If you read the article in the link, you will see that she is indeed quoting Katie for the first of her posts. The second is entirely hers
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The first comment absolutely was a direct quote from Katie from the Chronicle interview (see screenshot). Jessica did not, however, give any indication it came from Katie— probably because her thoughts align directly with Katie’s. Her second comment was not a quote. And ETA, I just started reading that article more thoroughly in its entirety and have to say… yikes.
Thank you for clarifying that. By not giving any indication that it was a direct quote from Katie, it distinctly reads as though the views expressed are her own.
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I think you’re really underselling your experience here. The key part of your resume is “experience bringing along other OTTBs.” That makes you highly competent and part of her target market.
But I also want to say though I have limited experience with them, I wouldn’t buy something with questionable xrays re: kissing spine. I completely agree with you on that, it would get a hard pass from me too.
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Could someone give me an idea of what back/neck rads cost? Curious as have never done these and it seems to be close to being a necessary requirement these days.
I got KS X-rays withers to croup, with sedation and hock X-rays and 4 hoof X-rays for $800 a few years ago from one clinic.
I also got 4 hoof X-rays, a sheath clean, and fall shots for $700 from another clinic last year so… YMMV.
Personally, the second clinic is the second most expensive in the area, so I’m betting the back films are gonna average somewhere under these figures. Lumped into a PPE farm call, the films themselves are cheap.
It really depends on where you live. In a high-cost area, vets may charge twice as much as in a low-cost area. I kind of choke when I see someone complaining about a scope for ulcers costing $250. I spent twice that plus a bit more in 2020…
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It depends. I had my vet out for a lameness exam, back and neck x-rays and an injection in the back, for $900 I think.
That was going to be my next question … is it best/necessary to go to a clinic or do in barn at home? That would be something to consider in the case of buying from a quick turnover sales barn … organizing shipping to clinic, booking visit quickly and in my case making arrangements to be in attendance myself.
While I understand Jessica"s business model and admire her horse sense, I feel that the cost of keeping a horse these days is related to how careful people are being about taking risk. Economic times have removed the middle class who you might be able to have sold your KS horse to as a “happy hacker”.
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I paid $1200 for neck, back, stifles, a neuro exam, and a Vit E test in 2021 at the local major University teach hospital. I think they quoted me $650 for the neck and back, $250 for the stifles, and the rest was the exam and bloodwork? I can’t remember for sure. I don’t know what they specifically charge per view.
I know another local private hospital is $84/view for rads in the field, and I don’t think they usually do necks or backs in the field. I don’t know off the top of my head if the cost is the same in their hospital.
I was able to get back and neck rads in the field back in 2017. It was with old fashioned films, if it makes a difference.
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It’s definitely doable, I just think this hospital in particular doesn’t do them in the field for whatever reason. Everything I’ve had done in the last decade has been digital, so I don’t know if that makes a difference or not.
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I paid $900 USD for radiographs of the neck, back, hocks, stifles, and front feet on a PPE two years ago (that price was just the radiographs).
ETA: They were all done at the barn the horse was located at.
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Not to sound snarky, but the newer digital mobile units are literally the reason you can do necks and backs in the field. The in-clinic ones are more powerful and can get better views of C7/T1 and some of the deeper back vertebrae, but everything I’ve vetted here and Europe over the past decade has been in the field and they all do necks and backs.
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Oh I don’t doubt that. Was just responding to the person who said they had them done in the field with old school film who wasn’t sure whether or not it made a difference. I know for a PPE you’d likely need to do it in the field unless you were local enough/the seller was willing to haul in to a hospital, I just haven’t ever done necks/backs on a PPE and the for ones I’ve had done on my owned horses, I was able to haul in.
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I know this thread has taken a few turns and is no longer just about Benchmark Sport Horses.
But this is important information that people need to consider.
This stallion, from a top KY TB farm, was diagnosed with degenerate cervical arthritis along with kissing spine and was in so much discomfort that he was refusing to breed. He was 7 years old. Breeding 150-200 mares a year. CA and KS are thought to be heritable conditions. The major TB industry does not care about longevity.
And guess who gets to foot the bill of those horses that wash out of the industry? Average Ammy public.
Caveat Emptor.
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That’s the first time I’ve heard of kissing spine at the tail base. Wow.
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He only lasted 9 starts and was then sent to the breeding shed at age 4. 
Poor horse.
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I’ve always been impressed with the horses she’s sold, and I find her descriptions to be honest - I remember one in particular about a handsome horse that would not budge (and that she was at a loss) and sharing him with my friends, saying (jokingly) that I can fix him.
All that aside - just about every horse that goes through her barn tends to show strong promise in their first few rides, and they exhibit little to no undesirable traits. The same is true for a lot of sellers who specialize in putting the first couple post-track rides on OTTB’s and re-selling.
My question is: is it a TB thing to not quite show opinions right away? I’m shocked that I have yet to see any OTTB re-sale program state that a horse can have a buck if unbalanced or will engage in silly business if not kept focused. Are these horses still in “work mode”? (Asking not to bash sellers, but simply to see if my experience -not bad!!- is more typical than I may think)
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Not really. In the case of this program in specific, these horses are ridden in a very controlled, micromanaged environment, and the video clips you see are snippets of the best parts of the ride, not the whole ride. It is an art skill in of itself to present a horse as far more trained than it is -TB flippers do it, but so do keurigs and WB registries with young stallions at their 60-90 day licensing. The wheels fall off when a floppy amateur rides them; not because the amateur sucks or because the seller is shady, but because the prior rider is so skilled at riding a green horse they can make a donkey look good.
I don’t have any inside info to this seller in question’s program, but I’ve seen enough of general OTTB programs to think that these horses may be put on the lunge, possibly in side-reins, and then ridden - because their consistency in contact resembles it and it’s unusual for a green OTTB to be consistent in contact with one or two rides post track.
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