The Four Legged "stock market"

This was my Appaloosa stallion. ApHC "Essence of Intrigue" When I bought this horse less than 5 years ago the horse market was just in the initial stages of decline. I was the newly elected president of the North Central Arkansas Appaloosa Horse Club that was a regional club that had been inactive for that many years. I got involved and took it from defunct to an operational club that was starting out putting on some local all breed shows with the intention of raising enough money doing that to be able to afford to have an all Appaloosa Breed Show ( which are quite expensive to put on)

So....I bought this horse, and 4 broodmares to have my small quality Appaloosa program going. The Stallion already had an award where he had over 50 halter points with ACCAP, and I took him in two shows half way to his ApHC ROM. He was a really good horse. World show quality from what I saw in DFW in 05. I was able to purchase this horse for $2,500 whereas 10 years before that I could not have touched one his quality for less than $20,000! It's true, so as gamblers in the stock market would say it was "time to get in"

As it turned out just like the other stock market these days it was time to leave it alone. After hanging on for four years, raising a few good quality foals that sold easily, things in the horse industry went from bad to worse. Not to mention being the president of the regional App club turned out to be a royal PITA. I found out  first hand that humans like to sit on their hands and bitch, what its like to do just about everything yourself ( if it was the hard stuff that wasn't fun) and that no matter how much you do, someone will always find fault with it. Hubby and I had, had our fill. Enough was enough. I ended up not caring if I ever looked at another App horse, and I had always really liked them. A sour taste in your mouth I think is what people call that.

I ended up selling the stallion, selling the broodmares, all of which spare one were open ( not bred) and got out while the getting was good. I can honestly say I'm better off without the horse or the headaches. Sometimes you just have to learn things the hard way. From now on, I'm staying away from the stock market. Both wall streets, AND the four legged variety.