The following information is a press release from the American Horse Publications. I encourage all equine participants to take this survey and provide your feedback.

The American Horse Publications (AHP) is conducting an Equine Industry Survey to gauge participation trends in the U.S. equine industry. In addition, the survey seeks to gather information regarding the most important issues facing the industry.

Dr. C. Jill Stowe is providing consulting services for data collection and analysis to the AHP. Dr. Stowe is an assistant professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky.

The survey is sponsored by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health.

Those eligible to participate in the survey are men and women, 18 years of age and older, who currently own, manage, or lease at least one horse and live in the United States.

The survey closes January 15, 2010.

This study is anonymous; this means that no one, not even members of the research team, will be able to associate information you give with responses. When the survey results are tallied, only aggregated results will be presented.

“The AHP’s member publications, Web sites, and newsletters reach nearly 3 million people involved in the horse industry in the United States and around the world,” said Kimberly S. Brown, current AHP president. It was Brown who proposed the survey, which was backed unanimously by the AHP board.

“We have been through a rough year, and there are many stories out there of unwanted horses and the decline of the horse industry,” noted Brown. “But I think the real story is the wanted horses and their owners who are still strong despite the economic downturn.

“We think this is a great opportunity for us to use our collective resources and reach into the horse industry to get answers about how we are doing today, how we think we’ll be doing in the near future, and what we are concerned about in our industry.

“Let’s get 100,000 or more horse owners to participate in this survey!” said Brown. “We have a wonderful chance to come together to gather information that can benefit us all, so spread the word!”

“I especially want to thank Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health for sponsoring this survey,” said Brown. “Both of these companies—and the people behind the companies—are supporters of the horse industry because of their love of the horse, not just because it’s their business. And I want to thank Dr. Stowe for being willing to contribute her time and expertise to ensure we have a legitimate survey with accurate statistical analysis.”

To take the survey just click on https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=bIUU08nvuI_2fLQ1Q0_2fdEyOQ_3d_3d.

Feel free to pass this link around to every horse-owning group and individual.

AHP is a non-profit association that promotes better understanding and communications within the equine publishing industry; members include equine-related publications, Web sites, professionals, students, organizations, and businesses.

For more information, contact: Chris Brune

49 Spinnaker Circle Dr., So. Daytona, FL 32119

(386) 760-7743 Fax: (386) 760-7728

Email: AHorsePubs@aol.com

www.americanhorsepubs.org

For additional information contact LydiaBagley@myhorseforsale.com

If you haven’t already been to Will Rogers Colliseum this weekend, take the family and go to the Appaloosa World Show! This is a great event hosted by the Appaloosa Horse Club Association. This weekend kicked off the show with cutting, roping, and trail. Monday starts the halter and performance classes. Horses will be showing in the Will Rogers Arena, and the Watt Arena. The show runs through the 31st of October.

This is also a great event to go shopping for the horse lover in your life, the show boosts a great trade show. You can find home decor, clothing, boots, and horse tack items. You will also find horse trailers, trucks on display, horse insurance specialists, and if you are so inclined a walk around the barns will show multiple horses for sale and puppies available.

Next weekend will showcase some great horses and riders, Friday night will showcase the Free Style reining in the 6pm performance. If you have not ever seen this event its a must see! Custumed horses and riders will complete patters to music. This is a great class to watch and tons of fun.

The Appaloosa Club hosts a great family orientated show and the exhibitors are super friendly, and willing to talk to about their breed.

I’ll see you next Friday for the evening performances!

For live webcasting of the show and a listing of events and times visit ApHC

Fake Ads

We are seeing an increase of fake ads being placed on all classifieds sites. We are doing our best to identify and remove them. If you have knowledge of a fake ad, please report by emailing us at sales@myhorseforsale.com and sending the Horse name to our help desk along with any knowledge you have of the situation. You can use the search engines such as Google.com to research a seller by name, location, phone number, etc. before even contacting them to see if they seem legitimate and check the seller’s contact information for omissions and discrepancies, etc. When buying horses online, do your homework, insist on references, check identities, look up the horse/owner on your breed association site, have the horse checked by a vet of your choosing, and buy locally when possible. Remember, beware of any ad that sounds too good to be true.  NEVER SEND A DEPOSIT TO HOLD THE HORSE  unless YOU HAVE SOMEONE YOU TRUST TO CERTIFY THE HORSE IS WHAT IS REPRESENTED.

