Re: Endurance horse prices 1999

[Linda Cowles <linda_cowles@mentorg.com>]

I'm going to respond to this because I have three horses that can
currently compete at endurance to varying levels of success, and the
total cost of all three horses was about $1500 plus another $600 in
total training fees (me and them) spread out over 5 years. Divide that
by three, and you have three very cheap horses.

All are very well bred, but the two arabs, both free, are bred for show.
Polish. The appy is out of great QH and TB racing stock.

Lif Strand wrote:
> reasons why it shouldn't cost them
> very much to buy an endurance horse and there doesn't seem to be much of
> a middle ground?

Not why it **shouldn't**, why it **often doesn't** cost them. 

> I have to say I don't hear saddle buyers saying:  Who cares what the
> cost of manufacture is, I'm not paying that much  

People say that if they can get an equivalent saddle someplace else
cheaper. I love my local tack store, If I need it now, I'll pay a
premium; if not, they need to be price competitive. I'm generous, if a
friend is selling something and it costs me 5%-10% more, I'll still buy
it from them. But if you aren't a friend? Compete on the quality or the
selection or the price or the value. If you can't compete, make sure you
are targeting the right market with the right product.

> I'd rather go cross country skiing with cross country skis than downhill
> skis, rather not play tennis with a ping pong paddle, and IN MY OPINION
> (not very humble, either, I suppose) I'd rather go endurance racing with
> an endurance horse, not some other kind of horse that's been bred with
> muscle type, conformation or temperament combination meant to excel in
> some other area of competiton, not endurance

Horses are much more flexible than any of these things, so the analogy
doesn't apply too well.

Okay, I'm gonna brag about my free horse. If you can't tolerate
bragging, hit "Delete" fast!

I have a great endurance horse that will do anything I ask him. He's
only a 6 year old, but he's done a fine job this first year of competing
on all 4 50's and 1 25 mile rides - He won them all! Well, if you
believe that to finish is to win, he won.  ;^)  He also did some NATRC.

His last ride, he came in second carrying a heavyweight rider under
sloppy conditions, and I found out the next day that he had a saddle
sore that I laid him up 6 weeks to heal... so he did well even though he
wasn't feeling so hot. He has tons of heart. 

He jumps anything I ask him to, he drags logs and works cattle, he reins
as well as many novice reining horses. He backs down hills and backs
through creeks, and kids can ride him. You want him to swim? He swims.
He has good form for dressage though we don't do that currently. Anyone
can ride him in a little rope halter.

Sunday we were bushwhacking in some woods on a steep slope with wet
footing, and he got a 1/2 inch poison oak vine wrapped around his leg
tight. If he had struggled at all, it would have been catastrophic! He
sighed, cocked a hip and waited with that leg caught tight while I
dismounted, got my clippers out and ratcheted through that big old vine.
Then looked at me and turned sideways so I could get back on.

He's 6 years old.

He cost me nothing.

He doesn't have papers, but has some good lines I recognize. That isn't
the point. He does the job I ask him, and does it well.

If you find a horse like this, snatch him up! If he's free - if he costs
$10k - take him. He's worth it! For a horse this versatile and well
trained, you can get very big bucks. Two years ago, just out of a month
of training, I was offered $6k. No papers. Just the horse running on his
own credentials. He has potential, but he also has a very strong
resume!!

I see lots of horses with potential. Potential is good. Breeders offer
potential, but not usually a finished product with a resume.

> should not have to pay for the true costs for a certain kind of horse, a
> horse bred for endurance vs a horse not bred for it.  

He comes from show lines. He does okay at endurance, so far.

> would anyone really expect to be truly
> competitive in dressage with the latter? 

There are many good dressage riders that take "ordinary" horses into
upper level events... many good eventers and dressage horses are
recycled TB's off the track for meat prices. Once they have the resumes,
they are worth big money. 

> In other words, I think the bulk of the endurance community just wants
> any horse that will complete rides well.  While this is what sets the
> market prices, I just can't see it leading to a future of progressive
> evolution of the sport of endurance racing.   So the question is - does
> this matter?  Lif

I think you're right... most of us love participating and are very fond
of these horses. Even though Gavilan may end up being a very competitive
horse, I'll still ride to have fun. If we place, that's cool. If I think
we're close, I'll manage vet checks better, but will still ride the same
ride. 

There may be a market for breeding endurance horses, but it would have
to be worked. A finished product would command a very good price, but
that costs a fortune in training and time, eh?

The key elements in an endurance team are  (1) a horse with potential
endurance ability and (2) the rider/owners skills to develop, manage and
sustain that ability. Oh, and (3) MONEY!! This isn't cheap.

The rider/owner makes the significant difference in endurance. My horse
is capable, we'll see if I can do him justice.

Just my opinion!  Linda