Re: RC: breeders who want more $$ for their horses

[SandyDSA@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/9/00 8:28:07 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
guest@endurance.net writes:

<< If you 
 want to sell your horses for more money, develop the aspects that 
 make them more valuable to your niche market. For people willing
 to pay a few bucks for a competitive mount, you have to be able to
 show them the wins!! >>
The problem with this otherwise valid theory is that it is most times 
impossible for the breeders to maintain, train and condition their produce 
long enough to SHOW anything. The time and energy-intense sport of endurance 
makes this not feasible unless one has a huge staff of riders, strappers and 
stall workers. it is a full-time job for 2 peole to manage our 7 horses, and 
$2000 for a 4 year old does not constitute full time wages for one let alone 
2 people. That simply will not encourage the breeding of quality horses who 
are then offered up for sale in any kind of numbers to support a ranch. A 4 
year old here is fully started under saddle, generally hacking the trail and 
workig in the ring lightly, is fully ground trained - and is not available 
for $2000.  Our experience has been that a show prospect - halter, EP - with 
NO proof whatsoever of success but with a famous sire can go for $4000 and 
up, while our 3 and four year old athletes with excellent papers, superb 
lines for performance, and completely started, are fortunate to fetch $3000. 
Silly, isn't it? People will pay more for a SHOW PROSPECT but not an athletic 
PROSPECT - they want the athlete PROVEN - but not the show horse. We have in 
the past bred both, competed both and tried to SELL both. I consider it, 
frankly, stupid to be willing to invest considerably more money in a horse 
dedicated to not doing too much while wanting an athlete and all that that 
implies for a song.
san