Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> Dyane Smith <sunibey@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Is anyone familiar with the 
> longevity of rehabbed race horses (typically
> started very young under saddle)? Obviously, there would be a range, but
> does anyone know how it averages out?
If you are looking at this in terms of the damage done by starting so
early, you'd have to also factor in the number that go to slaughter
because they are unable to be rehabbed.  Young TBs are the most common
horses demographically at the slaughter plants, and I'd wager that a
good part of their frequency there comes from early breakdown.

The economics of starting early are geared toward the industry, not
toward the "investment" in a specific horse.  It doesn't take much
common sense to figure out that if you blow up a horse early and have
to replace him, that is not a sound way to treat your investment.  If,
on the other hand, you are patient and can continue to use him for
several years, you've gotten much more for your investment.  But the
industry would just as soon you break him down, so they can sell you
another one.

Heidi


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