Post by kaimelstable on Mar 15, 2012 23:04:43 GMT -5
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about my stable and about the horses I currently own. Now that I've been playing for awhile I have a better sense of whats important to me and how I feel about certain things involving showing and my horses.
First I'd like to say that I like all my horses. I think its important to say that I enjoy showing them, watching them rake in the points and seeing them progress through their show careers. I enjoy watching them "grow up". To go from being in the lower levels of their disciplines and climb up the competitive ladder.
That being said, when I purchase a horse I consider more than their show potential. Every horse is purchased with their breeding potential in mind as well. Every horse is bought with the intention of improving my herds. As much as I enjoy showing and getting them titles I'm also anticipating getting foals from them once their show careers are done. Which has brought me to this conclusion; I may be returning horses required to be aged on a yearly basis depending on the following:
1) I have bought horses from a few people who age on a yearly basis and some horses I've bought knowing they are to be aged yearly and others it was not a requirement at the time I purchased them so I'd like to know what barns require ALL their homebreds to be aged yearly.
2) Of the barns who require their foals be aged on a yearly basis, who is okay with me retiring my horses once they are fully titled in all the associations I plan on showing them in? This means these horses could be retired any time after they are 4 years old. I believe I say I retire once they fully title when I ask to purchase a horse but I'm not 100% sure people understand that means ANY age they fully title. And for horses who age yearly, they are going to finish titling very young.
3) Once I sort out which horses have these restrictions on them I will be making plans to possibly return some of them. Older mares, stallions and irreplaceable horses are safe
I don't want to but I'm also not going to wait 10 rl years to get one foal out of a mare who fully titled at 4 years and I've been showing anywhere I can just to keep her "active" for the last 6 years. I don't know if I'll be simming 10 years from now so its just not time I want to invest in a horse who may not even be useful to my breeding program down the road. But also, to be honest these horses I age once a year just haven't been sitting right with me. Its been bothering me not to age them with the rest and watching them get double the points for half the effort. Doesn't seem fair to my other horses. I don't have any issues with people who age yearly. It just isn't working out for me to have horses aging yearly and every 6 months at the same time. I can't play at such a slow pace. I hope everyone understands.
So please let me know either here or by pm if you'd like all your horses to be aged yearly and if I may retire them at any age (no younger than 4 though) as long as they have fully titled in their associations.
First I'd like to say that I like all my horses. I think its important to say that I enjoy showing them, watching them rake in the points and seeing them progress through their show careers. I enjoy watching them "grow up". To go from being in the lower levels of their disciplines and climb up the competitive ladder.
That being said, when I purchase a horse I consider more than their show potential. Every horse is purchased with their breeding potential in mind as well. Every horse is bought with the intention of improving my herds. As much as I enjoy showing and getting them titles I'm also anticipating getting foals from them once their show careers are done. Which has brought me to this conclusion; I may be returning horses required to be aged on a yearly basis depending on the following:
1) I have bought horses from a few people who age on a yearly basis and some horses I've bought knowing they are to be aged yearly and others it was not a requirement at the time I purchased them so I'd like to know what barns require ALL their homebreds to be aged yearly.
2) Of the barns who require their foals be aged on a yearly basis, who is okay with me retiring my horses once they are fully titled in all the associations I plan on showing them in? This means these horses could be retired any time after they are 4 years old. I believe I say I retire once they fully title when I ask to purchase a horse but I'm not 100% sure people understand that means ANY age they fully title. And for horses who age yearly, they are going to finish titling very young.
3) Once I sort out which horses have these restrictions on them I will be making plans to possibly return some of them. Older mares, stallions and irreplaceable horses are safe
I don't want to but I'm also not going to wait 10 rl years to get one foal out of a mare who fully titled at 4 years and I've been showing anywhere I can just to keep her "active" for the last 6 years. I don't know if I'll be simming 10 years from now so its just not time I want to invest in a horse who may not even be useful to my breeding program down the road. But also, to be honest these horses I age once a year just haven't been sitting right with me. Its been bothering me not to age them with the rest and watching them get double the points for half the effort. Doesn't seem fair to my other horses. I don't have any issues with people who age yearly. It just isn't working out for me to have horses aging yearly and every 6 months at the same time. I can't play at such a slow pace. I hope everyone understands.
So please let me know either here or by pm if you'd like all your horses to be aged yearly and if I may retire them at any age (no younger than 4 though) as long as they have fully titled in their associations.