Helmi Bishop's Experiences that Inspired Her Vision of flipMYlip
Whenever we give up a horse, sell, lease, separate for any reason, we often times lose the ability to keep in contact with the new owner. Situations are always changing, phone numbers and emails change, and Agreement or Sales Contracts, general paper work of the transaction are missed placed or lost. You loose contact with your horse and whom ever it was entrusted or sold too.. Have you ever wondered where your old horse is and whether he is in a good place? Helmi did. And now we give Voices to Equines. A Voice to tell us who they are, where they are from, where they belong. Even how to get in touch with their human partners.
Here is my story. I free leased my horse in 2002. I wrote what I thought was an Iron clad contract. I believed I had thought of everything, every detail, even researching other contracts. I was very specific that he be returned to me if she could no longer keep him. Major could be a handle full on the ground, but once on board he was a dream.
I wrote that I was not giving up ownership and that he could not be moved from her property. Everything appeared to be going well until I called and said I was going to stop by and see him. This is when the first bomb shell dropped. She confessed she no longer had him. She had given him to a friend who loved him.
She did give me the friend's phone number, whom I called and spoke with on the phone several times. I was once again reassured all was going well. For the second time I announced I was going to come by and see him. This time I was told 'sure stop by.'
I pulled into her driveway, home #2, and a man came out, I introduced myself, said I was here to see my horse. The man looked at me and said 'my daughter is not here, and the horse is not here either.' I was shocked and speechless. After a moment of silence I asked him where my horse was, and the father told me that she, the daughter, was pregnant and had given him to yet another friend. We were talking for a brief time when the daughter pulled in, still reassuring my horse was fine.
3 homes! By now I just want to see him, lay my own eyes on him and know he was okay. When I asked where he was the only information she could give me was the name of a town. Anxiety rising, she has no idea where this friend lives but thinks he is fine? No problem the town's name was all I needed. I headed off to find him. Surprisingly I found him that Same day as I was driving around the town, up and down streets, looking for his unmistakable face.
After finding him I drove home, hooked up my trailer and headed out to retrieve my horse, that very next morning. When I arrived at “Home #3”, I pulled over to the side of the road, parked, and with halter and lead rope in hand walked right to his turnout, grabbed him, marched him down the street and loaded him on to my trailer, brought him home. I still have this horse. No one ever called me, to ask if I had him, or say he was gone.
In the fall of 2007 several horses arrived from New Holland Auction. All were placed quickly with few issues except this lil red one. She was scared and one angry pony. The question I was asked frequently was. What are you going to do with that one? My answer was always. I don't know yet.
When it came time to catch her, we ran her into a stock trailer. Introduced her to her new barn mates. Through the winter and into the spring she was handled twice a day, every day. Eventually started to allow us to catch her, as she didn't want to be left behind when the other horses were brought in.
In the spring it was time to see if this still angry 'lil red pony was broke to ride. As I tried to climb on she made it clear that she wasn't happy. She did not like this idea at all. But not one to quit too soon, I had a knowledgeable, trusted person hold her, or head her, as I climbed on, and immediately off we went ears pinned flat, and quite the speedy one.
It became obvious she was broke to ride but, she was very nervous, angry and just had a general bad attitude. Also, She had only one gear. GO! After we had few fast rides together, some folks from the barn were going to a team penning clinic. Something I had never done, but I was quite interested. The problem was I did not have a horse to ride except for my angry lil red pony with one gear. Who was now named Caly.
We made it through our first clinic and I was hooked. With only Caly, I decided to continue riding her at several more clinics and fairly soon, though not to rush her, I began to compete with her. After our first few times out she became known as "Caly, Ho!" As I was heard a million times yelling Caly Ho. She did catch on quickly and soon we were in the money.
I continued riding her, and we came to an understanding that I did not know what happened to her but I continually reassured her it was not going to happen to her again. She always gave 110% each and every ride. This pony tried harder than any horse/pony I have ever rode or trained to please me, to respond correctly. Once she understood there was more than straight ahead, or fast forward, and she calmed to slow down she started waiting, listening, and understanding my cues. She turned into a quick, smart fun pony to ride.
