Tell me I'm not crazy....

[Donella]

I recieved an offer on one of my yearling fillies a few days ago, and it was for a very good price. The filly wasn't advertised for sale, but I can't keep them all so I did give it alot of thought. The problem for me was that she would have been going to a home where she would be basically a pasture pet with the odd trail ride on the weekend. The family seemed very nice and were well set up and capable of raising a youngster.

The filly in question is really quite nice and was site champion and first premium as a weanling (at only 7 weeks) and out of a dam that won her keuring in holland, 1st premium ster mare ect. The potential owners refused to agree to even take her to her studbook inspection as a three year old. I just feel like she is too good to be a pasture pet...but then, it would probably have been a nice life for the filly!

I am feeling like maybe I made a mistake?? I am curious how many breeders here would sell their best foals as pasture pets/weekend pleasure horses is the home seemed safe/secure ect??

[sfstable]

I don't think you are crazy. I would have done the same thing also. If you can afford to hang on to her, keep her. You know the filly has more potential than a lawn ornament -- something better will come along for her.

[goodmorning]

Well, I don't think there is anything wrong with people buying a fancy lawn ornament. Sure, they may make it to a high level, or they may not, and there's a bigger chance they wont make it ;) I guess I could see how it would look better for you to sell her and her to go on to do big things, but who knows if she will make it to that point without injuring herself anyways.

[facinated]

There was a posting last week about a premium blah,blah, yearling that suddenly developed a club foot. Not so premium any more??
Call the people back and tell them you were drunk when you spoke to them. Get the filly a nice home. Get some nice money. In a few years they will change their mind and start showing it.

[Walnut Farm]

Well, I see both....I got offerd HUGE money for my Londonderry mare (she was 2 then) but she would go the other end, big show barn, no turnout etc.... I just knew that was not what I wanted either.

However, accidents can happen any moment, or the horse not turn out. Hubby says "bird in the hand...."

However go with your guts, and if you can afford to keep, by all means

Sincerely

[Faiths CremelloWB]

I have sold a couple very nice horses for very good prices to homes where they are not going to do anything special in the show ring. It is tough to do it but as I am a business, I do have to sell some of them ;) And my job is to find them good homes; be it the A show circuit or a local rider or an older lady who just wants a very nice hacking horse. I have not sold a horse who was going to go to a A show home but through a few agents, I would never know where exactly she was going. Just did not sit well with me to sell a horse and have no clue where she would end up.

I think of the economy and gas prices... it is tough to not sell a horse to a good home if given the opportunity. Then add in possible injuries etc... So did you do the right thing... only time will really tell.

I have held onto horses I wanted to keep and one got quite hurt a year later. Another one; I was offered 2 times what I paid and I said no. A few months later he broke his leg and after spending way more that I bought him for trying to save him... I lost him :( So my policy now is every horse has a price tag and if the home is a good one... bubye... It is tough when you think the horse has more potential than what the buyers will tap into. But a happy/healthy horse is most important.

[YankeeLawyer]

I think "it depends." First and foremost, I want my horses to go to a good home, and I consider that factor to be non-negotiable. I don't care how much is offered; the home has to be one where the horse will be treated well, whether a show home or not. Second, there is obviously value in having the youngster developed and shown, as the best advertisement for your breeding program is performance success of your offspring. For a new breeder, or one who produces few offspring, the choice of a show home for any particular youngster may then be more important. On the other hand, if selling the one is necessary to allow you to keep and develop another promising youngster, or otherwise further your program, from a cash flow standpoint then yes, it would be crazy to turn down a "bird in hand."

I personally have some concern about the unwillingness to take the horse to inspection at 3 for breeding approval, as that is something I would do for any filly I own because it is a small insurance policy for a quality filly should she ever get injured-- she would at least have a better chance of finding a good breeding home if it ever came to that (similarly, for that reason, all my mares do MPTs). Are you sure the people are completely opposed to that? Maybe they are just unfamiliar with the inspection process and find it daunting (which would be somewhat understandable). What if you offered to prep and present her?

[FriesianX]

I have one youngster I sold a few years back, very talented, and the owner trail rides him a few days a week, that's about it. But he's well cared for and happy - what more could I ask for? Sure, it would be nice to see him in the show ring, but at least the owner loves him and he has a good life.

A yearling could easily be worth nothing in two years (or in two days, gulp). Yearlings get hurt, they develop issues, they get sick, stuff happens to them. If the intent is to sell her, and the price is reasonable, why not do it. She won't be unhappy - a pasture, occasional grooming, and maybe the owner will realize she is too nice to waste, and put some $ into her in a few years?

If your gut says DON'T sell, listen to your gut. But if you are just worried about lost potential, realize you don't know what will happen in the future.

[Donella]

Thanks so much guys for all the great insights.
I can afford to keep her (of course, the money would be nice!) and was planning on doing so primarily because she is the first filly from a mare that I could probably never afford to replace should something ever happen to her. On the other hand, the dam to this filly is young and very breeding sound so there is a good chance I may get another filly from her in the future.

YL...they are definately apposed to it and want nothing to do with showing, judging ect ect . They own another very nice filly by the same sire as mine...who is also a first premie filly and they do not plan on taking her. She made that quite clear. I would love to do it for her, but we are in Canada and they are in Ohio....so would be pretty impossible.

After reading some of these posts, I am seriously thinking I should have sold her...

