IRIDE has relocated to the mountains of northeast Alabama. Specifically, to 66 acres on Lookout Mountain, near Mentone, AL.
We have been working on the property to build a stall and pasture for Jelle, and I am happy to report that he is settled in nicely and loving it here in the mountains.
Getting used to the differences in philosophy in the horse culture up here has been a bit of a challenge, but I was forewarned of it with my experience at a stable/summer camp a few years back. And quite frankly, the quality of the professional equine services has improved since then.
More about the specifics of that later.
I have found that I have about 15-20 acres of good quality hay. I was quite happy about that, until I discovered the difficulty in getting someone to come bale it for me. So, my husband and I are cutting a row at a time, and drying and gathering the hay the way I imagine the Amish do it. The hay is thick and good quality, so the job is not that difficult. And bottom line is that Jelle has great quality hay that is ultra fresh, organic (we haven't had to fertilize OR herbicide the field), plentiful, and cheap!
The only expense we have incurred is the diesel for the tractor to cut it, and the personal man-hours of labor for my husband and myself. Good thing it only takes about 20 minutes for the two of us to gather enough hay for a couple days. I figure that a bale of this hay only costs us about $2.00 or so.
I have also had an influx of new students from this area (I travel between Chattanooga, TN; Huntsville, AL and Rome, GA during each week for regular lessons). I am grateful for the warm welcome I have gotten from the dressage community up here! There are quite a few talented, serious, and committed riders in this area! I am also pleasantly surprised about the quality horses that they have. Another thing that surprises me is the number of showing opportunities here. There are almost 20 USDF/USEF recognized dressage shows within 2-1/2 hour's drive from me between the months of April and November. That is plenty of competition opportunity for the students as well as for Jelle and me!
Showing posts with label lessons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lessons. Show all posts
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Thursday, June 21, 2012
The Price of Horses
"A horse, a horse; My Kingdom for a horse!"
Although King Richard's famous quote in the Shakespearean play is more about desperation than the actual price of a horse, the quote seems to embody our view of the modern-day price of horses.
The real-life, raw purchase price of a horse (with no parameters or filters set) varies from "free" to well over a million dollars (yes, for one horse).
But let me divulge some of the normal paramaters and costs for you, because I am sure you want to shoot me for giving you no information at all above, right? Hold on to your seats......
I added up standard guidelines of the actual cost to "produce" a horse, because we have to have a basis for determining actual profit and loss. Of course there are regional variations, but these are becoming more narrow in this economy.
Here is a "best-case" scenario of some of the costs if you are a person who breeds a mare, raises a baby, sells it and wants to break even.
Breeders, stop reading here, because if you read further, you will never breed another mare, run away screaming, and go panhandle on the interstate (it is more profitable and 'way less stressful, trust me).
And all you people who are complaining about what you have to pay for a horse, you are required to read all the way to the end...
The Raw Cost of Producing a Horse, broken out into ages:
Cost of Foal when it hits the ground (includes a portion of the purchase price of the mare <$10,000.00/8 foals>, stallion semen and regular breeding costs <$1800.00>, mare care for 18 months <$5591.00 includes 30 minutes of labor per day at $12.00 per hour>, vet care no emergencies, feet trimmed no shoes, etc. for both mare and baby)--
Both categories--buyers AND sellers also need to understand that a horse puchase is like a car purchase...fully 90% of us will never recoup our investment in dollars. Horses generally DEPRECIATE much like a car does; quickly at first, levelling off after a while, and settling into a minimal selling price as the horse ages and is ridden. And gas, oil and tune-ups (feed, hay, and training) are never recouped.
Although King Richard's famous quote in the Shakespearean play is more about desperation than the actual price of a horse, the quote seems to embody our view of the modern-day price of horses.
The real-life, raw purchase price of a horse (with no parameters or filters set) varies from "free" to well over a million dollars (yes, for one horse).
But let me divulge some of the normal paramaters and costs for you, because I am sure you want to shoot me for giving you no information at all above, right? Hold on to your seats......
I added up standard guidelines of the actual cost to "produce" a horse, because we have to have a basis for determining actual profit and loss. Of course there are regional variations, but these are becoming more narrow in this economy.
Here is a "best-case" scenario of some of the costs if you are a person who breeds a mare, raises a baby, sells it and wants to break even.
