AHHHH So Frustrated! Just Venting Really

babyruth · 01-10-2008, 03:22 PM

So here lately as foaling season is just around the corner, I have been doing a LOT of thinking and it is causing some major frustrations! I am irrationally upset right now, so you may need to take some of this with a grain of salt...or not...

As we all know the horse market is the pits. It sucks so bad and is so depressing! On top of that, in this area you can not find hay and when you do, you pay dearly for it. So for people that for years have been in the business of breeding mares, showing some and then selling foals.....there is no income and you are lucky if you even break even.

We need to sell Cletus and we need to sell Belle. Despite the fact that we have overlooked the price we would hope to get, completely by-passed the price that we consider them worth and dropped to half of what we use to never would consider as an offer........they are not selling. They are beautiful, they are correct in conformation, they are healthy, well mannered and have great pedigrees as well. But in today's market......you can not even give them away. At this point, I only want them to go to good homes and I would consider not having to buy feed, hay, water, wormer, blankets, shavings, routine vet visits, etc. a huge profit. Too bad that I am the minority in this partnership.

But we know that they are only here on this earth because we made the decision to breed, so they have a good home where they will receive the best care until they leave us by one means or another.

But now we are about to have three more foals. Will there be a market for them? At the rate things are going.....I say probably not. So there will be three more lives that we are responsible for bringing into this overpopulated horse world. I am watching my waist line diminish as well as my bank account because there is lots of money going out....none coming in. The horses and my dogs eat like royalty....my personal cupboards hold only the bare bones necessities.

So this morning I call my dad and ask him to one more time make sure that he won't drop the asking price on these two horses just a little more. While I have him on the phone, I make a suggestion......

I think that for the next year or two or even more, we need to leave the mares open. Watch the market, see if there is a turn of events. Wait and see if things change before we purposefully go and pay money to contribute more to the problem.

He says that he hates to just have the mares standing around, getting fed and not be producing.

I responded with, well it won't be just the mares. It will be the 3 mares, the three babies they have this year, Suri, Cletus and Belle. But atleast we won't be anticipating three more mouths to have to feed until we can go even more in the hole by selling them for far less than what the breeding fee was much less an amount that comes anywhere close to what they are worth.

He doesn't seem to see where I am coming from. I presented the idea to my brother....he didn't not get it...but he didn't embrace the idea either. So I finally simply asked my dad to at least consider putting all his breeding eggs in one basket and leave two of the three open. He said he would consider it.....

Does anyone see where I am coming from? I mean I know that just not breeding our mares will not even make a dent in the grand scheme of the state of the market but I can honestly see no way that we can not benefit from just holding what we got until there is a change in pace in this country. And I know that it won't hurt us to just wait. Enjoy the ones we have, focus on making them better as they get old enough to go under saddle and what not.

What would it hurt to just skip some breeding seasons?

myspookypony · 01-10-2008, 03:26 PM

I know this is 100% random but where are you located? I have been looking to see if the market around me is going slowly. My parents won't let me by my horse until May so I just keep seeing horses and being like YOU BETTER BE THERE IN MAY

babyruth · 01-10-2008, 03:32 PM

Alabama...and I am sure that we will have some for sale.

I am at the point now where I am considering selling Suri. The thought to sell the Blondys Dude mare that is in foal to the son of High Brow Cat has crossed my mind a few times.....but my brother flat out called me crazy on that one. I don't know why he thinks it is crazy....she is probably more marketable right now in foal than anything else. And something has to go....I would be tickled pink if several somethings could go.

myspookypony · 01-10-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babyruth

Alabama...and I am sure that we will have some for sale.

I am at the point now where I am considering selling Suri. The thought to sell the Blondys Dude mare that is in foal to the son of High Brow Cat has crossed my mind a few times.....but my brother flat out called me crazy on that one. I don't know why he thinks it is crazy....she is probably more marketable right now in foal than anything else. And something has to go....I would be tickled pink if several somethings could go.

Ah Darn! I'm in Ontario. Hope it all sorts out -crosses fingers-

Super Step · 01-10-2008, 04:42 PM

babyruth,
I can see exactly where you are coming from.

I looked at a colt by a world champion reining horse out of a proven mare. When he was a yearling, they were asking $10,000 for him.
Last year the owner still had him and told me he would take $1,500. The colt was still intact and had not been handled.
They gave him away this past fall rather than to feed him through the winter.

The horse market is tough right now.

Frack · 01-10-2008, 06:56 PM

This sounds like a family thing more than anything else. Not to pry, but what are the terms of your partnership with your family? I ask because your post makes it sound like they share in the cost of producing, but not necessarily in the cost of upkeep. At least not to the same extent as you. Or maybe they can justify the costs in a way you can't? Why do you feel the crunch of those unsold/unborn horses while your father and brother seem more blase about it? I ask because you may very well have to answer to those issues before you even go to the "ethics" side of things.

