Equine Legal Solutions Horse Law

Here in the foothills of the Cascades, spring has (finally!) arrived. The grass has come up seemingly overnight, the sun is now making more than a brief appearance, and daytime temperatures have warmed to the 60s. In short, it's time for the first trail ride of the year, with long gallops through grassy fields and leisurely walks beside rushing rivers. I mentioned this to a friend and was surprised when she looked a little panicked and declined to go along. What was the problem? In short, she was afraid her horse would act up and hurt her.

When your very expensive and time-consuming hobby no longer satisfies you, it's time to evaluate whether you need to make a change. Like human relationships, equine relationships can be more heartache than happiness. Just because a horse and a person are both amazing individuals doesn't necessarily mean that they will make an amazing team. Here are some signs that your equine relationship may be broken.

(1) Your horse consistently intimidates you or even scares you. You spend your entire ride wondering what dangerous thing he's going to do next, and you feel relieved when you dismount in one piece. Because you never know what your horse will do, you always have to be on your guard.

(2) Your horse often can't or won't do what you ask of him. Maybe your horse really can't do what you are asking him to do - his conformation, athletic ability or temperament may not match up well to the job at hand. Is it really fair to try to make a Western Pleasure champ out of a hot-tempered, high-headed horse?

(3) Your horse does his job, but lets you know he's not happy about it. Perhaps the horse is physically able to do the job you've selected for him, but he just doesn't like doing it. For example, he'll jump around a course, but keeps his ears pinned the whole time.

(4) You and your horse have a personality mismatch. As in human relationships, sometimes two nice people just can't get along. The relationship between a horse and a human is an intensely personal, and human/equine personality conflicts are fairly common. Maybe you are a perfectionist who makes constant adjustments, but your horse works best when left alone. Perhaps your horse is forward and energetic, but you are timid.

Any of the above situations is a recipe for misery, both human and equine. What remedies are there?

Training. Professional training can go a long way toward correcting attitude problems and filling gaps in a horse's education. For example, a spoiled horse can relearn manners, and a green horse can learn how to do his job. However, training is not a panacea. It can't fix personality mismatches or make a horse suitable for a job that doesn't come naturally to him. And if the horse owner can't or won't continue the training at home, the horse will revert to his former self.

Job Change. If your horse is unhappy in his current job, find him another one. Try out a bunch of different events to see what he does best. Maybe your jumper would rather be a trail horse, or your Western Pleasure horse would rather chase cows. He just might surprise you!

Ownership Change. When a horse and rider just can't get along, or a horse is ill-suited for the rider's chosen discipline, it's time for a change. As long as you are honest with prospective buyers about your horse's challenges, you can sell or give him to another home with a clear conscience. Horse people are natural optimists. They believe they'll be able to solve problems and overcome obstacles, and sometimes, they can. Just because a horse intimidates you doesn't mean he'll be able to do that with his next owner. Likewise, your horse may be happier with a rider who asks less of him, more of him, or asks him to do something different. When the horse has gone to a new home, at least you will no longer be frustrated, and there's a good chance he'll be happier, too.

Labels: other equine topics

While it is tempting to succumb to a Chicken Little mentality when the horse market takes a dive, a market correction can actually be healthy for the long-term future of the horse industry. Breeders will react to market conditions and breed fewer horses. The horses that are bred will likely be of overall higher quality. If demand for horses remains steady or increases going forward, horses prices will eventually rise in response to the limited supply.

However, most breeders cannot afford to think about supporting the future of the market, and must instead think about supporting themselves. Many smaller breeders are rethinking their breeding strategy, and even whether to breed at all. Here is a basic breeding financial plan to help you evaluate your own plans.

First, look at young horses on classified ad sites such as Dreamhorse.com, and search by the bloodlines you plan to breed. Are representative examples advertised for near or less than your chosen stallion's stud fee? If so, that's a sure sign the market is already saturated with horses bearing the breeding that interests you.

If the available young stock is priced significantly above the stud fee of your chosen stallion, the calculation becomes more complex. Attached is an Excel spreadsheet listing many common costs of breeding, from mare care to vet bills. Note that there are two tabs - one for initial expenses, and one for ongoing expenses. To calculate whether it makes economic sense to breed, complete both sheets of the attached worksheet. If you anticipate not having a particular expense (say, if you already own the broodmare), then you can enter a zero in the appropriate blank. If your total expenses are greater than, equal to, or slightly less than what it would cost to purchase a foal, you are better off not breeding.

Even if buying vs. breeding looks fairly even cost-wise, you still bear the risk that your mare won't become pregnant, won't carry the foal to term, will have foaling complications or that the foal will have health issues. If you breed, you also run the significant risk that the foal will not have the temperament, movement, conformation or color that you desire. When you purchase a foal or young stock, you can select exactly the horse you want. Buying a foal also allows you to avoid ongoing mare care expenses (which of course continue on after a foal is weaned). But, you say you want to witness the miracle of birth? That's what MareStare.com is for!
Breeding%20Cost%20Worksheet

Labels: horse breeding

I went to a great APHA show in Chilliwack, British Columbia this weekend. The show was a model of what to do to get exhibitors to come show in this economic climate.

