This message is from: Tamara Rousso <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> That is so well put, Carol. I'm going to forward it onto my husband who is having a hard time with that concept where horses are concerned. And it is true with everything. I can't tell you how many times I've gone with something cheaper and ended up buying the more expensive thing anyway because the cheaper item was disappointing. Now I'm out even more money! We bought a paint pony for $2800 for my 11 year old daughter that was supposed to be well trained. Ha! The horse was quite overweight and seemed very docile. Once the weight came off the rearing started. She is now being retrained (more money) and may even have back problems (more money). I will not sell her to some unsuspecting person, so I will not recoup my money. And even if I could I get so attached to animals that it is hard to part. I should have held out for a well trained Fjord. Heavy sigh...
Tamara --- Arthur Rivoire <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This message is from: "Arthur Rivoire" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Hello Everybody from Carol Rivoire at Beaver Dam > Farm - > > Some years ago, I happened on a quote called 'The > Law of Value' > > "It is unwise to pay too much, but unwise to pay > too little. When you pay > too much, you lose a little money, that is all. > When you pay too little, > you sometimes lose everything because the thing you > bought was incapable of > doing the thing you bought it to do. . . . . " > - John Ruskin, > English Philosopher > > 1819 - 1900 > > I was so impresed with this quote that I have it > taped to my desk, and > never forget it as we buy, sell, and take Fjords on > consignment for people. > > I also remember "The Law" when we're buying > things for the farm, and > if I'm tempted to go for the "bargain", I remember > the best example we've > had of "The Law". That was the Manure Spreader' > costing $600 and supposed > to be "perfect for the small family farm". Hah! > The damn thing was totally > useless. The wheels buckled with the first load. > $600 lost, and back to > spreading manure by hand. --Not just money lost, > but time and backbreaking > labor . . . > > After that, whenever we've had to buy a piece of > equipment, we try to get > the most heavy duty model available, and know the > extra we're paying > is money well spent. > > Tonight as I talked to a recent customer, I was > reminded of the 'Law of > Value' quote. This lady recently bought an older > mare from us. The mare > was beautifully trained to do absolutely everything > --- wonderful > temperament --- totally dependable with any age, > including the youngest > child --- in excellent health and condition. --- > Not cheap, but very good > value. > > This new owner has had the mare for a month, and > already she's riding > and driving, and enjoying this mare with her > husband, children, and > grandchildren. > The lady is very well satisfied, and says over and > over again how perfect > the horse is for her. > > It seems to me that the THE LAW OF VALUE applies > more to horse purchases > than to anything else. You might lose money, time, > and your temper with > other cheap purchases, but buying a bargain horse > can hurt you, or kill you. > > Tonight as I was talking to this new Fjord owner, > she told me about her last > horse purchase. -- It was an inexpensive horse > that was supposed to be a > driving horse. She never did hitch it, thank > goodness, because this horse > ended up putting her in the hospital for two > surgeries costing $6,000. -- A > really classic example of "the thing you bought not > being capable of doing > the thing you bought it to do". ---- > And this lady is not an amateur. She's been driving > since she was 7 years > old. > > When my customer first started thinking about buying > this good mare we had > on consignment, her horse friends and family tried > hard to talk her out of > it. They said - "the mare is too old" . . .she's > too expensive" . . . "you > can find something else younger/cheaper". > . > Finally, the lady went with her own feelings, and > bought the mare, and ever > since the day of delivery, she's been totally > delighted, and so pleased she > bought the horse despite all the naysayers. > > During our telephone conversation tonight, all I > could think of was that > there isn't a better story to illustrate THE LAW OF > VALUE. And, I don't > think there's another commodity that illustrates > this quote from John Ruskin > more than horses bought for leisuretime enjoyment. > > "If the thing you bought is incapable of doing the > thing you bought it to do > . . . ." --- It's most certainly not good value. > And most certainly won't > bring you the enjoyment you were looking for. And > it will cost you time . . > . And maybe hurt you . . . . Or worse! > > Certainly I know there are genuine bargains to be > found. However, it stands > to reason -- not many of them, and they're not > easily found even by experts, > those "in the loop" so to speak. -- I know for a > fact that I couldn't have > duplicated this mare our customer bought from us. I > simply couldn't have > found such a good horse anywhere, at any price. -- > > And something else to keep in mind is that nobody > knows just how good, or > not so good a horse is UNTIL they've consistently > worked with it. -- This > may apply more to Fjords than other breeds because > almost all Fjords are > people oriented and friendly .. . . BUT this does > NOT mean they are > trained, easy to ride/drive, and have good work > ethics. -- You don't know > any of these things if the horse isn't in current > and consistent work. > > I can be as tightfisted as the next jperson, and > sometimes when I'm buying > an expensive thing, I have to force myself to > remember "The Law of > lue". -- HOWEVER, once the thing is bought and > working well, you forget > the price. You sure as hell don't curse the price > you paid when using > something that's working well day in and day out, > and doing exactly the job > you bought it to do, and you're enjoying yourself > more than you ever thought > possible. > > On the contrary, rather than thinking how much you > paid, you're much more > likely to be congratulating yourself on having the > brains to make such a > wise purchase. > > Kind Regards, Carol Rivoire > > > http://www.beaverdamfarm.com > Beaver Dam Farm Fjords II > R.R. 7 > Pomquet, Nova Scotia B2G 2L4 > Tel:(902) 386-2304 > Fax:(902) 386-2149 > Carole Rivoire, author of THE FJORDHORSE HANDBOOK, > only book in English on the Fjord breed, available > from Beaver Dam Farm, > $36.95 US includes P&H > http://www.beaverdamfarm.com/book.htm ===== ***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^***^^*** If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things. Rene Descart
