One of many underserved areas in the US horse market
I had a plan… to start with 2 mares and to buy 2 foals…which is what I could afford. Breed the mares and prepare the foals to be sold at 4 and 5. If they sold sooner I would buy a same age youngster to replace the youngster that sold. Eventually I would supply myself with my 2 mares and have a pair of 5 yos, 4yos, 3yos… The idea was to always have a selection of candidates worth coming to look at. You live in an area with the right level of clientel to do the top of the market…I didn’t. Most of us are trying to make money off cheap horses and you are not talking about doing that. Your risk is higher due to the cost of your buy in stock but proven pedigree will help your results be more consistant. Also jumpers do not have to move a special way and look a special way though risky behavior can get you into trouble as some top horses can be quite a handful. Even being tremendously talented can be a problem if your buyers are not operating at a high enough level to be able to ripen the fruit. Going with jumpers still leaves market options with hunters, eventers and dressage so it is very important to learn all those markets as well as you know your primary market. Knowing who will appreciate your work of preperation for the top dollar market is important. You will be a partner though you might find you have a need for the limelight and they want you in the shadows.
In the US we have a lot of trouble confidently breeding because we have few to no mid markets. In Europe there are people who stand stallions…there are people who have mares and sell foals…there are people who buy foals and youngsters to raise to starting…there are people who buy young horses to start and sell on to begin their show careers…there are a couple of levels of show trainers and riders…there are people who prep horses for inspections and sales. They are all specialists who have an assortment of people to buy from and to sell to. We are missing the pin hookers in the early years of sport horse production. Instead we get people buying foals becaiuse they cant afford started horse but really they have no business buying too young a horse as they have so many things they can screw up even before they get to back their find. Then they are usually not able to ride the talent they have found. This is bad for the breeder and bad for the person buying babies. The future goes into a black hole that may or may not be rescued later.
The horses we breed are now tickling at the bottom of the trainer market. We breed Irish Sport Horses and Irish Draughts and then my friend also does Friesian crosses and Friesians. The Irish horses are starting to show up in the eventing world because they are easy starts for amateurs with and without trainers. WHen you hit on a stallion that produces young stock that can be handled at home it is a good thing. The issue in my are is there are nearly no trainers to start horses and the majority of owners need to have their horses started WELL to move on to the next level.
You need to have your starting trainers established. They don’t seem to last long as they all have higher aspirations and don’t want to stay with the green horses as people don’t value them near enough. Good Luck there is plenty of room for you in the marketplace. Vet thoroughly before they come in the barn and become expert at keeping them clean and healthy and groom the crap out of them and prep them for their start undersaddle like the pro you are so there is very little new to be done but to build on the base you gave them. PatO
