Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

At 07:39 AM 7/19/2004, Nancy Sturm wrote:
> Bob Rosser, an old cowboy who had ridden as a hand  on some of the really
> big ranches in the west, including the King Ranch, once told me that when I
> compute the investment I have in a horse, I can't count "the cost of
> operation" - feed, farrier, vet, board.  He considered those things just
> part of the cost of using a horse.

But cost of operation is part of what determines the selling price of 
anything.  We don't pay the cost of materials only when we buy toilet paper 
- all the utilities of the plant, the labor, the associated costs, are 
always factored in to the sales price.  But of course that brings up the 
difference between people who are "in the business" and those who are 
selling horses who are not.  The IRS will expect to see those feed, 
farrier, vet and board bills itemized if you are "in the business", and 
they will not figure you are in the business to make a profit if you don't.

I guess what's being said here on RideCamp is that the sport of endurance 
(and competitive riding too) just can't support those who would breed just 
for those uses.  I know it's not that simple - buyers alone don't control 
prices.  The whole banana includes that there's not enough financial reward 
available to justify large expenditures on horses, there's not enough 
people involved to generate revenues, etc. etc.

________________________________
   Lif Strand      fasterhorses.com
           Quemado NM USA