This person and her side-kick pose as "genetic experts" with a cause to save a rare draft breed of horses under the name of Iron Ridge Sport Horses. Yes, the breed is rare and endangered. Online she has a blog, websites and the appearance of a legitimate business. However, once someone sees the operation and the conditions of the animals on the ranch, it is obvious these people are starving animal, while claiming to be a rescue operation. I purchased 2 horses from them that were starved and have the pictures to prove it. There were picture taken when they were there and now that I have had them for 1 year. I am still trying to get the registration for one of the horses in ApHC as this person claims to have lost the registration papers. They then sent transfer papers that were not notarized.
I purchased the last stallion of the rare draft breed and boarded the stallion with training to help represent the breed at Iron Ridge. They acted as the agent for the seller. They confiscated the original papers and falsified "new" papers for their newly named SDHR registry with incorrect dates and will not return the original papers. The stallion appeared in a show at the Kentucky Horse Park underweight, not trained and was drugged to keep it calm, as witnessed by my hired rider. When I objected to the conditions of handling, I was made to be the bad guy. They deliver the 2 mares in NC to my ranch and then go back to Texas with my stallion. This was a trip of over 21 hours straight without rest for my stallion. Once back in Texas they billed me for truck repair and costs that were not agreed on and held my stallion ransom. I paid the bill and arranged to have my stallion shipped back to me. When he arrived, 6 weeks later, he was 500 pounds underweight and had a blown abscess on his hoof, preventing me from any participation in shows until this year.
I found they have history of dirty dealing PSSM1 horses and starving horses, blaming it on weather and foaling with other people, as well. They opened a new business as Darklight Stables, this year. Online, they are advertising foals to be born sires by my stallion. I agreed to allow 3 breedings in exchange for the board and training for 6 months and found that they had stolen a 4th breeding. I filed a stallion report with their registry, stating the 3 breedings and they never said anything about the 4th. I tried to serve notice of collection of breed fee and wanting papers returned via Fedex. They avoided and ignored the delivery notice.
Rebecca
North Carolina,#2Author of original report
Mon, November 10, 2014
With the help of ApHC I was finally able to get the registration for both mares. I was contacted a little over a month ago after threatening legal action and was told the foal of the stolen breeding, died. If this is true, further proof of mis-treatment of horses. We have formally asked for pictures of our horses to be removed from their social media sites.