Breeders, stop reading here, because if you read further, you will never breed another mare, run away screaming, and go panhandle on the interstate (it is more profitable and 'way less stressful, trust me).
And all you people who are complaining about what you have to pay for a horse, you are required to read all the way to the end...
The Raw Cost of Producing a Horse, broken out into ages:
Cost of Foal when it hits the ground (includes a portion of the purchase price of the mare <$10,000.00/8 foals>, stallion semen and regular breeding costs <$1800.00>, mare care for 18 months <$5591.00 includes 30 minutes of labor per day at $12.00 per hour>, vet care no emergencies, feet trimmed no shoes, etc. for both mare and baby)--
$9651.00
Cost of the foal bith to weaning at 6 months-- (includes feed, hay, shavings, feet trimmed, regular vet care, and mineral supplement, for both mare and baby)
$10,245.00
Cost of foal birth to 3 years old-- (includes only baby at this point-- feed, hay, shavings, feet trimmed, 30 minutes of labor a day, biannual shots from vet and annual dentist) Note: no professional training has been included in this price, and labor is VERY conservative at 30 minutes per day.
$26,275.00
Cost of horse, birth to 4 years old-- (above price, and with one year of training under saddle at $1500.00 per month, 2 schooling shows with trainer, and 4 rated shows with trainer)
$51,455.00
$51,455.00 after just one year of training and 6 shows. In Dressage, the horse would typically still be in Training Level, with maybe a test or two at First Level for a very talented horse. And $51,455.00 is just barely breaking even if everything has gone perfectly and there are no extraneous costs in four years. Yeah, right.
I want you all to consider something. The above calculations are raw and technical, and do not take anything that is intangible into consideration, such as bloodlines, breed, talent, temperament, health, etc. It assumes NO health issues or injury, and let's face it, what horse lives for four years and never has an emergency call from the vet?
If we paid for everything that is put into a horse, very few of us would be able to afford one. All along the way, people are willing to lose money (the cold, hard cash kind), in order to be able to "afford" a horse.
No wonder the asking price for a 10 year old talented Grand Prix horse is over $250,000.00. You do the math.
But maybe these calculations will make you understand why there is so much variation in price in horses. When it comes time to sell your horse, the price is not generated by how much you have spent, but rather, what the market will bear for YOUR horse, with his particular set of circumstances at that point in his life. I think with this in mind, buyers may appreciate a breeder's perspective a little more.
Now here is a bare-bones cost calculations, without taking some indirect costs into account (like mare depreciation, a lesser quality stallion, pasture only, feed just to keep minimum weight, owner administered shots, minimal trimming, no labor figured in, no training, no showing, etc.)
Cost at birth-- $5205.00
Cost at weaning (3 months)--$5451.00
Cost at 3 years old-- $10,137.00
Again, that price is barebones, and doesn't really reflect the time and effort put in (everyone's time is worth SOMETHING!) And who would want an untouched 3 year old that has had substandard care for his entire short life, much less pay $10,000.00+ for it?
The bottom line is, that if you are getting a pleasant, healthy horse that is ride-able for less than $50,000.00 you are getting a bargain. If you are getting a horse that has a good temperament, solid basic dressage training, has been shown, and has fairly good gaits for less than $50K, you are getting much, much more than you "paid for".
Conversely, an ill-tempered, untalented or badly trained horse (or even a horse that is just not suited to the kind of riding you want to do) is worth LESS than nothing. Because at best, it will cost you more money and give you no pleasure, and at worst, it can kill you. I am not kidding. I am not exaggerating.
If you are having trouble believing me, do some honest calculations of your own. I didn't even include farm and pasture management and maintenance, insurance, taxes, or salary for the farm owner/breeder.
Conversely, an ill-tempered, untalented or badly trained horse (or even a horse that is just not suited to the kind of riding you want to do) is worth LESS than nothing. Because at best, it will cost you more money and give you no pleasure, and at worst, it can kill you. I am not kidding. I am not exaggerating.
If you are having trouble believing me, do some honest calculations of your own. I didn't even include farm and pasture management and maintenance, insurance, taxes, or salary for the farm owner/breeder.
Both categories--buyers AND sellers also need to understand that a horse puchase is like a car purchase...fully 90% of us will never recoup our investment in dollars. Horses generally DEPRECIATE much like a car does; quickly at first, levelling off after a while, and settling into a minimal selling price as the horse ages and is ridden. And gas, oil and tune-ups (feed, hay, and training) are never recouped.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Are You Serious?
