i officially hate The Bates family.

[SimplyMe]

Where do they get the money for expensive food and medicine??? Oh, yeah, Lawson.

That's a good question because feed is expensive these days. Veterinary care has always been expensive. How do they justify the extra expenses when they have to borrow from their son to get by each month? Their priorities seem a bit off. At least it sounds like the horses are eating well.

[CanadianHippie]

That's a good question because feed is expensive these days. Veterinary care has always been expensive. How do they justify the extra expenses when they have to borrow from their son to get by each month? Their priorities seem a bit off. At least it sounds like the horses are eating well.

Easy, their son is part of the household, so he needs to make his contributions, his money is our money, it's not borrowing when he need to pay for food and a place to sleep, yada, yada, yada...

[donks]

Even the heavier ones have unthrifty coats. A horse's coat shows how well they are cared for:

a glowing luminous coat? good feed, proper grooming and medical attention when warranted.

a dry, dull coat like all but 1 of The Bates horses? shit feed.

the one that had a decent hair coat (the palomino wearing the black saddle with kids stacked like cordwood on it) isn't in the older pics on their site, so i have to assume they haven't had it long enough for their feeding program to have taken over.

[cate]

I got my horse because the woman that owned her couldn't afford her anymore. And she did the best thing she could have and did NOT wait until the horse was starving and half dead before making that decision - she brought her to the barn where I took lessons and boarded her there for a couple of months so people could see her and try her. She was in fabulous condition when I got her (for free, I might add :)).

I think I'm not even going to try to find video of the episode anywhere...I don't think I really want to see the poor horses.

[elliesmash]

I don't believe Kelly Bates. Those horses are behind shitty, barbed-wire fencing with no t-post caps on it, and in at least one of the photos with the appaloosa mare, she had a foal at her side. So not only are they not feeding or feeding them garbage, but they are allowing them to breed and asking for trouble when they put them behind barbed wire with no caps on the t-posts. Also....no one is wearing a helmet in any of these pictures. No one. (I actually mentioned something about that in the comments of their photo albums months ago, and that lady "Kay" jumped down my throat about it.)

If they were skinny horses behind appropriate fencing, NOT being climbed all over by unsupervised, helmeted children, I'd accept her explanation. But this is...just raising all kinds of red flags for me.

Cathy actually doesn't run FHOTD anymore...the woman who blogs at "The Mugwump Chronicles" does.

[Too Many Fundies]

I know the Bates live outside of Knoxville, but are they in Knox or Anderson County? Someone needs to make a call and have them investigated.

They're in Anderson County. I think they're in the Medford area of Lake City, but I've never had any desire to find out exactly where.

I've had enough of the Bates family from the few times I've had the misfortune of dealing with them. Gil is creepy, to boot.

[elliesmash]

I've had enough of the Bates family from the few times I've had the misfortune of dealing with them. Gil is creepy, to boot.

Oh? Do tell.

[Too Many Fundies]

I used to work at a place where they used to shop (they may still shop there, I don't know). I've had the misfortune of also meeting some of the Duggar's as well through this same retailer.

As for Gil, if you're a woman he'll straight up come over to you and tell you that you need to quit your job and have more children. He gave me the creeps every time I saw him.

[elliesmash]

As for Gil, if you're a woman he'll straight up come over to you and tell you that you need to quit your job and have more children. He gave me the creeps every time I saw him.

Like, every single woman he meets? Or happens across? How...odd. I can't even fathom the logistics of that.

[Jessica]

How does he bring it up? Does he start talking and find a way to work it into the conversation or does he just straight-up tell you?

[Too Many Fundies]

Not every single woman, just women he happens to have to deal with in the process of making a purchase, which included me and a few other women.

How does he bring it up? Does he start talking and find a way to work it into the conversation or does he just straight-up tell you?

With me he just worked it into the conversation.

[lilwriter85]

I don't believe Kelly Bates. Those horses are behind shitty, barbed-wire fencing with no t-post caps on it, and in at least one of the photos with the appaloosa mare, she had a foal at her side. So not only are they not feeding or feeding them garbage, but they are allowing them to breed and asking for trouble when they put them behind barbed wire with no caps on the t-posts. Also....no one is wearing a helmet in any of these pictures. No one. (I actually mentioned something about that in the comments of their photo albums months ago, and that lady "Kay" jumped down my throat about it.)

