we quit adding it up long ago and just hope we don't starve at some point LOL lynda Aint that the truth! Like I said, I cant speak to any other breed, I can only speak to Walking Horses and American Saddlebreds. When I started showing, My trainer promptly told me my tack was not good enough and went out and spent about 8K for a new western Saddle. I wanted to ride in split reins and she wouldnt have it... ROMMEL REINS=625$ a pair. I had a nice english out fit that was conservative and I was told that Carl Meyer was coming to the barn and needed to get one made (4500 for a saddleseat suit), then when we went to nationals and the championships were at night... so we then needed a FORMAL suit from Carl Meyer... MORE CHA-CHING.. and people wonder why I still haul crates... TO PAY FOR ALL THE CRAP. In December, I sit down and tally up all the receipts and start the, "I could be retired by....." speech. 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 ============================================================================