Often we hear from a seller that his horse has so and so in its background and that the horse is worth more money because of that. But is that really true?
All horses come with a pedigree, whether they are good or bad but when we sell that animal, who is on that pedigree helps determine the price that we can ask for the horse.
Throughout this article, you will not find a price that you should ask for your horse. But we will discuss the importance of a pedigree when you are selling a horse, raising a foal or buying a stallion or mares.
To begin, we should examine those breeding programs that are in demand by the public, which stallion is producing the most winners out of a diverse population of mares and which mare is producing the largest number of winners. Once we have that information, we should examine the pedigree involved in producing those animals. They may be the product of line-breeding certain horses or they may be from an outcross that produces a superior animal. Something that you should keep in the back of your mind is that not all horses are created equal even if they are the same breeding or full brothers and sisters. Genetics are a fickle creature. In my personal experience, I have seen great horses and full brothers who were complete opposites. One being a superior animal and the rest were just mediocre in conformation and type. Because they were full brothers, they were able to produce foals that brought more than the average and as such were successful for their owners. However, they never attained the success of their sibling.
In order for us to be successful in the horse industry, I think that you have to research what the breeders and trainers have done with the bloodlines that you may or may not want to use. This will help us in our quest to train or breed the next world champion or super horse. If someone has made it work for them and has been successful, maybe we can be too. It will only happen though if we apply the same dedication to our business as the person who developed the type of horse that you are going to produce or train.
And there lies the problem. Many of us do not apply the same dedication and work ethic to our horse program that the original developer did. Every horse program that has succeeded in the past has been through the efforts and dedication of the major entities involved (horses and their owners). Even if you have the best in the barn, you will not succeed if you are not prepared to promote and sell your product at every opportunity.
A successful program involves being innovative in our methods. We should follow our research but we should be willing to change if it does not produce the results that we want. Over the years I have seen working horses evolve into halter horses and vice-a-versa, trainers have gone from look-pretty horses to ride and slide horses and are still very competitive. In a changing world we must change with it if we are going to survive in the horse industry. Our goals should be clear from the beginning but our methods of reaching those goals should be under constant change in order to achieve them.
Another thing to remember is that the program that you are emulating was the product of many years of trial and error. You will experience the same. You should not be disappointed but view it as a challenge to be met. The great horsemen who are the legends of our industry had an ideal in their minds at all times and labored to create that type consistently. If you have looked at many horses, in your mind you can tell which program the horse came from. The breeders created those horses to have certain traits that set them apart from others of the same breed. You can tell an Impressive bloodline from Doc Bar line, Barlink Macho Man from Scribbles, and etc. etc. simply by the type of horse that you are looking at.
Which brings us down to how much a pedigree is worth to you as a horse buyer or seller. If our interests are working horses as opposed to halter horses, or vice-a-versa we would look for an animal whose parents came from bloodlines that had that breeding. We would consider horses whose relatives, preferably close up in pedigree, had been outstanding individuals in the discipline that we want to play in.
If you are a breeder or wanting to produce a foal, you would want the same things. Your mares would be uniform in type, conformation and pedigree and your stallion should have qualities,(type, conformation, pedigree), that would improve the shortcomings of your mares. And the foals should as uniform as their parents.
Will it happen all the time? NO. But it will happen more often than not. The end result is that you, more often than not, will produce a product that will bring a better price than the horse that may be the equal of yours but does not have the pedigree that people are looking for. Translation; if you have horses that sell for more money than the average most of the time, you will survive the ups and downs of the market. They may bring less money, but certainly more than the person who has been haphazard about their program and its direction. Over time, one can be quite successful with their horse program.
By Ralph Bain
M. R. Bain has been a horseman all his life and a professional trainer since 1955. He is an owner and breeder and has been employed as a breeding and stable manager. His intent on writing these articles is to educate horse people on how to operate a successful horse business. You may contact him at MRBain@businessofhorses.com with your questions and comments.
Also, look for his upcoming book, The Business of Horses–Creating A Successful Horse Business
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November 19 2008 | Horses | No Comments »
THE SIMPLE PLEASURE OF FEEDING
Food is one of the simplest and greatest pleasures of our horses, so make sure that your horse always has all the food requirements that he/she needs.
There are three types of food that your horse may eat. Pasture is the favorite meal of all horses, supplying needed nutrients, roughage and protein. Pastures and forage crops provide a major part of the nutritional needs of horses almost year-round. Horses are constant grazers, I mean 24/7. There are many types of pasture grass so do your homework, different parts of the country have different types of grasses that grow better in different areas and will provide the proper nutrients for your horse.
Hay is another type of food for horses, when fresh pasture is not available, hay is the best choice. There are many types of hay, such as alfalfa, coastal, T&A, Tifton, and the list goes on. Make sure you provide the best hay for your horses needs. Some hay such as alfalfa has tons of protein and for some horses you will want to give this type of hay sparingly as too much protein is not good for your horse, so do your research.
Secondly, always store hay in a dry but well-ventilated area. Feeding your horse with moldy hay can lead to various medical complications. Feeding your horse with hay alone will never make a sufficient diet so consider including another component in your horse’s diet such as horse pellets or sweet feet to ensure that all your horses nutritional needs are met. Do not forget to consider what your horse does, for example: racing, pleasure, show, competitive, jumper, etc. Horses that expend allot of energy need higher percentage of protein feed and a higher quality hay. Ask you vet for help in determining your horses diet needs.
