Sales Report

Well, it's over. The Sale, that is.
And to say it SUCKED, is putting it mildly.

We brought Athena back......I just could not give her away.
Summer, however, did not share the same fate. Although we did not want to give her up, we definitely need the room and need to down-size.

It wasn't just our horses......it was everyone's. Oh, yeah, there were those who everyone really wanted......all the ones WE were interested in went for $3000 and up......but there were a LOT of really decent, nicely to well-bred horses, broke, carrying babies that went for anywhere from $500 to $900. Like the auctioneer said.....these aren't horses that were on their last legs; these are horses in their prime: 5-9 years old!

There were people there that looked at horses, made their notes, asked questions, made comments.....that went home empty-handed. People who should have picked up something and would have obviously given them a good home. Why didn't they? I have a theory.

Most of the people who really took time to ask questions were not your normal draft horse people. Most of them looked like hunter/jumper or sport horse people, or people just getting interested in possibly getting a draft horse. But the prices may have stopped them......after all, a saddle-horse that only commands $500 these days is usually a puke, a problem and/or too old to do anything. However, 90% of these horses were none of the above.

Just look at the financial logistics:

• to get the horse on the ground (i.e., be born) is a stud fee of approximately $500
• there is 2 years of maintenance; feeding, vet, trimming, caring and, maybe, showing
• the horse is trained (broke), usually for a fee: a cheap fee is about $500; the trainer only keeps the horse for a month or so
• the horse is "finished"....used by the owner
• the horse (if its a mare) is bred and is going to have a baby. Stud fee: $500

Just picking up the "big" fees, there is already $1,500 invested in a broke, bred mare.....and they are selling for $500. But it's not a good thing for the draft horses.

Why? Because the cycle of the 1940's will happen again. When horses were replaced by trucks and cars small breeders simply closed up shop. And when people wanted to get them again, they were few and far between. It took a long time to build up the numbers.

Now, there are many small breeders wondering if it is worth breeding anymore. Many of them have very nice horses; it would be a shame to lose those bloodlines. If it is no longer worth it, it will come to pass.

Just another sign of the times, I guess.

Selling horses

Anyone who has sold older animals will tell you......they seem to know when you are "getting rid of them". Weanlings of any sort (cat, dog, horse) don't seem to have the same feel, but the older ones definitely do.

Most of the horses I sell are sold for only one reason......they do not fit in with the program.
In draft horses, most of the time it's because they don't have a match/mate; and unless they are phenomenal movers don't have a place locked up on the show thing. I have to admit, we have been very lucky in finding great homes for our "odd-man-out" horses.
But that doesn't change their attitude......or the fact that they seem to "know".

Once a horse is officially "on the market" most of them become like lost puppies.
"Don't you love me anymore?" The sad eyes....the sudden "joined at the hip" with you. They want to be petted and played with.......they "say" with every movement, "You don't really want to sell me, do you?"

I have a hard time selling any horse. I do connect with all of them.....especially ones that I bought from a sale and ones I helped into the world. After buying/selling over 150 horses, it still isn't any easier. But Athena is trying to make it easy.

It seemed that as soon as the paperwork was sent in to the sale, she knew. While Summer has done the "sweet" thing noted above, Athena is more like a child who has to go to camp; but no matter how much he wants to go, is scared of leaving home.....and begins to "act out".
Psychologists call this "making it easier to separate." It's always easier to leave when you're angry.....and it's always easier to "let go" when you're not happy with something.

Athena has never had any vices.....til now. While she has always been independent and superior, she usually went along with things, as long as they were done her way or she could "live with it". The day the papers were sent in.....she started being aggressive. She crowds when you go to feed her; she comes at you with mouth open when you try to fly-spray her; she's taken up nipping; and she doesn't want you to catch her when she comes in from the pasture. None of this was there prior to this day. Since none of this is tolerated in my barn, she has since given up such shenanigans with me....but my guess is she's going to push buttons for someone else.

Until Sunday. On Sunday, we helped some friends with a problem horse (couldn't break her) by bringing up our "rock".....Bill. Bill deals with Jill all the time.....and does a wonderful job....so naturally, he was elected to be the teacher. While his partner lunged and leaped like she was jumping no-stride 2-1/2' cavaletti, poor Bill just tried to keep up......until the mare finally settled down and decided she really could do this thing without being stupid. We had also brought along Summer and Athena, since they really hadn't had a good hitch since May.

While Bill was a star that day, Athena came in a close second. She was perfect hitching.....was actually happy being hitched and played with. While Roy worked Summer, I let Athena lunge for a bit (she's been known to be a bit "hot" if you put her right into a hitch), on her own terms (she knows how to lunge and pretty much does it herself after a few reminders). The more we worked, the more she wanted to work. She really seemed to enjoy herself, while Summer and Sheena really wanted to just go out in the pasture. Not that they were bad, they just weren't as much fun to drive.