Stick with your understanding of your market and your life's needs. My gut instinct talking. This sounds like a family thing.

babyruth · 01-10-2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frack

This sounds like a family thing more than anything else. Not to pry, but what are the terms of your partnership with your family? I ask because your post makes it sound like they share in the cost of producing, but not necessarily in the cost of upkeep. At least not to the same extent as you. Or maybe they can justify the costs in a way you can't? Why do you feel the crunch of those unsold/unborn horses while your father and brother seem more blase about it? I ask because you may very well have to answer to those issues before you even go to the "ethics" side of things.

Stick with your understanding of your market and your life's needs. My gut instinct talking. This sounds like a family thing.

No it is not a "family" thing at all. It is just different views on what makes sense. I could pull out at any time and they could carry on fine without me. And actually I was just asking my brothers opinion, he has his horses and handles all his stuff one hundred percent seperate from me and my dad. And between my dad and I....basically he had the horse business long before he and my mom had me. I grew up in it and after I finished college, got established in a job and in life in general I bought the land and house that is next to theirs. Little by little I have taken interest physically, emotionally and financially in the horses. In the past couple of years that investment has become more and more involved because my mom has reached a point in her life due to health that she can no longer help at the barn. So it is actually more about two people with a common goal, but not so common ideas on the best way to go about it.

Don't get me wrong, the financial aspect of the horse side of things is in the toilet but I am not really going without because of it. I learned at an early age that those funds need to be kept seperate from the ones that feed and fuel my life. But here lately I have just been forecasting that at the rate things are going I may need to shift the balance and let some of my real job income spill over into the bucket that seems to have a hole in it. And that breaks my rules that I have set for myself.

I don't know if any of that makes sense..I am pretty sure I have a kidney stone and I am not thinking too clearly at this exact moment...

Frack · 01-10-2008, 07:53 PM

No, it makes sense. And to answer your question, there is nothing wrong with leaving mares open to adjust to a terrible market. But you know that.

Xiphias · 01-10-2008, 08:57 PM

Babyruth, you make alot of sense to me, I understand where you are coming from....your dad needs to let the mares stand open for a year, and see where the market goes, and maybe next year, god willing, hay will not be so hard to get, maybe it will be a bumper year for hay, and things will be better....but there is no way to predict these things, and I think you are being very responsible in you thinking..Cathy

rjpaints · 01-11-2008, 12:31 PM

No your not alone. We have decided to quit altogether. Only two more foals for our guy. unless we need to replace one. It way easier and cheaper to buy form someone else.

01-10-2008, 03:22 PM	#1
babyruth Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pawnee, AL Posts: 2,089 Images: 258	AHHHH So Frustrated! Just Venting Really So here lately as foaling season is just around the corner, I have been doing a LOT of thinking and it is causing some major frustrations! I am irrationally upset right now, so you may need to take some of this with a grain of salt...or not... As we all know the horse market is the pits. It sucks so bad and is so depressing! On top of that, in this area you can not find hay and when you do, you pay dearly for it. So for people that for years have been in the business of breeding mares, showing some and then selling foals.....there is no income and you are lucky if you even break even. We need to sell Cletus and we need to sell Belle. Despite the fact that we have overlooked the price we would hope to get, completely by-passed the price that we consider them worth and dropped to half of what we use to never would consider as an offer........they are not selling. They are beautiful, they are correct in conformation, they are healthy, well mannered and have great pedigrees as well. But in today's market......you can not even give them away. At this point, I only want them to go to good homes and I would consider not having to buy feed, hay, water, wormer, blankets, shavings, routine vet visits, etc. a huge profit. Too bad that I am the minority in this partnership. But we know that they are only here on this earth because we made the decision to breed, so they have a good home where they will receive the best care until they leave us by one means or another. But now we are about to have three more foals. Will there be a market for them? At the rate things are going.....I say probably not. So there will be three more lives that we are responsible for bringing into this overpopulated horse world. I am watching my waist line diminish as well as my bank account because there is lots of money going out....none coming in. The horses and my dogs eat like royalty....my personal cupboards hold only the bare bones necessities. So this morning I call my dad and ask him to one more time make sure that he won't drop the asking price on these two horses just a little more. While I have him on the phone, I make a suggestion...... I think that for the next year or two or even more, we need to leave the mares open. Watch the market, see if there is a turn of events. Wait and see if things change before we purposefully go and pay money to contribute more to the problem. He says that he hates to just have the mares standing around, getting fed and not be producing. I responded with, well it won't be just the mares. It will be the 3 mares, the three babies they have this year, Suri, Cletus and Belle. But atleast we won't be anticipating three more mouths to have to feed until we can go even more in the hole by selling them for far less than what the breeding fee was much less an amount that comes anywhere close to what they are worth. He doesn't seem to see where I am coming from. I presented the idea to my brother....he didn't not get it...but he didn't embrace the idea either. So I finally simply asked my dad to at least consider putting all his breeding eggs in one basket and leave two of the three open. He said he would consider it..... Does anyone see where I am coming from? I mean I know that just not breeding our mares will not even make a dent in the grand scheme of the state of the market but I can honestly see no way that we can not benefit from just holding what we got until there is a change in pace in this country. And I know that it won't hurt us to just wait. Enjoy the ones we have, focus on making them better as they get old enough to go under saddle and what not. What would it hurt to just skip some breeding seasons?