Friesian Scam This is a horse scam that is currently circulating internet classified websites. The seller is offering a very expensive breed of horse well below market price. Other breeds often used are Gypsy Vanners, American Walking Ponies, various Warmblood breeds, and others. They specifically target more expensive breeds to make the buyer think they are getting a bargain. Common phrases used in their ads for these types of scams are: Loving horse for adoption, Friendly horse for re-homing, and frequent mentions in the description about the horse having had all of his shots and friendly for family use. When you see an ad of this nature, please email us to help us remove it as quickly as possible.

The reviews for Rimfire: The Barrel Racing Morgan Horse have been incredible!
Here is just a small sample:

“Rimfire brings the exciting world of barrel racing to life in a fun and delightful way! A great book for our youth and a valuable reminder that quitters never win and winners never quit.” – Martha Josey, AQHA, WPRA, NBHA
World Champion, Olympic Medalist, Hall of Fame

- “Ellen Feld’s expert storytelling makes you feel like you’re in the saddle, taking part in the adventure. Kids will love every page of this exciting and
heartwarming story as it unfolds, while parents will appreciate the emphasis on
safety, barn etiquette, and compassion for all animals. Ellen Feld has done it
again!” – Kate Tully, Horsemen’s Yankee Pedlar

- “Ellen Feld’s Rimfire is an educational journey into the wonderful world of
barrel racing. Young readers and horse lovers alike will be inspired by this
enjoyable book.” – Sue S. Bologna & Joe B Jammin, World Champion Barrel Racers

To learn more about “Rimfire” please visit Willow Bend Publishing
(www.willowbendpublishing.com)

Each day we hear more news about the economy and depending on who you listen to, it’s in recovery or still on the verge.  What equestrians do know is that the price of feeding and caring for our equines has gone up and many people who previously had the disposable income to afford horses no longer have it and are forced to sell.

This has created a buyers market in the U.S. but due to the economic situation of many, buying may not be an option, however, because the dollar is currently valued lower than the Euro and the Canadian Dollar, buying horses within the U.S and Exporting horses is less expensive than buying abroad.

The question then becomes, “How much is my horse worth?” and “Where do I sell my horse?”

Factors for determining value include:
1. Disposition – how well behaved is the horse? Kind, gentle, people loving, or spooking and disinterested in humans?  ?2.Value of sire/dam and offspring – Is the horse registered and did the sire and dam compete, earn prizes or money, have siblings earned points or money?? 3. Physical traits such as age, health and conformation – is the horse well put together, healthy, and within an age range that allows for many years of riding?? 4. Breed and type characteristics, pedigree and background – Does this horse match breed characteristics, have a desired pedigree, been well handled??  5. Accomplishments including training, show records, prizes and earnings – How much training does the horse have? Has he/she been shown, earned points, or prizes?

The following do NOT determine the value of your horse
1. Emotional Attachment?  2. Perceived Value?  3.  Direct or indirect costs of ownership (maintenance, veterinary bills and financial needs) You can not determine value based on what you paid and the horse has cost you since purchase.
A simple way to help determine how to price your horse accordingly is to visit a number of websites and equine publications and view ads containing a horse similar to yours? Think of it as pricing a vehicle that you would be selling. To sell in the current market your price and product (horse) must be competitive.

Where do you advertise your horse?
Choose a popular websites, breed associations or publications when listing your horses.  Most publications and breed associations have online websites to list horses.  I have listed a few below..
MyHorseForSale.com
Horsesmans News
Walking Horse Report
Saddle Horse Report
Appaloosa.com
Morganhorse.com
Pinto.com
Palominobha.com

Each site has unique approach and layout, it is often best to place ads with multiple sites to increase exposure of your horse. It is also beneficial to use social media marketing to spread the word that your horse is for sale and available.

Another option if you are emotionally attached to the horse is to consider a lease option, where you retain ownership and the leasee cares for and provides for the horse.

NOTE: The average price for a 5-10 year old quarter horse gelding trained for youth or all around sells for $8,500 (price was derived from taking the number of horses matching the criteria in a 50 mile radius of Fort Worth, Texas from all of the above websites) Prices for all horses matching the criteria were averaged together. Actual prices ranged from $900 – $10,000+ (Horses priced above $7500 had show records, and well known or sought after pedigree’s.)

Morgans current average price in Texas is $2,660 (horse between 3-10 years of age, all disciplines and all sexes. Criteria were relaxed to reflect decreased number of horses meeting criteria)

Arabian (no part or 1/2 arabians included in this set) Texas average price for geldings between 5-10 years of age is $8,200 for all disciplines prices ranged from $1000 – 27,000 for finished, experienced show horses.

For additional information please contact Lydia Bagley at lydiabagley@myhorseforsale.com

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