As much as her original trainer said she prefers to be ridden, she really liked being driven in the cart. We did not get a chance to drive Athena and Summer as a team.....but then, they don't match anymore, and it would be like driving Mutt and Jeff with their size difference. And that is why they are going to the sale.....they have no matches with our black horses or even our other, very fancy dapple gray.

The sale is this Friday, and I admit I'm stressed. Hope and pray for them to find that good home.

October Sale Time

It's October.......and for draft horses, that means sales.
It's a time that's both exciting and sad.
Exciting because there may be something there you just can't live without.
Sad because you need to send some friends along to find new homes.

It's sad this year. We need to sell some, and 2 of my nicer animals are going to be leaving.

Summer, our dapple gray 3yo, did not grow as big as we had anticipated. Her team mate, 3 yo blue roan Athena, is pushing 18hh. Their Mutt-and-Jeff appearance makes them no longer the nice team they were. It is, of course, still possible that Summer will grow more......but she will be a "late bloomer" and will not match Athena for a few years. That's a few years too many. We did not breed them......I don't like breeding 3yos.....and that will likely have a major effect on how much they bring. Both are extremely well-bred.....but sometimes that means nothing.

Summer takes care of hubby. He is not an aggressive driver and at times loses focus......but she knows just what to do and keeps him safe. She's a super horse for someone who is new to the business or wants a safe horse for their kids. She had held her own in competition, beating older more mature horses, so she's a nice mover. She's also broke to ride (although I haven't ridden her since last year). And she's a good baby sitter. My present foal, Fire, will need to be weaned again. No vices, either. Just a real nice mare that I would keep if I could.

But I am really going to miss Athena. This blue-roan moves like a 3-day and/or dressage horse. She is the "modern" kind, which means she looks more like a warm-blood than a full-blooded Percheron. She also was broke to ride last year (again, I'm not riding them) and the trainer said she actually preferred to be ridden than driven. She also has held her own against more mature horses and placed well in her classes. She's actually jumped over me when I got knocked by another horse right into her path. I just remembered thinking "this is gonna hurt" and then seeing her feet over my head. This horse and I have quite a history together, which makes it especially hard to see her go.

As a baby, she almost didn't make it out. She got her shoulder caught on her mom's pelvis and no matter how hard I pulled, I couldn't make it move. Just when I figured was going to have a dead baby, suddenly, it gave, and she came out. When we lost her mother the next year, I really wanted to keep her forever. Then, while out with mares and foals, another mare decided she didn't like her and attacked her. Again, I thought I would have a dead baby......but with a lot of love and care she pulled through. She has her own personality......I gave her the name Athena for a reason......she thinks she's a goddess! And she has the blue roan dorsal stripe down her back and the dark outline of her eye......which actually makes her look more like Cleopatra! It is very Egyptian-like.

I am not looking forward to losing these two.....because that's what it is.....losing them. But circumstances force the issue. 11 horses and 2 people to care for them.....gets to be a bit much at our age.....especially since 1 (me) does most of the day-to-day stuff. I know they are not getting the attention they deserve, since it is focussed on others who need it more right now.
But still.......next week will be a sad week.

Busy, busy, busy

Haven't been blogging......life has this uncanny way of interrupting your great intentions.

We needed a new roof on the house.....and were in the process of doing a loan for it. Then, when the roofers are on the roof....I call to find out when the money will be deposited in my account and the Bank tells me.....there's a problem.

A problem? You've had the information for a month and NOW you decide there's a problem? You sent me all the info on how much my payments are going to be and when you're going to start taking them out of my account, and NOW you decide there's a problem? What's the problem?

We're CAUV......agriculture use value. Well, duh. And that means.......? Well, we're getting a tax break already. Yeah, and that means......? I mean, they'd give Donald Trump all the money in the WORLD and he has tax breaks out the wazoo. Try again. Well, the value of the house isn't enough for your amount. 1/10th? You can't get me 1/10th the worth of my place?

Well, the rejection letter came back saying that the credit report show insufficient activity. Insufficient activity? (Notice they changed the tune of CAUV....clever, huh?) Been with that bank 15 years and another branch for 2 years......had 2 mortgages with that bank......have a credit card......have had credit cards since 1969 or theresabout. I guess I still had insufficient activity after 17 years with them.....huh?

Went to another bank.....they had a problem with CAUV. Looks like you can't get a loan for remodeling or a 1st mortgage if you have CAUV. Which doesn't make sense.....people who want to move out to a farm are going to do everything possible to keep it. They just do.

I can put it on my credit card (at exhorbitant interest), but not get it otherwise at lower interest like any normal, prudent and financial-thinking person would do. Who'd a thunk?

So scrambling to find enough to scrape together. Did pay the roofer (he was a great guy), but depleted everything else. Being in the horse business, we have a lot of assets.....but they are not very liquid.....in fact they are positively granite boulders.

In scrambling, went to the Credit Union where we had just depleted our account. In less than a week, we were approved for 1/2...that's 50%.....of the value of our place. We don't need that much......but it was interesting how easy they were able to get it done.

Breathing room at last.......well, at least for right now!