I have been in horse business all my life. Different breeds. First work horses, thoroughbreds, quarter horses, minis, shetlands. All were decent to good or above stock. The bottom line, as I see it, is that the horse breeds all go in cycles, sort of like the economy and the stock market. I can remember many years ago when you could barely touch a shetland, then the bottom dropped out, and they were being given away. Now, all that has changed again. Thoroughbreds were and are the same. If the econony picks up, so do the sales. If you are a serious lover of horses, and your breed, you must stick it out, and eventually the prices will level out. Everyone knows the saying that is so very appropriate, "You don't have to be crazy to be in the horse business, but it sure as he?? helps!"
Oh, and Cathy, yes the farmers have been subsidized into growing corn to make ethinol, but as in the tobacco "lies", the corn market is not doing as well as expected. Prices have already started to drop on corn because of overproduction. That too will correct itself in time. As is also true in horses, it is supply and demand! No one true answer to any of the problems of selling miniatures, but several. Economy, supply and demand, and cycles.