Letter To The Editor From Debbie Foley
Friday, February 24, 2006
Feb. 21, 2006
To the editor:
In response to the UPHA Executive Board's letter I would like to take this opportunity to back the UPHA's decision not to accept the two-year-old no cut tail class proposal for the following reasons: Those of us involved in the sales of American Saddlebred horses realize that the prices of top horses has been driven out of sight because of supply and demand.
We are raising too many of the wrong kind and not enough top horses. Everyone loves to win a blue ribbon at Louisville and creating a class for a lesser caliber of horse will only encourage people to breed ones that can show in a “soft spot” at Louisville.
These world champions in this division will no doubt later in life become someone's broodmare and raise more of this kind.
As a trainer whose barn consists of 90 percent young horses I know the benefit of getting a young horse's tail up. Once a colt gets his tail up you stop most of the kicking and ducking of their tails, which enables you to progress one in his training. Do we really want to see a class full of colts ducking their tails?
Anyone who was involved in or saw and heard the ugly situation at Louisville the last couple of years over protests of Saddlebred ponies and threats of protests about country pleasure horses with pads knows this was not good for our industry. Do we really want to create another class that we cannot police by leaving the door open for cheaters? That will only cause more protests and dissention between customers and trainers. That is not good for our industry and that is where we are headed. Who is to say if a colt had his tail cut three months ago or does he just have a naturally high tail carriage?
We don't need to open a can of worms that there is no telling where it will go. I encourage all UPHA MEMBERS to look past the end of their nose and toward the future of our industry.
Support the UPHA Board of Directors' decision.
Debbie Foley
11300 Ballardsville Rd.
Louisville, KY 40241
(502) 241-9185
|