Me, too. And that may just be the answer for many. People ask me if I do it for a business, and I say no, it's an expensive hobby.
But, when they see it takes me 2+ hours a day to care for 7 horses (not counting playing/working them), and that I get up at 5 AM and do all
that before getting to work, and I need to get home right after school and I never leave home over night (it's been 8 years) because of the horses, they sure do wonder and shake their head. When I explain it--it does sound pretty weird.
They just say "you must
really love them." Oh yeah.
But, that being said, with working full time and adding ALL it takes to get a foal on the ground--even I can see it's just plain silly to keep producing foals unless I'm willing to keep them. And I am. I've only had foals every other year for that reason. But, I now want to get to a place where their maintenance doesn't take as long so I have more time to "play" with the ones I have. That means cutting numbers.
The thing is I think people should stop looking at these animals as breeding machines and start looking at them and seeing what they can do, sure not every animal should be shown, but everyone has a purpose besides breeding. Also big horses the more training they have the more the price goes up, shouldn't that be the same with these minis, also shouldn't the value of a trained proven show gelding be way up there just like in big horses? I don't know I just think people should start looking at these miniatures a little differently and not see them as a breeding factory.
This thought was mentioned maybe a year ago--and it was a true eye opener for me then. I have a filly with an off bite who I put up for sale years ago as a pet. But, when I ask the potential buyers if they're planning on breeding her they say yes!
So, she's not going anywhere. She's such an awesome pet!! I knew my 10 year old mares would retire here now that I'm done breeding because if sold, there's a 100% chance they'd be treated as broodmares, and I just can't do that. (Oh, I want to keep them anyway.
)
Don't forget to add in the costs of AMHA/AMHR memberships, the cost to register a foal, and the cost of the DNA work (if needed.) and if it applies, the cost of advertising.
Right! Taking the pictures is a pain for two--I was feeling very sorry this week for anyone who had many to reg!
Plus the constant worry about their safety.... it's like having two year olds in the barn.
I want each of my horses to have a job unrelated to breeding, and I want time to work them in those jobs. Breeding horses was an exhausting, but yes, fun experience, but I'm ready to move on to other adventures with my minis. I'm relieved to leave the stress behind--even for the arrival of a cute little foals.
I guess I just hope others will decide that too because the price on these horses tells an important story.