Sticking up for my Ariats/horse prices

[AliFarr@aol.com]

Had posted back privately, but I have to stand up for my ariats.  I have had
mine for 2 years and have never had a pair of boots last so long and continue
to look so good.  Usually I can't get boots to even last two years.  (Lets
see, I think the description I used was looking like a pack of Jack Russels
had used them for chew toys then dragged them thru a muddy field) The Ariats
still look like I just bought them when I take the time to polish them up.
They are so comfy and I have not previously broken in a pair of anything with
less pain!

On the subject of horse prices...............Two years age faced with too many
horses I put my really nice, 7 yo purebred arab mare up for sale.  She was
being used as a lesson horse to teach beginners, would go anywhere on the
trail, was an easy keeper, a successful broodmare.  Her one confirmation flaw
was a slight club foot which only became obvious about six weeks into a set of
shoes.  At that point you could see the difference in the hoof angles between
the two front feet. Her other flaw was that she was not Arab show ring ready,
as I refused to teach a headset and she was at Training level for dressage.
After six months of trying to sell her, I finally sent her to an all breed
auction where she fetched a whopping $595.  Thankfully she went to a Paint
breeder rather than the killers.  Everyone that came to look at her said she
was nice, but the {breeder,trainer,barn} around the corner had something of
the same quality for $500 to $800. I was asking $1500 and willing to take
$1000.  Hope the market has improved since then, but there are just too many
Arabs in Southern California for prices to firm up.  There are lots of sound,
nice, basic trained Arabs around here for $1500.

Alison Farrin