To steal a line from the John Wayne move McClintock, I did some "thinkin' drinking," and I came to the conclusion that I had to try to get this right. There was just too much upside. My wife kept saying to me that if I really wanted to go on she was all for it. In my mind I was already going to try, but the fact that she supported me was even better.
Up until know, I hadn't spent much on the actual horses. I had spent a fortune on everything else, but not on the horses themselves. The following point is important for everyone involved with horses to remember: The Cost of The Horse Is The Cheap Part. Repeat that to yourself several times and let it sink in.
Everyone hears stories like the California Chrome story of last year, where two everyday guys took one of their mares, that had very limited success, bred her to a bargain priced stallion and produced a multimillion dollar winner. There were over 40,000 thoroughbreds born in the same year as California Chrome. Your chances of having the same success are 0.0025%. If you want to improve your odds of having a good horse, I believe you have to look for one who's bloodlines have the characteristics you desire. You want one who's physical makeup, known as conformation, will stand up to the rigors of frequent riding. Finally, you might want one that has a show record or has been ridden a lot so that you can learn from the horse. This is what I set out to find for my next horse.
I wanted a Paint Horse. I like many different breeds, but I really like Paints. I already had a subscription to the American Paint Horse Association Journal and I had an online subscription to the APHA database. The APHA Journal lists the top breeders, the top stallions, the top owners and many other pieces of data. I decided to find the ten top breeders of performance horses and give them each a call. I wanted to explain to them who I was and what I was looking for and see if they could help. Some were cordial and were tolerant of my obvious "greenness," some were not cordial, and wanted to get me off the phone as quickly as possible.
After calling several other breeders I got around to calling Lynn Simons of Simons Show Horses. If you're not a horse person you might not know who Lynn Simons was, and if you are in the horse world and you do know, please bear with me. Lynn and his wife Andrea owned Simons Show Horses. Their two daughters were leading youth amateur riders at the time. Simons Show Horses owned then, and still own, Zippos Sensation. Even back then, around 2002 or 2003, he was proving himself to be an extraordinary producer. When I gave Lynn Simons my story and told him what I wanted to accomplish he began asking me a lot of questions. Here's another life lesson, if you want to have an impact on people and connect with them, ask more and talk less. Lynn had that skill. By the end of the conversation he could of sold me the family dog, put a toy saddle on it and called it Secretariat. I would of bought it. That's not what happened. Instead he told me he'd think about things and see if he had anything that would work for me; if he didn't he would send me to some other people that would have what I was looking for. I said great and I told him I'd call him back next week. At this point, the ball was in my court and I wasn't going to give it up by waiting for him to call me. So a week later I called and again he was generous with his time. He said he had several young prospects but they were not finished show horses and that they wouldn't be a good fit for me. I asked him about the idea of buying several prospects, waiting for them to develop, and then pick one for me and sell the other two. He thought I was getting ahead of myself, he explained the cost of doing that, the time it could take, and the risk that none of them would work out for what I wanted. There are many great horse breeders that truly care about the successful placement of one of their horses with one of their customers. At this point, he gave me the names of two trainers that had finished horses for sale and he said I should call them.
If you ask enough people in the horse world you will find out who can be counted on to put the needs of their clients first. I was fortunate to find Lynn because at this point in my search because I had not asked anyone else for help. He could have lead me astray but he did not. In hindsight, I should have taken the time after the loss of Liberty to get to know more people in the horse business. I should have attended more shows. Attendance at most breed shows is free. Within a 250 mile radius of our house are many large or very large shows. I could have attended many and just walked around. When you watch the shows you can see which horses are best prepared. You can see the trainers that take care of their clients. You can walk through the stall areas and see which stalls are clean and neat. Which horses simply look the part of a show horse. Keep in mind that for trainers, they are working during a show. If there is some down time, usually there are some breaks in the action, you can politely approach the trainers and ask them about their program. This is a good way to learn if you are a good fit for the trainer and the trainer a good fit for you.
Another thing to remember about my dealings with Lynn Simons is that I never forgot his helpfulness. When someone in any business extends you a courtesy, you will always remember them. When it came time for me to expand my horse herd, the first place I called was Simons Show Horses. Over the years, I've been a loyal client of theirs, buying some of the best horses I've ever owned from them. There are many wonderful people in the horse business. There are also some that aren't so wonderful. If you take the time to learn, as I've suggested, you won't have to rely on dumb luck like I did to find someone that was willing to help.
