Re: RC: Cheap horses

[owens <owensall@sierratel.com>]

Regarding the "cheap horses" thread:
It seems to me that it could have been written by a child, also.  How
quickly we attack people who might suggest that one of our horses might
be worth less than what we paid, or what we have into them!
I have sold horses for $500.  Several, in fact.  However, I sold them at
the moment when I needed to sell them, to someone I knew and would give
them a good, permanent home.  This is worth much more than money.  One
was a gelding that I didn't ride, he didn't care to trailer, and I sold
him to my dressage instructor when we moved.  He never would have been
good with my mare in the larger pasture we moved to, so the deal was
made.  Another I sold was a five year old mare, greenbroke, again an
extra I didn't ride.  I sold her back to her original breeders, a family
who had only sold her to me because of some financial constraints when
she was two.  However, I had purchased her for $200...and she is still
the middle daughter's darling.  I also "sold" my retired endurance mare
to my daughter after she sold her pony, for $500.  It made the mare
worth more to her than if she was given to her.  Just today, my child
mentioned that she was going to ride Teza... "after all, Mom, I paid
$500 for her, you know!"
Katee
> 
> I think that the ridecamper who suggested that the actual writer of the
> letter may have been one of the 12 year olds may have something there
> and I think that even though it may be an insult to some, it's just
> something we have to get over.  Someday, if I ever HAVE to sell/give
> away my beloved Jonathan, I would certainly be more concerned about the
> quality of the "deal" not the quanitity of money and unfortunately, I
> see every day those $500 deals and some of them are fabulous horses.
> People will breed their grade horse to any Joe Schmoe's stallion with or
> without papers of any kind but cannot see the value of paying a decent
> stud fee (ours is $350 for our young guy's first year-CHEAP!) and having
> a foal they can register that might be worth more.  In our area at
> least, there just isn't the motivation or incentive.  We'll just have to
> be very discriminating in our breeding program.  For me, breeding dogs
> and horses is something I do because I love doing it.  I know that there
> will be the heartbreak of lost puppies and foals (among other
> difficulties) and plenty of lost money if I try to make any!!!  I'm
> happy if I just break even!!
> Maggie
> 
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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.    
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp   
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=