Although Grande Dame doesn’t agree with some of the options I outlined in my weekend post regarding the present problems in breeding and selling Thoroughbreds, this is exactly the kind of response I hoped for. It is reasoned, constructive, and critical.
We breeders of racehorses cannot hope to move forward financially or practically without thoughtful and critical evaluation of the methods and goals. The alternative has put us into the position we presently occupy.
Therefore, I decided to repost this response as a stand-alone piece so that more people would have a chance to see it. Please think, evaluate, and make your own opinions known. Good luck to us all!
I think the idea for breeders to drop a third of their broodmares is the wrong approach. First of all, KY breeders have already culled an enormous amount of mares in the past three years. I agree with Cynthia McGinnes that oversupply is no longer the real problem and what is really needed are more end users and fewer pinhookers buying our horses. We need to get back to our roots as a sport and not focus as much on the “industry.” Something is very wrong when it seems that the only way a breeder can get a horse sold is by allowing the many “middle men” along the way to reap most of the profits, despite the breeder spending the majority of the money and taking the lion’s share of the risk. The sport needs to reach out through better marketing efforts in order to bring in more end users. The market for luxury items is back on the rise as the wealthy begin to spend again. So why isn’t the market coming back for Thoroughbreds?
Secondly, if breeders drop a third of their broodmare band, invariably the majority of them will cull the less “commercial” ones. Which will exacerbate the problem of the breed being flooded with “market” horses. Culling even more of the less popular mares would most likely mean an even greater loss of diversity in our bloodlines, further polarizing our American Thoroughbred. Personally, I am trying to maintain a balanced broodmare band that includes more than a few mares considered by the market to be non-commercial, but that trace back to important two-turn bloodlines and have impeccable conformation. I think more breeders should do the same in the hopes that we improve our breed’s phenotype and soundness. This should eventually equate to more success on the racetrack and then in the sales ring. I believe the current commercial market is too focused on short-term success for quick monetary gain, encouraging breeding for mostly early-maturing sprinter-type dirt horses without regard for soundness or good conformation as those can be managed with veterinarian intervention. This is not helping our American Thoroughbred compete on or be marketable to the international stage and in America it is destroying a breed that was bred for centuries to run at classic distances. Breeding Thoroughbred racehorses is a long-term proposition and as stewards of the breed we are failing miserably due to market pressures.
Thirdly, what happens to all of those broodmares that are culled out of production? Do their breeders have a plan for them? Are they just retired for a few years and then brought back into production? If so, then most KY stallion stations won’t want to breed to them after a long lull in their produce record. Nor will the sales companies allow them through their rings if three or more years have lapsed. And if they are not ever bred again, then what becomes of those mares? Most that are culled are likely to be older and therefore less likely to be retrained as riding horses. Are we to just cast aside these broodmares who have served us as valiantly as the racehorses do on the tracks? Where are the rescue groups for broodmares? I know of only one that focuses exclusively on mares and they only have room for a few at a time. Unless there is a quality support network for retired broodmares in place, I believe it would be irresponsible for KY breeders to just dump even more mares.
I do like your suggestion of putting together a breeders’ cooperative to get the horses that don’t sell to the racetrack. This is an idea that should be embraced by KY breeders and would enable more breeders to breed their horses for the right reasons rather than just for short-term financial gain. Where can I sign up?
Let’s start right here. Send me your names and emails. And keep thinking and offering suggestions as we get this coop up and running.
bloodstock in the bluegrass 
I think the CO OP racing stable is infeasible BUT I love the last writer’s comments on culling.
It is irresponsible to cull 1/3 of your mare’s, that is unless you need to cull 1/2 of them! The ability to cull and make good animal husbandry decisions is the art of breeding. As a breeder you have to make decisions that are necessary to make your horses competitive. Breeders make good choices and bad choices, GREAT breeders make more good choices.
Regarding the coop, I was actually thinking of it more in terms of a group approach to breaking, pre-training, or even prep for 2yo racing. Then the horses could go to individual trainers, various programs, etc.
Since you have experience with groups taking horses to the races, you’re probably thinking of particular problems in this approach. What would you suggest?
Thanks.