If they were skinny horses behind appropriate fencing, NOT being climbed all over by unsupervised, helmeted children, I'd accept her explanation. But this is...just raising all kinds of red flags for me.

Cathy actually doesn't run FHOTD anymore...the woman who blogs at "The Mugwump Chronicles" does.

I agree. I think Kelly is trying to cover up for herself and Gil. A family with 19 kids probably can't afford to have horses. As it has been mentioned before in this thread and other threads, the Bateses are borrowing money from Lawson and getting good and services donated to them. They aren't in the right financial position to have horses.

[lilwriter85]

I used to work at a place where they used to shop (they may still shop there, I don't know). I've had the misfortune of also meeting some of the Duggar's as well through this same retailer.

As for Gil, if you're a woman he'll straight up come over to you and tell you that you need to quit your job and have more children. He gave me the creeps every time I saw him.

How did the Duggars act when you met them?

[roddma]

In agreement with other comments I managed to read how can they afford horses? They needed to say the horses were rescue in the show as not to cause a ruckus.It shows you their disconnect from the world.

[Too Many Fundies]

I've never met Michelle, but some of my co-workers did. I've dealt with Boob. He smiled at me, but didn't say anything. He was checking out with someone else, and I had to assist with an override, so he wasn't in my primary area anyway. I wouldn't have even known he was in the store if I hadn't been called for assistance. Mostly either some of the Bates kids or Duggar kids would come in. They were nice and well behaved every time I saw them. Nathan started coming by himself the most at the end of my time there. He always asked for a manager and never wanted to deal with me. He would go to any other woman to ask for a manager, but not me. I think it was because I wasn't behind a register, but I could be wrong. He was always pleasant and polite, but he always seemed to act strange to me.

[elliesmash]

I agree. I think Kelly is trying to cover up for herself and Gil. A family with 19 kids probably can't afford to have horses. As it has been mentioned before in this thread and other threads, the Bateses are borrowing money from Lawson and getting good and services donated to them. They aren't in the right financial position to have horses.

Some of it isn't even financial- if you can't afford caps for the fence, get tennis balls and put them on the ends- that's what my mom did when we first brought Banjo and Hambone home, and it worked just fine until we replaced the fence. Keeping mares and stallions separated takes maybe three brain cells to figure out, and gelding horses is relatively inexpensive- much less than vet care for a pregnant mare and training a young horse is, anyway. Banjo and Hambone really do live off of grass in the summer, and we only pay for food during the winter. They go barefoot, too. It doesn't stop the farrier bills, but their a little cheaper. Owning horses is a serious financial commitment, but a lot of the stupidity isn't even nessacarily coming from poverty. Just laziness.

[SuzeK]

Never watch the show anymore. But thats one I wanna see! I hate the Bates so much :evil:

[usedtobenice]

Please dish, Suze!

[donks]

In agreement with other comments I managed to read how can they afford horses? They needed to say the horses were rescue in the show as not to cause a ruckus.It shows you their disconnect from the world.

i absolutely do not buy that those horses are rescues. rescuing a horse involves taking it from a bad situation, rehabbing it with vet care, hoof care and plenty of good feed (not necessarily sweet feed, which is actually TERRIBLE for most horses, btw) and fresh water. i call it 'upgrading their lifestyle' ;) i've done it. it's expensive to do it correctly.

since the wretched Bates can't afford to care for the horses properly they've merely changed the horses' locations, not their lifestyles.

[donks]

Some of it isn't even financial- if you can't afford caps for the fence, get tennis balls and put them on the ends- that's what my mom did when we first brought Banjo and Hambone home, and it worked just fine until we replaced the fence. Keeping mares and stallions separated takes maybe three brain cells to figure out, and gelding horses is relatively inexpensive- much less than vet care for a pregnant mare and training a young horse is, anyway. Banjo and Hambone really do live off of grass in the summer, and we only pay for food during the winter. They go barefoot, too. It doesn't stop the farrier bills, but their a little cheaper. Owning horses is a serious financial commitment, but a lot of the stupidity isn't even nessacarily coming from poverty. Just laziness.

