Baasha is at this lovely quarantine facility in SW Washington. Pretty huh? But it turns out he's not only in quarantine to protect Europe's horses from American diseases, but to keep a particular American horse owner (me) protected from any knowledge about what is actually happening to Baasha in quarantine. Now, I have a very good agent. An agent is someone who arranges international travel and coordinates all the paperwork between the two or three countries involved. (US, LUX, and DE) He is wonderful, always replying to my emails within one day, always giving me more information than I requested. The quarantine people are a different story. 
They are computer illiterate, and too busy to use the phone. Now I'm the bad guy, because I asked so many questions, and repeatedly, when my questions were ignored, because they interpreted it as a lack of trust in their 50 years experience and 17 years experience shipping horses around the world.I'm PISSED OFF! Most of my money for this ordeal is going to the airline, the USDA veterinarians, and my agent. Good. But a significant chunk of money is going to the daily quarantine fee which my horse will have been in for 46 days. *shudder*
What questions would a typical horse owner ask, and hope to not incur any rage? I dunno, here were mine: 1. What is my horse eating? 2. What wormer did you use? 3. What USDA tests were done?
Apparently my questioning via email, and repeating the questions when they were ignored, displayed a lack of respect for their work. PFFFT.
When I asked if I could come for a visit next week when I arrive in the states, I was told "You can come visit, but only for less than one hour." Nice.
In a previous post when I mentioned quarantine, I didn't mention how the photo came from another horse-in-quarantine owner, not the people in charge, although they promised me photos of my horse from time to time. (ha!) They also had a habit of repeatedly telling me my horse is "FINE!" and ...isn't "fine" how you answer the question "How are you" when you don't really want to talk? Should I have taken the hint and kept my questions to myself? Of course not. Instead I told them I understand they are busy, and asked them to use the telephone to communicate with me if email is too uncomfortable. That is when the attitude began.
I am looking forward to Sept 17, when my horse arrives. I will be doing a lot of his care myself, as we are splitting up the work. I've been too far away too long, and soon he'll be a 20 minute drive away (without using a freeway). I won't need all these questions in my head all the time, as is usually the case with boarding. I'll be there.
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5 comments:
Nice attitude from them. I would be bombarding them with questions. The only way to shut me up would be to answer to my satisfaction the questions I had asked. It's not too much to ask is it? I would be devastated if I couldn't make sure my girl was getting what I feel she needs.
On the positive less than 2 weeks to go for you to get him back....
I've exported horses to Germany and it is nerve wracking. Your horse will be fine!
I can understand your worry, but imagine it as Horse Camp, and when he comes home he'll be glad to see his mom!
Tracy Meisenbach
www.trinityapp.com
http://thehorsediary.net/ (updated 9-6-2008)
Welcome home!! Is Vancouver not beautiful? I hope that things are better between you and the quarentine people! I am sure that he will be well looked after but understand how frustrating it would be to not be given enough information. Keep your chin up girly, you'll have him home before you know it!
Wow, can't believe they were so pissy with your 3 (very reasonable) questions!
Glad your horse will be with you soon :)
lytha, I'm sorry you had to go through this experience. It's hard enough being seperated from your horse without loosing confidence with the people caring for her.
However, as I said before this does not surprise me knowing the individual involved. She's been doing things her way a long time and I'm pretty sure she doesn't get what the problem is here. If she did, I think she'd have been more careful if not out of courtesy then maybe because she was trying to get you to take her yearling off her hands.
I had to smile just a bit a that one. If you had taken the horse, I can just hear what other people were told. Shipping the horse overseas would have made people think it was yet another "great" horse bred by her when it was really a dud. Folks like her hide those kind of foals from most everyone except those people they're trying to place them with.
I'm pretty sure there's nothing she'd like better than to have it gone so no one could see it. In a way you exacted a little revenge not taking her up on her offer.
That makes at least two Marwan get she's bred that have been much less than she expected. I'm sure she must be disappointed both at their quality and that you didn't relieve her of the horse. To me it looks like a little quirky bit of poetic justice that you snubbed her offer. Hopefully you get my point and will feel a little justice in this from what your rejection must have meant to her.
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