omg horse prices are just so bad. when will they pick up

SKY

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Omg just looking on done deal and the prices are shocking. People are giving them away. When will prices improve.
 
People you may wish to look beyond BYB for being the cause of horse over population. Some big well known studs breed crap too. Very rarely to you see a BYB having a fire sale to make room for next year's crop. So ok knowing you already had too many you bred anyway knowing how crap the market was. This is from professional breeders. Not all of them have good mares and quality stallions. And most of the time I never hear a hobby breeder or BYB complain they have a mare standing around empty not earning her keep. Putting another living breathing creature into the world should be thought of more than just a uterus. So guess what when you don't pay your way it's off to the knackers with you. Some big farms leave me cold with the way they treat mares. They are just vessels. Years ago I took a mare and her foal down to Coolmore to stay for a couple of weeks. My mare gleamed like the sun. She had her mane pulled and was in super condition. Her and her foal had their plated headcollars in immaculate condition. I had a look around at the other mares in this holding yard when I was there. All of us ship ins. Mares skinny, manes in knots, feet not done, in short what everyone imagines a BYB' s horses look like. I knew these mares for their accomplishments and those of her kids. That's a glimpse of big breeding for you. How sad.

No not all BYB's are the same but instead of throwing out that silly statement without looking at what goes on elsewhere, it just gets to me. The same as when a horse gets ruined in the wrong hands it's the breeders fault.

No I don't breed anymore. No point. But I also try and think 5 years down the line from conception to a time when the horse is started and going nicely and will be an asset to any rider. So if I can't see me investing the time and money to do it properly I just don't. And any breeder should think that way.

I don't see the market recovering anytime soon unless pro and hobby breeders quit making the same mistakes over and over.

Terri
 
People you may wish to look beyond BYB for being the cause of horse over population. Some big well known studs breed crap too. Very rarely to you see a BYB having a fire sale to make room for next year's crop. So ok knowing you already had too many you bred anyway knowing how crap the market was. This is from professional breeders. Not all of them have good mares and quality stallions. And most of the time I never hear a hobby breeder or BYB complain they have a mare standing around empty not earning her keep. Putting another living breathing creature into the world should be thought of more than just a uterus. So guess what when you don't pay your way it's off to the knackers with you. Some big farms leave me cold with the way they treat mares. They are just vessels. Years ago I took a mare and her foal down to Coolmore to stay for a couple of weeks. My mare gleamed like the sun. She had her mane pulled and was in super condition. Her and her foal had their plated headcollars in immaculate condition. I had a look around at the other mares in this holding yard when I was there. All of us ship ins. Mares skinny, manes in knots, feet not done, in short what everyone imagines a BYB' s horses look like. I knew these mares for their accomplishments and those of her kids. That's a glimpse of big breeding for you. How sad.

No not all BYB's are the same but instead of throwing out that silly statement without looking at what goes on elsewhere, it just gets to me. The same as when a horse gets ruined in the wrong hands it's the breeders fault.

No I don't breed anymore. No point. But I also try and think 5 years down the line from conception to a time when the horse is started and going nicely and will be an asset to any rider. So if I can't see me investing the time and money to do it properly I just don't. And any breeder should think that way.

I don't see the market recovering anytime soon unless pro and hobby breeders quit making the same mistakes over and over.

Terri

Well said EI - the amount of overbreeding carried out by some welsh pony studs to try to breed "the one" is disgusting, The other excuse is that the mares get laminitis if they are not in foal - the don't if managed properly! Something has to give but no one seems to be able to offer a solution.
 
People you may wish to look beyond BYB for being the cause of horse over population. Some big well known studs breed crap too. Very rarely to you see a BYB having a fire sale to make room for next year's crop. So ok knowing you already had too many you bred anyway knowing how crap the market was. This is from professional breeders. Not all of them have good mares and quality stallions. And most of the time I never hear a hobby breeder or BYB complain they have a mare standing around empty not earning her keep. Putting another living breathing creature into the world should be thought of more than just a uterus. So guess what when you don't pay your way it's off to the knackers with you. Some big farms leave me cold with the way they treat mares. They are just vessels. Years ago I took a mare and her foal down to Coolmore to stay for a couple of weeks. My mare gleamed like the sun. She had her mane pulled and was in super condition. Her and her foal had their plated headcollars in immaculate condition. I had a look around at the other mares in this holding yard when I was there. All of us ship ins. Mares skinny, manes in knots, feet not done, in short what everyone imagines a BYB' s horses look like. I knew these mares for their accomplishments and those of her kids. That's a glimpse of big breeding for you. How sad.

No not all BYB's are the same but instead of throwing out that silly statement without looking at what goes on elsewhere, it just gets to me. The same as when a horse gets ruined in the wrong hands it's the breeders fault.

No I don't breed anymore. No point. But I also try and think 5 years down the line from conception to a time when the horse is started and going nicely and will be an asset to any rider. So if I can't see me investing the time and money to do it properly I just don't. And any breeder should think that way.

I don't see the market recovering anytime soon unless pro and hobby breeders quit making the same mistakes over and over.

Terri

Totally agree with this, seen more cases of "cruelty" at top studs then the odd owner who breed from a mare who isn't ideal
 
Spot on E Ireland
I've seen it on several big studs.
Breed 30 or 40 in the hope of the one superb super star and accept the rest as waste. Mares kept in huge herds with no worming no farrier etc.
Then the ordinary horse lover buys one of their "waste" thinking that because its come from the well known successful xyz stud they have a lovely correct foal of their chosen breed. If only they knew the reality.

I also wonder why folk are desperate to buy their competition prospect from the continent. There are studs in Germany that breed hundreds every year, pick and keep the best for themselves, these foals will not leave the country,and then send the rest over for the gullible british to clean up.
The times I've heard "it's German bred" or "I imported it from holland". It makes me laugh, I want to say " yes and it's rubbish
If it was good it certainly wouldn't be over here."

There are some fantastic british breeders producing incredibly good stock but while people are prepared to pay over inflated prices for lower quality continental horses the problem will continue.
 
Agree with EI and MAISIE. Ive picked up 2 welsh ponies in last few mnths with 'fantastic breeding' for absolute peanuts. Picked up a little sec b last wk that is originally from a very good stud but at 2yrs old had bin through 3 sales and ended up in the hands of a gypsy who has clearly gelded the poor mite himself!! its barbaric but aparently with the cost of gelding very common :( theres simply more horses than homes
 
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