WATER AS THE SOURCE OF LIFE
Horses are always thirsty, and can consume up to 10- 15 gallons of water daily. As such, it is extremely important that you have a ready supply of fresh water for your horse. During the winter months make sure that you place the water in heated buckets to prevent it from freezing.
SALT, MINERALS, AND HORSE TREATS
Salt and minerals are also important factors in your horse’s diet. Consult your veterinarian as to what your horse should take to consume the necessary vitamins and minerals. Salt blocks and horse treats can be purchased from your local feed store.
EXERCISING YOUR HORSE
The amount of exercise your horse needs depends primarily on its role in life. If you are using it for competitive riding, team penning or pleasure, whatever you choose will determine what type of exercise it needs and how many times it should exercise each and every week. As for all other types of horses, daily exercise is encouraged to allow horses’ muscles and bones to strengthen and not become affected by arthritis, etc. when they become older.
CARING FOR YOUR HORSES’ HOOVES
Horses need their hooves trimmed at least every 6-8 weeks. Pick your horses feet every day, and after each ride or workout. Depending on the work (pleasure, barrels etc.) you choose for your horse, will determine whether on not you need to have your horse shoed. Talk to some of your friends or your Vet, someone who can recommend a good farrier. Remember that just as it is with our feet, the hooves of horses are also the most abused and neglected part of their body so it’s important for us to give them the best care we can afford. The old saying “No hoof, No horse really does apply!
CARING FOR YOUR HORSES’ TEETH
Unlike human teeth, there is no end to periodontal growth for horses. As such, uneven usage of their teeth can lead to the development of sharply pointed teeth and which may cause chewing problems. Your Vet may have to (float) the teeth which means that he will have to file them down a little to help your horse’s eating enjoyment. To prevent this from happening, make sure that you have your veterinarian check your horses’ teeth annually.
GROOMING FOR YOUR HORSE
Allow your horses to enjoy baths regularly. Most horse enjoy their baths immensely but others need a little more coaxing in that area. Afterwards, use a sweat scoop to take off excess water and remember to brush their coat slowly, carefully, and thoroughly. Make sure that you use grooming products that are specifically designed for horses, they are reasonably priced and loads to choose from.
Above all, the best way to make your horse’s life absolutely wonderful is by showering them with your love and affection!
By Michele Anderson
Clipidy Clop to the Postershop for all your poster needs. Horse posters and western movie hero posters @ Posterhorse.com
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November 17 2008 | Horses and Pet Care | No Comments »
by NewSun
The holidays are a time to create and share memories, laugh and eat great food; however, there are many hidden dangers that are lurking around your home that can cause serious injury or even death for your four legged family members. Here’s a list of some common holiday dangers to look out for:
1. Holiday Plants: even though they are beautiful, they are also poisonous if ingested. Some poisonous plants include holly and holly berries, ivy, lilies, pine, mistletoe and poinsettia. If your pet ingests these plants, common symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and lethargy.
2. Christmas Trees: Using a tree stand with water that your pet can drink from is very dangerous- the water may be contaminated with chemicals or insecticides leached from the tree itself. Also, look out for the metal hooks that display your ornaments, you don’t want your pet swallowing them for obvious reasons. Most cats love to play with string, ribbon, rubber bands and tinsel. What cats don’t know is that if these items are ingested, they can cut their intestines.
3. Food: Unfortunately, you can’t share your holiday food with your pets. Turkey and ham should never be given to your pet because they contain large amounts of dangerous bacteria. Do not feed your pet bones- especially poultry bones that splinter easily. Each year, pets are treated for consumption of splintered bones which cause pain and sometimes death. Sweets, chocolate, macadamia nuts, raisins, grapes, coffee, alcoholic drinks and even bread dough can also be fatal if your dog ingests it.
4. Toys: Be sure that small toy pieces, crayons, and paints are put away in a safe place. More often than not, ingested plastic or cloth toys must be removed surgically.
5. Other Holiday Items: Wrapping paper, ribbon, tape, candles, and styrofoam.
If you are hosting the party, surely you will have some form of stress getting everything ready. What you forget is that your pets can usually feel that stress too, since they are much attuned to your emotions and what you are up to. During a party, make sure you have a place to bring your pet to relax from all the commotion. The excitement can sometimes stress them out. Also, be sure to have a collar on your pets- with the front door opening and closing constantly, there will be no doubt that your pet will think of this as an opportunity to take a little walk around the neighborhood. Be sure that they are safe and not walking around in the streets- with people rushing all over the place, it just takes one driver to ruin your holiday spirit.
We hope these tips will help you and your pet this holiday season!
The Corner Animal Hospital is an online pet pharmacy/ store (www.shop.corneranimal.com) and veterinary service (www.corneranimal.com) in Long Island, NY. Other services include : annual physical exams, vaccines, heart worm tests and preventative measures, dental exams and cleaning, spays and neuters, x-rays, soft tissue surgeries, ultrasound, endoscopy, orthopedic surgeries, and boarding.
Submitted by NewSunGraphics (www.NewSunG.com)
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November 15 2008 | Cat & Kitten and Dog & Puppy and Pet Safety | No Comments »
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