People call me about lessons, training, and buying horses all the time. I am constantly amazed at the array of calls, emails and inquiries. (thank you, thank you, and please, keep contacting!)
They range all the way from clueless people who call me up out of the phone book who want to "borrow your horse to take on a trail ride with some friends for the weekend" (seriously, it happened! thank God that was only once), to breeders with amazing young horse prospects--started and unstarted--that want to put their horse in full training with me to compete on the Florida circuit and everything in between.
Each one of them, including the clueless people mentioned above, are very serious when they call me.
So what do I mean when I ask the question "Are you serious?" I mean, what are your goals? Why do you ride (or want to ride) horses? And the most important question of all--
What are you willing to do to achieve your goal?
What are you willing to sacrifice?
What are you willing to change in your life to accommodate the time, money, and work that it takes to ride a horse (well)?
I have been riding, training, showing, breeding, (living and breathing) horses for almost my entire life. I can answer the above questions with the only acceptable answer there really is:
I will do anything. I will do whatever it takes. I will give up anything.
And only when you are on my side of age, can you answer that as I have above. If you are on the newer side of age (below 50, let's say), you can only answer in the prospective term:
I am willing to do anything. I am willing to do whatever it takes. I am willing to give up anything.
And then you will spend the rest of your life proving it.
Anything less will get you less. How much less is directly related to what roadblocks you are willing to accept.
Students come to me with differing long-term goals-- to learn to ride, or to progress in their riding, or to be coached, or learn to train horses, or learn to teach others to ride horses. In the beginning, I try to have them define what their goals are--short term and long term. (I realize as I write this that I need to be more assertive about clearly defining these with them).
Everyone of my students think they are serious. But are they? Are you? They ask me if they are talented enough, which is difficult to answer. Many of them declare that they are talented, and want to be the best, so I get all excited and start asking them the questions:
How many times per week can you ride and take lessons? (once a week is NOT serious--5-6 times is)
When will you be ready to buy a horse? (the serious answer to this question depends on the rider, and the answer to the first question)
Are you willing to put your horse (or your prospective horse) into full training with me? (this doesn't, and shouldn't, mean that you can't ride your own horse, but the trainer has to be able to maintain a supporting role in keeping the horse tuned up for you--you are not a trainer)
How much time and money are you willing to invest in your horse's care--nutrition, athletic maintenance, shoeing, grooming, etc.? (an athlete is an athlete, and your athlete deserves the utmost standard of care)
How much time and money are you willing to invest in showing? (whether it is you showing your horse, or your trainer, or a combination)
If you are not willing to commit to whatever it takes to answer the above questions in the affirmative (whatever it takes), then you are not serious.
Before you answer, "I can't afford it", and get all depressed, read on:
The most money my household has ever brought in has been a little over $80,000.00 in one year (gross receipts, combined income). Many more years, the income has been much less--one year, there was less than $9,000.00. So income is no excuse. Where there is a will, there is a way.
Success has very little to do with talent or money, and has everything to do with grit and determination. It has everything to do with clarity of purpose, persistence, single-mindedness, and quality experience.
Your success in riding (as well as any other endeavor on earth) absolutely depends on your commitment to excellent education, commitment to your horse and your trainer, and thousands of hours in the saddle and in the barn.
The only thing holding you back is you. I don't want to hear "if only I had more money...if only I didn't have to work...if only I didn't have kids...if only my husband was more supportive....if only I didn't have a husband....if only I had a barn....if only I had a horse.....blah, blah, blah. Those are all excuses!
You can and should find a great instructor (ask here in the comment box below, or email me for instructions!) among all the shysters out there (and there are TONS--beware!).
Take lessons, seriously. Buy, trade, work for all the lessons you can possible take....ride at LEAST 4 days a week in lessons at first, and as you achieve your goals, purchase a horse if that makes sense and board it with your trainer. Your trainer should ride your horse a LOT--how much depends on the horse, your own riding level at the moment, and your goals.
Ride, ride, ride-- I don't want to hear, "it's too hot, it's too cold, it's raining, I don't feel well, I have to go (insert anywhere), my kid is sick, my husband is complaining about money, my husband says I spend too much time at the barn, my mom wants me to do chores, my boyfriend wants to go out tonight, blah, blah, blah". Not acceptable.
