I am saddened and frightened by the amount of ignorance being shown about Sparks Trading Post. ANY horse person (or animal lover, for that matter) with a working pair of eyes and a functional brain can discern that the horses' care at Sparks is sub-standard. Don't let the staff's friendly smiling faces and lenient policies fool you. Half the staff there doesn't know any better, anyway - and maybe Peter Sparks doesn't either. All the more reason why he needs to go into a business venture that does NOT involve living, breathing creatures.\r
\r
If you want to see what trail riding horses are supposed to look like (i.e. healthy weight, parasite-free, not lame, injury-free, and happy) then go to Double DAB in Ripley, NY. (And no, I don't work there nor am I being endorsed for my mention of that barn). \r
\r
People who refuse to acknowledge the blatant problems with the care of the horses at Sparks are as bad as the person(s) responsible for not taking proper care of the horses themselves. If you choose to support this business, you choose to support the atitude that it's OK to provide sub-par care to animals, so long as it's not so bad that animal control closes you down. It's not right, plain and simple. No person can say or do anything to justify the willful neglect of animals who have no choice but to languish in the hands of their ""care""takers. I sincerely hope that some people (even just one!) will change their minds about Sparks and choose NOT to support them.\r
\r
Pros: 0
Cons: Ignorance is NOT bliss...
more