Back to the horse journey. At this point I'm already feeling like I'm making progress and the road is getting smoother. Both trainers that I was referred to were nice people and they both had horses that would work for me. The first trainer had a mare and a gelding that were show horses. I had it in my head that I didn't want a mare, I wanted a gelding. This gelding, however, had a minimal amount of white and I really wanted a horse that looked like a paint horse. At this point I'm going to give you another phrase to repeat to yourself over and over, "Pretty Is As Pretty Does." The horse I passed on went on to become a world champion and multiple futurity champion. He might not have been the "prettiest" horse I'd ever seen, but he sure was a good horse. I just couldn't see it.
I went to visit the next trainer and he had a barn full of horses for sale that were all proven, experienced show horses. His approach was a little bit different in that he asked me my budget and then he asked me what I was looking for. He said I'm going have you ride several horses so you can see what you get along with and what you feel comfortable on. I thought this was sensible and I got to ride several horses, and I rode for most of the morning. By the end of the first day I had picked out two that I liked and arranged to come back the next day and decide. When I came back the two horses were in their stalls and I asked if i could get them ready myself. This way I could see how they would be for me to get ready. Both horses were great in the barn aisle. They were polite, well mannered and obviously used to being handled. They were both geldings and they each had reasonably long show records. As I recall, they were both 6. After a couple of rides I settled on one of the horses and we agreed on a price. I read the purchase contract, this was the first of these I had seen. I said I'd like a vet check done, which we arranged, and upon a thorough exam, which included a lot of x-rays of everything, I signed the contract, wrote the check and had him shipped home.
After calling several other breeders I got around to calling Lynn Simons of Simons Show Horses. If you're not a horse person you might not know who Lynn Simons was, and if you are in the horse world and you do know, please bear with me. Lynn and his wife Andrea owned Simons Show Horses. Their two daughters were leading youth amateur riders at the time. Simons Show Horses owned then, and still own, Zippos Sensation. Even back then, around 2002 or 2003, he was proving himself to be an extraordinary producer. When I gave Lynn Simons my story and told him what I wanted to accomplish he began asking me a lot of questions. Here's another life lesson, if you want to have an impact on people and connect with them, ask more and talk less. Lynn had that skill. By the end of the conversation he could of sold me the family dog, put a toy saddle on it and called it Secretariat. I would of bought it. That's not what happened. Instead he told me he'd think about things and see if he had anything that would work for me; if he didn't he would send me to some other people that would have what I was looking for. I said great and I told him I'd call him back next week. At this point, the ball was in my court and I wasn't going to give it up by waiting for him to call me. So a week later I called and again he was generous with his time. He said he had several young prospects but they were not finished show horses and that they wouldn't be a good fit for me. I asked him about the idea of buying several prospects, waiting for them to develop, and then pick one for me and sell the other two. He thought I was getting ahead of myself, he explained the cost of doing that, the time it could take, and the risk that none of them would work out for what I wanted. There are many great horse breeders that truly care about the successful placement of one of their horses with one of their customers. At this point, he gave me the names of two trainers that had finished horses for sale and he said I should call them.
If you ask enough people in the horse world you will find out who can be counted on to put the needs of their clients first. I was fortunate to find Lynn because at this point in my search because I had not asked anyone else for help. He could have lead me astray but he did not. In hindsight, I should have taken the time after the loss of Liberty to get to know more people in the horse business. I should have attended more shows. Attendance at most breed shows is free. Within a 250 mile radius of our house are many large or very large shows. I could have attended many and just walked around. When you watch the shows you can see which horses are best prepared. You can see the trainers that take care of their clients. You can walk through the stall areas and see which stalls are clean and neat. Which horses simply look the part of a show horse. Keep in mind that for trainers, they are working during a show. If there is some down time, usually there are some breaks in the action, you can politely approach the trainers and ask them about their program. This is a good way to learn if you are a good fit for the trainer and the trainer a good fit for you.