Together we logged many miles trail riding, ranch sorting and just having fun. But through it all I had to face she was to small for what I wanted to do, and I was asking to much of her, Yet she continued giving to much of her to me.
Caly had come so far that I started thinking she was possibly placable. That I could find her a forever home. I began to keep my eyes open for possible candidates. But one after another I always found something that told me NO, that it wasn't a good fit, bad interactions, sometimes just that feeling. Around the barn the saying was I would never part with her. I started thinking that was probably true. Until the summer of 2011 when I responded to and ad someone listed who was looking for a companion/ lead line pony.
With little hope it would work out we set up a time for a potential new 'owner' to come and meet Caly. She arrived late leaving only about a half hour before I had to leave for work. Watching their interactions, it only took a few minutes, and for the first time I thought if Caly was going to find a forever home this was it. “Please don't blow it Caly”, was all I could think.
When it came time for the candidate to leave, she told me that she had a few more ponies to look at, and that she would get back to me. Right. Heard that before. I fully figured I would never hear back from her. But, to my great surprise I received an email that said something to effect 'that there was something about Caly, even with her baggage, that she wanted to give her a home.
I was shocked and happy at the same time. It was then that I realized, once I let her go I can no longer promise her anything. Nor keep the promise that what ever had happened in her past would never happen again.
Remembering that 'iron clad contract' I had years earlier had proved worthless. And there were so many similar experiences I had heard of, or l witnessed to people I knew. 1st Right of refusals, other contracts ignored, horses secretly shipped to auction houses, disappearing, leaving folks with no recourse. Once the horse is gone, how do you retrieve them? The law does not help in these cases.
It was weighing so heavily that there was nothing I could do. Just except, and hope she honors my verbal contract, that she returns Caly to me if things don't work out.
As I replied to her email I started typing the words. If I could write on Caly " please return if I ever need a home".... This is the moment it came to me Why can't I? There had to be a way to protect her...
Whenever we give up a horse, sell, lease, separate for any reason, we often times lose the ability to keep in contact with the new owner. Situations are always changing, phone numbers and emails change, and Agreement or Sales Contracts, general paper work of the transaction are missed placed or lost. You loose contact with your horse and whom ever it was entrusted or sold too.. Have you ever wondered where your old horse is and whether he is in a good place? Helmi did. And now we give Voices to Equines. A Voice to tell us who they are, where they are from, where they belong. Even how to get in touch with their human partners.
Here is my story. I free leased my horse in 2002. I wrote what I thought was an Iron clad contract. I believed I had thought of everything, every detail, even researching other contracts. I was very specific that he be returned to me if she could no longer keep him. Major could be a handle full on the ground, but once on board he was a dream.
I wrote that I was not giving up ownership and that he could not be moved from her property. Everything appeared to be going well until I called and said I was going to stop by and see him. This is when the first bomb shell dropped. She confessed she no longer had him. She had given him to a friend who loved him.
She did give me the friend's phone number, whom I called and spoke with on the phone several times. I was once again reassured all was going well. For the second time I announced I was going to come by and see him. This time I was told 'sure stop by.'
I pulled into her driveway, home #2, and a man came out, I introduced myself, said I was here to see my horse. The man looked at me and said 'my daughter is not here, and the horse is not here either.' I was shocked and speechless. After a moment of silence I asked him where my horse was, and the father told me that she, the daughter, was pregnant and had given him to yet another friend. We were talking for a brief time when the daughter pulled in, still reassuring my horse was fine.
3 homes! By now I just want to see him, lay my own eyes on him and know he was okay. When I asked where he was the only information she could give me was the name of a town. Anxiety rising, she has no idea where this friend lives but thinks he is fine? No problem the town's name was all I needed. I headed off to find him. Surprisingly I found him that Same day as I was driving around the town, up and down streets, looking for his unmistakable face.
After finding him I drove home, hooked up my trailer and headed out to retrieve my horse, that very next morning. When I arrived at “Home #3”, I pulled over to the side of the road, parked, and with halter and lead rope in hand walked right to his turnout, grabbed him, marched him down the street and loaded him on to my trailer, brought him home. I still have this horse. No one ever called me, to ask if I had him, or say he was gone.
