Teddy and Connie King

If you are considering utilizing the services of Teddy and Connie King (doing business as Happy Trails Equine Transport out of either Clovis, New Mexico or Krum, Texas), to haul your animals, you should consider our experience with them before making a final decision.

In 2019, I hired Teddy and Connie King to haul a group of horses from Hurricane, UT to locations in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.  Among this group of horses was a two year old filly headed to Florida.  The horses departed Utah the morning of March 14th, 2019.

During the trip, I reached out to Connie via text message on three separate occasions to see how things were going.  Here is that correspondence:

Me on 3/14/19 at 1409 MST:  Everything going okay? Jason
Connie on 3/14/19 at 1410 MST:  Yes, all is good.

Me on 3/15/19 at 0847 MST:  How r things going?
Connie on 3/15/19 at 0916 MST:  Smooth sailing. Will deliver @ Brock around noon-1:00.

Me on 3/16/19 at 1036 MST:  How r things going?
Connie on 3/16/19 at 1045 MST:  Good. Left out this morning headed to LA. Will get there about 6:00 pm.

Then on March 17th at 0824 MST, I received a text informing me the filly had been unloaded in Florida. Upon unloading, Teddy asked someone to take the filly’s temperature.  According to the text I received from Connie, the filly’s temperature was 104 and a vet had been called.  Additionally, Connie disclosed that Teddy had administered flunixin meglumine (aka Banamine) “when he rested at our place” without consulting me.

In that same text, Connie disclosed that the filly “just seemed like she didn’t feel good”.

This was all news to me.  I was confused and angry as to why the filly’s condition hadn’t been relayed to me.  Unfortunately, the filly’s condition worsened into a severe case of pneumonia… and laminitis so severe that her hooves began to come away from her legs.  Upon the vet’s recommendation, the filly was euthanized.

Had Teddy and Connie King simply alerted me to the filly’s condition when the horses were at their place, I would have had the option of pulling her from the trip and seeking veterinary care.  Instead, she was put back on the trailer at their place and forced to endure the remaining trip to Florida.