[Cindy's Warmbloods]

All of mine pretty well have a price as well if it is to the right home. I always think they could fall and break a leg tomorrow and I would get nothing for them. So as long as they are loved and well cared for that is all that I ask. I would actually prefer them to go to a much less "intense" atmosphere than be shown or stalled 24/7 incase they are worried about a scratch on them. There mental well being is important to me.
That being said I do inspect all of my breeding stock and think they should take advantage of that if nothing else. You never know (like was mentioned) if an injury prevents her from performance career it is nice to have them inspected before an injury can affect their movement.
By the way is this your lovely black DF filly ;-) ??

[YankeeLawyer]

After reading some of these posts, I am seriously thinking I should have sold her...

Then call the people up. They may very well be delighted to hear from you.

[krfarms]

Another thought. You could sell her to the really nice people and they can keep her and ride her etc. Then in a few years if you needed her you could "lease" her back for a foal. Or tell them if they ever wanted to sell her call you first. You would be supprised how many buyers call years down the line call the breeder when they want to sell the horse. They ususally want to find a good home too.

[Winter Mill]

Donella, the situation you describe yourself to be in is, of course, very personal, and only you can find the right answer for yourself. :)

However, perhaps this antecdote might help:

In my professional life, working for a Thoroughbred organization, I was very privileged to have known the late M. Tyson Gilpin, an internationally known and respected breeder of Thoroughbreds. Tyson devoted his entire life to every aspect of the Thoroughbred and Thoroughbred industry - breeding, selling, racing and syndicating, with much success. Among his credits - too many to mention here - he served as President of Fasig-Tiption, the leading Thoroughbred sales organization.

Tyson was a man who had a wealth of knowledge and experience to his credit, gleaned from years "in the trenches of the horse business," and he was generous with his wisdom and advice. He also had a gift for getting right down to the heart of the matter in a few words. I consider one of the finest pieces of advice that he ever gave me to be:

"It is better to sell and regret, than NOT to sell and regret."

We live by Tyson's words here, and I can honestly say that, for us, following his advice hasn't led us astray yet. :)

Good luck to you, whatever decision may be right for you! :)

[okggo]

I fear flaming on this, but I keep wondering why somebody wants a young expensive WB with that kind of talent for a pasture pet. There are so many horses out there that need good homes. Of course I'm not implying that yours doesn't, but I'm not going to buy $500 pumps to mow the lawn. If I buy those pumps I'm going to a ball, lol! But then, I don't fart money (sorry to be crude) and this person may have money to burn.

Anyway.......I think you should keep her and assuming this sparked your interest to sell (you noted she wan't on the market) put her on the market now and try to find her a good show home.

[Donella]

Thanks so much guys,
She is actually a Friesian, so it is a bit different, I realize they are used more for pleasure than the warmbloods, but at the same time, I put alot of thought into breeding one that has the conformation and gaits (ie a good canter, nice loin connection ect) to be able to do dressage fairly well..and I think she turned out that way.

Honestly, the smart thing to do would be to sell her, no doubt. I have some real thinking to do,
Thanks for all the advice guys!

[Mozart]

My answer was going to be different until I read she was a Friesen. I too was wondering why someone would spend a lot of money for a pasture pet, occasional trail horse. Now I know. Cause she'll be a very attractive pasture pet.

I suppose it depends on what your "goals" are. If they are to be known as a breeder of Friesen dressage horses...maybe not, since she won't be out there advertising for your program.

If it is a dressage program generally....I dunno...think of what you can do with the $, how much more showing you could do with the remaining young horses, what lovely stallions you can afford, embryo transfer, time with a BNT....

All things being equal....if you are quite sure it is a good long term home...I guess I would sell while the selling is good.

[Stacie]

I fear flaming on this, but I keep wondering why somebody wants a young expensive WB with that kind of talent for a pasture pet.
Because it is like buying art. When a really well bred horse comes galloping across the pasture to greet you, it's beautiful. And it costs the same to keep a cheap horse as an expensive one, so why *not* own the best? Not that I'm a snob against rescues mind you. I love them all. But there is something about the power and grace in a really well balanced, well conformed horse that is just breath taking.
And in this case, since it's a Friesian, they can't get that *look" anywhere else, anyway. My husband has a black/white pinto 3/4 percheron with great sporthorse conformation that does a fair impression when she is galloping across the field, but she just doesn't have enough hair :lol:

[okggo]

Because it is like buying art. When a really well bred horse comes galloping across the pasture to greet you, it's beautiful. And it costs the same to keep a cheap horse as an expensive one, so why *not* own the best? Not that I'm a snob against rescues mind you. I love them all. But there is something about the power and grace in a really well balanced, well conformed horse that is just breath taking.
And in this case, since it's a Friesian, they can't get that *look" anywhere else, anyway. My husband has a black/white pinto 3/4 percheron with great sporthorse conformation that does a fair impression when she is galloping across the field, but she just doesn't have enough hair :lol:

Fair enough :) And yes, being Friesian does make more sense (the glorification behind them).

[STF]

Your not crazy, you just put a lot of time, effot and thought into this and you want them in the ring. If we bred pasture ponies, bloodlines, etc would not matter so much. It costs a lot to do that and then multiply the tears, sweat and lack of sleep and yeah......... it does matter where they go! :lol:
If your crazy, Im right there with ya.