Blowing Off Steam

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"Cordon Bleu's" price has been reduced.

I guess I should apologize to the person who called today to ask if  “Cordon Bleu’s” price could be reduced. “It already has been reduced”, I mentioned to her. The horses and the people at the track are affected by the downturn in the economy as we all are. I understand that sometimes a horse is priced higher than your budget and I can tell you which ones are less if you ask, but, please do not pick apart the horse to me and then ask me to request the owner to reduce the price. We have free horses and lots of horses around $2500!

The owners/trainers set the price on the horse. I don’t want beat up a seller to get a better price for a budget buyer. Will they lower the price if I do? You bet they will. They need the money. Will they feel good about our business transaction and come to me again with a horse that needs a new career? No way. They will feel cheated and taken advantage of.

What will happen to the horses on our site that do not find homes? I don’t want to go there. Another potential buyer asked me what has happened to some of the horses that “disappeared” off our Web pages. She wanted a follow up. She thought it might make good reading. Many of the horses that are no longer advertised end up at low end racing and if they are lucky, they might end up at a rescue. More than likely they are run into the ground and then sold to slaughter at auction. I don’t have the time or stomach to learn what happened to all the horses we could not find homes for. Alex Brown has a very good article about this in the NY Times. “The Path to Slaughter at a Horse Auction” is the title. The horses we have helped can be followed on our other site: www.OTTBSuccessStories.com

What has me steamed?

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"Woolly" is now FREE to a good home.
  • “Cordon Bleu’s” owner is from Canada and his wife is battling cancer. He needs to get home to Canada to his family. He needs to sell his horses “Cordon Bleu” and “Loui” to pay the medical bills and I am trying to help. Buyers keep getting cold feet.
  • Just yesterday, another buyer changed her mind about buying another prospect after promising to make a deposit. That horse’s owner is now angry with us because he lowered his price to meet this buyer’s budget.
  • Our Track Prospect Horse, “Woolly”, just got injured in his race five minutes before the “Cordon Bleu” call.  Fortunately, “Woolly” did not break any bones but he will need a year of rest before starting a new career now. He pulled his suspensories. He is now free to a good home that will rehab him. He was in perfect racing condition. He won his the race before this one but he got bumped coming out of the starting gate and twisted his leg. Many owners/trainers would have put him down but this owner wants him to have a chance at a new life. It will take time and love but “Woolly’s” injury is not life threatening.

Yes, I was a little short with the woman who asked me to ask the owner to lower “Cordon Bleu’s” price. I should have been more patient, less abrupt. I am sorry about taking out my frustrations on a person who was just hoping to get a great horse at a bargain barn price. I hope that she will accept my apology and not jeopardize other horses because of my short temper.  I just care too much about these damn horses. Maybe it is time to take a break . . .

UPDATE: October 3, 2009. Cortableau found a home with our most frequent buyer Dr. Laura Durham-Dixon one month ago. Today they competed at a hunter pace and won fifth place. Laura cantered Cortableau for the first time on the open trails and even galloped him a little. A happy ending to a rough beginning!

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