Hello, A trainer asked me the other day... " why
i'm not breeding anymore cause i bred some good ones", as i was showing a horse
for sale that i had raised. The answer was..."I lost money and no longer
care to loose money subsidizing the sport." Thank you all, for again pointing
out the real facts of what it takes to get a horse to the 5-6 yo trained, ready
to go to a ride level. Maybe if people realize what it costs (and the time
and risk) they will pay for the most important aspect of Endurance
Riding...The Horse. 30-50k for a truck, 10-50k for a trailer, 1-3k for a
saddle (yea i know there are cheap ones,i rode my 300$ 20yo Wintec last
night) , etc...and people think they can go get the most important aspect of the
equation for 3-5k. The reality is the Arab breeders have been subsidizing
the sport since the start, mainly with the show culls (from my personal
perspective). I have marketed probably 50 (and bred 10 or so when i had
the stallion and the mares) or so horses and now in the process of being the
agent for a seller of 2, one that i had sold in the past and her baby.
Even tho i'm marketing them to friends and have agreed to drop my sales
commission, to make the horses more affordable and go to a home where i know
they'd be well taken care of and not just another flash in the pan as has
happened in the past, the owner will 'Loose Money". Personally, i think
that you should go look at the horse you are buying and see them up close and
see if there is a bond, feel the ears inside and out and see what all
the issues are and then, go sleep on it and make a rational decision on
something that could be a part of your family for 20 plus years. The only people
who make money on horses are those that don't own them. So, if one looses
money breeding, the only thing left is to make sure they go to a good
home. Be happy and may everyone find that perfect horse and friend.
tom sites
