Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

re: Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

Betsy Arnold — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:33:26 GMT

Unsound horses are to large extent a result of poor feeding, training and "inside the box" thinking by owners, trainers, and sometimes vets.

Sometimes "traditional" horsemen have traditional ideas that repeat the old and ignore the new ideas.

re: Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

Sarah — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:51:31 GMT

I agree, industry needs to breed for soundess and endurance again.

re: Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

Max E — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:50:28 GMT

I recently read where poultry and eggs were the largest farm activity in KY after being 2nd to the horse industry for many years even though there was a decline in poultry products. The industry is in big trouble because Ky is the heart of the industry.Too many people are loosing money in horses and the future does not look good.

re: Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

JC — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:38:30 GMT

Why do we need to breed so many horses. Most horses never race,so what becomes of them. We cry out because of overbreeding of cats and dogs, aren't we doing the same thing with horses.

re: Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

Darlene in Ohio — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:38:16 GMT

I agree that the industry needs to stop breeding unsound horses Just because a horse is a champion doesnt mean they are going to produce one to many are getting retired with soundness problems and then bred just to get the stud fees Unbridled Song is a perfect example he is a champion and a beautiful horse but shouldnt be bred to many of his offspring break down on the track The industry needs to step back and look at what they are doing I wish they would start breeding fewer and sounder foals the industry is breeding for speed not soundness or endurance .

re: Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

Robin from Maryland — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:58:19 GMT

What the industry needs to do is Stop breeding "Pretty" horses, and concentrate on soundness. Too many unsound horses injured are than retired to stud - only to pass on bad genes. Col. Bradley said it best many years ago "Breed the Best to the Best and hope for the Best" Just my opinion.

re: Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

Asst. Hotwalker — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:03:00 GMT

Take that $3000 yearling. Put another $25,000 in him to get him to is first race. Then find out if he can outrun me? Someone must tell me how this horse can pay his way as a racehorse, when if he breaks his maiden he earns $9,000?

re: Pins and Needles - By Evan Hammonds

C. G. Dean — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:09:22 GMT

The Ocala and FTS sales this year sold less horses and had better catalogs than last year. The numbers from those sales are shaky at best given the facts above.

The FT Texas sale just concluded and all the articles written about it seem to be positive. Let us look at the facts which every industry outlet seems to be ignoring. The quality of horses in the catalog this year was a VAST improvement over last year. They were basically selling Mercedes this year and Hyundais last year. The Legacy Bloodstock boys brought a large quality consignment with them this year consisiting of horses that would stand out at this sale and they got backhanded. Ask them how the sale was and if it was great for the industry that the numbers were up a little.

Keeneland will be another bloodbath. The numbers might not reflect it completely, but it will be. There will be a ton of outs that will not be reflected in the numbers becasue those sellers just gave up and didn't even bring their horses. The last few days of the sale, you will get a majority of them being out, RNA'ed or selling for 3000 or less.