This is the only point in this article that makes any sense. I am trying to maintain a balanced broodmare band that includes more than a few mares considered by the market to be non-commercial, but that trace back to important two-turn bloodlines and have impeccable conformation. I think more breeders should do the same in the hopes that we improve our breed’s phenotype and soundness. This should eventually equate to more success on the racetrack and then in the sales ring. I believe the current commercial market is too focused on short-term success for quick monetary gain, encouraging breeding for mostly early-maturing sprinter-type dirt horses without regard for soundness or good conformation as those can be managed with veterinarian intervention. This is not helping our American Thoroughbred compete on or be marketable to the international stage and in America it is destroying a breed that was bred for centuries to run at classic distances. Breeding Thoroughbred racehorses is a long-term proposition and as stewards of the breed we are failing miserably due to market pressures.
ANIMAL KINGDOM. Something different than mr. p over deputy minister. Irwin said it about his derby winner, he has no speed so no one will breed to him, the 2 yr olds wont go 9 4/5 at obs. But the horse does have genetic diversity.
It is interesting to reflect on the fact, that many of the best female families today descend from mares culled by “great breeders”.
A lot of these “culled” mares will end up in regional markets and can strengthen regional breeding prgrams. It’s surprising how many good horses come out of these regional markets nowadays. Of course, there are a lot of bad horses out there, but there are some good ones that could benefit from seeing some of these so-called culled mares.
I shall come back to the old beaten down statement-
” if this industry of horse business is to survive- then it must figure out a way to enhance the water that feeds it- and that is the owners . Instead everyone in this horse industry including-
Trainers,
stallion managers
Breed magazines
Race Tracks
state governments and politicians
feed merchants
jockeys etc etc————–they are / have been /and continue to treat the owners like a holstien cow which should be milked till it has no milk and then send her to the slaughter”
Culling mares cannot be the solution if you simply look at number of horses available to run at the race tracks. Besides , this is the only game where the experts have no crystal ball by their own admission oif the statement- A good horse can come from anywhere.
I think you have to start and end with the people who make the decisions on WHO to breed their mares to and work on changing the perception on what they consider acceptable. It is these same breeders who send hundreds of mares to the three and four career start wonders that send a clear signal that THIS is the type of horse the market wants. Who wants to get excited about a horse getting to the track who’s family has already set a precedent of only being around the track for half a dozen starts over a two year period? The music industry does a great job of marketing itself but it recognizes it does take time to build a fan base. It would not survive if all they had were two hit wonders and the artists said “I don’t have to record anymore because I got the money”
Perhaps the coop idea could be fashioned into investments in a way? Be willing to trade a percentage of a horse you own in exchange for lower cost board rates, lower cost breaking and so on? Bundling the horses together and receiving a percentage of each? Maybe just changing how a partnership works in that you have more hands on involvement then just writing a check?
This commentary supports the need for major improvements to the Thoroughbred retirement system.
With all the brain power that is in the Thoroughbred business (& that includes everyone) there has to be more ideas and solutions to the huge problem of supporting retired racehorses.
The co-op idea to break horses is sensible, perhaps that idea combined with other suggestions can create a new Thoroughbred retirement system that can work. If everyone focuses on this issue & makes it a priority to submit ideas that can be shared and tweaked, solutions will develop to help these horses. People involved in the industry have to take it as seriously as running their own businesses.
One idea may be for farms to receive credits for adopting a certain number of retired horses. If a farm adopts ex-racehorses, they will receive a credit with TJC for registering foals in the future or perhaps a credit with BC for nominations.
Additional ideas and implementation of those ideas are needed. If a successful system is in place, it will attract more owners to the sport. Like everything else the help of an improving economy is strongly needed.
Frank,
Thanks to a ‘new AT&T’, I’ve been off the Internet for ten days. But for that, I would have been on this item a week ago. By this date, everyone may have dropped it, so these words are wasted. However …… …….
Several months ago, I proposed that only a co-operative could help/save mare owners. Believe I mentioned a few of the benefits of co-operation. The response was underwhelming. In fact, ZERO.
Your proposal for a co-op is but one of the possible benefits or opportunities in co-operation. The whole concept of co-operation as born in Rochdale, Lancashire over a century ago is – strength in numbers. Don’t be scared : it is like forming a Trade Union. When you speak from a position of strength, the other side must listen.
The list of things a co-operative could do for mare owners is almost endless.
There is no point in reciting some of them, because nobody will step up and lead the movement.
You suggested a sign-up. Have you had any response at all? Doubtful.
Perhaps two years ago, I might have had the energy to try whipping up enthusiasm for the concept. Not now. As I read it, it never will happen.
I’ve decided to bail-out. Over the next few months I shall dispose of the mares and sell the farm. If any responsible people would like to take on some well-bred but non-commercial mares, I’ll throw in a halter.