Banjo? one of my horses has a grandson named Banjo! is your Banjo an 08 chestnut colt, registered with AQHA by any chance?

[elliesmash]

Banjo? one of my horses has a grandson named Banjo! is your Banjo an 08 chestnut colt, registered with AQHA by any chance?

My Banjo is a brown John mule from New Holland. :P Alas, the only pedigreed, non-fugly equine I've ever owned was a little Fjord gelding with severe ringbone.

[snarkykitty]

Kind of off-topic but still about the Bates... Did anyone else hear Zach (the one who's a courtin' now) mention that he had never sat that close to a girl before? He was still sitting two feet apart from his "betrothed" on that bench. I'm not saying that kids should be getting busy at 13 years old, but I just don't understand going from -60 to 100 in the (usually) short time from betrothal to wedding night.

I just wish that these "kids" would do some thinking for themselves. If they're old enough to plan a wedding, they're old enough to make decisions for themselves. The claims that "we both agreed we wouldn't kiss or touch until we get married" don't come from their careful consideration - it's sheer mimicry of what the parents want to "show" the world. We know that J&M didn't have those rules - they dated. I don't know what G&K did/didn't do when they got together, but I'm betting they didn't have to abide by these crazy rules 20-something years ago. One thing that I cannot stand is hypocrisy.

[NurseNell]

As for Gil, if you're a woman he'll straight up come over to you and tell you that you need to quit your job and have more children. He gave me the creeps every time I saw him.

For real? Stupid is as stupid does.

[SimplyMe]

Ok, I finally watched the episode. The chestnut was WAY too thin. If it is in fact a rescue and they are feeding her well, they should wait to ride her until she at least put on a bit more weight so the saddle isn't resting in her spine. Yikes! The appy and palomino both looked ok, I really couldn't catch how the other 1 or 2 looked. I just re-watched the horse part and there was both the bay TWH and her colt (the chestnut, I think) who were too thin.

Several other things stunned me too. As already mentioned, no helmets on the children, most of whom (Duggars) are totally inexperienced riders. Not that that matters, experienced riders fall off too. Also, kids riding BAREFOOT (Jackson and Hannie), girls in flip flops and what was up with Jackson and Hannie riding double on a loose horse? The palomino was loose in the yard with something around its neck. It didn't look like a halter, I couldn't tell what it was. I know there was grass and the horse was most interested in grazing, but what if it spooked or Jackson accidentally gave it a big kick? Sheesh, even before my old, bomb-proof gelding died, I would have never dreamed of putting small children on him without a bridle or halter and lead line and staying right by their side, not even in a small round pen, much less loose in a yard! These people are nuts- What a joke it was when Michelle said that the Bateses know what they are doing and make sure everyone is safe. Ha!

The trampolines look like a major hazard too, especially with a boatload of little kids on them at once.

And why why why must they always have to inform us about the state of the bus toilet? It's bad enough just to imagine 21+ people using one toilet, but must they talk about it being clogged, the smell, etc. Yuck. Just yuck.

What's up with these fundie families breaking out in song too?? Who does that, sober at least? I asked my husband to imagine us lining up with our friends and starting to belt out Amazing Grace. We both had a good laugh about that one.

You wouldn't think this was possible, but the Bates family makes the Duggars seem like sophisticated, well-spoken city folk by comparison. They are some backwards ass people.

[Black Aliss]

Some of it isn't even financial- Keeping mares and stallions separated takes maybe three brain cells to figure out, and gelding horses is relatively inexpensive- much less than vet care for a pregnant mare and training a young horse is, anyway. Owning horses is a serious financial commitment, but a lot of the stupidity isn't even nessacarily coming from poverty. Just laziness.

I suppose they're leaving that up to God as well--to decide when their mares should be bred. Gelding that stallion wouldn't take that many more brain cells, and make a better horse for the kids.