Major and Helmi today September 2012
Now fast forward to 2007.
In the fall of 2007 several horses arrived from New Holland Auction. All were placed quickly with few issues except this lil red one. She was scared and one angry pony. The question I was asked frequently was. What are you going to do with that one? My answer was always. I don't know yet.
When it came time to catch her, we ran her into a stock trailer. Introduced her to her new barn mates. Through the winter and into the spring she was handled twice a day, every day. Eventually started to allow us to catch her, as she didn't want to be left behind when the other horses were brought in.
In the spring it was time to see if this still angry 'lil red pony was broke to ride. As I tried to climb on she made it clear that she wasn't happy. She did not like this idea at all. But not one to quit too soon, I had a knowledgeable, trusted person hold her, or head her, as I climbed on, and immediately off we went ears pinned flat, and quite the speedy one.
It became obvious she was broke to ride but, she was very nervous, angry and just had a general bad attitude. Also, She had only one gear. GO! After we had few fast rides together, some folks from the barn were going to a team penning clinic. Something I had never done, but I was quite interested. The problem was I did not have a horse to ride except for my angry lil red pony with one gear. Who was now named Caly.
We made it through our first clinic and I was hooked. With only Caly, I decided to continue riding her at several more clinics and fairly soon, though not to rush her, I began to compete with her. After our first few times out she became known as "Caly, Ho!" As I was heard a million times yelling Caly Ho. She did catch on quickly and soon we were in the money.
I continued riding her, and we came to an understanding that I did not know what happened to her but I continually reassured her it was not going to happen to her again. She always gave 110% each and every ride. This pony tried harder than any horse/pony I have ever rode or trained to please me, to respond correctly. Once she understood there was more than straight ahead, or fast forward, and she calmed to slow down she started waiting, listening, and understanding my cues. She turned into a quick, smart fun pony to ride.
Together we logged many miles trail riding, ranch sorting and just having fun. But through it all I had to face she was to small for what I wanted to do, and I was asking to much of her, Yet she continued giving to much of her to me.
Caly had come so far that I started thinking she was possibly placable. That I could find her a forever home. I began to keep my eyes open for possible candidates. But one after another I always found something that told me NO, that it wasn't a good fit, bad interactions, sometimes just that feeling. Around the barn the saying was I would never part with her. I started thinking that was probably true. Until the summer of 2011 when I responded to and ad someone listed who was looking for a companion/ lead line pony.
With little hope it would work out we set up a time for a potential new 'owner' to come and meet Caly. She arrived late leaving only about a half hour before I had to leave for work. Watching their interactions, it only took a few minutes, and for the first time I thought if Caly was going to find a forever home this was it. “Please don't blow it Caly”, was all I could think.
When it came time for the candidate to leave, she told me that she had a few more ponies to look at, and that she would get back to me. Right. Heard that before. I fully figured I would never hear back from her. But, to my great surprise I received an email that said something to effect 'that there was something about Caly, even with her baggage, that she wanted to give her a home.
I was shocked and happy at the same time. It was then that I realized, once I let her go I can no longer promise her anything. Nor keep the promise that what ever had happened in her past would never happen again.
Remembering that 'iron clad contract' I had years earlier had proved worthless. And there were so many similar experiences I had heard of, or l witnessed to people I knew. 1st Right of refusals, other contracts ignored, horses secretly shipped to auction houses, disappearing, leaving folks with no recourse. Once the horse is gone, how do you retrieve them? The law does not help in these cases.
It was weighing so heavily that there was nothing I could do. Just except, and hope she honors my verbal contract, that she returns Caly to me if things don't work out.
As I replied to her email I started typing the words. If I could write on Caly " please return if I ever need a home".... This is the moment it came to me Why can't I? There had to be a way to protect her...
To give her a VOICE that Says Please return me to my human. Here is how to do it... flipMYlip!
And this folks is how flipMYlip was born. All because I became very fond of an angry lil red pony named Caly. Caly, HO!