The BCPHC show is already well-known for its excellent location, friendly show management and great prizes, but last year, attendance was down and there was talk that the show might not be back this year. When I received the show premium for this year, I noticed that the show was offering a healthy discount on classes if I pre-registered for at least one class and paid for a stall. Once I got there, I could get a further discount on other classes if I entered more than one division of the same class. For example, if I entered an amateur class, I could enter the novice and/or open division of that same class for a discounted price. As a result, lots of exhibitors committed early to come to the show, and we talked other exhibitors into coming. Once we exhibitors got there, we entered multiple divisions and even tried new events, filling classes and creating lots of point-earning opportunities. Everyone went home happy!

This pricing strategy worked because show management's costs were already fixed. If they could get multiple people to enter more classes at the discounted price, they made more money than they would have with just the few usual entries at the regular price.

Labels: horse shows

I'd like to recommend Molly Gloss' "The Hearts of Horses." Gloss tells a compelling tale set in WWI era Eastern Oregon. While the cover notes suggest that it is a "horse whisperer" type of tale, happily, that is not the case at all. Refreshingly, the main character is a tomboy and isn't "converted" at some point during the book but rather accepted in the community for both her horsemanship skills and her rock-solid character. Even more refreshingly, while the main character has undeniable skill with horses, she isn't able to solve every problem or rehabilitate every horse. "The Hearts of Horses" really gives the reader a feel for what this time period was like in the rural West, a very enjoyable read.

Labels: book review

Usually, when I read a novel with a horse-related theme (except for Dick Francis, of course!), the glaring inaccuracies make the book almost unreadable. The God of Animals is an exception, and author Aryn Kyle makes only a few subtle mistakes in the horse details.

A page-turning coming of age story, The God of Animals follows a young teenage daughter of a local horse breeder and trainer as she tries to find her place amid a difficult home life. The family boarding barn provides the backdrop for a Judy Blume-like angst-ridden story full of surprises, some of them pleasant, some of them not. To my distinct relief, unlike Blume's characters, Kyle's teenage protagonist manages to avoid any serious make-the-reader-cringe embarrassment. All of the characters are flawed in some way, yet none of them can be categorized as "bad people." Mostly, they are people just trying to get by, in the only ways they know how.

In many novels, horses are a character development tool, but here the author also uses horses to highlight shortcomings. Refreshingly, not every character is improved by his or her relationship with horses - sometimes, the horses demonstrate that the people haven't really changed at all. Just like a real horse show, this novel's horse shows also have ups and downs, and sometimes the cheaters and creeps win. One character's hard work and big expenditures only partially overcome her lack of talent, and another character's natural ability is almost obscured by her lack of desire.

The bleak tone and gritty Western setting reminded me of one of my favorite authors, Annie Proulx (who also wrote the short story Brokeback Mountain). Overall, it's a satifying read and a very impressive first novel for Aryn Kyle.

Labels: book review

Thank you, Lauren, for providing us with a selection of horse truths!


People who don't take care of their own horses will be the first ones to
tell you how to care for yours.

A handsome horse who's badly behaved will become a lot less attractive
in about 15 min.

People who think they have nothing more to learn about riding, hit the
ground the hardest.

Children and ponies are natural allies and often have identical
dispositions.

The richest horse people often look the poorest.

The closeness of a horse is one of the sweetest smells in the world.

A solitary ride through the bush is more beneficial then six months with
the best psychiatrist.

The worse a person rides the more likely they are going to blame it on
the horse.

The best thing about going to the barn first thing in the morning is
that horses don't care how you look.

If a dealer insists a horse is worth twice what he's asking he's
usually worth half that much.

The best way to appreciate how another person rides is to get on their
horse.

It is not wise to argue with something that outweighs you by 1,100 pounds.

I'd rather have a horse with a perfect mind then a perfect head.

When someone asks you if you like their horse, always say yes.

The happiest people I know own horses, dogs, cats and at least one
deranged goat.

If you're looking for the perfect horse you will never own one.

Owning a horse can either make a marriage or break it.

You shouldn't talk about your first place ribbon to someone that came in
second.

If someone says that horse is athletic, it has a BIG buck.

If we need rain, schedule a show.

I've never warmed up to someone that didn't want to walk down to the
stables.

A clean stable and a sparkling horse are among life's great pleasures.

No matter how badly behaved you are, your horse always gives you a
second chance.

A more expensive horse doesn't make a better one.

Losing a horse can break your heart, but it will have been worth it.

Labels: horse humor

A good friend of mine sent this to me, and I thought those of us who have been covered in horse hair would enjoy it! :)

What Painting and Body Clipping Have in Common
1. They always look much easier than they are
2. They always take way longer than you think
2a. Prep X5
2b. Detail & touchup X3
2c. Cleanup X2
3. You never know what color you'll end up with
3a. Bays turn anything from mouse dun to buckskin, and
some chestnuts turn pink
3b. According to the paint chip your living room should be
taupe, it's actually lavender -- pretty but not what you
had in mind.
4. You always think that this time with a little more care, time and
expertise the job will turn out better (but it never does).
5. Halfway through, you will have mechanical failure (the clippers
will heat up or the roller will stop rolling -- mopping paint on a
wall gives an interesting but not very attractive texture).
6. Just before mechanical failure, your hands will start to cramp
from holding the roller/clippers
7. You have to be a teenage gymnast to get in the tight places
(the belly and between the front legs or inside the linen
closet).
8. No matter how careful you are, it's really messy (at least
hair washes off in the shower, paint doesn't)

The differences? You don't have to bribe the linen closet with treats to stand still and the paint mistakes won't grow out with the summer coat.

Labels: horse humor