Kathryn Smith - Mike Smith - The Shire Farms - The Trail Horse Source - Trail Horse Training ripoff, internet horse fraud, mail fraud, tax fraud, bankruptcy fraud and lying, harrassing thieves! Cherryville, Vale,North Carolina & Lake Wylie South Carolina

I am not envolved with this company or The smiths. I have been searching for a new horse and come across the smiths web site. I thought that the name sounded familar from the rip off report and just wanted to let you guys know that the smiths have a new horse saleing operation out of pumpkinville SC. there new website is www.cghorses.com. Had it not been for the rip off report I may have contacted them about a horse. You have saved me from getting ripped off.
There address is
310 Amber School RD
Marietta SC 29661
they also boast a BBB rialibility online graphic on there home page

first, not at any time is it ok for a child or anyone to get hurt from someones lies, I have 4 children. 7 years ago I myself almost lost my foot becaues of not only lies but just not telling someone the whole story even what is not asked.I don't know why they use other names and address I didn't work or live with them,I think it would be hard to sign a check if you are not that person,but like I said I don't know. I am only telling you about my horse and my dealings with the smiths, if thay are telling lies it is WRONG TO BUT SOMEONES LIFE IN DANGER,but at this time my mare is doing great. Sorry if I made you think I was just all on their side I'm only going off of my dealings with them.VERY TIME YOU DEAL WITH HORSES YOU PUT YOURSELF IN DANGER BUT IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH YOU CAN BE SAFE SO YES YOU SURE AT ALL TIMES BE TOLD THE TRUTH

Donna from Md I'm glad your experience with the Smiths worked out but as the odds are going your in the slim 99.9% that actually worked out.
There are more than 30 of us who have been scammed in the last 2 years. Thats people we have actually talked with or emailed with. Not every one of those people have reported to ripoffreport.com. I had a gentleman call me just this week that was scammed, he hasn't yet posted but I'm sure he will at some point. As unfortunate as it is the Smiths are out just to make the almighty dollar and they are not concerned who gets hurt in the process including handicap children. They get cheap horses, try to put some miles on them, possibly drug them, and resell them for a big profit. Sometimes this (as in your case) works but generally it does not. I would like to say, you need to do your own research, call the BBB in charlotte NC, the Dept of Agriculture and talk with Dr Kirkland. Search the website forums, you'll see for yourself it is very clear. One other senerio I have for you, I had a good friend that would do the same thing the Smiths are doing. The difference being my friend would buy well papered animals. He would be careful in his buying ie the Raleigh sale, and he bought from breeders he personally knew. He would put 30 to 60 days on his horses before selling them and all went with a 100% guarantee. This worked well for him and you can get GREEN horses that are easy to break, but on the other hand it can be a deadly mix. This same friend died last year in a field. His autopsy report said he died from blunt force trauma to his stomach severing several arteries. It was a green horse that he had just bought home from the Raleigh Spring sale. As many times as it worked for him it only took one time to kill him.
Again I'm glad your horse worked for you but the Smiths have dealt very dirty in the past and I'm here to try to get people to do their own research before buying from the Smiths. What if it was your family member that was killed by a green horse? Inexperienced riders, who the Smiths target, have NO BUSINESS riding or handling a green horse. I have been around horses my entire life as my mother and her parents still I was scammed! They are smooth talkers and if you don't know what you are doing with horses ie. feeding your horse treats and not knowing the inevitable result of nipping or biting, you will DEFINATELY be duped by the Smiths!

Donna, So--it is okay with you that the Smiths lie about their horses? It is not okay with me that I bought an auction horse when Kathryn told me that the horse had been born on their farm 8 years ago. I didn't want an untrained auction horse, I wanted a horse suitable for a beginner child. Do you think that is okay? Will it be okay with you when a child is seriously injured by one of these untrained horses? --and no, you can't train a good trail horse in a just a couple of months. I have had my Smith horse for two years and she is still not a good trail horse. The problem that you are ignoring is that the Smiths have lied about every horse they have sold over the past 4 years. Nearly every ad is worded the same describing the beautiful, perfect in every way horse that is a bombproof babysitter that is perfect for your child. The only differences on these horses is where they are located - town and farm, and the name, phone number, and email address of the buyer. Even the name Shire Farm seems to have gone away along with HV Cutting Horses, 7 Eagles Performance Horses, Blue Ridge Outfitters, Wildwood Cove Contractors, Daisy Lane Stables, etc. If you would like to talk with any of us, go to the NC Horse News forum or the Dreamhorse forum and look for the discussions on the Cherryville scammers.

ok first my horse is a reg.paint I have papers I also know a good blood line too.When I got her I called and spoke to 2 of the 3 other people that had owned her so I know her back ground.And if the smith's got her from a sale that is ok with me. ck out other dealers do you think they breed,raise and train all of their horses for only 3-4000. dollars you need to wake up if you do.And about the house, cars,and trailer thing I do know about taxes and running and buss. from your home the land is needed to keep the horses,the trucks are to go get the horses same with the trailers, the 4 wheelers are to use for farm repairs so you see this is all a tax write off And yes this is all ok with the I R S.And buying a horse for3-400.dollar and sellig it for 3-4000.that is up to them the price to ask and up to you if you pay it.I don't get gas for 5 per gallon when I can get it for 2 you need to shop around and if you don't like what you see go somewhere else.And you can train a good trail horses in a few mo.if you do it right and take the time.you can train a 2 year old too ck. out horse and rider.and why would someone say a horse is 15 hands and hope the person that buys the horse knows no better. thanks Donna

Donna, Have you not read all the complaints on these con-artists? There certainly are more than 3 or 4!! The complaints listed here are only the tip of the iceberg! I know of many more people that have not filed on this site, but were scammed non the less.

Have you read all the complaints and warnings on the NC Horse News Forum and on The Dreamhorse forum? It is good that you like your expensive auction horse. It is good that you were able to give him a good home. Four of the happy buyers that the Smiths list on their web site have either sold their horses at a loss or are prepared to take civil action against the Smiths.

Why have the Smiths used so many different farm names and town names to sell horses? The last name that Kathryn used was Kathryn Serra--why? The last horse she advertised was out of Lake Wylie, SC--why? How can Kathryn sell so many perfect horses week after week for at least four years?

Where do you think she gets these horses? It takes years to make a good trail horse. She has only had that Shire Farm for a little over a year. Before that she had a little place on less than a half acre in town. Did you ever wonder how she can afford her new house, and all their new toys (Hummer, Corvette, trucks, motorcycle, etc.)? Maybe there is a big profit in buying auction horses for a couple of hundred dollars and selling them in two weeks for thousands of dollars to unsuspecting novices- expecially if you can avoid taxes. Why did WCNC TV in Charlotte do an expose on them in September 2005? Why has Dreamhorse refused to take their ads? You have to take your head out of the sand or are you Kathryn Smith?

I would like to hear from the people in ok, and please someone new not the same 3-4 people . I'm not saying you didn't get a bad horse I myself got a good one but to make your point that all they sell is a lie we need to hear from more people that just got horses not the same ones from a year ago. also what web site are thay on under other names and address I cann't find it. thanks Donna also back to my other rebuttal my horse tried to bite at me not because she is bad but bacause i give her treats by hand and she got alittle pushie like some do, I've had her over a year now and only talk to the smiths now and then.