Re:RC Sweepstakes horses/endurance prospects

[Farafix@aol.com]

n a message dated 2/6/00 12:59:59 AM Eastern Standard Time, lynne@glazer.org 
writes:

<< a horse who 
 comes on the market, advertised as an endurance prospect, had 
 probably not been Sweepstakes nominated if not in utero--if he was 
 that good, 1) they'd've kept him, or perhaps 2) he wouldn't be a 
 prospect, but instead a finished horse, and priced like it too.
  >>

I've been reading the posts on the woes of finding good endurance prospects, 
on breeding good endurance prospects, etc with special interest as I've been 
mare shopping to produce my own next endurance horse & perhaps a couple of 
foals for sale, as I have the stallion, Sweepstakes Nominated (his babies can 
earn $).  I wonder if perhaps I should just stop now before I take on more 
horse responsibilities.
I didn't expect it to be easy to find the "perfect" mare (I'd been accused of 
being overly fussy when shopping for the "perfect" stallion to breed my mare 
to (that I'd spent a lot of time shoping for) that produced my current 
stallion --- I could argue that I did indeed find the perfect mate, or close 
to it!), but it is not easy to find an Arab mare that has correct legs that 
track straight and land evenly without bobbling, wobbling, and wiggling as 
the weight passes over each leg.  And that has substance, balance, yada yada 
yada.  I attribute this to the emphasis on the show ring "beauty contest" and 
so I wonder where we will ever find our endurance prospects in the future.  
However, as has been discussed before, breeders can't sell their horses for 
what they have in them.  Seems like a real catch 22!!
Assuming I eventually find the right mate for Tempo, am I crazy to think I 
could sell a Sweepstakes, greenbroke (I expect to have quite a bit of 
training time into a youngster to lead, trailer, clip, be saddled & bridled & 
backed, depending on age) 15h Arab (or maybe Anglo Arab) with substance, bone 
& correct legs for $4000 or thereabouts?  Not yet having the mare, the sire 
line is proven endurance/CTR for 2 generations with several cutting champs on 
the top line.
I don't expect to make a living at this, like most stallion owners, I'm barn 
blind & think I have a good horse.  I'd like to produce some foals as good as 
Tempo and his dam but just not lose any money on it. 
Maybe I should quit this project before I start!!!! 
If you care to give me some feedback on this "market survey," please post 
privately so as to not clutter the list.

Thanks,
Nancy (should I or shouldn't I?) and Tempo ( oh, do, please do!!!)
Md