% of my income that year as a public high school teacher, but I figured that I was getting what I paid for -- a quality animal for a quality price. I did think it was rather peculiar that the mule's front teeth appeared to be completely filed down to his gums -- is this normal for a four year old mule, to have his front teeth absolutely level with his gums?

Feb 2003 - June 2004: At his Arizona home, JC had his own acre pasture, received regular health care and shots. He was not ever 'broke', but gentled with my interpretation of the Parelli method, and not ridden until Spring of 2004. Even then, JC was ridden just around the pasture or neighborhood.

June 3rd, 04: JC and I arrived in Tularosa, NM for month-long professional training clinic by Howdy and Yahooskin Fowler. I figured that if I had a quality mule, I should get quality training to last the many years we'd have, working together.

Almost immediately, my trainer Howdy Fowler informed me that the mule had a weak hip, and he had both his wife and another seasoned horse-trainer confirm this, before we headed to the vet, for a diagnosis. After a 45 minute session in the arena, the mule was lame and his weak hocks swollen.

June 22nd, 04: JC has a Vet Examination by Dr. Franklin in Riudoso, New Mexico. The vet confirmed the horsemens' opinion that JC had problems, but specified that the mule was crippled, having a lesion of some sort in his spinal column (he crouches down upon palpation of the areas near his spine) that was contributing the degeneration of the muscle tissue of his hind end. I had my husband mail us a video that Marge Spencer had provided, of Baby JC, and the vet looked at that and said that he thought that the baby mule moved awkwardly -- not quite right, even acknowledging his Puruvian Paso breeding -- at that tender age. The vet informed me that given the problem, JC was a danger to ride, and possibly to be around, since the obvious muscle atrophy in his hind end was causing him to lose control of it. In fact, he walks very simliarly to my 15 year old dog who has hip dysplasia. The vet further stated that JC stands a chance of falling down and severing his spinal cord. I have a six year old daughter that helps me around the equines ; this is an unacceptable safety risk.

End of June, 04: I contacted Marge Spencer by phone, explained problems and that mule was very possibly lame from birth, and that I thought I was essentially taken advantage of, as a first-time equine buyer. I requested refund of purchase price, and that she take JC back at the Spencer's expense. She assured me that they were good people, we'd work out a refund, she'd talk to her husband and call back.

July 2nd, 04: Marge Spencer called back, spoke to Yahooskin Fowler, and said that Marge's Vet had requested ALL of JC's health records -- shot records and everything, to be FAXed to him. Marge Spencer repeatedly gave this number as her Vet's FAX number, and refused further discussion: 909-278-2359. I called back and was told exactly the same thing, with emphasis that I was to FAX ALL of JC's health records to her vet, at that number, in order that he could do a complete analysis. She was to call me back, when this was done. This is the last that I ever heard from the Spencers (as of 12/9/04).

August 1st or 2nd, 04, I Google the FAX number Marge Spencer gave me, 909-278-2359. It brings up an order form for CM Equine Products, run by the same Spencers of Spencer's Acre. I contact Norco Equine (who Spencers had said was their vet and who had done my Coggins test for me at Spencer's recommendation) and FAXed some of the information and receive a FAX in return, requesting the other information; they'd never received the information.

September 1st, 04, I file a complaint with the BBB that covers Norco, CA

October 18th, 04: I check on the BBB website for status of the complaint. The Better Business Bureau is also still awaiting response from the Seller. (As of this writing, we did not get a response since at least the end of November, and I cannot access the BBB website at the moment, to confirm that there has still been no response).

I will be having my mule euthanized in the next few weeks, because his quality of life has degenerated a great deal, I cannot find a home crazy enough to take him (and his necessary vet bills) and I cannot afford to keep and feed a crippled animal for the rest of his natural life, which may be from a few weeks to thirty years. I am still trying to figure out a way to tell this to my six year old daughter, who very much loves this mule (as do we all).

Wendy
Vernon, Arizona
U.S.A.

sorry, allowing you to give a competitors name would instigate others to just file against their competition, to only come back later to suggest their company your comments on this policy are welcome! CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.