01-10-2008, 03:26 PM	#2
myspookypony Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: riding Shocking Affair Posts: 2,119 Images: 32 Blog Entries: 1	I know this is 100% random but where are you located? I have been looking to see if the market around me is going slowly. My parents won't let me by my horse until May so I just keep seeing horses and being like YOU BETTER BE THERE IN MAY __________________ SHOCKING AFFAIR AND SYDNEY ♥ a partnership that can not be explained. friends through the toughest times. just a horse and its girl.

01-10-2008, 04:42 PM	#5
Super Step Senior Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 11,026 Images: 225 Blog Entries: 51	babyruth, I can see exactly where you are coming from. I looked at a colt by a world champion reining horse out of a proven mare. When he was a yearling, they were asking $10,000 for him. Last year the owner still had him and told me he would take $1,500. The colt was still intact and had not been handled. They gave him away this past fall rather than to feed him through the winter. The horse market is tough right now. __________________ I have never had a horse lie to me.

01-10-2008, 08:57 PM	#9
Xiphias Senior Member+ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maryland, horse country USA Posts: 16,506 Images: 627 Blog Entries: 29	Babyruth, you make alot of sense to me, I understand where you are coming from....your dad needs to let the mares stand open for a year, and see where the market goes, and maybe next year, god willing, hay will not be so hard to get, maybe it will be a bumper year for hay, and things will be better....but there is no way to predict these things, and I think you are being very responsible in you thinking..Cathy __________________ Member COL Club- hand over the Oil of Olay and nobody gets hurt! http://www.freewebs.com/xiphias21034/ I was on HGS the day we made 2 million posts and 3 million posts

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Ahhhh!!im So Angry!!!	western*girl	Horse Chat	10	08-20-2007 06:19 PM
Ahhhh She just STOPS!	ahorseofcourse	Horse Training	14	05-13-2007 03:11 AM
ahhhh!!! need help!!	horsesR4life	Horse Chat	11	04-10-2006 12:51 PM
Too much PRESSURE!! Ahhhh!	Stephanie W.	Horse Chat	19	03-21-2005 05:30 PM
Summer- Ahhhh!	~ClipClop~	Horse Chat	9	11-27-2004 06:21 PM

01-10-2008, 03:32 PM	#3
babyruth Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pawnee, AL Posts: 2,089 Images: 258	Alabama...and I am sure that we will have some for sale. I am at the point now where I am considering selling Suri. The thought to sell the Blondys Dude mare that is in foal to the son of High Brow Cat has crossed my mind a few times.....but my brother flat out called me crazy on that one. I don't know why he thinks it is crazy....she is probably more marketable right now in foal than anything else. And something has to go....I would be tickled pink if several somethings could go.

01-10-2008, 06:56 PM	#6
Frack Full Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 42	This sounds like a family thing more than anything else. Not to pry, but what are the terms of your partnership with your family? I ask because your post makes it sound like they share in the cost of producing, but not necessarily in the cost of upkeep. At least not to the same extent as you. Or maybe they can justify the costs in a way you can't? Why do you feel the crunch of those unsold/unborn horses while your father and brother seem more blase about it? I ask because you may very well have to answer to those issues before you even go to the "ethics" side of things. Stick with your understanding of your market and your life's needs. My gut instinct talking. This sounds like a family thing.

01-10-2008, 07:53 PM	#8
Frack Full Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 42	No, it makes sense. And to answer your question, there is nothing wrong with leaving mares open to adjust to a terrible market. But you know that.

01-11-2008, 12:31 PM	#10
rjpaints Full Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Peyton Colorado Posts: 240 Images: 10	No your not alone. We have decided to quit altogether. Only two more foals for our guy. unless we need to replace one. It way easier and cheaper to buy form someone else.