Sometimes, the public's understanding of OTTB's amazes me.

First and foremost, if you are getting a horse directly off the track, and you ask how they are undersaddle, you're most likely going to get the scoop on how they GALLOP. More than likely by someone who never learned how to RIDE but can hold a horse. So please, don't expect some enlightening information there. Observe them on the ground and in the stall, but their under-saddle work is basically completely different from anything and everything you're going to do with them.

Secondly, the issue of trials. If the horse is free, do not ask me to take him on a trial. Do not even think about asking me. The answer is NO. If the horse hasn't been lame for 6 years, the chances of him going lame in a week or two is slim to none...unless something happens while he is in your care, in which case it becomes MY problem. Accept that he is FREE and either take him or don't. This is especially annoying since each of our horses comes with a buy-back contract, explicitly saying that we get first right of refusal when/if you decide to sell down the line.

Do a PPE!!! I can only tell you the horse's history to my knowledge and tell you what his legs look like RIGHT NOW. I can't tell you if he has unknown chips, or anything else that's going on inside. I'm as honest as I can be with the information I have, so if you buy a horse from me without having a PPE or x-rays done, don't blame anyone but yourself.

I understand a lot of the legitimate questions...soundness history, reason for retiring, temperament, movement, etc...then sometimes I get an email asking me if I'd like to trade Fader for a TWH broodmare.


Uh...no thanks.