[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Horses and Dogs, You'll Be surprised!
- From: "M. Mike Lynch" <cccaudiology@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: rockannand@xxxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 12:47:51 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Kate,
Well I have to tell you. Being on both sides of the coin, (I am a Crate
Hauler as well as a licensed IJA/UMHA/KHMA/USEF Horse Show judge, Equitation
Coach and exhibitor) I can tell you...
Its far cheaper to show a gaited horse (I cannot attest to a dressage horse,
hunter/jumper, Arabian or reining horse--only Tennessee Walking Horses and
American Saddlebreds) than it is to show a dog. I have a very popular and well
known trainer in Los Angeles. My horses are boarded there and monthly boarding,
including feeding, etc.. is only 250 A month. To be honest, I know of no show
kennel who boards less than 350 a month for a show dog.
My trainer charges a day fee (and hauling) to a horse show at 75$ a
day--doesn't matter if she rides your horse in one class or 50.. its only 75$ a
day. She does a great job,I tip her the extra 25. The average handling fee per
dog in CA is 85$ (low end to 100$ per day). She does not charge a Bonus for
winning a Championship or a Grand Championship--I used to charge a bonus if I
won a specialty, Group I or BIS
I show horses 8-10 times a year during the season, (even less for my
saddlebreds) but dog shows are weekly excluding the last 2 weeks of the year.
Nationals trips are expensive. From CA-TN, if my horse wanted to go to the
nationals.. flat fee of $3500 for the trip. I usually send one horse and I have
to pay for entries for the national and shoeing.. Nothing more. Sending a dog
to a terrier nationals runs you about $2500 per dog.
Oh, by the way, the days of the big stables and kennels are over. I never
felt the need to own 25 good horses, I just have 6 of the extraordinary ones.
(OK, Ill be honest, I have 3 extraordinary ones, one that I'm attached to, One
that's good but I fight with, and one piece of trash colt that I cant bring
myself to part with).
Believe me, I grew up PO' (see, we couldn't afford the "O-R" some call it
"humble beginnings). My daddy was a horse trainer and some months he only
brought home 400$ a month.. divide that up by a household of 6 and you can get
a better grasp on how things were. But we were happy family and they still came
up with money for dog show entries, etc.
Horses are completely my hobby. I make no money off it, but there's something
about the pleasure it gives me. I could probably have more to contribute to my
nest egg if I stopped, but then how boring would it be to get a "real hobby"
like Golf? But the point is, and if you ask anyone--dog or horse-- that's been
there a long time.. they will tell you two things.. (1) NO sense owning
anything mediocre and (2) cost the same to show a good one as it does a bad
one..
Realize your dreams and then go for them.. realistically. Will I ever have
the beautiful Knolland farms of Ed Jenner and Luc Boileau with a World Champion
horse in every division or own the "3 gaited Open slot" for a period of years
like Mrs. Robeson's Albelarm Farms.. No way, thats not my calling in life. But
I can compete now on the same level with 1-2 horses every so often that makes
people sit up and say, "Is that another one from Blackhawk??"
Mike
======================
www.BlackHawk-Farms.com
Northern California American Saddlebred Horse Association
Vice President (Class of 2007)
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates.
============================================================================
POST is Copyrighted 2006. All material remains the property of the original
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE
PROSECUTED.
For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - URL temporarily deleted due to AOL issues
============================================================================
Other related posts:
