Re: RC: Mercedes From Argentina

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/25/00 7:23:02 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
lavasca@cvtci.com.ar writes:

<< I want to know the properly way to do a regular arrangement to train 
endurance horses.
 in my case a breeder is asking me to train his horses and also ride them in 
competition.Can somebody suggest me witch kind of arrangement I must do?( 
commissions, Purses, honorariums).
 Thanks in advance
                          Mercedes
  >>


That's tough, Mercedes. Training for endurance is the most grueling job you 
can take, if you're going to be serious about it--that's why most folks in 
endurance do it for fun. Almost no one would do it for pay. If I could find 
American riders to lay down those miles, for pay, I could make a small 
fortune.

First, start with a basic hourly estimation of your worth to yourself. If you 
weren't riding a horse all day, what could you earn doing something else? 
Once you have that hourly figure in mind, figure out how many hours you'll 
spend with this horse per day or per week. Then add expenses such as feed 
bedding, etc. That's your "day rate". The basic operating cost.

Then, let's say you're smarter than most and your conditioning protocol 
delivers a high-level performer that the owner eventually sells. Ten percent 
of the selling price would be a proper incentive for applied intelligence. 
Another 5% if you're the one who finds the buyer and closes the sale. 

If the breeder doesn't want to sell, then you're stuck with having to figure 
out incentives that are not based on "value-added" in dollars and cents. Hard 
to do. You almost have to deliver one good one to start, and then, when the 
breeder wants another, tell him to "make me an offer I can't refuse". 

ti