Those are all excuses, and you need to decide what you will sacrifice--your horse? Your riding? Your success? Don't blame it on the others in your life--YOU take control. RIDE!
Never, ever stop taking lessons (and your lessons will get more expensive the more you learn....I pay $300.00 per 45 minute ride for my lessons, plus I have to trailer down to the facility, and pay for a stall, and give up the money I would make giving lessons that day--so you can see some of what you have to look forward to.... Riding well is expensive and insists on continuing education and experience, but there is no excuse for riding poorly. To back off is to give up, and that cannot be any part of your genetic makeup.
If you want to ride, RIDE. Find a great instructor (that is actually the hardest part--but remember, you have grit and determination, and will find a way, no matter what). Find the money. Find the time. Find a way. No excuses.
Go get yours.
They range all the way from clueless people who call me up out of the phone book who want to "borrow your horse to take on a trail ride with some friends for the weekend" (seriously, it happened! thank God that was only once), to breeders with amazing young horse prospects--started and unstarted--that want to put their horse in full training with me to compete on the Florida circuit and everything in between.
Each one of them, including the clueless people mentioned above, are very serious when they call me.
So what do I mean when I ask the question "Are you serious?" I mean, what are your goals? Why do you ride (or want to ride) horses? And the most important question of all--
What are you willing to do to achieve your goal?
What are you willing to sacrifice?
What are you willing to change in your life to accommodate the time, money, and work that it takes to ride a horse (well)?
I have been riding, training, showing, breeding, (living and breathing) horses for almost my entire life. I can answer the above questions with the only acceptable answer there really is:
I will do anything. I will do whatever it takes. I will give up anything.
And only when you are on my side of age, can you answer that as I have above. If you are on the newer side of age (below 50, let's say), you can only answer in the prospective term:
I am willing to do anything. I am willing to do whatever it takes. I am willing to give up anything.
And then you will spend the rest of your life proving it.
Anything less will get you less. How much less is directly related to what roadblocks you are willing to accept.
Students come to me with differing long-term goals-- to learn to ride, or to progress in their riding, or to be coached, or learn to train horses, or learn to teach others to ride horses. In the beginning, I try to have them define what their goals are--short term and long term. (I realize as I write this that I need to be more assertive about clearly defining these with them).
Everyone of my students think they are serious. But are they? Are you? They ask me if they are talented enough, which is difficult to answer. Many of them declare that they are talented, and want to be the best, so I get all excited and start asking them the questions:
How many times per week can you ride and take lessons? (once a week is NOT serious--5-6 times is)
When will you be ready to buy a horse? (the serious answer to this question depends on the rider, and the answer to the first question)
Are you willing to put your horse (or your prospective horse) into full training with me? (this doesn't, and shouldn't, mean that you can't ride your own horse, but the trainer has to be able to maintain a supporting role in keeping the horse tuned up for you--you are not a trainer)
How much time and money are you willing to invest in your horse's care--nutrition, athletic maintenance, shoeing, grooming, etc.? (an athlete is an athlete, and your athlete deserves the utmost standard of care)
How much time and money are you willing to invest in showing? (whether it is you showing your horse, or your trainer, or a combination)
If you are not willing to commit to whatever it takes to answer the above questions in the affirmative (whatever it takes), then you are not serious.
Before you answer, "I can't afford it", and get all depressed, read on:
The most money my household has ever brought in has been a little over $80,000.00 in one year (gross receipts, combined income). Many more years, the income has been much less--one year, there was less than $9,000.00. So income is no excuse. Where there is a will, there is a way.
Success has very little to do with talent or money, and has everything to do with grit and determination. It has everything to do with clarity of purpose, persistence, single-mindedness, and quality experience.
Your success in riding (as well as any other endeavor on earth) absolutely depends on your commitment to excellent education, commitment to your horse and your trainer, and thousands of hours in the saddle and in the barn.
The only thing holding you back is you. I don't want to hear "if only I had more money...if only I didn't have to work...if only I didn't have kids...if only my husband was more supportive....if only I didn't have a husband....if only I had a barn....if only I had a horse.....blah, blah, blah. Those are all excuses!
You can and should find a great instructor (ask here in the comment box below, or email me for instructions!) among all the shysters out there (and there are TONS--beware!).