Another thing to remember about my dealings with Lynn Simons is that I never forgot his helpfulness. When someone in any business extends you a courtesy, you will always remember them. When it came time for me to expand my horse herd, the first place I called was Simons Show Horses. Over the years, I've been a loyal client of theirs, buying some of the best horses I've ever owned from them. There are many wonderful people in the horse business. There are also some that aren't so wonderful. If you take the time to learn, as I've suggested, you won't have to rely on dumb luck like I did to find someone that was willing to help.
Back to the horse journey. At this point I'm already feeling like I'm making progress and the road is getting smoother. Both trainers that I was referred to were nice people and they both had horses that would work for me. The first trainer had a mare and a gelding that were show horses. I had it in my head that I didn't want a mare, I wanted a gelding. This gelding, however, had a minimal amount of white and I really wanted a horse that looked like a paint horse. At this point I'm going to give you another phrase to repeat to yourself over and over, "Pretty Is As Pretty Does." The horse I passed on went on to become a world champion and multiple futurity champion. He might not have been the "prettiest" horse I'd ever seen, but he sure was a good horse. I just couldn't see it.
I went to visit the next trainer and he had a barn full of horses for sale that were all proven, experienced show horses. His approach was a little bit different in that he asked me my budget and then he asked me what I was looking for. He said I'm going have you ride several horses so you can see what you get along with and what you feel comfortable on. I thought this was sensible and I got to ride several horses, and I rode for most of the morning. By the end of the first day I had picked out two that I liked and arranged to come back the next day and decide. When I came back the two horses were in their stalls and I asked if i could get them ready myself. This way I could see how they would be for me to get ready. Both horses were great in the barn aisle. They were polite, well mannered and obviously used to being handled. They were both geldings and they each had reasonably long show records. As I recall, they were both 6. After a couple of rides I settled on one of the horses and we agreed on a price. I read the purchase contract, this was the first of these I had seen. I said I'd like a vet check done, which we arranged, and upon a thorough exam, which included a lot of x-rays of everything, I signed the contract, wrote the check and had him shipped home.
My new horse, his name was Woody, went to a new trainer that I had begun taking lessons with. He was young but he was already winning. He had several clients with very nice horses and they all spoke highly of him. Also, he was close enough that I could drive to his facility and ride every day. Although my horse turned out to be an average show horse performer, he was a perfect horse for me to learn with. In the practice arena at the farm, he never acted mean or intolerant. He was strong and healthy and he carried me around without any problem. I learned proper techniques for improving his stride, for improving my posture and improving my ability to communicate with the horse. We even let our very young grand children sit on his back in the barn and he was a perfect gentleman. The funny thing is, when we sold him, he actually was in Horse & Rider magazine, twice, in a feature titled, Horses We'd Like To Own.
So remember when you are getting started there are a few key things to remember. The cost of the horse is not as important as getting a good horse for your needs. If you have to spend more to get what you need, take the time to save a little more money and then buy the right horse, it will be cheaper in the long run. Take the time to learn as much as you can by attending shows, visiting barns, attending classes, and speaking to trainers and clients in programs that are doing what you want to be doing. Seek out the advice of professionals in the equine industry. As much as we've done and experienced I still seek out the advice of great equine professionals like our friends at Simons Show Horses, the Girls at BSB Quarter Horses, our trainers at Bauer Gooding Show Horses and Shane Dowdy Show Horses. Our veterinarian has also been a great source of information, Countryside Animal Clinic in Wauseon, Ohio. They have seen more than we will ever see and done more than we will do with horses. Finally, remember don't fall in love with a horse just because it is pretty, and don't settle on a horse until you find what you want. Until next time.
So remember when you are getting started there are a few key things to remember. The cost of the horse is not as important as getting a good horse for your needs. If you have to spend more to get what you need, take the time to save a little more money and then buy the right horse, it will be cheaper in the long run. Take the time to learn as much as you can by attending shows, visiting barns, attending classes, and speaking to trainers and clients in programs that are doing what you want to be doing. Seek out the advice of professionals in the equine industry. As much as we've done and experienced I still seek out the advice of great equine professionals like our friends at Simons Show Horses, the Girls at BSB Quarter Horses, our trainers at Bauer Gooding Show Horses and Shane Dowdy Show Horses. Our veterinarian has also been a great source of information, Countryside Animal Clinic in Wauseon, Ohio. They have seen more than we will ever see and done more than we will do with horses. Finally, remember don't fall in love with a horse just because it is pretty, and don't settle on a horse until you find what you want. Until next time.
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