WHAT'S IN YOUR PASTURE?

Being in the breeding business, we get lots of questions about how we market and sell our horses, how we choose our broodmares, how we've established a customer base, etc...  I could never answer that question in one paragraph but I will say that there has been wisdom given to me from many different kinds of people over the years.  The number one rule I've followed is one I learned years ago from an old friend of mine that had been breeding horses for many years.  She knew I was looking at some broodmares and we were chatting back and forth about bloodlines, etc...she said to me "no matter what kind of horses you decide to buy and raise, you better like what you have standing in your pasture."  Boy, oh boy, she wasn't kidding!  I learned a lot from her over the years, but those few words of wisdom were golden.

For example, I might be looking for a broodmare and find an own daughter that has a record, she's colored, she has a phenomenal pedigree, to top it off, she's CHEAP!  I inquire, ask for more photos, she's BEAUTIFUL and has everything I'm looking for BUT...... she's so crooked, I'm wondering how she can even walk.  But I want her, and I want her BAD! Lord knows I have talked myself into mares like this before.  I can just hear myself now,  "it's an own daughter of "Captain Kangaroo" AND she has a record AND she's a dunaroanalinosaurus, AND I'm sure her foals won't be crooked, AND, AND, AND......AND then it happens, I breed her, she has a foal, I'm lucky, as the foal has fairly straight legs, but then the phone rings, someone wants to come and see the foal AND it's mother!!  I'm thinking of every way possible to keep them from seeing this mare.  I go through scenarios of what I can tell them, I finally go to bed that night telling myself that I'll just get through it and they won't notice a thing.

They arrive...out we go into the sea of broodmares and babies.  I PRAY the foal is away from it's mom so I don't have to take the customer over close enough to see those legs.  I take the customer around to all my straight legged mares and talk all about them.  We get closer and closer to "ole twisty" and they don't say anything at first, but walk all around the mare, sort of like I do when I'm on the side of the highway with a broken down car.  I'm standing there praying for a bolt of lightning to hit her as I have no idea what my answer will be when they ask my why I'm breeding this three dollar bill.  Then here it comes,  "what happened to her legs?  Did she get in a trailer accident or something?"  I stammer through, change the subject, somehow, just never explaining why I would have a mare like that in my program.  I'm totally exhausted and wonder how I can dump this mare, NOW!

In todays market, you have to remember who you are and what kind of buyers will be your target. I can't hide a crooked mare with a few strategically taken pictures on my website.  Most customers that buy from me like to see what I have with their own eyes.  They will schedule a day trip to see my stallions and my mares before they make a decision on purchasing a prospect.  I really believe that customers can hear it in your voice when you think what you have in your program is specal and it makes them want to own a piece of it.  Being a small breeder, we don't just get internet orders for horses and put them on a truck with no questions asked like the big boys do.  Customers today are smart, they want the whole package and they will know when they come to see your horses whether or not you like them.  So before you buy, remember the words of my friend ""no matter what kind of horses you decide to buy and raise, you better like what you have standing in your pasture."

The Missing Sock??

You open up the dryer, start folding your clothes and BAM! you only have one sock???  You look through the washer, look through the dryer, you look under and over and stand there wondering; "where did it go?"

I have had this happen many a time with a prospective buyer.  It usually goes something like this:  You get an email or a call with a frantic individual on the other end saying "It's the perfect horse,  just what I'm looking for!"  You then answer all the questions, email photos, make a video, come to a price agreement, get a shipping quote, sort of feel like you might be making a new horsey friend and BAM! they disappear!  Where do they go? 

What's wrong with an email saying you've changed your mind or decided you can't make it work financially? But instead, you just get NOTHING??? WHERE DO THOSE BUYERS GO???  Sometimes you convice yourself that your emails to the buyer are somehow getting lost in cyberspace, are they on vacation or did they have a family emergency? You email and say "hey, if you don't want my horse, just let me know, it's no biggy" but nooooooooo....you hear nothing. Your left feeling a little like you did in grade school when that friend won't talk to you anymore and you have no idea why.


PLEASE buyers, remember, we breeders aren't in the horse business just to sell horses, we enjoy many aspects of the horse world and that includes making new buddies.  I love all my horse friends and customers, even if they decide they don't want to purchase a horse from me or breed to my stallion.  Not every inquiry ends with a sale, we do understand that things happen or you might have found a different horse that works better for you.  As the seller, we would rather know what happened to you and maintain a good relationship with you then be left there wondering "Where did you go?"

Our New Blog!!

Our daughter Shelby with Old Blackie (30) and Mint.  This was last weekend up in Chewelah WA at our good friends Gary and Vickie Nussbaum.  GOOD OLD GIRLS!

Well here it is, our new blog!  I've been tinkering with the idea of doing this for a while, with the main idea of keeping everyone in touch and me in touch with everyone.  I thought this might be a nice way to hear about what you all are doing and in turn,  be able to let you know what we have going on here at our place.


I have also wanted to have a place to discuss the MANY questions we get about the breeding business. So many people have questions about foaling, breeding, raising foals, pedigrees, selling, buying,  pricing, feeding, shipping etc.  People want to know if they should breed their mare, or own a stallion, the list goes on and on.


I hope to be able to answer some of those questions with what has worked for us these past 15 years.  Most of you that know me, KNOW YOU WILL GET AN HONEST ANSWER! 


I also want to be able to discuss buyers and sellers and the transactions between the two.  We have so many great stories to share in this area and hope to share our experiences with all of you out there in the active Horse Market. 


We are looking forward to hearing all that you have to say, so BLOG AWAY!