Take lessons, seriously. Buy, trade, work for all the lessons you can possible take....ride at LEAST 4 days a week in lessons at first, and as you achieve your goals, purchase a horse if that makes sense and board it with your trainer. Your trainer should ride your horse a LOT--how much depends on the horse, your own riding level at the moment, and your goals.
Ride, ride, ride-- I don't want to hear, "it's too hot, it's too cold, it's raining, I don't feel well, I have to go (insert anywhere), my kid is sick, my husband is complaining about money, my husband says I spend too much time at the barn, my mom wants me to do chores, my boyfriend wants to go out tonight, blah, blah, blah". Not acceptable.
Those are all excuses, and you need to decide what you will sacrifice--your horse? Your riding? Your success? Don't blame it on the others in your life--YOU take control. RIDE!
Never, ever stop taking lessons (and your lessons will get more expensive the more you learn....I pay $300.00 per 45 minute ride for my lessons, plus I have to trailer down to the facility, and pay for a stall, and give up the money I would make giving lessons that day--so you can see some of what you have to look forward to.... Riding well is expensive and insists on continuing education and experience, but there is no excuse for riding poorly. To back off is to give up, and that cannot be any part of your genetic makeup.
If you want to ride, RIDE. Find a great instructor (that is actually the hardest part--but remember, you have grit and determination, and will find a way, no matter what). Find the money. Find the time. Find a way. No excuses.
Go get yours.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
I Love Ponies!
It's true. I love ponies. Children are the future of our sport, as well as the rest of the future stuff. They are who will take care of us in our old age. Would you rather be taken care of by a person who was raised in front of the television and computer, or one who was raised in the company of horses (and ponies)?Let's face it, if a child's first experience has to be on the back of a horse, the most important life lessons have to be put off (grooming, leading, haltering, handling, etc.), just because of the size difference. A good pony levels the playing field. The kid can groom it thoroughly, pick up its feet, tack it by themselves, and be responsible for the bulk of its general care. This teaches them responsibility, independence, leadership, hard work, teamwork, and so forth from a much different perspective...they do it themselves, rather than have an adult do everything for them until the are big enough.
Pony breeding has come a long way in the United States. If ponies were ever as bad as their reputation, that is no longer the case. These days, there are a great many ponies who have wonderful, calm dispositions, good, balanced conformation, and good to very good gaits. To a point, the issue of good training is still a challenge, but there are capable adults who are small enough to start and train ponies for the children.
The pony in the pictures is one of my very favorite ponies! His name was D'Apples, and he was the heart and soul of all the children at Windsor when I was the director there. He was a grey Welsh Cob and was 13.3hh. His disposition was unparalleled, he had really good gaits and was willing to try anything. I showed him at a local show in the off-season for Windsor (the kids were not there to show him themselves) and received scores of 66% and 68% at Training Level (that was his only show that I know about). He died way too young at 13 years old from Melanoma. It was the worst case I have ever seen, and if he had not received the stellar care (due to his owners at Windsor and a great vet), he would not have lasted as long as he did.
But he is not an exception....there are many, many great ponies out there. The Hunter/Jumper world utilizes ponies very well, but I would love to see a much more wide use of ponies in the dressage world. After all, a foundation in dressage should be what we are teaching our ponies AND our kids at the beginning, before they specialize in any discipline....even before Hunters--I see too many kids going over cross-rails long before they have the seat and effectiveness of the aids which is what makes it safer. Most of them survive, a slight majority of them even stay interested in horses, but at some point, all need remedial lessons in their seat and position to keep moving forward in their riding. Wouldn't it be easier to learn the foundation at the beginning than to have to go back and UNlearn the bad habits and replace them with good ones?
But he is not an exception....there are many, many great ponies out there. The Hunter/Jumper world utilizes ponies very well, but I would love to see a much more wide use of ponies in the dressage world. After all, a foundation in dressage should be what we are teaching our ponies AND our kids at the beginning, before they specialize in any discipline....even before Hunters--I see too many kids going over cross-rails long before they have the seat and effectiveness of the aids which is what makes it safer. Most of them survive, a slight majority of them even stay interested in horses, but at some point, all need remedial lessons in their seat and position to keep moving forward in their riding. Wouldn't it be easier to learn the foundation at the beginning than to have to go back and UNlearn the bad habits and replace them with good ones?
I would love to hear from people who have had (or known) great ponies. If you email me their pictures and stories, I will post some of them here.
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