Re: RC: Sacramento Horse Auction

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/05/2000 5:15:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
tos@htcomp.net writes:

<< I looked at these horses that sold and was
 curious about their performance records since this was advertised as an
 'endurance, or distance horse sale' with the horses having to be 'approved'
 to be offered. >>

In many cases, the horses were really "endurance horse prospects".

<<I'd be interested to know what criteria the general buyer is going
to put on the history/ancestors of an endurance baby....  Where do you
(public 'you') put the importance?  one or both parents? sire/dam personal
miles or full or half siblings? What about grandparents?>>

The one I bought has phenomenal conformation for a prospect, his breeding 
reflects several generations and bloodlines of proven endurance, and I like 
his disposition and his kindness.  Both his breeder and his trainer are very 
endurance experienced, the breeder used to compete some years ago, the 
trainer still does.  And I had complete trust in both of them.  All of these 
factors went into my decision.  No one was able to try the horses for way of 
going, but when his trainer told me this was the most comfortable horse he 
had ever ridden, I took that to heart.  He fits Julie Suhr's three S rule for 
"Riding into Your 70s and Beyond"...Safety, Smoothness, and Shortness.  This 
colt is at present 14.2 as a 4 year old, but I will bet he will mature at or 
near 15 hands by age 7, he is smooth, and safety?  We don't know yet, but 
that's up to me.  He's beautifully started and has all the proper responses 
in place (go, whoa, back up, and side pass, soft mouth).  It's up to me to 
put in at least 2 years of introduction to our trails and to long slow 
distance.  I hope I may be worthy of his quality and his trust.

Barbara