They Don't Come Cheap

   Since the other morning's rant about AC$H, and the standardbred world.  I have been inspired to touch on a subject.  One that I do see a lot of.  Chip In for the purchase of a horse.  I see these pop up a lot, not with one particular group or another, but many groups. Fund raising for trailing expenses, the purchase price, etc.    

                Think about it this way.  If you cannot afford the rock bottom price of $500.00 dollars, which is a very reasonable price, dare I even say low price (if being sold privately, which, I guess well these are sales we are referring too.) of said horse that you want to save.  How do you intend to provide long term care, or even acute care, teeth floating can run between $80.00 in the upwards of $200.oo, not including the fact that you may have more dental problems that require repeat treatment.  Farrier services can vary also starting at $30.00 for a trim, and up depending on corrective shoeing, again we go back to a possibility that getting the hooves back to good shape can require more than one visit.   Vet services, most of the time we do a farm call, 50 to 65 dollars right there, shots 100 plus sometimes, sound checks, bute, antibiotics, holy sh*t right there could add up to 200 dollars or more.  So, there it is, and that doesn't include boarding fees (if that is the route you have to use), hay (and we all know there are many places suffering from extremely high hay cost), grain (and that can get higher if the horse requires a specialty grain), bedding, straw or shavings.  Water buckets, feed buckets, halters, leads, bridles, bits, saddles, saddle pads, riser pads if you need them, new brushes, shampoo, show sheen, detangler, treats, etc.  Are you picking up what everyone is laying down??  All of these things add up.  
                           Naturally some of you will say, but I have a saddle already, and pads, brushes, show sheen, bridles, bits etc.  But, the starting up cost of getting one of these horses that you don't know from Adam, will most likely come out to the purchase price, that person X is fund raising for, so if you cannot afford that measly 500, how in the world are you going to be able to pay for a animal that could potential cost you thousands, and to be fair I haven't added in the training fees if you end up with a behavioral challenged horse.  Food for thought on that one my friends.

                     These are the chances one takes when buying blindly.  When you get the chance to go to the sales, you have a chance to see the horse move, even if it is a flurry of 20 seconds of some jackass cantering the crap out of the horse in the ring. (Something else we shall touch on in another blog, a subject that holds a special place in my heart.)  And you can check the teeth, look at the hooves, look for any open wounds, signs of cushings (have seen a lot of them popping up), signs of strangles or other various illnesses, or even signs of the horses being drugged, yes it happens more than one thinks.  And then you will see just how high the mark up is on these horses when going threw programs.  I know many live a in fairy tale world of bliss, but that is one of the ugly truths of horse dealing, in fact the ugly truths of horse dealing, I could write a novel, or hell maybe a manual.  

                            If you want a free horse, go to the track, take a look around and speak with the racing barns, owners, trainers.  Often times you will land a horse with minimal issues (if any at all) UTD on shots, coggins, and a health certificate, trimmed up, and a known history, that is the way to go.  Do not get me wrong, I am sure there are some shady people in the racing world, in fact I know there.  But, there are people that are honest individuals and would like to do right by their horses.  Sure on some of these occasions, you will have to retrain the horse, call in a professional etc.  But, the start up cost is minimal.  Leaving you with that extra dollars for other things.  You have a horse that has been exposed to heavy equipment, hoards of people coming in and out, handled from the ground up and down, will stall with no issues, pick up feet, etc.   Who in the world doesn't want a horse like that?  (*disclaimer I am no means saying that this way is all rainbows and unicorns, but seems like a good option*)  You want that feel good moment of saving a horse, by going this route you have done so.  You prevented a horse from going to one of the many hell holes we call auctions, becoming transportation that will eventually be discarded, and even ended up on the back of a truck and on it's way to Canada or Mexico, and landing in a so called Broker Program.  At what cost to you as the "rescuer" pennies on the dollars compared to some of the train wrecks I have seen people buy blindly.   

                   Going threw the track(s) or vocation programs eliminates a lot of the price, and the fact is that you are saving two lives, not condemn two, three, hell four more.  You adopt a horse from a vocation program, or retirement fund, you have just opened up space for another horse to come threw.   Just food for thought again.

        Feel free to check out some of these available horses threw various retraining programs.  These are just two of many listings, however there is no shortage of better oppurtunties out there to adopt a horse in need, and in the process prevent another from ending up in a bad situation.  

New Vocations
The Canter Program (nationwide listings)