It's the same old story.
Talking to the farm owner the other night she says, "I need to seriously think about selling some horses."
Which is true.... 5 mares and a gelding.
She doesn't really need that many horses.
But the reason she's thinking she needs less is that she wants to make more. She's been considering local studs and what they have to offer and which of the mares she wants to breed this year, because it's been 4 years since she had babies on the place and she likes seeing babies around.
The last four foals she had didn't "sell." We now have one of them - she gave T one of the weanling fillies around the time we got engaged. Two went to a sale - as weanlings, which I don't want to think about, but I didn't have any control over and couldn't stop. And the last one is still there - the gelding - and I may make an offer on him if all else fails. Sunny's half brother (same stud), out of a nice mare with a wonderful disposition, and he's a doll, but I don't really need another horse....
The three 6 year-old mares she bred on the place. They haven't been started beyond what I've done with them - basic handling & groundwork. Two older mares that have been ridden. But the one that rides well is only fit for a light rider and light riding, and the other although gentle is pretty much just started, and doesn't know squat beyond "don't buck."
Sp she's talking about this stallion and that one, and maybe we should go look at one somewhere else. And I suggest politely that perhaps she might consider instead of breeding this year, spending the stud fee money on getting a couple of the 6 year-olds started and some advertising.... But no.
Because she wouldn't get
her money back out of them.
Ummmm.... At this point you've paid the stud fee to make them. You've paid to feed them for 5 years. You've paid for vaccinations, hoof-trimming & worming. You haven't shown them; haven't had them trained beyond ground work. You're NOT GOING to get the money you've put into them back out of them. At this point with the horse market the way it is, you're going to be lucky to re-coup the stud fee you paid. At this point it's about getting them suitable for using, rather than for a one way trip through some dog's digestive system.
But somehow, that's not the point.
At least not the way she sees it.
And then tonight it was the hay. New bale, I'm peeling off the part that was on the ground so they don't eat mold, and she asks me what I'm doing. Duh!
She says, "Well, they're going to have to learn to eat some mold, because I'm not paying for hay just to have it wasted!" And she starts to pick it up and put it in the feeder.
I was PISSSED. Excuse me, but MY HORSE IS NOT EATING MOLDY HAY!!! I like him alive and not colicking. And I told her so. In no uncertain terms. And then I wrote her a check. She hasn't wanted to be paid for hay because I'm doing all the horse chores and paying for the grain - but I figure if I pay for it, I can "waste" it.
And then tonight it was the hay. New bale, I'm peeling off the part that was on the ground so they don't eat mold, and she asks me what I'm doing. Duh!
She says, "Well, they're going to have to learn to eat some mold, because I'm not paying for hay just to have it wasted!" And she starts to pick it up and put it in the feeder.
I was PISSSED. Excuse me, but MY HORSE IS NOT EATING MOLDY HAY!!! I like him alive and not colicking. And I told her so. In no uncertain terms. And then I wrote her a check. She hasn't wanted to be paid for hay because I'm doing all the horse chores and paying for the grain - but I figure if I pay for it, I can "waste" it.
Bahhh!
